Bad OW experience (Warning: Really long post!)

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ScubaFishee

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Well, after a few months of reading posts here on the forum and learning so many new things, (thanks all) I guess it's time for me to share.

I finally went for my OW cert dives yesterday. I was really looking forward to it! Something I've always wanted to do. But I guess I had a few strikes against me starting out.

To keep it short, I'll just fill you in on the basic. I took my classes through a LDS with an in-store pool. (I'll call them LDS-1) Halfway through, I found that another LDS was much more helpful in helping me with equipment problems and diving advice. (I'll call them LDS-2.) So, I bought all my equipment from LDS2. Of course, LDS-1 was not happy about this. And I couldn't use my new equipment for training because LDS-1 will only allow use of equipment purchased from them. (BTW, LDS-1 doesn't sell the BC I purchased, but they did compliment me and said I'd purchased a good setup.)

Anyway, class went well. Had trouble in one class with the back inflate BC pushing my face in the water. *LDS-2* told me to add tank weights and lean back. Problem solved.

I had no problems with skills in class, but did experience what I thought was a little leakage with my snorkel. My "classroom" work was all self-study, but I "aced" all my tests. I took my final exam and scored 100%! :D

Time for OW cert dives! Signed up with LDS-1. OW cancelled -- not enough people. Moved to next date on June 15th, but I was still the only one signed up. Because of my equipment purchase, LDS-2 said I could take OW with them for free so I didn't have to keep waiting.

Big day was yesterday. Arrived at the quarry with referral papers in hand, excited but a little worried about being not able to try my new gear at all ahead of time. We had four students. I was the only female and I was the only one with a back-inflate BC. My buddy and I geared up and instructor did weight check. After adding more weight I felt really low in the water. Water level was just below my eyes *with my BC and lungs full*. And my weights were probably too far forward because the face push thing was back again. Oh, and something new: my feet floated so I was in a head-down tilted position. Instructor thought it was ok. And I found a way to somehow manage to get uprighted and leaning on my back when I come up , so I didn't complain.

We started to snorkel out to the platform area and my snorkel starts to leak REALLY BAD! After about 15 - 30 secs, it would start to fill faster than I could clear. After stopping three times, the Instructor came over to see what was wrong. I told him my snorkel was leaking and he told me to clear it and keep going. After trying and stopping three more times, I'm getting more and more anxious and I'm constantly saying somethings not right. My instructor is saying keep going, we're behind schedule! He keeps saying to me "Don't lean on your back. Why do you keep getting on your back???" I keep saying "Because I can't tell you what's wrong with my face in the water!!!" I get more and more worked up and my breathing keeps getting faster and faster. :argue:

Finally, he tells me to put the reg in my mouth and we go to surface area above the platform. I'm still trying hard to slow my breathing because it's still really fast. Plus, I can't see anything he's demonstrating cause my face is in the water. But hey, at the same time, I'm trying not to keep leaning back because I don't want to start *that* argument up again! Finally, I realize this just isn't going to work, especially knowing that even if I get through this dive, I'd never make it through the snorkel dive that was scheduled next. So, I abort the dive.

Afterwards, I called LDS-2. After asking what kind of snorkel I have, they tell me they've had trouble with those and will send mine back and get me a new one (even though I bought it from LDS-1). They say we'll talk about working something out to get me certified when I come in to return the tanks and weights on Monday.

I do feel much better now knowing that there really was a problem with that darn snorkel and that I'm not just crazy. But I am really frustrated that I couldn't convince my instructor that this was a REAL problem and that I'm not just a wuss. And I'm frustrated that after so much hard work, I only got to be in the water for 15 mins and all of that was on the surface. I feel soooo humiliated, failing a cert dive because I couldn't snorkel over to the platform area! (And to make matters worse, after all of this I think that *now* I am actually a little afraid of a snorkel! Geez, what next???)

