Advice Please (longish post)

[Newbie Nevada]

This past week, I went diving in Mexico. I was trained a couple of years ago through PADI and all I've had is my open water check dives under my belt. I've never been in salt water before, just a freshwater lake.

I made sure to explain my complete inexperience to the dive shop owner and the divemasters that went out with us. Several times, I didn't want any misunderstanding.

We went out in the boat with 5 other divers, about 15 minutes off shore. Checked all my equipment to ensure it was all in working order. These boats required a back roll entry, never done that before, but I rolled pretty well.

But, once I hit the water, I panicked. Then to make matters worse, my weight belt started slipping and I managed to grab it about knee level. So, there I am- alone - in the middle of an ocean about 25 feet away from the boat, one hand grabbing a weight belt and all I can think of is "I want out of this water, now". I managed to make it back to the boat and tossed my weight belt to the crew member and got out of my BCD and handed that up as well.

I held on to the ladder for about 5 minutes and then climbed aboard, feeling embarrassed, but glad to be on the boat.

I don't know that the heck happened and why I panicked the way I did. I had attempted to go to a "refresh" class before I left, but none were available as the 2 shops in my area had dive trips already planned.

In retrospect, I should not have gone diving without doing the refresher first, or choose to go with the discover scuba group that morning.

But, I also felt I shouldn't have been alone in that water. Both dive-masters were with the group at the front of the boat, neither came my way when it was obvious that I was panicking. I think if someone had been there to reassure me, I would have calmed down. I think, I guess I'll never know.

To place a cherry on the top of this particular cake, I got stung by a sting ray when walking from the boat to shore. Nice little hole in my foot as a reminder of my trip. I'm planning on taking advanced open water to get more experience under my belt and will probably try to do it in Monterrey so it's not a lake.

Please tell me, I'm not the only one that has panicked when they hit ocean open water for the first time. What will help me with this.

Thanks

 

[runsongas]

where was your buddy?

have you looked into diving in tahoe?

maybe a weight integrated bcd would be helpful too

 

[TMHeimer]

where was your buddy?

have you looked into diving in tahoe?

maybe a weight integrated bcd would be helpful too

where was your buddy?

have you looked into diving in tahoe?

maybe a weight integrated bcd would be helpful too

Agree here. A refresher is a good idea. At least you were able to recover during the panic, even hanging on to the belt (though not important of course). I feel anyone will panic given the right circumstances.
I have seen belts slip a lot, and had that problem myself early on, regardless of tightening it enough to bust a gut. Depends on a person's body shape (hips, etc.). I said the heck with that and have used pocket weight (diving) suspenders since. A harness may be even a better alternative. Integrated weights is best, but if you dive in cold enough water you need both integrated and belt.

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

First - you made a choice to end the dive and you should be ok with that desision. Don’t beat yourself up for that. Weight belt wasn’t tight enough. Should have been tighter. Learn from that. Make it fit better next time. Put it on. Stand up on the boat. Remember the material The strap is made of will stretch out when it’s wet. That might have been all it needed to get too loose. Next time that it feels too loose - get horizontal in the water and loosen off the buckle and make the adjustment and tighten the buckle again. If the weight belt would have slipped off completely the you would be buoyant at the surface. Relax and learn from your experience. Don’t beat yourself up.

 

[BikerBecca]

Don't be so hard on yourself. You are very new and my best advice to you would be to keep diving. Let me share a story with you..

I was born and raised on Long Island. I have literally been in the ocean my entire life and am very comfortable being there. However, just a few short years ago I was brand new to scuba diving. It was a completely new way of being in the ocean for me. One month after completing my open water certification I joined a fun dive being hosted by my LDS, the one that trained me. As the dive went on the conditions got surgier and surgier, and the current picked up pushing us further and further, but to where? My dive buddy and I decided to surface to try and figure out where we were. That's when I was in full blown panic. I joke about it now saying I asked my dive buddy which he thought was closer California or Hawaii, but at the time I was truly in a panic and had a little fear for my life. We were really really really far from shore and had only 1100-ish PSI left in my tank. OMG! I'm going to die! My friend/dive buddy who was more experienced explained the plan to get back safely. He pointed out the terrain and that we only needed to dive as far as that land right over there to get back into a cove and out of the current. He was right, we got back there and the conditions calmed down, but I was done diving for the day. I truly got the scare of a lifetime.

Long story short, I got back in the ocean the next day at a dive site I was familiar with so I could rebuild my comfort and excitement for diving. It worked! It got my head screwed back on straight and I became so addicted to diving I not only dive almost every single weekend, but I am now an SSI and PADI Divemaster and about to start my Assistant Instructor once I complete my DAN Instructor courses next week.

I think your plan to do your AOW is the right plan. You said you would do it in Monterey. Excellent choice, but I am biased because that is where I work as a Divemaster. So, please, if you do head to Monterey please send me a message. It would be my pleasure to take you on dives and help build your confidence and keep the excitement of diving alive in your heart.

Best,
Rebecca

 

[caruso]

You cannot depend on the DMs to keep you out of trouble, especially in Mexico. I'm thinking if they saw you were in trouble they would have done what is possible to help rather than ignore you. That much being said, you are responsible for your own dive, your certification and training has supposedly prepared you for open water diving, but it sounds to me like too much too soon. Hire yourself a private DM or better yet an instructor and do some easy shallow dives to get back into it. Or not back into it because you never were really into it in the first place having no dives other than your checkouts.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

have you looked into diving in tahoe?

I’d recommend against Tahoe. Great viz, calm water, just cold.

Doing some shore diving in Monterey and then some boat diving (with a bankroll entry at some point) is going to prepare the OP much more.

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

No reason to b

You cannot depend on the DMs to keep you out of trouble, especially in Mexico. I'm thinking if they saw you were in trouble they would have done what is possible to help rather than ignore you. That much being said, you are responsible for your own dive, your certification and training has supposedly prepared you for open water diving, but it sounds to me like too much too soon. Hire yourself a private DM or better yet an instructor and do some easy shallow dives to get back into it. Or not back into it because you never were really into it in the first place having no dives other than your checkouts.

No reason to be critical of Mexico DM’s and instructors. There are great professional people and crappy professional people everywhere.

 

[caruso]

No reason to be critical of Mexico DM’s and instructors. There are great professional people and crappy professional people everywhere.

I missed the part where I'm being critical? If anything I'm suggesting he's responsible for his safety, no one else.

 

[runsongas]

I’d recommend against Tahoe. Great viz, calm water, just cold.

Doing some shore diving in Monterey and then some boat diving (with a bankroll entry at some point) is going to prepare the OP much more.

tahoe in the summer above the thermocline is a lot warmer than monterey.