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I have done 2 dives without ever taking a real class. The first one was in the late 80s in Puerto Vallarta. Did approx. 15 minutes in a 4 ft. pool at the hotel property with their DM evaluating whether I could breath with a regulator and use fins properly. It all came very naturally to me. Then, I did a 60 ft dive and was hooked. The other couple on our boat were shocked that was my first dive...they thought I acted like I'd been diving for years. :blinking: Ego boost deluxe but my ears bothered me for a couple of days after.
The next dive was in Maui in the late 90s. I had a "refresher course" at a picnic table in the dive shop reviewing the basics. During the descent I started experiencing a great deal of pain in my ear so I headed back up. The DM saw me and grabbed my ankle motioning that we were going down. I responded with, no, I'm going up and pointed to my ears. The idiot DM grabbed my ankle again and was trying to force me to continue descending. I kicked him off and continued my ascent. That dive resulted in a perferated ear drum. The Maui doc had a pre-packaged med pack for people with this affliction...he "sees it all the time."
I've never gotten over my desire to scuba dive but now I'm 58 and want to take classes so I can learn the proper way to dive. Am I too old to start and do I have any hope of ever being able to get my ears to cooperate? I've got very sensitive ears and even know when a plane is beginning its initial descent 15 minutes before it's announced. I swore off scuba diving after the Maui incident because I thought I had weird ears but I've been reading posts that have renewed my hope that I can overcome.
Is 58 too old to start and can I master the ear equalization techniques?
Thank you!