$159 and how I learned that diving is not for me.

[Scuba446]

Hi,
Your not alone - thats probably the biggest fear newbies (and experienced divers) go thru. The Instructor cold have handled that better, but chill out, think, and if you really like or want to dive - keep at it. I went to my LDS and was able to do all the FREE pool sessions I wanted to practice. NONE of those skills come as 'naturals' to us. You have to work at them. Remember, man wasn't born an aquatic creature - we visit there!

I'm seen this with lots of friends - and you CAN beat it, with a little practice and self confidence. Lose the 'ego' thing, and the macho thing, because it happens to MANY people and not just you!

Good luck ad I hope you stay in it and finish your OW dives - which - I was scared to death of - and had a GREAT time doing with no real stress. PRACTICE!

Good luck!

PS I also had a poor Instructor my first time taking my OW course and chose to repat it with a new agency - which made ALL the differance in the world!

 

[scubatomwetzel]

Sorry you had a rough go on the first round. Things to remember the next round if you decide to go further.

1. A good and proper fitting mask.
2. Find a class that will meet your needs, including practice.
3. Maybe consider private, where you work with the insturctor on what additional practice and training you need.
4. Mask clearing is one of the more important skills a diver has to practice and do.


I know. I have been teaching for 26 years. I have several staff members working with me. 2 to 4 instructors, 2 DM/AI's and a couple in training for leadership to become DM, AI or Instructor.

Sorry your in Florida, I teach in Southern California at a YMCA. I teach a 6 to 8 week program and work on skills rather than how quick I can certirfy a person.

scubatomwetzel



p.s. It is your choice and good luck.

 

[DiverBuoy]

I have watched remedial class after remedial class, but the persistent person who really wants to overcome their fears will. Nothing applies more than try try again. PUG put it best ... you can do it.

 

[padiscubapro]

You need to find another instructor.. PERIOD.

First thing it should have bee done in the shallow end of the pool first not in the deep end.. Don't fear in telling the instructor any problems you have the more the instructor know the better.. If he/she doesn't care get another instructor.

If darkness is your major point of fear I would consider a prescription mask.. even if you cant focus on anything seeing light can help relieve anxiety..

Your problem with choking is improper airway control.. Before I do ANY type of mask clearing or removal I do some excercises to get the person confortable with breathing off a regulator with no mask in place...
Its easy enough to just put your face down in the water (while STANDING in the shallow end) and practice both inhaling from your mouth and exhaling through your nose (need to clear mask or water in nose) and also in/out through the regulator.. If it takes 30 mins to get confortable so be it.. If you are in a large groups, I would go onto skills the entire group could participate in then after everyone else is done spend exclusive time with a person having a specific skill issue..

Even with precautions in shallow water if a student really wants to stand up you are not stopping him/her the student has to stop themselves.. I recall a student last year that stood up on me... She remembered to exhale and has less than a foot of water above her head... I politely told her next time I would grab her at a more secure location (strap across chest) instead of being a gentleman, she got the point and fought off here fears..

She was actually one of the hard students I ever instructed, She was a yoga instructor and had all kinds of problems altering here breathing to always inhale from the reg...

 

[landlocked]

HKMP5N come in. Are you there HKMP5N. Come on back good buddy.

I don't think that we changed his mind.

 

[The Chairman]

He and I have exchanged personal info and will be meeting on a Monday in the not too distant future. We will keep you updated on his imminent success.

 

[landlocked]

NetDoc once bubbled...
He and I have exchanged personal info and will be meeting on a Monday in the not too distant future. We will keep you updated on his imminent success.

That is good to hear. If anyone can help him out Pete, your da man! (That is if he dosen't get a look at your pink flamingo hat and die from laughing.)

 

[PnL]

Having an instructor you trust and have confidence in makes all the difference.

The VERY FIRST THING our instructor had us do in the pool was to don the BC/tank/regulator, put the regulator in and breath underwater with no fins, mask, snorkel, etc. We were allowed to hold our noses or blow air out of the nose (as you would when exhaling during swims), but were encouraged to learn to control water entry into the nose. My wife and I wear contacts so we had to do this with our eyes closed - the very first time I went down like this I had to stand up because water rushed into my nose. But then I tried again and made a conscious effort to breath only through my mouth .. perhaps exhaling slightly out my nose. After this was done the SECOND THING our instructor had us do was don the rest of the gear except the mask and swim a few laps. Again my wife and I had to do this with our eyes closed.

These two excercises taught us one VERY important lesson - as long as we have our regulator in our mouths and we are calm we can breath and survive without the mask or other equipment. Getting comfortable in this way really boosted our confidence and made our mask clears very easy because we already knew we didn't need the mask to breath underwater.

We love our instructor and plan on taking all our classes with him as we have utmost faith in him and his methods. The bottom line when diving is that you need to feel safe and comfortable - if you don't then abort the dive. Better to abort and live another day (to dive another day) then to suffer a life-threatening event.

Best of luck

Paul

 

[SM Diver]

A friend of mine was teaching a class and had a tough marine as one of his students. Flew through everything with confidence and ease. However, he just totally freaked on the mask removal drill. They worked with this guy for three hours, but got him through it. From what they tell me, once the guy did it once, he said, "Now I've got it", and was able to do it at will.

Good luck.

 

[pops]

In any environment with potential life threatening situations, the ability to think clearly under stress and avoid panic is crucial and only comes fron experience and practice.
Those simple PADI manuvers are designed to keep you fron freaking out in the event something happens underwater and you really shouldn't dive if you cant master them.