A bit discouraged

[Missdirected]

Okay hijack coming through....

I captured this guy's mug at the park:

A couple more, very nicely hidden, not taken at the park though:

Okay carry on with your regularly scheduled program

 

[markfm]

The above are reasons to keep plugging away -- nice shots

 

[ItsBruce]

Even though the particular shop is in my neighborhood (and next to the best Cuban restaurant in town), I've never shopped there. But, I recall them being mentioned elsewhere on SB.

Not that I'm suggesting you make lemonaid, but thank your lucky stars you didn't go on the boat today. The seas was wretched.

If you want the names of outstanding local instructors and their shops, PM me. BTW: Two of the ones of whom I'm thinking teach diving because they love it ... they earn their livings with "real" jobs.

 

[fiddler]

Ya know, there is no rule stating that you must kick from the hips. It is just considered the most efficcient. If your body and previous martial arts training has you kicking from the knees so be it. Use what works for you.

 

[JD'sMom]

Hi all,

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement. I spoke with the shop during the day and was able to re-schedule all the classes and the boat dive. They were really nice about re-scheduling and I'm glad that what was mentioned to me when I signed up, about losing the boat money, wasn't the case, they are just making like I never showed up on Sat. I was told to get an hour in a pool to practice with the fins, mask and snorkel. The shop didn't offer to help, though I suppose I could buy some individual help through them, but I asked a friend who'd been snorkelling for years to spend time with me and teach me how to use the equipment. He seemed to think it wouldn't be hard to learn, once I got it down. I did ask the shop whether it was a mistake to take a fast track course, never having experience with the equipment, but the instructor I spoke with seemed to think once I mastered the fins, I'd be ok. I guess that remains to be seen. Thank you again everyone who gave me advice, encouragement and offered to help. Having completely been down on myself after failing so spectacularly on Saturday, I feel better knowing it's not an insurmountable problem.

 

[plot]

In my scuba class there was a little bit of snorkeling, but noone was critiqueing us on our technique or anything... that's crazy. There's not a whole lot to it, and I'll probably be hung out to dry for this, but I really don't think you need to know how to snorkel to scuba. I'm one of those people that leaves his snorkel in his gear bag when I go diving...

I was watching a bunch of video's earlier today with people demonstrating alot of different types of kicks, like frog kicks and a back kick (techniques often associated with DIR or 'technical' diving that allow you to fin without kicking up any silt at the bottom, and allow you to you fin backwords), and the one thing I noticed most from the videos was a very small amount of hip movement and alot of knee movement. So don't get discouraged just becuase of one instructors opinion on how you do things, as other people would look at it as a great start to some good techniques.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll do fine once you actually get some scuba gear on. I have found that if you're nervous and take short breaths while snorkeling, you end up breathing the same air over and over and never push any water that gets in your snorkel out, in the process of it all you get choked up. So my advice, never stop breathing.

 

[neil]

There's not a whole lot to it, and I'll probably be hung out to dry for this, but I really don't think you need to know how to snorkel to scuba.

I'd tend to as least partially agree with you, but JD'smom original problem was that her swim evaluation consisted of having to swim 300 yrds. in snorkeling gear, never having used fins before and not getting any instruction in their use beforehand. The instructor should have asked the class to see if everyone knew how to use fins.

 

[boulderjohn]

I am, like some, concerned that we don't really know exactly what happened without having been there ourselves.

The swim test is usually an option: swim 200 yards unaided or 300 yards with fins and snorkel. In my experience, the people who choose the fins and snorkel are afraid that they do not have the swimming skills to do 200 yards unaided. I am sorry that you never had experience with fins before, but if you were using a bicycle kick--as it sounds like you were--so seriously that the fins were ineffective, then it is very possible you would have trouble completing the unaided swim as well.

Here is an important digression that may be illuminating:

A couple of months ago I was working with a class in which included a wonderfully graceful swimmer who did the entire 200 years in one continuous freestyle, with no apparent effort. I later learned that only a little more than a year before, she had had a horribly traumatic experience in a discover scuba class in Australia. They had pushed her through the basic skills, which never provided them with an opportunity to discover a key fact: she could not swim! OK, she could struggle along on the surface, but she was not really a swimmer. Once in the ocean, she went into a full blown panic and had one horror of an experience, including a near drowning.

When it was over, she looked herself in the eye and decided she was going to do something about it. She took swimming lessons, and before long she was that Esther Williams double I saw in class, and she completed the class masterfully.

It appears from reading this thread that you are going to be able to continue to learn and get to the end of your lessons, which you initially feared was not true. It may be that the instructor made the decision upon seeing you in the water that it was essential for your own safety that you pick up more basic swimming skills before going on. Delaying your training may have been the best decision for you. Without really seeing what happened, none of us can really know for sure.

 

[Missdirected]

glad to hear on the boat - I know that bit didn't matter much to you anyway. Glad do hear they are like most other shops in that regard though.

You can make a day of with your friend. Do some swimming skills, stop for some lunch and re-group, practice some more! Hey, all it will do is build your confidence as a diver.

Deep breathe, okay? You have a fresh slate and there is no rushing. You will get there.

And it is pretty normal they didn't offer to teach/help for an extended period on the swimming/snorkeling. Sounds like you already know you need some calm, relaxed, one-on-one time, which is a cost to the shop. So it is pretty normal they wouldn't offer it without scheduling you with someone at a cost. S'okay though, go with your friend and have some fun.

Oh and for now a lil fun sarcasm; Do Not Ask Anyone for now if you will need the snorkel. It is a can of worms that will ignite one heck of a fire :winky: There are approximately three billion, two hundred thousand pages here on that subject (give or take a couple) Take your time and the questions you will have as they come.

 

[shellim123]

Wow! Reading this makes me wonder about my own skills. I had a great experience with all my classes. But, I never had to do laps with a snorkel or fins. I had to do laps, and tread water but not with fins. I have never even had a snorkel in my mouth. I really wonder if I look like a big doof under water. SCUBA is an excellent sport! So fulfilling! Keep practicing. Sounds like you have a passion for this! Dont give up! From 1 newbie to another. Good Luck!