A couple things... fear... and fumbling

Ok.. so as I progress with my diving (just did dives #25 and #26 2 weeks ago), I am starting to figure some things out, not figure other things out, and have also had a spooky experience.

On the spooky stuff... I posted back in July about one of those 'cant breath through this little hose' panic attacks when I was diving at Gilboa. The short of it was that I just freaked myself out when I felt like I couldnt get enough air (even though I was getting plenty) and had to fight the instinct to either pull the regulator out of my mouth and breath (doesnt work very well at 60ft down) or blast up to the surface so I could get out of there (also not a good idea). Anyways, training and rational/logical thinking paid off and I worked my way through the episode without doing anything stupid.

So ever since that dive, I have thought about that feeling of panic and that whole episode and wondered if it will happen to me again. When I talked about it here, the overall opinion was that I had a little thermal narcosis or something along those lines. Anyways, I went wreck diving up here in Lake Huron two weeks ago. I was looking forward to the dives, but when I got to depth at the first wreck (Charles S. Price... 60ft), my mind started playing games with me. The water temp was great (60+F), I felt very comfortable, but then I started to think about the feeling I had before and how it freaked me out and... well it started getting the best of me. I just talked myself through it and even though it happened about 3 times while on the dive, I figured out very quickly that it was just my fear trying to get the best of me.

We finished that dive without incident and headed to our next location, the Sport. This dive was great as well. The water temps where in the upper 60sF and the depth was about 45ft. During this dive I had my camera and started to wander around taking pictured of Gobies and other small fish, as well as my dive buddy as he explored the wreck. Just the fact of me trying to get some neat pictures took my mind off of the dive and made me relax. I finally got back to the point where I forgot I was underwater. That was the part of the dive I needed. Now I cant wait to get back in the water and keep working on getting comfortable like that again. Like they say, if you fall off the horse, get back on.


On the fumbling thing... I just cant seem to get my ascents smoothed out. Every few dives I take more weight out as I realize and get more in tune with my bouyancy control. But when I go to make an ascent, I just sort of fumble around with floating up too fast here... sinking back down a little there... and so on. I know I need more practice and dives to get better, but I was wondering if any of you have some advice for smoothing this out. Once I get to my safety stop, I usually have very little problems with staying at a certain depth range, even with nothing to use as a visual reference other than my computer. Its just getting to that point and to the surface that I have the trouble. Any ideas?


Thanks & dive safe!

like your on your way to becoming a solid diver. You use your head when you're in a tight situation and overcome the problem. My suggestion, since you have 26 dives now, is to consider the next level of training with whatever agency you certified with. The Advanced Open Water type of class will have some real good skills training on bouyancy, navigation and such. That next level of certification will also put you back in touch with a lot of your initial training and skills, along with getting you some more interaction with an instructor in a learning environment. That will keep your confidence and skills going in the right direction.

Good luck and keep diving!

Well, for the ascent, you're not putting air into your bcd are you? Most of the time when I'm ascending, I actually make myself slightly negative, it seems to keep my ascent rate easily in my own control. As soon as I feel myself start to rise without my kicks moving me, I tap the button to let a bit more air out. I never tap my inflator button at any point while ascending.

The one time I've somewhat had trouble underwater, I didn't have scuba gear on. I jumped into the pool to rinse myself off (put on a 20 lb weight belt just for fun), took a few steps along the bottom (9' pool) and then decided to take a breath. Didn't quite take the breath, soon as my mouth opened I realized what I was doing. Sorta freaked me out as I realized my automatic responses were betraying me. It's not a usual thing for me to forget to hold my breath while underwater. I had to think hard to remember to undo the weight belt, swim to the surface, and Then take the breath.

Ceberon once bubbled...
Most of the time when I'm ascending, I actually make myself slightly negative, it seems to keep my ascent rate easily in my own control. As soon as I feel myself start to rise without my kicks moving me, I tap the button to let a bit more air out.

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You want to be neutral all the way up or just ever so slightly negative so that you need to fin up. If you are neutral you will not need to work to rise just a single slight and easy kick along with a deep inhale. As you start to move a long and steady exhale will help counter the increasing buoyancy of air expansion in the bc. Towards the end of the exhale you should find yourself stopping and hovering. If you make a slow ascent you will feel the bc start to pull you up. Release a little burp of air and repeat the above process.

If done correctly you should not be able to "feel" the ascent. Practice with an ascent line for visual reference. Try to circle the line with the thumb and first finger without holding on to it. Try to ascend using your breath control and slight kicking to inch up the line. The line will aid as a visual reference and show you when you are ascending by your technique or by the expansion of the air in your gear.

practice makes perfect. Sounds like you are on the right path.

Hallmac

On the spooky stuff... I posted back in July about one of those 'cant breath through this little hose' panic attacks when I was diving at Gilboa. The short of it was that I just freaked myself out when I felt like I couldnt get enough air (even though I was getting plenty) and had to fight the instinct to either pull the regulator out of my mouth and breath (doesnt work very well at 60ft down) or blast up to the surface so I could get out of there (also not a good idea). Anyways, training and rational/logical thinking paid off and I worked my way through the episode without doing anything stupid.

