Getting back in the water

[SD40T-2]

Egads, it's been 3 1/2 years since I was last in the water.

My life has been all over the place during that time and I think it's time I hit the water again. I've still got all my gear (in safe storage), still have my C-card in my wallet and can remember most of what I learned from my OW class. I still talk to my dive buddy but I'm not sure if I can get him back into the water. His priorities and family life have changed.

I'm trying to figure out what the best plan is for me in getting back into the water. It's been so long that I can't even remember what it's like. I'm toying with a refresher course but may just hit the local dive resort for a day and do two, maybe three dives just to get used to it again. Maybe I can find another dive buddy that will keep me diving this time without a 3 1/2 year surface interval....

suggestions, comments?

Hope to get back in soon,

SD,
SLC, UT

 

[dive_lover88]

go for a refresher course.

Nevermind if you can't find a buddy to dive with, just go alone and make new friends. That was what i did for the 1st year of diving. It was the passion of diving that kept me going.

 

[Kbear]

I'd recommend taking the refresher course. I just got back into diving this year because one of my buddies took a course and pushed me back into diving. I’ve had my c-card since ’93 but hadn’t been diving for about 8 years. We went down to the Blue Hole in NM, and did some skills at around 20’ just to make sure I remembered everything. Mask clearing, buoyancy, regulator recovery, etc., and everything went well, so we proceeded to do the dive to around 60ft.

One critical thing I forgot was Boyle’s law. When we got to 20’ to start our safety stop, I found myself rocketing to the surface. I had forgotten to dump air on our ascent. My first thought when I hit the surface, was ****, I’m going to the chamber. Then my training kicked in, and I dumped air and met him on the platform (17’) for a very long stop. I breathed my tank till it was around 200psi in the hope that I could avoid the chamber, and thankfully everything was fine.

I’m sure that a refresher course could’ve taken care of what I had forgotten, so I highly recommend it. Everybody says learn from your mistakes, and believe me I did, but mistakes in scuba can cost you your life.

 

[ItsBruce]

Take the refresher course. Your skills will be sufficiently rusty that should you need them in a pinch, they won't necessarily work. It is unlikely you can hone them by yourself, i.e. without an instructor. And, make sure you have your gear professionally serviced after that long a time out of the water. Take the refresher so we don't read about you under accidents and incidents.

 

[Davidstealey3]

refresher course is the way to go

 

[ClamBake]

Pop into your LDS, drop off your gear for servicing, check out what's new, explain your situation and see what they have available for upcoming classes. You may find that there is an ongoing OW course that you can join in the pool for a night of skills refresher (what I recently did after a much longer surface interval) or divemaster candidates who would love the opportunity to work with you as part of their internship requirement. Good luck and welcome back!

 

[jscott099]

I agree. Go to the shop and get the gear serviced first. Tell them what you are and they will likely offer you a scuba skills update. At my shop we have a pool, so I put you in the pool with your serviced gear (or maybe new toys if you saw something better than what you had). $40. Then if you want to, I can offer you a lead dive at a local dive site to knock off the rust for a few more bucks.