Capt.JimDavis
Contributor
Two months ago I got my PADI book and started to study. Then a few weeks after that I got the chance to be tested and few weeks after that, on July 13th I did my pool dive and that afternoon we went for the Ocean dive #1.
It was exciting. After putting all that gear first you feel like you'll get crushed under all that weight. Then when you get into the water, weight-wise it feels a little better but then your heartbeat gets faster.
That's what happened to me after few little skills while I was settling down on my knees at 26 ft... and it happened!!! Wy weight belt slip off from my keg-belly. (God, I hate weight belts) Now remind you I've had 38lbs of led there. Of course just before I shoot up to surface I managed to point it out to my instructor what happened. He reached the bottom to get the weight belt and by the same time grabbed on my BC to stop me to rocket to the surface.
I was scared but not panicked until that second.
But when he grabbed my BC from two or three feet below me he yanked the reg out of my mout while I was just inhaling a deep breath.
Well, that was the most wet breath I ever took in my life. Then another and another. He was trying to recover the belt from the bottom and didn't realize that my struggling was because I was breathing water. He thought I was struggling to stabilize myself and not to go up.
Then I panicked. I thought that was it and I was going to drown right there and right at that moment. I thought for a second to myself " at the age of 51 and with an out of shape body, why in the world you didn't get into another hobby you idiot, now this is where it all going to end".
But then with a miraculous move I shoved the reg to my mouth and hold it there by applying pressure on it and poked my instructor on the shoulder and gave him the "UP" signal. Then we surfaced. I was coughing, breathless, really tired and panicked and just wanted to get out of the water. Which we did. At the surface I overinflated my jacket style rental BC but I didn't care at that moment since I took in substantial amount of watery breaths and that was it for the day. Anything floats me was acceptable. Plus a very rough surge at the bottom and rough waves on the surface was telling me that my day wasn't gonna get better after that moment.
After I went back to my boat my chest began to hurt for two days and on July 15th I went to my doctor to a check up of my chest pain. EKG and other stuff done and everything was alright. My doctor (also found out that she was a diver too) told me that I must be squezed too much and probably internally bruised myself by my BC.
She added that, yes I am overweight, and yes I am a little out of shape, yes I lack exercise and YES that it was a freak accident, but still, "she said" NOW go get certified.
Well my work schedule didn't allow me until today. But at last we were able to schedule with my instructor to do my dive #2, 3 and 4 today after a month of dive #1. They all went as smooth as possible and CERTIFIED...
Oh by the way, after that freak incident on dive #1 I sworn that I will never ever dive with a weight belt again and went ahead got myself a Zeagle Ranger BC, my own wetsuit, hood, boots, gloves, regulator, octo, mask, snorkel and fins and my simple computer (Veo100)
Back inflate is excellent. But the BEST part is the Integrated Weight System... Takes all that discomfort of the weight belt BS...
Plus, no pressure on my chest no matter how much I inflate and I was able to hover or swim horizontally very easily which I was struggling with the other rental jacket style BC.
One more added plus is that I met Dr. Bill in person right after my last dive. That was an added pleasure to the one of the most memorable days of my life.
Got my boat! (actually staying on it )
Got the right place! ( working at Catalina Island which is one of the best dive sites in SoCal)
Got the equipment! (limited but enough for now)
Got CERTIFIED !!!
Now, gotta dive!!!
Well that's it folks!!!
It was exciting. After putting all that gear first you feel like you'll get crushed under all that weight. Then when you get into the water, weight-wise it feels a little better but then your heartbeat gets faster.
That's what happened to me after few little skills while I was settling down on my knees at 26 ft... and it happened!!! Wy weight belt slip off from my keg-belly. (God, I hate weight belts) Now remind you I've had 38lbs of led there. Of course just before I shoot up to surface I managed to point it out to my instructor what happened. He reached the bottom to get the weight belt and by the same time grabbed on my BC to stop me to rocket to the surface.
I was scared but not panicked until that second.
But when he grabbed my BC from two or three feet below me he yanked the reg out of my mout while I was just inhaling a deep breath.
Well, that was the most wet breath I ever took in my life. Then another and another. He was trying to recover the belt from the bottom and didn't realize that my struggling was because I was breathing water. He thought I was struggling to stabilize myself and not to go up.
Then I panicked. I thought that was it and I was going to drown right there and right at that moment. I thought for a second to myself " at the age of 51 and with an out of shape body, why in the world you didn't get into another hobby you idiot, now this is where it all going to end".
But then with a miraculous move I shoved the reg to my mouth and hold it there by applying pressure on it and poked my instructor on the shoulder and gave him the "UP" signal. Then we surfaced. I was coughing, breathless, really tired and panicked and just wanted to get out of the water. Which we did. At the surface I overinflated my jacket style rental BC but I didn't care at that moment since I took in substantial amount of watery breaths and that was it for the day. Anything floats me was acceptable. Plus a very rough surge at the bottom and rough waves on the surface was telling me that my day wasn't gonna get better after that moment.
After I went back to my boat my chest began to hurt for two days and on July 15th I went to my doctor to a check up of my chest pain. EKG and other stuff done and everything was alright. My doctor (also found out that she was a diver too) told me that I must be squezed too much and probably internally bruised myself by my BC.
She added that, yes I am overweight, and yes I am a little out of shape, yes I lack exercise and YES that it was a freak accident, but still, "she said" NOW go get certified.
Well my work schedule didn't allow me until today. But at last we were able to schedule with my instructor to do my dive #2, 3 and 4 today after a month of dive #1. They all went as smooth as possible and CERTIFIED...
Oh by the way, after that freak incident on dive #1 I sworn that I will never ever dive with a weight belt again and went ahead got myself a Zeagle Ranger BC, my own wetsuit, hood, boots, gloves, regulator, octo, mask, snorkel and fins and my simple computer (Veo100)
Back inflate is excellent. But the BEST part is the Integrated Weight System... Takes all that discomfort of the weight belt BS...
Plus, no pressure on my chest no matter how much I inflate and I was able to hover or swim horizontally very easily which I was struggling with the other rental jacket style BC.
One more added plus is that I met Dr. Bill in person right after my last dive. That was an added pleasure to the one of the most memorable days of my life.
Got my boat! (actually staying on it )
Got the right place! ( working at Catalina Island which is one of the best dive sites in SoCal)
Got the equipment! (limited but enough for now)
Got CERTIFIED !!!
Now, gotta dive!!!
Well that's it folks!!!
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