Conquered Some Fears and First Shore Dive

I'm getting ready for my DM tests and while in San Carlos, Mexico this weekend decided to take on two fears that I had--removing my regulator and my mask underwater. I have taken my regulator out a couple times but always felt very uncomfortable/tense doing it. I've never removed my mask underwater other than in the pool training two years ago. I wear contacts so I was worried about doing it. My instructor let me know that he would be ripping off both the mask and regulator at some point so I had better be ready for it. So, Sunday I worked on skills while on two shallow solo dives off a dive boat. I think I removed the regulator about 20 times (exhaling the whole time), swam around a bit using my Air2 to get a good feel for it, and took my mask off six times (and managed to fully clear it each time). By the time I finished the second dive, it had become second nature to do either skill. Practice definitely pays off!

Then, Tuesday, I did my first shore dive with my instructor. I did a good entry, but got caught up in the surf zone exiting because my legs were too tired and I had to crawl out. Fun weekend all around!

+1 until the basics are really comfy are we ready to function as a DM? I will never forget the guy who was my DM idol swapping masks with me at depth because mine would not stop flooding, he just pulled his off and pushed it towards me, Thank you Paul. Glad to hear you overcame your fears!

Exactly! I know I could do that now, if needed. And, I actually got to the point of enjoying swimming around without the regulator. I was only at about 26 feet, so I need to now do it at a greater depth.

DM of what, or whom exactly?

I am pleased for you that you have progressed so much in a short time, but I too have to raise a word of caution. Getting you DM card and having the leadership, skills and attitude to be responsible for other divers do not occur simultaneously. Even with a professional credential, many overestimate their own capacity for some aspects of diving. I have had a professional rating since 2000, since which time I have engaged with other professionals in ongoing training at least 2 or 3 times a year. This is in addition to assisting instructors or leading training dives for others on that many or more occasions, and in between I lead certified divers on dives. If you just want to wear the hat, then enjoy the status of "being a divemaster," but if you want to do divemaster stuff, you need to get way past merely being proud that you just mastered a basic skill that open water divers have to demonstrate on their first day. You have the enthusiasm to be a great dive pro. Now develop the skills, the maturity, and the comfort zone needed to be an underwater leader. Best wishes as you move forward toward that goal.
DivemasterDennis

You really have to reconsider if you are ready to assume the role as DiveMaster.What if you are guiding new divers and one of them comes up ,without warning,and rips your regulator from your mouth because they run out of air? If you think it happens like in class where a diver signals "out of air" and then you offer your reg and they gently take it ....think again.Also what if when ripping the reg from your mouth they also dislodge your mask? You have to think what YOUR reaction would be and from what you described so far I would re-think DM.

Not trying to rain on your parade just pointing out the obvious.

In no way am I trying to flame the OP.

Good for you, for recognizing that you had a "rattle" and addressing it!

I am a little confused about how your DM class is going, though. If you are getting ready for testing, have you not gone through the demonstrations of the 20 skills for practice?

Lauire,
It's always good to work on skill that need to be improved.
I was a bit surprised to see you did it while doing a solo dive from a dive boat.
When we are working on skills, it's always better to have a buddy there to "spot" us.

I'm completely baffled that someone at the stage of doing a DM test would be uncomfortable with or fear the idea of removing a reg or a mask. Am I out of line here saying perhaps the OP is not ready?

I'm new and I'm going to sound like a dick but knowing that someone near to being a DM feels that way scares the crap out of me. Not to mention that was your first shore dive. Most of the shops I know in central/southern AZ routinely get to Mexico, and there is a ton of shore diving available there. I'm baffled that you haven't taken advantage of that before now, especially if you're working toward DM.

In my first three dives I either had my reg kicked out of my mouth or deliberately removed it. Same with my mask...

Perhaps now you'll be a better DM since you may be able help students and clients deal with their own fears because you understand them. It would require a lot more empathy from me to understand either of those fears, for example, because I've always been comfortable with both actions. I'm glad you worked through your fear.

I've been training as a PADI DM for the past year. I have been an SSI rescue diver for more than a year. My instructor started me early because he said he saw that I had what it takes. However, I knew what my weaknesses were and have worked on those. I only get to San Carlos once a month, so it makes it harder to train. The 20 skills is the next step for me and so I'm getting ready for them.

There was another instructor on board and he knew what I was doing and was watching from the boat. There also was a Discover Scuba class going on. It wasn't that I didn't know how to do the skills, but rather that I wasn't comfortable enough for me to be happy about it. Normally, when I'm diving down there I always have my camera rig with me. This time I left the camera at my house and decided to just practice. It actually was rather enjoyable to just dive.

I'm perfectly comfortable and secure with what is needed to be a divemaster. I don't understand why someone would think that is not the case when you know nothing about me or my background. I already have assisted on dives and am diving every chance I get. I'm guessing it will be a couple of months before I get through the program. My instructor is a master instructor and only has been teaching for 38 years. I trust his judgement and he is extremely demanding. There's no sliding with him on anything.