TheDivingBear
Registered
As a newly certified OW diver, I have a question. But first, a little background.
It took several attempts for me to get through the open water dives. During my first attempt, I was nervous or anxious and had trouble equalizing my ears. I felt pressure (not just from the water) to get down to the group quickly (I was one of the last to go down). I tried several methods of equalizing my ears, but none seemed to work. Finally, I called the dive (not wanting to hold up the rest of the group).
After talking to the dive shop (after a second failed attempt), I asked for some one-on-one and got it (for a fee of course). We went out and he went up and down with me (four feet down, two feet up, four feet down, two up, you get the picture). Anyway, it took me nearly five minutes to get to the platform at twenty feet. I felt no pain (or when I did, I would raise a little and equalize), but it was not comfortable. I've been to a ENT after the first dive and there was nothing physically wrong. He did suggest I take an extra Allegra-D (or a 12 hour sudafed) about an hour before my dive (damned hayfever). I had done that and my sinuses felt extremely clear.
On my second dive, the DI went down and said he would sit there and wait on me. There was no pressure or need to hurry, "I don't mind sitting there waiting and I'll keep you in my sight. Take your time", and I did. This time it took me just over four minutes to get down to twenty feet. The next day, dive's three and four were no different; he went down and it took me four minutes or just under.
Once at depth for a few minutes, I had no trouble, either going deeper (from the twenty down to thirty-five) or rising to the surface. I came in last, finishing after my tiniest bubble and my ears were fine. I also learned a lesson in physics on dive four, a nearly empty tank (600-700 psi) is more bouyant. I slowly ascended to the surface without much control and a very puzzled look on my face (according to the DI).
Ok, now that you have a littel background, my question is how should I (and my buddy) handle the time it takes me to get to twenty feet? I mean, I would expect my buddy to stay with me (as I am sure she will). How would this effect the rest of the group if we were to go on a dive boat and descend via a line? My DI suggested that I explain this to the rest of the group and that I ask to be one of the first ones in, offering them to go around me as we slowly descend, does that sound fair? How would you seasoned verteran divers react to that?
Thanks,
Bear
It took several attempts for me to get through the open water dives. During my first attempt, I was nervous or anxious and had trouble equalizing my ears. I felt pressure (not just from the water) to get down to the group quickly (I was one of the last to go down). I tried several methods of equalizing my ears, but none seemed to work. Finally, I called the dive (not wanting to hold up the rest of the group).
After talking to the dive shop (after a second failed attempt), I asked for some one-on-one and got it (for a fee of course). We went out and he went up and down with me (four feet down, two feet up, four feet down, two up, you get the picture). Anyway, it took me nearly five minutes to get to the platform at twenty feet. I felt no pain (or when I did, I would raise a little and equalize), but it was not comfortable. I've been to a ENT after the first dive and there was nothing physically wrong. He did suggest I take an extra Allegra-D (or a 12 hour sudafed) about an hour before my dive (damned hayfever). I had done that and my sinuses felt extremely clear.
On my second dive, the DI went down and said he would sit there and wait on me. There was no pressure or need to hurry, "I don't mind sitting there waiting and I'll keep you in my sight. Take your time", and I did. This time it took me just over four minutes to get down to twenty feet. The next day, dive's three and four were no different; he went down and it took me four minutes or just under.
Once at depth for a few minutes, I had no trouble, either going deeper (from the twenty down to thirty-five) or rising to the surface. I came in last, finishing after my tiniest bubble and my ears were fine. I also learned a lesson in physics on dive four, a nearly empty tank (600-700 psi) is more bouyant. I slowly ascended to the surface without much control and a very puzzled look on my face (according to the DI).
Ok, now that you have a littel background, my question is how should I (and my buddy) handle the time it takes me to get to twenty feet? I mean, I would expect my buddy to stay with me (as I am sure she will). How would this effect the rest of the group if we were to go on a dive boat and descend via a line? My DI suggested that I explain this to the rest of the group and that I ask to be one of the first ones in, offering them to go around me as we slowly descend, does that sound fair? How would you seasoned verteran divers react to that?
Thanks,
Bear
