Having a hard time finding a scuba friend, among other concerns!

[Superhuman Unknown]

There are a couple Sport Chalet locations in San Diego and they do a FREE discover scuba every 3rd Saturday of the month. All you have to do is call to sign up and bring a bathing suit and towel.

Thanks a lot! I called the location that does the Discover Scuba class in Point Loma, and the gal I talked to said that they already did their class for the month due to the Christmas season, and to check back next month. Oh well.

[Superhuman Unknown]

Hmm I took that to mean that he asked a question and then edited it out because post #13, posted while he was typing #14, answered the question he had written in post #14. (imagine that)

Technically I didn't read the entire thread myself until I posted that reply, go figure :P.

I do appreciate the responses! I'm really hoping that I will start taking scuba classes really soon. I can't seem to find a class that will fit into my schedule and will allow for me to commute to the pools they do training at (another downside of public transportation, blah), but I'm not giving up hope. As said elsewhere, when there's a will, there's a way!

[RonFrank]

.....but several things have prevented me from actually getting certified:

1. I'm steadfast on finding someone local and around my age who I can befriend......

Friendship is something that does not grow on a tree. If you need to find a friend before you dive, well good luck with that. I would say learn to dive, find some buddies to dive with, and then maybe you will make a friend. There are lots of dive clubs in San Diego, and there are good S. CA forums here on SB.

2. I'm very quick to the trigger when it comes to experiencing anxiety or becoming frustrated, especially while training. My fear that during a dive, my frustration will turn into panic....

All you can do is take the pool section, and see how it goes. If it turns into a major problem, than maybe diving is not in the cards. Remember diving is fun. If it is not then stop. Here is where a private, or smaller class may be helpful.

4. I don't drive. To me it's more a hassle for everyone else....

No its a huge hassle for you! You have 100lbs+ of gear that will need to be transported to a dive site. Maybe you can have a dive buddy drive, or maybe it's time you got a license. You live in a world where driving is a reality. Even if you don't need a car most of the time this is a activity where you do.

If you prefer to rely on a friend, well that is a selfish attitude. If one individual always does 100% of the driving they should be compensated. This crosses a line for a lot of folks. You refuse to drive but require others to drive you around? Good luck with this as it maybe the biggest challenge. I guess that depends on you unless there is more to it.

5. It seems like there is so much equipment out there, it's extremely hard for me to tell what's good, what's bad, etc. for me. Are there any pointers that you could give as to what to check for, for example, masks, snorkel or a wetsuit?

First get certified. Then figure out how to get to the dive sites. Then you can worry about equipment.

Good Luck

[Jill from Phoenix]

I'm sure people would be willing to offer you rides if you give them gas money or at the very least some little token to show you're grateful for them to go out of their way. I had students that didn't drive, and someone in the class was always willing to take them under their wing. And I'm sure some shops or independent instructors would be willing to transport the gear for you. The more you dive the more friends you make! There's a lot of good diving in San Diego!

[Bubbletrubble]

There are a couple Sport Chalet locations in San Diego and they do a FREE discover scuba every 3rd Saturday of the month. All you have to do is call to sign up and bring a bathing suit and towel.

There are actually 3 Sport Chalet locations in the San Diego area. Only one location has a pool on-site. It's the one in Point Loma (3695 Midway Dr.).
Phone number is: (619) 224-6777. Give 'em a call.
I wasn't aware that they did a free discover scuba session once a month. Seems like it's worth a shot if you think you might be interested in the sport.
(There are windows in the store which allow customers to watch the classes being conducted in the pool. Pretty neat, huh?)

As a San Diego resident, I will tell you that without a car you will miss out on many opportunities to go diving locally. Exceptions to this include:

• If you can find a next-door neighbor who is a good and active dive buddy.
• If you live across the street from a shore dive site, e.g., La Jolla Shores, La Jolla Cove, etc.
• If you can find a friend/dive buddy who is willing to shuttle you to/from the dive site.

Hope this helps...