;-0

Most of all, I'm both frustrated and really, really worried because now I've got this big fear that if I try the OW again, how can I trust that anyone will believe me if I were to have a major problem underwater? :confused:

Sorry for the long post, but I really need some advice about what to do next. I've already spent over $3,000 in lessons and equipment to make my dream come true. But after yesterday, I diving just doesn't seem like fun anymore...

:(
 
Originally posted by ScubaFishee
Of course, LDS-1 was not happy about this. And I couldn't use my new equipment for training because LDS-1 will only allow use of equipment purchased from them.

I don't believe you on this. no shop could remain in business with this policy. They might discourage it yes, but officially disallow it, I doubt it.

This may sound harsh but it has over 10 years of instructor experience behind it....

My best guess is that you simply freaked either in the water or most likely beforehand and are now looking for someone else to blame.

I find it hard to believe that 2 separate instructors were unable to get you weighted properly, unless you were in full panic the whole time.

as for your snorkel, I'm betting it has a purge valve, right? Hand over the top, blow. This uncurls your purge valve.

Diving is not for everyone. It's an alien environment and we aren't all up to that. Perhaps you should reconsider.

I'm sorry if this sounds mean but if I am right taking my advice might save your life.

If I'm wrong on this, you should report the instructor to his/her training agency.

Tom
 
Don't let the instructor beat up on you - I'd bring this to the attention of the management of the dive shop, he was putting you in danger by ignoring your pleas for help...
 
I am sorry to hear about your bad experience.

Try to spend some time in the pool with your back inflate BC. See if which ever LDS sold it to you is willing to get in the pool with you and work on weighting. With practice you will be fine.

Good luck

Chad
 
Thanks Chris and Chad. I'll talk to the LDS again today and I'm sure we will work out something so that I can get in a practice session in a pool with the new equipment.
 
Cheer up!

You passed the theory with 100%, that's not for everyone!

You had a failed snorkel, tried to cope with it and panicked, that's no wonder!

Let me tell you something out of my own history: when my very first certification dive day came, little more than two years ago, I got equipped, walked the short distance from my car to the entry point and felt fine.

My instructor said we should jump and then swim a small distance on the surface in order to get to a shallower area.

So in I jumped, no problems with swimming either, but once he signed "shall we go down?" I was unable to move, hysterically inflating my BCD while at the same time trying to go down.

Not only I aborted the dive, but I was unable to get out of water alone.

During the whole following week I kept asking people if they wouldn't be interested in buying brand new equipment...

The following Sunday everything went smoothily, although I changed location and istructor.

Two years in the future I am a Dive Master with 140 dives.

I really hope this helps.

Keep us posted!
 
Originally posted by WreckWriter

I don't believe you on this. no shop could remain in business with this policy. They might discourage it yes, but officially disallow it, I doubt it.
Tom
Sorry to disappoint you WreckWriter. You are wrong. The LDS does not allow any equipment in their pool unless it was either it is either bought or rented from them. And yes, they are still in business. Only two LDS in the area have pools. All others use school pools, etc. So, people take classes there for the convenience of not having to pick up and return the equipment. That’s the major reason I did.

Originally posted by WreckWriter

I find it hard to believe that 2 separate instructors were unable to get you weighted properly, unless you were in full panic the whole time.
Tom
You misunderstood. On one occasion, I had a problem with being pushed face-forward in the pool with the rental BC. On advice of the LDS who sold me my back inflation BC, I asked to use tank weights the next time I used the rental BC in the pool and was fine after that.

At the OW, there was only one instructor. I didn’t panic during the weight check. Why would I? I’m not afraid of lead! I know it was a long post. You probably missed the part where I said I was excited about doing my OW dives. (In this context, “excited” means “Eagerly looking forward to”, not “In panic and freaked out at the thought of”.

