New diver help

[AngeloScuro]

I am new to scuba diving, still in my Open Water class, during our 2nd confined water dive (first time in water where I could not stand) and the while time underwater I had this overwhelming fear that my equipment was going to fail or something else would go wrong but the worst was when we were practicing a skill where you "lose your mask" and swim for a bit then clear it and put it back on. During this skill the whole time I was freaking out so much that I was going to inhale water through my, exposed, nose that I had to surface and could not go back down. Does anyone have any HELPFUL suggestions as to how to calm my nerves? Or how to swim underwater without a mask and not get water up my nose?

 

[MurkyRockDiver]

The more you do that skill the easier it gets. Practice in the shallow end or even stick you face in your bath tub and just use your snorkel to breath but no mask.

It will get better just relax a bit and realize it is a "skill" and will take practice to get good at it.

Good luck

 

[Bubbletrubble]

g1138 recently wrote a nice post about how to breathe properly without a mask and not get water in your nose.

If that post isn't helpful, you could also try training yourself to inhale through the mouth and exhale through the nose. This is a nice thing to be able to do on command (preferably without making significant changes to your breathing -- rate and rhythm) because that's how you clear a flooded mask, right?

Some people find that maskless breathing with a snorkel in the shallow end of a pool can be helpful in dealing with water-up-the-nose-while-maskless issues.

 

[AngeloScuro]

Thank you both for the quick replies, MurkyRockDiver I will be sure to try practicing in the bathtub and Bubbletrubble I never really thought about it that way, I know it is just a mental thing and that the instructors are very well trained in the event something does go wrong. Hopefully as I get more experience underwater I will be able to relax and enjoy the "new" world around me.

 

[g1138]

Thanks for the shout out BubbleTrubble, beat me to it.

AngeloScuro, I'm pretty sure it's mental for you, since you didn't mention actually inhaling water, you just need to be more comfortable in the water. Some are naturally in tuned to this, some aren't. It's like being afraid of the dark, the more time you spend in an uncomfortable environment, the more you'll understand it and see where the dangers actually are, if they're there at all.

Trust your training, your buddy, your instructor, and trust your LDS. Equipment failure in OW classes are extremely rare, I honestly don't think one member on this board can recall a catastrophic failure that wasn't due to human error during set up. Even with human error, the results are not catastrophic.
You should be doing buddy checks before going in the water, if you still feel uncomfortable, let the instructor know and he/she can check to see that it's set up properly.


Just try your best to relax and focus on the skills at hand and at the environment around you, and I'm sure you'll come to love it.

 

[k ellis]

Plus one for all the above mentioned. Its all psychological I used to hate the thought of even taking a mask off but now I am able to go into the pool and dive all day without a mask. Youll be fine just stop think and act. Everything about diving is meant to be slow paced and fun.

 

[PatW]

I understand that the mask exercise is the hardest thing for most students. You have lots of company here. It seems that many people panic (or at least get upset) when they get their face wet.

One of the drills I was given when I was taught to swim was this. You stand in the shallow end of the pool. You bend over and put your entire face into the water. You then gently blow bubbles. You do that until you get really comfortable with having your face underwater.

The trick with not getting water up your nose is to maintain a slight positive pressure of air in your nose. That keeps the water out.

You really should master this skill. I have had divers rush right by me and inadvertantly kick me etc. I have not lost a mask that way yet. But I have come close. However, losing a mask is merely an annoyance.

Another thing you can do, is get some goggles so your nose and mouth are exposed to the water. Just swim around underwater until you get comfortable with it.

 

[k.divine]

I had the same problem in the pool the first time I had to sit there with my mask off....I really flipped. I was able to finish it but I shaved about 10 years off my lifespan. After I finished up for the day I kind of sat back and thought about it. "I jump out of airplanes for a living (Army Airborne) why the heck is taking my mask off underwater freaking me out?" When I put in perspective with things that I have done that are way more dangerous it made it a lot easier when I went into the other no-mask situations. Also I found opening my eyes for a second or so to allow another one of my senses to help me get my bearings helped. But yeah, just like you should have been taught....stop...THINK...then act. Good Luck.
Kris

 

[Jim Lapenta]

This is one of those times when you need to clearly communicate to the instructor your difficulties. He/she should then take the steps necessary to address it. It may involve a private session to just work on that skill. I always have that option in my mind for any new class or student. You never know how someone is going to react to this and planning for it is easier on the student and the instructor. I do not charge extra for these private sessions. Some may have to if they rent pool time or space. The main thing is you should not be moving on to new skills until you are comfortable with this one. This issue needs to be addressed before adding more stress by introducing another thing to work on. The bathtub and even a sink work well. But the best is to just get in the pool with a snorkel and while standing just bend over and put your face in the water and breath.

If this persists you may need to rethink diving. It is not for everyone and if the fear does not go away or feelings of panic persist it could create a dangerous situation for you and your buddy. Again talk to the instructor and insist on taking care of this before moving on.

 

[=C=]

As Jim said, communicate with your instructor. I'm not saying an instructor can fix everything but someone who is there with you has a better chance of talking you thru the stress than us internet types.

I'll also add you can tilt your head slightly so the bubbles aren't in your face... This is another small thing that can help with stress.