Terrible Advanced open water experience

[bugsmashers]

Hi,

Unless you are immensely obese, 31 lb is way too much. I am 6'1" and 240Lb. I dive a 7mm in fresh water with only 16 lb with a single steel 95. I am comfortably weighted. To get under the surface kick your feet above the surface like a snorkler. afer passing about 10 feet I am neutral with an empty BC. It is a small price for the increase in bouyancy control you will experience at depth.

Always be sure that your equipment is properly fitted, complete, and working before getting to the lake. When I did my cert dives the shop gave me the equipment before a pool session and we made sure that everything was complete and working before making the trip. A single piece wetsuit is warmer than the farmer john (you described upper piece) you were wearing.

You should have some diving experience since your intro before getting advanced.

Relax, nothing will eat you in a lake.

 

[miesemer]

The dive shop also forgot to send out gloves and the top part of the wetsuit.

It sounds like log splitter was wearing a two piece farmer john. In 7mm it is not inconceivable that he required 31#.

If the Dive Master was the problem and the instructor wasn't present to witness his behavior, I'd first talk to the Instructor before making a decision on finding a new shop, instructor, etc. For PADI AOW adventure dives the instructor must be present and in control of all activities but only needs to provide direct supervision on deep, wreck, drysuit and night dives.

 

[miesemer]

Hi,

Unless you are immensely obese, 31 lb is way too much. I am 6'1" and 240Lb. I dive a 7mm in fresh water with only 16 lb with a single steel 95.

Are you wearing a two piece 7 mm suit?

If you were diving an aluminum 80 you'd add about 8 to 10 lbs. If you're in a single piece 7mm and switched to a two piece you'd need to add some more.

My anxiety levels where nothing like I had ever experienced.

This too requires more weight.

 

[Diveral]

Agree with a 2 piece farmer john 1/4" wetsuit I used 33 lbs.

 

[JimC]

This too requires more weight.

No, it requires more build up, more care, and more easy dives in the lake on your own speed and time to get comfortable.

 

[TheRedHead]

Any words of advice for me I’m just really turned off of diving right now. And have no desire to to it again anytime soon.

Don't give up. We all have horrible dives we would like to forget. Buy your own exposure suit for those conditions and practice in the pool, regulator too if can afford it. A big part of diving is being comfortable with your gear. Then perhaps try diving in the shallow part of the lake to get used to the bad visibility. Or think about taking the class on vacation.

I can't condone your instructor's behavior and I agree with the others who have opined that you should investigate a new instructor. Don't feel like you failed. It's not a contest. I had almost 100 dives before I took AOW.

Keep diving and be safe.

 

[joe rock]

To boot it was my first time in a wetsuit.


1. Had a hard time to adjust my mask, inflator etc with the gloves on.

It sounds like you had a terrible instructor and I can't add more than what's already been posted.

A couple of questions about you though. You live in Canada how many dives do you have and where/what types of dives? It appears by the two statments above that you have never dove in cold. First wetsuit could mean you learned to dive dry, but than you'd have been used to adjusting your "mask, inflator etc." with gloves on.

I went diving in my first lake and it was like tea.

You're diving in a new enviroment. So you've had a lot going on As DivingCRNA said perhaps you should try a couple of very easy dives in a 7mm wetsuit with gloves to get used to the equipment and environment before adding the stress of check out dives. You didn't say which agency, but 3 of the dives typically are bouyancy, deep & navigation. If they're all new to you and you're in completely new equipment that you're not comfortable with you've set up a disaster.

As to the weight question, when I first started diving, I wore 32# of weight in fresh water with a 7MM FJ and AL80. Same configuration, I now wear 24#. The correct weight is an individual thing with a lot of factors impacting it as JimC said.

Another alternative is to go back to the enviroment you're comfortable in and get your AOW in that environment.

Either way, don't let one horrible experience ruin your diving. It's a great sport, you need to discover what environments you find enjoyable diving in. Give it another try!

JR

 

[timle]

I agree it sounds like you had a very bad DM. However I would agree it doesn't sound like you are ready for AOW in these conditions. You should do several dives to get comfortable with dive in this murk before attempting a deep or night dive as part of your AOW.

Don't lose heart - just do a bunch of less complex dives in these waters and get used to it and the gear that goes with it. Then you will be comfortable enough to take a class in these conditions.

 

[tstormdiver]

Your AOW dive sounds, in many ways like one of mine last year. I was fresh out of OW the month before. Because I had no equipment, I had not dove since my OW course. Our class's first dive for AOW was to be the deep dive (my OW class was in a very shallow 35', warm 87 degrees quarry). This was the first time I had also worn a wet suit (let alone a 2pc. 7mm). I was also using the dive shop's rental gear (same as I used in OW). We went over weighting guides (I was a 5'6" female at 185#). Using the guide I weighted myself for 18# (not taking into account that the suit was a 2 pc.'er & should have used about 24#'s). This quarry goes to 120' (we planned for 75-80') and the temperatures were: 83 at the surface down to 43 below 60'. We swam out to a descent line and everyone started down, except me. I couldn't get down. I then hand over hand started to pull myself down & finally started to become negatively buoyant at about 20'. I had to exert a lot of energy pulling myself down & my breathing became very rapid. I continued down to the platform at 75'. On the platform I started having issues with my weight belt trying to fall off & dealing with the cold temperatures that I wasn't at all prepared for (I like to call it refreshingly cool, now). The suit had really compressed & the belt, while uncomfortably tight on the surface had lossened & I found I had no more take up on it. I worked through a math problem at depth & did OK. The group then left the platform for a slow ascending swim towards the surface. At that point I lost my right fin (the buckle had unknowingly come loose). I had to use my 1 good fin to fetch the other. I found out real quick that I am no where as flexible in a thick wet suit. I started doing doughnuts trying to put the finn back on. I got totally disoriented and stressed. The attending dive master saw what was going on & came over to assist me. My breathing was really getting bad at that point. I'm not sure what happened to cause this, but I started taking in water as I inhaled. I basically freaked at that point ( I was frightened, but didn't know what to do) & the dive master saw what was happening and grabbed my BC and we started to ascend slowly. I didn't try to bolt & helped him to kick our way up. We made our way up to the safety stop and my breathing quickly returned to normal & I calmed down. We finished the safety stop & went on to the surface. At the surface the dive master made sure I was OK & positively buoyant. He left me floating on the surface & returned to the group down below. After 10 min. the entire group surfaced & joined me. After swimming back to the entry & getting out of our gear the instructor & dive master talked to me about what had happened. They were very kind and assured me that I wasn't the first one to have problems & freak out at depth. For me it turned out to be a very good learning lesson. I have since purchased my own equipment & become familiar with it. I have dove deep in this quarry & another without to much trouble since. Although I'm not crazy about it, the cold doesn't bother me like it used to and I can tolerate these dives for 15- 20 min. at a time. I just want you to know that you're not alone when it comes to having bad dives. Like the others have suggested, if you're not happy with the instructor, find one that suits your needs. Every dive can be a learning experience, even the bad ones, if you let them. Good luck to you & your endevours.

 

[rhyz]

I'd only add get another shop.

Diving should be fun. If you're not having fun, it's probably because of poor instruction.

Definitely get a new LDS to do your AOW...they should be pleasant and helpful and actually care about you as a diver and not just a class stat.