concern of my wife

[retire2disney]

I am new to this board and sport. I have not even signed up yet for classes. I would go right now except for I really want my wife and I to take the classes together. She is having concerns about diving as a whole. If we could dive in a pool with no fish or any other nature in it this would not be a problem. She is worried about "things" (her words) touching her. How often does this really happen? I have tried to tell her that they are going to get far away from us as divers. Am I correct or is my hope of getting her to go is useless? Thanks

 

[RoyN]

It is completely the opposite. Animals will either ignore you or run away. I have been diving for at least a year and the only creatures that came close to me was a seal, octopus, and some fish. But the most they'll come to is about 2 feet away from me just to see who I was and what I was doing there.

 

[shellim123]

I am new to this board and sport. I have not even signed up yet for classes. I would go right now except for I really want my wife and I to take the classes together. She is having concerns about diving as a whole. If we could dive in a pool with no fish or any other nature in it this would not be a problem. She is worried about "things" (her words) touching her. How often does this really happen? I have tried to tell her that they are going to get far away from us as divers. Am I correct or is my hope of getting her to go is useless? Thanks

In my experience, they will come up and "investigate" I have had a few come close, but not really touch me. I did have a fish want to kiss my forehead a couple weeks ago but it didn't touch me.

You could stick to pool diving:shakehead

 

[Karibelle]

You're right... Where do you plan on diving? In an Alberta lake, where I do certification dives, you're going to be hard pressed to find a fish, let alone have it interact with you. In the Caribbean, where I like to dive, I am making it a mission to get as close to the wildlife as I can, and in most instances the best I can do is several feet away. You can get closer to some things if you're attentive and still, but for the most part it's not going to be an issue.

If I were your wife, I'd be more worried about the hairballs in the pool - there's no getting away from them.

kari

 

[retire2disney]

Sticking to pool diving sounds great but I think the novelty would wear off real quick and I think if you have seen the bottom of one pool you have seen them all.

 

[Karibelle]

Sticking to pool diving sounds great but I think the novelty would wear off real quick and I think if you have seen the bottom of one pool you have seen them all.

Maybe, maybe not. In our last pool session we found a turd. That was new...

 

[shellim123]

Sticking to pool diving sounds great but I think the novelty would wear off real quick and I think if you have seen the bottom of one pool you have seen them all.

You could start out slow......wind up fish

 

[Teamcasa]

My wife overcame her anxiety after her first experience diving in Kauai. Marine life is generally more concerned about not being consumed by you!

If you are considering SCUBA with your wife, you will never regret it. I dive almost exclusively with my lovely bride and is it great to share a hobby with the one you love. On our last dive to Catalina, I spend almost twenty minutes video taping her playing with the Garibaldi! God, what a great life!

Tell her she will thank you in so many ways after she sees her first turtle gliding through the sea with such beauty and grace unseen anywhere else.

Dave

 

[sarita75]

In our last pool session we found a turd.

Ew.

Never been touched. I would suggest doing a discovery dive course. Things are out there. And, truth be told, I was always REALLY skiddish about swimming in waters where I could ot see what was around my legs, etc. (Long story there but it evolved out of a creeeeeeeepy story from my childhood). To this day, I don't like things rubbing up against me when I am swimming in murky or low-vis water. When I am diving, however, the ability to see around me, etc. makes it all gravy. I have no concerns whatsoever.

Have you asked her what makes her so scared of things touching her?

 

[jbichsel]

I have had occasion to touch a few fish and two sharks in the wild. Basically they came close enogh that I could reach out my hand and they brushed it as they swam by.

The biggest threat I have encountered is bluegill/cropie/cichlids protecting their egg clutches and biting my ears. They have actually drawn blood.