Panicked on first deep dive

[Colliam7]

I'm a new diver . . . when it was time for my deep dive checkout the following day, I panicked. My mask felt too leaky, the dry air was making me uncomfortable, and the poor visibility scared me. I made it to only 40 ft before I was hyperventilating and abandoned the dive. . . . Advice please!

I will add a comment to what I perceive to be an emerging consensus. With each deep(er) dive, you will gain a degree of additional experience, and comfort. That doesn't mean that you will never feel anxiety again, but that you will probably be less likely to feel 'panicked' at a given depth - basically, you will have more of a 'been there, done that' mindset, and you will be comfortable that you can handle it. And, I DO NOT mean you will become complacent. Rather, your experience window will have widened, so 100 feet, as one example, will no longer be new and unknown.

When I did my AOW Deep Dive, it was Dive #11 for me. It was in cold water, in a quarry, and we had to pass through a murky layer on the way down. But, I managed to get to the bottom, at 75 feet, and the visibility was actually better than at 40 feet. Still, I was (really) glad when we started the ascent.

When I went to 100 feet for the first time, I remember seeing my computer depth window move from two depth digits to 3, and feeling somewhat anxious, and thinking, 'OK, I did it, now I want to get back up to 75 feet where I am more comfortable.'

Then it was 131 feet, with the same feeling. In my tech training, we dove on a boat at Forty Fathom Grotto, where I hovered at the stern, at 147 feet, thinking, 'I can do this, I can do this', but being really happy when we started our ascent. My instructor even asked afterward, 'What was so fascinating about the stern of that noat?' Then, it was 165 ft with that feeling of anxiety driving me to 'git 'er done' and begin my ascent. Then it was 200 ft, then it was 250 ft, etc. It is a progression of experience and learning, much like anything else. I honestly don't know if there is a shortcut. What I do know is that is is quite possible that the second time you try the deep dive you will think, 'Why was I bothered by this the first time?' And, if it doesn't happen the second time, it may happen the third time.

You are not alone. Many, if not most, of us feel nervous the first time / each time we expand our envelope of experience (and live through it). And, with each subsequent 'expansion' we gain a little more confidence, based on a little more experience, and reset the limits of our 'window'.

 

[driftwood]

I'm a new diver - OW last summer. This year I started AOW training to prepared for a dive trip coming up. Everything had gone great, but when it was time for my deep dive checkout the following day, I panicked. My mask felt too leaky, the dry air was making me uncomfortable, and the poor visibility scared me. I made it to only 40 ft before I was hyperventilating and abandoned the dive. I really need this certification for my upcoming trip, and need advice. I'll be attempting another deep dive this weekend and am already nervous. Advice please!

I am going to make a couple of assumptions. First, ATX, to me at least, indicates you are in Austin. If that is the case then you were probably diving in Lake Travis off Robert's boat, The Giant Stride. Lake Travis is still pretty cold (at least to Texans) this time of year. It seems that when you started to panic you were just hitting the thermocline. Anxious, dark and getting colder are not a good combination.

If I am right about Lake Travis and Robert, I can't think of a better instructor to work you through the program. I trusted Robert to get my wife and stepson back up to speed after being years away from diving.

 

[SheilaATX]

Thanks for all the input. I do believe its all in my head as I've comfortably made several dives since then. There is just something about the deep dive -especially in a lake-that freaks me out. I'm attempting it again this weekend and will be much more prepared. Last time I had only a few hours sleep due to a night dive the previous night and on the last dive, another diver accidentally kicked the regulator out of my mouth. I was able to quickly recover it and complete the dive, but it created a bit of anxiety. I think that anxiety just carried over. Thanks again for all the feedback!

---------- Post added May 9th, 2014 at 11:50 PM ----------

My trip in not until July. AOW is my 3rd class I've had with my dive shop and I enjoyed everything else. I've been an ocean swimmer since I was little, and lakes (Lake Travis) freaks me out. I do plan on making several more dives before the trip. Because of the organization taking us, we are required to have the AOW cert. No cert = no trip. I'll get it though!

 

[Dr. Lecter]

IMO, until you couldn't care less whether there's water in your mask/your mask gets kicked off your face/your reg suddenly cuts out on you/viz goes to 6" and the only thing you can see are bubbles streaming past your face…you should avoid diving much past 60'. Genuine comfort in the water and intuitively knowing that whatever's just happened is NBFD is something you cannot force or fake.

The only thing that's going to hurt you at 100' is you, but you (and anyone of us who loses it) are perfectly capable of killing yourself on what most of us would call a simple dive. 100' isn't remarkably deep, but it's deep enough that mistakes can hurt and panic can kill.

None of which is to say you need a ton more experience before finishing AOW or doing your trip. But you do need for this to click. If it doesn't, even if you straggle through AOW (not exactly a difficult task), scrub the trip. If you think you've got it, go for it…but the only one who really cares whether you're going to come back from any given dive is YOU.

 

[halocline]

---------- Post added May 9th, 2014 at 11:50 PM ----------

My trip in not until July. AOW is my 3rd class I've had with my dive shop and I enjoyed everything else. I've been an ocean swimmer since I was little, and lakes (Lake Travis) freaks me out. I do plan on making several more dives before the trip. Because of the organization taking us, we are required to have the AOW cert. No cert = no trip. I'll get it though!

