Unreasonable fear of depth

[FishNut]

I had a fear of going deeper then 60 when i lived up in washington due to it being so dark and when i did do my 100' dive for AOW i got narked really bad. but since ive moved down to california and i can see stuff besides black and having dive buddys i trust im slowly getting over it. It just takes time.

 

[spectrum]

First of all there is a lifetime of diving joy out there without going "deep". Your desire to be able to explore things of interest within recreational depths though is perfectly OK. After all you went this far why not see if you can.

Taking the Rescue Diver course is a great idea. Taking the Rescue Dive course together with your husband would do a lot to increase your ability to avoid incidents as well as dealing with them while building mutual confidence.

The fact that your regulator breathes a little stiff when face up is entirely normal. If you try it with your alternate second you will experience the same. It's a combination of regulator geometry and the relative depth of your lungs to the regulator when in that posture.

Make this something that you face in your own way and on your own terms. Do not put yourself into a difficult situation such as a boat trip where it's dive or waste the charter fee or diving to save face. It's not worth it and the stress will set you up for a bad scene.

Don't sell yourself short for making "easy shore dives". I have seen dive boat junkies wince at the though of what we both probably consider modest entries. As we move from one setting to another we all become novice divers again for a while.

Long surface swims is a relative statement. I notice you dive a DIVA LX BCD (so does my wife) , that is mainly a wing and will leave you fairly deep in the water on surface swims. That means your lungs are pulling a little harder if you are snorkeling face down. Try rolling to your back at least part of the time or burning some cylinder air. At the surface you can go along time on little pressure. If you get sea sick consider meds or Seabands. If you are just coming up way off target then work on planning or navigation. On shore dives we may surface swim out a bit to save air but almost surface just in time to remove our fins.

Remember that this is supposed to be fun. Don't force the issue but there is nothing wrong with working through your deep dive anxiety in a careful way and in small steps.

If you had any challenges getting started as a diver (mask clear?) it may help to realize how second nature some of those adaptations have become. Be patient with yourself.

Pete

 

[gcbryan]

My advice would be to continue gaining experience at the depths where you are comfortable, to gradually try getting a little deeper and to change your mindset from solving a problem by going to the surface to solving a problem while still at depth (buddy skills,predive planning etc.will make you more comfortable).

Once you realize that bolting to the surface is rarely the best solution then you will realize that depth really isn't that big a factor.

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

What people on here are telling you I totally agree with, comfort comes with experience and proper equipment.

What I would also add is mindset, if you spend so much time thinking about the dive plan and what you will do you will have little time to worry about depth. as an example plan a dive to 100' on a good wreck with lots to see, plot out your pattern for scanning the wreck and plan exactly when you will start to ascend and at what location on the wreck. Being totally prepared and having a contingency plan is part of "deep diving" and the deeper you go the more you have to start analyzing things like SAC rate, navigational patterns, current, equipment configuration, etc.

What got me over my issue with the deep was knowing there was a specific wreck I wanted to see in a place where i always dive but people wouldn't take me because I didn't dive deep. I went out alone with a pony and dropped off a wall in a pit to 130' and on my return I had a freeflow in the 39degree water at about 85'. I handled the situation quickly and without using the pony or surfacing and I still just for fun practiced shooting a bag and navigational skills. I proved I could handle minor situations under stress.

The next big step for me was setting the idea in my head that either I follow the dive plan or contingency plan or I die, I dont CESA or surface ever. If I have a problem that would result in me getting bent or injuring another diver than I just forget about it and make peace because if I should need to risk getting bent with todays technology and training then there is something wrong with me and my skills.

 

[tankdiver]

I got used to doing deeper dives which do have there benefits but i went down to honduras this past summer with a school group and the operation which was running the dives had a 45 foot depth policy which originally really pissed me off but i ended up having a blast mostly cuz i was just such a relaxed dive what i'm getting at is diving's about enjoyment so do what your comfortable doing.

 

[TSandM]

I empathize a little . . . I don't have a terrible fear of deeper diving, but I'm much more alert and focused and vigilant on deeper dives, and it takes some of the fun out of being down there. I'm the happiest and most relaxed on shallow open water dives, where air lasts forever and deco isn't in the picture, and I can just really zen out on what's around me. I don't think there's anything at all wrong with that.

As far as learning to cope with being deeper, it's what everybody's already said. Get the skills to feel that you can handle what happens to you underwater right where you are, and how deep you are plays a much smaller role.

 

[Fuzzmutton]

Long surface swims is a relative statement. I notice you dive a DIVA LX BCD (so does my wife) , that is mainly a wing and will leave you fairly deep in the water on surface swims. That means your lungs are pulling a little harder if you are snorkeling face down. Try rolling to your back at least part of the time or burning some cylinder air. At the surface you can go along time on little pressure. If you get sea sick consider meds or Seabands. If you are just coming up way off target then work on planning or navigation. On shore dives we may surface swim out a bit to save air but almost surface just in time to remove our fins.

Pete,

I just had to reply to this first. Your advice on surface swims is fabulous...it's just that my ONLY problem with them is that I hear the theme music from Jaws in my head. (I did say CA coast) I liked your observation on my BCD, it may be why I prefer to be on my back kicking instead of snorkeling.


To everyone else posting with all the wonderful experiences, advice and thoughts to share- I have really enjoyed reading all the posts. It always helps to know that you are not the only one out there, and that other people felt the same way and eventually got over it or maybe decided not to push themselves and were satisfied anyway.

Thanks for sharing!

Fuzz

 

[ae3753]

Absolutely nothing wrong with a healthy concern about diving below 60ft. Especially in MoCal diving. Diving deeper requires a lot of attention. As TSandM states, you're more alert on gas consumption and NDL/MDL times. In addition, conditions can be quite dramatic at depth. However, as others states, the more experience you have, the more comfortable you will be. With more diving, you'll know how much gas you typically use and you'll get an understanding of how much time you have at depth.

I also agree with everyone that there is a skills component as well. Practicing air shares and slow ascents will build confidence in your and your buddy's ability to deal with an emergency if it arises. Also, doing basic buoyancy so you feel absolutely sure you can hold you position without finning or sculling will go a long way to your comfort level.

I still remember my first boat dive in Monterey. Prior, I had dove in Austin, Roatan and Maui. What I quickly found was that doing a free water ascent in significant swell was more more hair raising in cold water than doing the free water ascent in calmer warm water spots. While I really count the easy shore diving as a blessing for MoCal, it can also be a crutch. Since it's following a shore on ascents, you don't do a lot of open water ascents. This just needs to be practiced.

Best of luck, and the deeper stuff will be there when you're ready.

 

[DivingPrincessE]

I think the depth fear varies from person to person, and if you are uneasy about being deeper...no need to rush it. Diving is supposed to be fun not scary. I personally didn't have an issue with depth and my first ocean dive was 90 feet (I did my certs and first 15 dives in quarries). What I don't like is diving "deep" past thermoclines. When I dive local waters I try to stay around 27 feet in one quarry where the thermocline is at 30 feet in the summer, and around 43 feet where the thermocline is around 50 feet in the summer. Point is I know what I don't like, and plan my dive to get maximum enjoyment. So if deep dives make you nervous, stay shallow for a bit.

 

[littlejohn]

The fact that your regulator breathes a little stiff when face up is entirely normal. If you try it with your alternate second you will experience the same. It's a combination of regulator geometry and the relative depth of your lungs to the regulator when in that posture.

I have had funny feelings when I drift on my back and look up, deep or at my safety stop. Not a problem just felt different, like I was floating upwords.
Just thought it was the way the air sits in the lungs. Will have try the adj to my reg flow next time