Pyromaniac
Contributor
Well, thats my confined water dives out of the way 
1st day was Saturday, in the pool of Underwater Explorers Portland UK, I admit it - I was not a happy bunny that day, read the book - did the course notes and watched the dvd beforehand, spent FAR too long on here reading tales of woe on mask clearing and other first timer horror stories, I had managed to convince myself the day would be a disaster and that I would be drowned as soon as I looked at the pool.
Well - I am still here ! first off was a brief intro to each other and the instructor and the DM assisting, just the 3 of us students on this course - so a very good ratio of student to instructor, we then went outside to set up the kit and get aquainted with it before heading to the pool. We were all using Halcyon Eclipse bcd's with one piece harness, so we took some time getting this all adjusted for our first dip into the unknown.
First off we all got into the pool just wearing masks and snorkels in the shallow end - just to get a feel for the face in the water, then I was hit with my worst fear straight off " ok - now we will do the same but remove the mask and put your face in the water and we will breath only through our mouths using the snorkel for at least 1 minute.
Damn ! I've been practising this for ages in my bosses pool and never managed to fail to try and snort the pool empty in every attempt. Result - perfect, not one drop of water through my nose and surprisingly easy (ish) a real confidence booster for me. Maybe it was because there was someone there with me, I dont know.
This was short lived though - gear on - still shallow end - check each other over, and depress the deflator button and down we go, well - as soon as I got to my head under water I lost it - not so far as to stand back up again, or bin my reg, but I couldnt breath - well I thought I couldnt, straining to suck air in but it seemed like my airway said 'no way - your under water - we're not letting anything through' the DM was straight there in front of me - inches away, eye to eye, giving the hold sign - dont try and go down, stay right there, then signing me to breath - big in and out - I dont think I blinked or took my eyes off of his for about 30 seconds, but eventually I got air in and slowly got my composure back and made it to my knees in the shallow end of the pool. ok's were exchanged and we all just sat there just getting used to it for a while. the rest of the day is pretty much a blur of activity, mask clearing, mask removal, fin pivots, OOA excercises, and classroom work. Come the end of the day I was shattered, physically and emotionally, I was still very anxious the whole day and did have several more anxious breathing moments. This is how day one ended !
Day 2 - today .....
Well - I was not sure I wanted to go back today, I was still very tired, still very anxious and not at all sure of myself underwater, in fact I spent a good deal of last night telling myself reasons why I shouldnt go back, including to be kind to my buddies and not have them become my rescuers.
We spent the first half of the morning in the classroom, and then headed off to the pool, anxiety in full flow, giant strides and back rolls, both no problem, but hard to do back rolls from a poolside when the water is level with the edge of the pool surround, OOA again, alternate air sharing and swim, Hogarthian style with donation of the primary then switching to the alternate on a necklace round the neck, fin pivots, bouyancy skills and hovering, weightbelt removal and replace on the surface and submerged, it was around this time we tried a mask replacement for me, first was a Halcyon one piece glass, black skirts, my own one, fits fine. But fogged up whatever we tried, maybe the hot humid pool air? anyway - we tried a different mask, twin lens with clear skirts, and I was transformed, from always anxious to a lot calmer, I think I had issues with tunnel vision - literally, and was never clear on my surroundings or where everyone else was with the black mask. The rest of the day was quite enjoyable, we did CESA's, no mask swims underwater, doff and don of full kit on the surface and underwater with no assistance, freeflow breathing, a very busy day but I felt like I had a great burden lifted from myshoulders, strange how a change of mask could alter my mood so much.
We ended the day having completed all of the confined water dives and excercises required, I still ache all over and feel like I have been hit by a truck, it was a long day - but I feel so much better now. Next - open water dives in Portland Harbour
1st day was Saturday, in the pool of Underwater Explorers Portland UK, I admit it - I was not a happy bunny that day, read the book - did the course notes and watched the dvd beforehand, spent FAR too long on here reading tales of woe on mask clearing and other first timer horror stories, I had managed to convince myself the day would be a disaster and that I would be drowned as soon as I looked at the pool.
Well - I am still here ! first off was a brief intro to each other and the instructor and the DM assisting, just the 3 of us students on this course - so a very good ratio of student to instructor, we then went outside to set up the kit and get aquainted with it before heading to the pool. We were all using Halcyon Eclipse bcd's with one piece harness, so we took some time getting this all adjusted for our first dip into the unknown.
First off we all got into the pool just wearing masks and snorkels in the shallow end - just to get a feel for the face in the water, then I was hit with my worst fear straight off " ok - now we will do the same but remove the mask and put your face in the water and we will breath only through our mouths using the snorkel for at least 1 minute.
Damn ! I've been practising this for ages in my bosses pool and never managed to fail to try and snort the pool empty in every attempt. Result - perfect, not one drop of water through my nose and surprisingly easy (ish) a real confidence booster for me. Maybe it was because there was someone there with me, I dont know.
This was short lived though - gear on - still shallow end - check each other over, and depress the deflator button and down we go, well - as soon as I got to my head under water I lost it - not so far as to stand back up again, or bin my reg, but I couldnt breath - well I thought I couldnt, straining to suck air in but it seemed like my airway said 'no way - your under water - we're not letting anything through' the DM was straight there in front of me - inches away, eye to eye, giving the hold sign - dont try and go down, stay right there, then signing me to breath - big in and out - I dont think I blinked or took my eyes off of his for about 30 seconds, but eventually I got air in and slowly got my composure back and made it to my knees in the shallow end of the pool. ok's were exchanged and we all just sat there just getting used to it for a while. the rest of the day is pretty much a blur of activity, mask clearing, mask removal, fin pivots, OOA excercises, and classroom work. Come the end of the day I was shattered, physically and emotionally, I was still very anxious the whole day and did have several more anxious breathing moments. This is how day one ended !
Day 2 - today .....
Well - I was not sure I wanted to go back today, I was still very tired, still very anxious and not at all sure of myself underwater, in fact I spent a good deal of last night telling myself reasons why I shouldnt go back, including to be kind to my buddies and not have them become my rescuers.
We spent the first half of the morning in the classroom, and then headed off to the pool, anxiety in full flow, giant strides and back rolls, both no problem, but hard to do back rolls from a poolside when the water is level with the edge of the pool surround, OOA again, alternate air sharing and swim, Hogarthian style with donation of the primary then switching to the alternate on a necklace round the neck, fin pivots, bouyancy skills and hovering, weightbelt removal and replace on the surface and submerged, it was around this time we tried a mask replacement for me, first was a Halcyon one piece glass, black skirts, my own one, fits fine. But fogged up whatever we tried, maybe the hot humid pool air? anyway - we tried a different mask, twin lens with clear skirts, and I was transformed, from always anxious to a lot calmer, I think I had issues with tunnel vision - literally, and was never clear on my surroundings or where everyone else was with the black mask. The rest of the day was quite enjoyable, we did CESA's, no mask swims underwater, doff and don of full kit on the surface and underwater with no assistance, freeflow breathing, a very busy day but I felt like I had a great burden lifted from myshoulders, strange how a change of mask could alter my mood so much.
We ended the day having completed all of the confined water dives and excercises required, I still ache all over and feel like I have been hit by a truck, it was a long day - but I feel so much better now. Next - open water dives in Portland Harbour
