Snorkeling/SCUBA skills crossover?

[Skittl1321]

My husband and I have a 'bucket list' trip planned to the Galapagos in 2014. We plan to do a lot of snorkeling there, as that is 90% of the reason I want to go. (We will not be diving there, both because of trip operator does not offer scuba, and because we would be way too new to dive safely.)

We planned a cruise this December to give me a bit more experience snorkeling in the ocean. I swim just fine, and have never had a problem tailing my husband, but I tend to freak out when I surface and my nose is covered by the mask (as long as my head is in the water, I'm fine.)

Well, our cruise plans got changed a bit when we decided we wanted to learn to dive. Now snorkeling stops are turning into dive stops.

So my question- do you think the 'comfort' of breathing underwater, as well as that surfacing issue, between scuba and snorkeling overlap enough that I can give up my snorkeling practice for more dives?

I would really love to dive because we are going to some amazing places (Cozumel, Roatan, Belize, Costa Maya) and living in Iowa- well, there isn't much to see here. But I also want to be proficient with snorkeling for that big trip.

Thanks for the advice!

(I'd also love any tips to convert myself to a mouth breather when not underwater. I sit on the couch while watching TV with my mask on and have panic attacks because I can't breathe! But again, when I'm underwater, no problem at all. I worry I'm going to scare off dive master's with my 'equipment rejection'- because my first reaction is to get the mask as far away from my face as possible!)

 

[Kharon]

I've never had the problem you describe but personally I would to conquer it before doing any diving. Perhaps you could try a mask with a purge vent. Sit on the sofa with a snorkel in your mouth and breathe in through the snorkel and out through your nose with your eyes closed and concentrating on your breaths - like meditation. DO that for a while without the mask and then when you're comfortable with that add the mask. Maybe concentrating on breathing in through your mouth and out through your nose will displace the thought of the mask covering your face long enough to becom comfortable.

 

[Skittl1321]

I've never had the problem you describe but personally I would to conquer it before doing any diving. Perhaps you could try a mask with a purge vent. Sit on the sofa with a snorkel in your mouth and breathe in through the snorkel and out through your nose with your eyes closed and concentrating on your breaths - like meditation. DO that for a while without the mask and then when you're comfortable with that add the mask. Maybe concentrating on breathing in through your mouth and out through your nose will displace the thought of the mask covering your face long enough to becom comfortable.

I'll try the in through mouth out through nose and then work to transition to with mask.

I don't think a purge vent is going to help. I can clear my mask underwater. The problem is -above- water.

I wasn't able to take the OW course this month (will take it next, I hope- if it doesn't fill up) because I'm waiting for a Drs appt. but we plan to go to the pool to practice breathing through the snorkel -without- a mask underwater, as I've heard that is a useful dive skill. Still not sure that helps the idea of being above water with the mask on though.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Your fear of the mask is very dangerous. Irrational fear of essential dive gear is not consistent with safe diving. If you can master breathing from a snorkel with no mask in the pool, then that is a very good sign. It is much harder than sitting on the couch. I think as you master some of the snorkeling skills with and without a mask, the phobia of the mask in air may dissipate. Obviously you know it is silly and illogical.. If you can gain enough confidence and progressively acclimatize yourself to it, then I would think the phobia could be mastered.

 

[dfx]

I'm not sure if it was the same kind of situation, but I do remember having this "can't breathe, must get mask off" feeling on the surface at least once. I think it was the first dive in somewhat rough conditions, choppy waters, current, hanging on to the descent line like a flag on a pole while waiting for the others to get in the water... I think once the level of discomfort has risen to a certain level, the natural reaction is to try to get rid of anything that obstructs your breathing, as your survival instincts take over.

But... you get used to it. If you manage to get through it a few times by keeping a clear head, realizing that despite your subconscious freaking out on you, there really isn't anything to worry about, then soon it will become second nature. I'm a nose breather too, always have been and always will be. I hate having to breathe through my mouth (which sucks every time I have a cold). But now, once I have my mask on, things are different. I'm totally ok with that now, no matter what the circumstances.

I can also say that while being a proficient snorkeler does help when making the switch to scuba, it's not the same. The feeling of breathing from a regulator is very different from breathing from a snorkel, and it will take some time getting used to that, no matter what. Everyone has to go through that.

Pick an OW course that gives you as much pool time and instruction as you can get. Don't be ashamed to ask for more pool time if you need it, even after the course is done.

 

[Skittl1321]

I can also say that while being a proficient snorkeler does help when making the switch to scuba, it's not the same.

Part of what I'm wondering though is if I spend time SCUBA, will it help me with the snorkeling at all? I really want to be a proficient snorkeler for my Galapagos trip- but if I do manage to pass OW, I'd like to be able to dive multiple times on our upcoming cruise. But the whole point of the cruise was supposed to be for snorkeling practice...

So if my ultimate goal is to be more comfortable in the snorkeling mask- will SCUBA help that?

Like I said- snorkeling if my head is underwater, I have zero issues. On the surface, I have issues. So I don't know if SCUBA will help me with the mask issues, since there isn't as much time above the water as snorkeling has, or if I just need to dedicate more time to snorkeling.

Unfortunately I don't really have a choice of where to do OW. there is only one dive shop in a reasonable distance. They do come highly recommended though, and I won't move onto the check out dives if I don't do well in the pool. My safety is more important than a hobby!

 

[dfx]

Personally I would say that the best way to get better/more comfortable at snorkelling is by doing more snorkelling. However, your issue could be a simple skills problem, and taking up scuba diving might help with that, as the course might teach you a few tricks that you don't know about. On the other hand, simply finishing an OW course probably isn't gonna do a whole lot - again it's gonna be experience and practice that makes you proficient in the skills taught.

 

[Skittl1321]

On the other hand, simply finishing an OW course probably isn't gonna do a whole lot

No, I don't think it will. My issue is that I have 4 vacation days where I can do something in the ocean. If I do finish the OW cert, I'm going to want to dive! But the reason we booked this vacation at all was to practice snorkeling.

It sounds like the skills aren't going to crossover and I need to spend time snorkeling. We'll either do 1 dive and 3 snorkeling days, or 2 and 2, I guess. It will save some money- but it seems a shame to spend all the money to get certified and only get to dive once... ah well, it's lifetime, we can take a refresher course and pick it up again in a few years.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Look around for a freediving course. A freediving course will teach you a lot of what you need to know to do it safely and have fun. A scuba course is going to be a lot o wasted time and money if your goal is to simply freedive/snorkel. You need to practice snorkeling with a wetsuit, weightbelt and hood, it will be different in cool water than floating in a warm pool in Iowa.

 

[Skittl1321]

The scuba course I am taking is so we can scuba dive.

I also need to practice snorkeling.

It sounds like the skills do not cross over, so I won't be able to give up snorkeling time for scuba. We will have to wait until after Galapagos to get to scuba more than once it seems.