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This kinda makes me wonder about the instructor. It is my opinion as an instructor that the instinct to flee should have been beaten and the comfort of breathing through scuba should have been obtained way before you got to 60 feet in open water. That's just my opinion. Honestly, people should get comfortable breathing through scuba in a pool with their head just a few inches below the surface before taking them to open water at 60 feet. Hmm

By the way....the above post was in no way anything against your skills as a diver or anything like that. That was purely meant to question the reasons for an instructor not getting s student completely comfortable before certification.

The feeling unable to breath and get enough air is a primary symptom of a CO2 hit. The indicator to your body to breath is the buildup of CO2 (you know this from training). Too much CO2 makes you freak out.

Check out (have a good shop service) your regulator to make sure it is working properly. Be sure to breath deeply and smoothly. Shallow or skip breathing will cause a CO2 buildup.

You kept you head and followed your training when crap happened, that is the mark of a good diver.

Foul Ball! Now say 20 Hail Jaques!

It's not an instructors responcibility to hold a divers hand through EVERYTHING. Initial certification really is a "license to learn" IMHO.

It is often the case where newer divers feel apprehension, fumble about, etc when they continue to pursue diving post certification. I sure did. Comfort, confidence, buoyancy skill are all aquired through continued diving experience. scuba Junkie seems to have a very healthy mentality and ability to describe issues.

Now, too often are instructors critisized for what amounts to "new diver delemas". This solves nothing other than to "assign blame" for ANY issue. This is also the wrong direction to go. It's my belief that comfort, confidence and skill rest within the responcibility of "Diver X" to find motivation and put forth effort. (Minus GROSS Instructor incompetance)

You're an instructor, I'm sure you can completely relate to what I am saying here.

There's my $00.2, back to my lazy time. Cheers!

NatureDiver once bubbled...


This kinda makes me wonder about the instructor. It is my opinion as an instructor that the instinct to flee should have been beaten and the comfort of breathing through scuba should have been obtained way before you got to 60 feet in open water. That's just my opinion. Honestly, people should get comfortable breathing through scuba in a pool with their head just a few inches below the surface before taking them to open water at 60 feet. Hmm

Click to expand...

It's not an instructors responcibility to hold a divers hand through EVERYTHING. Initial certification really is a "license to learn" IMHO.

Click to expand...

You're right, I agree with you. It is not the instructors responsibility to hold the divers' hand through everything. That's not what I am saying though. My point here is that the things that scuba_junkie is describing sound like the basic instincts that should have been overcome during basic certification training. This is not the fault of scuba_junkie. I agree with you that confidence, competence, and comfort are achieved through education and experience but how can you expect a diver to get more comfortable in further diving experience when they aren't even comfortable breathing compressed air or being at depth? How can you expect a diver to take his Advanced certification course if he still has the instinct to flee to the surface when he panics? It is the instructor's responsibility and duty to make sure that all of the students are comfortable with diving at depth and breathing off of compressed air before certifying them...otherwise..why did they take the course? Why not just take a Discover Scuba course at a resort reef 20 feet down? The purpose of certification is to prepare the diver to dive comfortably and confidently without needing direct supervision. How can you expect a diver to do so without the basic instincts licked? I can relate to what you are saying but the instructor has to take some responsibility for his students comfort. What happens two years down the road when a student surfaces so quickly from panic? The instructor could get in trouble for not teaching the basics to handling situations without panicking. Think about it that way.

I'll never certify anyone who is not comfy breathing underwater. In fact, the first thing I do is to measure my students comfort level underwater by breathing shallow with the tank on the pool deck. By the time I have my students in open water I can sit back and watch how they act underwater under totally new circumstances. If I feel that they are not comfy, I ask them about it, and adress my concerns. If they look good to me, can do their skills, etc, then I certify them. All the while being aware of my liability and the popularity of shotgun lawsuits.

But what if the problem is hidden from the intructor for some reason? Or if the problem and discomfort manifests itself after initial certification? Simply put, this is the responsibility of the diver to deal with the problem. There are many ways to do so. I always invite my students to contact me if they are ever uncomfortable or have an issue. And I always tell them to talk to a group leader or local divemaster/instructor if I am unavailable...such as might happen if they are on a trip.

Once certified, the responsibility of calling a dive or dealing with any issues is the responsibility of the diver.

SCUBA Junkie, Thank you for bringing this up! I commend you for your problem solving skills. There are any number of reasons you felt that you couldn't get enough air: claustrophobia, bad air, CO2 buildup, etc, etc. And natural apprehension.

As far as your ascents go, more diving with your gear in varying conditions will improve your acsents. Practice makes perfect!

I sincerely hope that you will feel totally comfortable in the water! It is a remarkable world down there!!

Take care,
Colin Berry