In July conditions at the FGB are usually very good with relatively calm seas and warm water. A July trip is usually quite 'easier' than a spring trip, so this is good news for you. Lake Travis is horrible for deep diving unless you A) have a drysuit, and B) enjoy cold dark places. I realize all the Lake Travis divers hate me now.

A quick trip to Cozumel would be perfect for you if you can swing it financially. You'll get about as deep as the FGB dives, you'll get some current, but you'll be in the water with a DM and you'll be in fantastic conditions. The only problem is that by comparison the FGB will be a bit anti-climatic.

I would definitely spend some time practicing taking your mask off at depth. The first time someone kicks off your mask at 80ft (surprisingly likely given enough group dives) you'll be very glad you did.

 

[diver 85]

In July conditions at the FGB are usually very good with relatively calm seas and warm water. A July trip is usually quite 'easier' than a spring trip, so this is good news for you.

Not necessarily..lol, the conditions I described in an earlier post are from July 20, 2007(according to my pics/videos I made that trip)....Here's a few (VERY SHORT) videos from about 5+AM of the 1st day--everyone was JUST getting up......lol---& no one was drunk walking around like that......notice in the 1st one how Carl stopped---before walking ahead--to get his bearings straight...It was ruff....
5 Fling Galley Video by GEAUXtiger | Photobucket

Sam & I trying to have coffee..
3 Fling Galley Video by GEAUXtiger | Photobucket
Sam trying to get his coffee..
4 Fling Galley Video by GEAUXtiger | Photobucket
Sam trying to 'go potty'....
2 Fling Galley Video by GEAUXtiger | Photobucket
Another(unknown name) trying to 'go potty' successfully.....
Fling Galley Video by GEAUXtiger | Photobucket


BUT---it was worth it all(These last 2 videos were from July '09--as you can see much calmer)........Manta Ray seen in last 5 minutes of 1st dive of a trip.....IE, ALWAYS look up, some below us were looking(down) @ the reef & never saw it...
http://s176.photobucket.com/user/GEAUXtiger/media/Flower Gardens July 09/Jul172009052.mp4.html

EDIT:.& OP, don't ever let your guard down----even on a surface interval........
http://s176.photobucket.com/user/GEAUXtiger/media/Flower Gardens July 09/Jul182009032.mp4.html

 

[TMHeimer]

I will add a comment to what I perceive to be an emerging consensus. With each deep(er) dive, you will gain a degree of additional experience, and comfort. That doesn't mean that you will never feel anxiety again, but that you will probably be less likely to feel 'panicked' at a given depth - basically, you will have more of a 'been there, done that' mindset, and you will be comfortable that you can handle it. And, I DO NOT mean you will become complacent. Rather, your experience window will have widened, so 100 feet, as one example, will no longer be new and unknown.

When I did my AOW Deep Dive, it was Dive #11 for me. It was in cold water, in a quarry, and we had to pass through a murky layer on the way down. But, I managed to get to the bottom, at 75 feet, and the visibility was actually better than at 40 feet. Still, I was (really) glad when we started the ascent.

When I went to 100 feet for the first time, I remember seeing my computer depth window move from two depth digits to 3, and feeling somewhat anxious, and thinking, 'OK, I did it, now I want to get back up to 75 feet where I am more comfortable.'

Then it was 131 feet, with the same feeling. In my tech training, we dove on a boat at Forty Fathom Grotto, where I hovered at the stern, at 147 feet, thinking, 'I can do this, I can do this', but being really happy when we started our ascent. My instructor even asked afterward, 'What was so fascinating about the stern of that noat?' Then, it was 165 ft with that feeling of anxiety driving me to 'git 'er done' and begin my ascent. Then it was 200 ft, then it was 250 ft, etc. It is a progression of experience and learning, much like anything else. I honestly don't know if there is a shortcut. What I do know is that is is quite possible that the second time you try the deep dive you will think, 'Why was I bothered by this the first time?' And, if it doesn't happen the second time, it may happen the third time.

You are not alone. Many, if not most, of us feel nervous the first time / each time we expand our envelope of experience (and live through it). And, with each subsequent 'expansion' we gain a little more confidence, based on a little more experience, and reset the limits of our 'window'.

Yes, this explains a lot. My dive count exceeds 400 now (wow) and I DM classes. But my usual personal dives are shallow. I DO feel different at 30 feet instead of 15. Not overly concerned, just "different". I know I can easily CESA from 30', but still. Yet, I do have Deep cert. and have occasionally been at 120-130', not having any problems with that. There is reason to think differently as I believe the deeper you go the more stuff can happen. And I still feel funny swimming and snorkeling in water "too deep to stand in", though I do it. It's just a mindset.

 

[Donnah]

if you reg breathes harder at 120 feet than it does at 40 feet then you have the wrong regulator. A balanced second stage should be tunable to breathe consistently at all recreational depths

Scubapro MK25 1st stage, S600 2nd stage. Serviced professionally every year and well taken care of between dives. It just feels "different" at 120. Not bad, just different. Or maybe I'm just more aware of it when I am that deep.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Scubapro MK25 1st stage, S600 2nd stage. Serviced professionally every year and well taken care of between dives. It just feels "different" at 120. Not bad, just different. Or maybe I'm just more aware of it when I am that deep.

My guess is that it's the increased density of air with depth that you feel.

 

[SheilaATX]

Turns out I was psyching myself out over nothing. Ditched the hood so my mask wasn't leaky and no problems, just chilly! Thanks for all your input! Mission completed!