Aquabella
Guest
I think you're getting lots of good advice here and I commend you for searching out people to talk to about your fears and concerns.
I was only certified last September so the experience is fairly fresh in my mind. I'll tell you...I was in a class with two guys and myself. They both panicked, so don't fell you are alone. The feelings you have are natural and do go away with practice and taking it slow as others have said.
My concern is this part...
My concern is about your instuctor and the divemasters you were with, not you. Just for them to allow this to happen in the first place says allot to me. They should have been watching you closer than that and planned the 'dive' better. You must have been in the pool for quite a while to drain a tank! Being able to deal with an OOA situation is vital but skills are usually introduced in a more gradual way than that. Most people with the experience level you have would have reacted the same way. You haven't had time to practice the skills and become comfortable with them. This shouldn't have happened.
I personally would talk to my instructor about it, he/she should give you some extra pool sessions which would help allot. My instuctor spent allot of extra time with the peolpe who needed it. If they don't, I would find a new one. Most definately.
I was only certified last September so the experience is fairly fresh in my mind. I'll tell you...I was in a class with two guys and myself. They both panicked, so don't fell you are alone. The feelings you have are natural and do go away with practice and taking it slow as others have said.
My concern is this part...
nooneyouknow_ once bubbled...
Without much warning, I ran out of air in my tank. I immediately freaked out. I did have the wherewithal to signal to my instructor that I was OOA (completely ignoring my buddy) but became like a caged animal and just had to get the hell out of there; I rejected the air that was offered to me, and bolted to the surface. Once I got back to the shallow end and realized what had happened, I started sobbing. I just wanted to run from the class and never come back. In my head over and over I was saying, "that's it. I'm done with this."
My concern is about your instuctor and the divemasters you were with, not you. Just for them to allow this to happen in the first place says allot to me. They should have been watching you closer than that and planned the 'dive' better. You must have been in the pool for quite a while to drain a tank! Being able to deal with an OOA situation is vital but skills are usually introduced in a more gradual way than that. Most people with the experience level you have would have reacted the same way. You haven't had time to practice the skills and become comfortable with them. This shouldn't have happened.
I personally would talk to my instructor about it, he/she should give you some extra pool sessions which would help allot. My instuctor spent allot of extra time with the peolpe who needed it. If they don't, I would find a new one. Most definately.