April Fantasy Lake Cert. Dive and Belize Blue Hole

[victor]

Angela
Try snorkeling in the pool without the mask on, once you master breathing without the mask and with your eyes open underwater then the only extra wlll be the cold water.
Then the advice from NWgratefulldiver sounds good. Get the face used to the cold before going down. Then it won't be such a shock when you pull your mask off.

NW
46 degrees now thats to cold for me, do you put the students in dry suits?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Angela
Try snorkeling in the pool without the mask on, once you master breathing without the mask and with your eyes open underwater then the only extra wlll be the cold water.
Then the advice from NWgratefulldiver sounds good. Get the face used to the cold before going down. Then it won't be such a shock when you pull your mask off.

The pool work is always a benefit ... but what's causing the panic reflex is the cold water. I often have students who do fine in the pool, only to have this symptom show up on the first open water dive.

NW
46 degrees now thats to cold for me, do you put the students in dry suits?

Sometimes, but not usually. Most students are in 7mm farmer john wetsuits. Most problems with cold are experienced after the dive ... during SI. We "solve" that problem by bringing gallon jugs of fairly warm water and having them pour it down the inside of their wetsuit when they get out of the water. Then, an overcoat of blanket to help reduce the cooling effects of evaporation (and keep the wind off the wetsuit).

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[NCSCUBADOOBA]

Whoever gave me the link to the thread from Walter from 2001 is my H-E-R-O!
I'm building confidence reading these. And... never thought to open my d*m! eyes LOL... that would take the scary dark aspect out of all of it. I have a question though...
WHAT AGENCY MAKES YOU REMOVE YOUR MASK AND SWIM 50meters????? Holy Crap!
Angela