[offthewall1]

I'll address each point individually...

1. Don't limit yourself to someone your age... there are divers of all ages... and many of them enjoy diving with and sharing their love of the underwater world.

2. Anxiety and Panic are generally contraindications for diving... meaning if you have them, you probably shouldn't be diving. Some doctors will sign off on your medical form assuming your anxiety and panic can be controlled - usually by medication. It becomes your responsibility to ensure you're taking your medication as prescribed before diving.

3. It's easy for any shop to say they charge more and give you more... but in most cases this is pure nonsense. There are great shops that charge less and bad shops that charge more. If you don't know any divers in your area..., do your own covert research. You can get a good feel for good vs bad shops simply by going on a stake out. Sit outside a shop a day or two during what should be peak business hours. If it's an active shop, that's a good sign. Don't be shy about approaching customers going into or leaving the shop and asking them about their experiences there.

4. If you don't drive, you probably won't dive. You're not going to lug scuba gear on the bus... but perhaps a cab will work. If you expect a buddy to be your chauffeur, think again. They'd probably have to be your husband or wife.

5. Buy modern equipment, new or used manufactured within the past 20 years for which parts and service are readily available. If you're not sure about something, feel free to send me a private message and I'll be happy to give you an opinion on it.

I hope to see you in the water soon...

[Bubbletrubble]

2. I'm very quick to the trigger when it comes to experiencing anxiety or becoming frustrated, especially while training. My fear that during a dive, my frustration will turn into panic, thus risking my life and others. After talking to a few people at various shops it seems like there is no clear cut answer to teaching how to avoid anxiety or what to do if you are experiencing anxiety/panic while on a dive, which concerns me.

2. Anxiety and Panic are generally contraindications for diving... meaning if you have them, you probably shouldn't be diving. Some doctors will sign off on your medical form assuming your anxiety and panic can be controlled - usually by medication. It becomes your responsibility to ensure you're taking your medication as prescribed before diving.

There is a huge difference between discussing the potential for experiencing a little anxiety in a specific, unfamiliar environment and having an anxiety/panic-spectrum disorder.

A few more points:

• Frustration rarely develops into panic.
• Lay people (non-medical folks) tend to use terms like "panic" which have a different meaning within the medical community.
• Although the OP used the buzzword "panic" (which causes instructors/DMs/other dive pros to take notice on account of the mantra that "panic kills"), I think the OP was just articulating some potential anxiousness about being placed in an awkward, new environment.
• Physician-prescribed medication is not the be-all-end-all treatment for anxiety- and panic-spectrum disorders.
• It would take more than what the OP has described in this thread for a mental health professional to decide that prescription medication is appropriate.

[surfinusa555]

It can work if you don't drive. I usually drive my regular buddy because he has a really tiny car, but in return he pays for the gas and parking fees. A good place to find a scuba buddy is in your cert class.

[Superhuman Unknown]

So yesterday I tried out the introduction to Scuba, and it was quite fun. I had to come up to surface a few times because I had a really hard time figuring out how to de-flood my mask, equalizing my ears (my ears are still ringing!) and being unable to properly decent/come back up. It's a bit discouraging, but it's par for the course so I understand. I did also have a really hard time breathing through the regulator, there were several times I had to train myself to breath in through it (I normally breath through my nose). Instructor was very helpful and answered all of my questions really well.

I really do want to take open water classes since the place I went to offers weekend courses and it fits my schedule quite well.

[Superhuman Unknown]

So I figured I would post a bit of an update here. I've researched a few different shops around town that offer Open Water certification, and everyone I've talked to have given me the vibe that I'm just another customer to them, and I'm a bit concerned with that mentality. It seems like the dive shops (at least the ones that I visited) lack that personal touch, instead it feels like "we'll just get your certification and we couldn't care what you do with it afterward", almost like a diploma mill (remember those commercials?). It hasn't turned me off on getting certified altogether but at the same time I don't want to be involved in class where I can't fully trust the instructor(s).

Any suggestions?