What things in diving give you the willies?

[clownfishsydney]

I thought of something else that gave me the willies. On one of our Red Sea trips, we dove the Salem Express, a ferry that went down in 1991 with appalling loss of life. It was an extremely eerie dive. You could see the suitcases in the holds, some of them open . . . the sand had belongings and children's toys. Although conditions were perfect for the dive and it's an impressive wreck, I felt as though I could hear the ghosts whispering. I don't actually regret diving it, but I would sit it out if a boat went there again. I have talked to other folks who have dived that wreck and feel the same way.

My wife Kelly dived it about 5 years ago and she said she had the same feelings. Similarly, the wreck of the Aikoku Maru in Chuuk Lagoon where over 700 died seems to have a very haunted and eerie feeling about it. I have never felt this on any other wreck, even where many people have died.

 

[ajtoady]

Also at the A-Bay Islander, a large plastic bag weighted down. Never opened it and can't say as I would want to!!!

An addendum to the above; For those that don't know or dive A-Bay, the Islander area is also behind the local hospital! Horror movie images take a part in these "willies"!

 

[CT-Rich]

here is an educational video demonstrating #4

The Warhammer Maneuver - YouTube


It's my own fault... I had to look. Now I will spend the rest of my life trying to get that image out of my head.

... and I got something new to give me the willies underwater.

Sea cucumbers suddenly don't seem so gross anymore.

as long as they really are sea cucumbers.....

 

[Kharon]

Diving with buddies - especially someone I don't know. I consider it an unwarrented increase in danger to myself.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I think in most cases what gives divers the willies is unfamiliarity ... whether it's with the habits of a specific creature you're encountering, or an environment you're experiencing for the first time, or the need for a skill you may not be as proficient in as you should be.

There have been very few situations in diving that made me feel that way, but one that I can recall happened on my very first cave diving trip after I was Apprentice certified. It happened at a cave called Madison Blue, in north Florida. There's a restriction in the cave called "Half-Hitch" that doubles back on itself. I was diving in a team of three, and was the last diver through. My buddies made it through easily enough, but as soon as I entered the restriction everything just seemed to close in ... the hole seemed too small, and I could feel the dragon crawling up my back as I struggled to get through it. Visions of John Pinette stuck in the "giant tube" at the water park kept popping into my head and I kept worrying what I was going to do if I got stuck and couldn't get myself unstuck. What could my buddies do? They couldn't even turn around, and there was nobody behind to pull me back. It was one of the few times I can remember being more concerned about the fantasies going through my head than I was the realities of what I was doing. And for a few moments it was frightening.

I made it through OK ... and coming back out was easier than going in, because now I knew what to expect. But after the dive I announced that I didn't need to do that again. One of my dive buddies rolled his eyes skyward and said "Forgive him Lord, he knows not what he says" ... and the other divers in our group had a nice laugh at my expense.

Fast forward a few months and a subsequent trip to complete my Full Cave training. I decided to give it another go, and this time the restriction just didn't seem all that bad ... in fact, I enjoyed it. since then I've done a few more cave trips, switched from back-mount to side-mount, and now find myself diving with buddies who seek out tight places. They don't bother me at all ...



... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[chillyinCanada]

From time to time whilst reading Scubaboard, I'll get the willies considering whatever scary situation some of you are going on about. I'll start to get shivery wondering if that could be me on my next dive trip. The closer my trip gets the more paranoid I can become, but as soon as I roll in, I realize everything is going to be just fine.

 

[randini]

It's happened to me twice now. Shortly after I get the boat anchored a Navy patrol boat comes along advising that there's a person been washed away from a nearby beach. They ask us to keep an eye out and give them a call if we see anything. Of course I would, but now it's in the back of my head and giving me the willies that I may come across a body down there.

 

[mala]

Conger Eels and dive buddies with yoke valves are always a worry.

 

[Mike126]

Reading this thread is giving me the willies!

 

[rhwestfall]

Reading this thread is giving me the willies!

Ignorance/innocence is bliss.....