I became anxious after repeatedly being told to keep swimming with my snorkel full of water, when that obviously wasn’t working. But I was rational enough to notice my breathing was getting faster. So I stopped, controlled my breathing, and began thinking about a solution. My solution, whether or not you agree with it, was to abort the dive rather than risk drowning on the surface because an instructor insists that I breathe through a defective snorkel. And even now, in the safety of my home, calm and comfy, relaxed and reflecting, I still stand by my decision. I did what was right for me. And I hope anyone else who finds themselves in a similar situation with any equipment failure has the courage to do what they feel is best and safe, even if it means facing demeaning comments from people like you.

And yes, with 40 lbs of lead on in fresh water, I still think I may have been overweighted.

Originally posted by WreckWriter

Diving is not for everyone… Perhaps you should reconsider.

I'm sorry if this sounds mean but if I am right taking my advice might save your life.
Thanks WreckWriter. We both agree on this one.

My biggest concern about continuing with diving right now is that I may one day go on a dive trip and end up buddied with someone like you who has so much experience that they have become closed minded. Heaven forbid, if I should ever have an equipment failure underwater and have a buddy like you, all too willing to step back and point a finger saying “blame it on the Newbie” rather than even considering for one second that just maybe there is a problem and trying to help me find a solution.

As for me, I’m not “blaming” anyone for my bad experience. Your comment tells me which side of the window you see things from. Some people blame others to protect themselves. I choose to educate myself to protect myself. I know that I don’t know it all. So, I’m open to learning from others… even from you.

You’ve already taught me that my concern is real and that I need to always be aware of my own safety, even if that means aborting a dive when someone very experienced like yourself (or my OW instructor) doesn’t agree that there’s a REAL problem and is all too quick to blame the problem on me.

Oh, and one last thing, yes my snorkel has a purge. But I’m “betting” your advice as written, “Hand over top, blow” won’t work. You see, my snorkel has a cover on the top, and the air will just come out the vents pointed down on the side. This is what I mean by being so experienced but closed minded that just maybe there is a factor of which YOU are unaware.
 
When a student has a minor problem, it screws up the instructor's schedule and that can be frustrating. What instructors need to remember is a minor problem is serious to an inexperienced student and any minor problem, if not fixed immediately, can become a major problem.

LDS-1's policy is rare, but I've seen it before.

Snorkels are a piece of equipment very few learn how to use anymore. There's no reason to buy an expensive high tech snorkel. All you get is no self confidence and more things that can go wrong. A simple tube snorkel is the best option.

You can become a good diver if you are taught with patience. Don't become discouraged.
 
Sorry to hear you had a bad experience. I hope you will not be discouraged by this. There are good instructors here in Michigan, and I hope you will continue to seek an instructor who will work with you. But I do think you have learned the most important lesson of all........Any one can call a dive for any reason at any time!!!! Since you were not comfortable with the way the dive was going, calling the dive was the right thing to do. Regroup and start again. If you need a little one on one with an instructor, it may be worth the extra money. Good luck and let us know your progress.
 
Originally posted by ScubaFishee
Sorry to disappoint you WreckWriter. You are wrong. The LDS does not allow any equipment in their pool unless it was either it is either bought or rented from them.

And yes, with 40 lbs of lead on in fresh water, I still think I may have been overweighted.

Oh, and one last thing, yes my snorkel has a purge. But I’m “betting” your advice as written, “Hand over top, blow” won’t work. You see, my snorkel has a cover on the top, and the air will just come out the vents pointed down on the side. This is what I mean by being so experienced but closed minded that just maybe there is a factor of which YOU are unaware.

I'm not disappointed, just surprized. I've never heard of a policy like that.

40 lbs? Overweighted is a major understatement. Unless you were wearing a thick neoprene drysuit AND are very large physically, 40 lbs is nothing short of hazardous.

And yes, you are right, I was unaware that you were wearing a toy snorkel. I would recommend getting one a bit less "High Tech".

I really am sorry that my post came off as mean spirited, it really wasn't meant that way. My thinking was that there was more to your experience than you told. Perhaps I was wrong.

Tom
 
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