freewillie
Contributor
It has has often been said that once you finish basic training that you should be able to plan your dive and dive your plan. Once you receive that C card you should be a completely self sufficient diver.
Since I was a child I have been a swimmer and competed in high school. I have always felt comfortable in the water. To me all the skills needed for scuba came very naturally. But, even I was very apprehensive on my first open water dive without my instructor.
I went out for the first time with a dive club that welcomes new divers. The weekend day and time worked well with my schedule and the club was free, just show up for a dive. The day was overcast and after a lengthy surface swim I was winded. Then I started to freak out because now I can't see the shore.
I was vaguely familiar with the direction because I took a compass reading while kicking out. But I can't see the shore, I'm with a bunch of strangers I dont know, I don't know where I am, and what if I drown?!!! All I could think of was just take a deep breath, relax, get under the water, and follow my training. After that it was easy.
But, I was 10 seconds from full panic and dumping my weights and saying f**k it I'm going home. I can only imagine the fear of someone who isn't as comfortable in the water.
So ...
1. What was your first dive like?
2. How many dives did it take to get comfortable?
3. When did you feel like a "real" diver?
Since I was a child I have been a swimmer and competed in high school. I have always felt comfortable in the water. To me all the skills needed for scuba came very naturally. But, even I was very apprehensive on my first open water dive without my instructor.
I went out for the first time with a dive club that welcomes new divers. The weekend day and time worked well with my schedule and the club was free, just show up for a dive. The day was overcast and after a lengthy surface swim I was winded. Then I started to freak out because now I can't see the shore.
I was vaguely familiar with the direction because I took a compass reading while kicking out. But I can't see the shore, I'm with a bunch of strangers I dont know, I don't know where I am, and what if I drown?!!! All I could think of was just take a deep breath, relax, get under the water, and follow my training. After that it was easy.
But, I was 10 seconds from full panic and dumping my weights and saying f**k it I'm going home. I can only imagine the fear of someone who isn't as comfortable in the water.
So ...
1. What was your first dive like?
2. How many dives did it take to get comfortable?
3. When did you feel like a "real" diver?