New to diving! ..have question about open water

[Kathleen Sea Hare]

Hello! I got certified in Monterey CA and we entered off beach. I felt pretty good, entering and exiting but was really fatigued after 3rd dive walking the gear from the stairs, on the beach and then kicking on my back to the group and definitely could not kick at same pace as my dive buddy who was also a female and my same height around 5', but probably more petite in frame than me. Is that normal? Noticed underwater I felt fine, kicking around during test, but at the surface kicking on my back to the shore- that really wore me out! I want to do more shore dives in Monterey, and live aboards, but is that what it will feel like in general say if you ascend then have to kick back to a boat? Thought I was in good shape (at that time I probably ran 3-4xs a week and cycled on weekend with probably 3-4 days in pool doing laps, just not necessarily fast at any sport. Do you recommend strength training? Any feedback is appreciated!

 

[KenGordon]

Shore diving can be hard work for anybody. As you have discovered have to get yourself and the kit to the water, the actual dive site may be a bit out and require a surface swim. When you surface it is up to you to swim back to the exit.

A liveaboard is the opposite, your kit lives on the dive deck, ready to go, and you only have to get there from your cabin. Some use small boats to shuttle you to the actual site, some drop and pick up with the main boat and only have a tender for emergencies.

In between is diving from day boats. Depending on the parking and boat location there may still be a significant effort required getting the kit to the boat, but that is usually in day clothes rather than kitted up. Here in the UK boats are always ‘live’ and pick up divers unless that would pose a danger to the boat, so there is no swimming to and from the site except for perhaps 10m to and from the shot line.

If you find shore diving particularly hard look to what you can change about how you are doing it. The instructor choosing how you have dived so far may have had different reasons to chose sites, timing and so forth than you will have doing it for fun. For example you might not need to do so many dives in a day, or take spare cylinders down in one go and set up camp closer to the water.

By and large diving ought to be easy, not rushed and not hard. If your buddy is too fast ask them to slow down.

 

[morecowbells]

It sounds like you are certainly physically fit and capable. If you can walk with your gear on the beach and down stairs without issues, you are better off than a lot of divers. A couple of things come to mind when you talk about getting fatigued while swimming on the surface. My husband cannot stand swimming out on his back. He uses a snorkel, face down. I am a back swimmer. When I started out diving, I had a difficult time swimming on my back with a regular BCD. When I changed over to a back inflate BCD, it was much easier and more coordinated. Another consideration are your fins. Perhaps you are not able to gain enough purchase with your current ones. Instead of vertical kicking, I prefer propelling myself frog legged. I started out doing the frog leg motion to ease muscle cramping, now I find it to be easier and less taxing.

Over time, you will find your mojo. Try experimenting with different styles and ask your partner for honest feedback and observations. Another consideration involves the chilly waters of Monterey; perhaps 3 dives is too rigorous. I am content doing only 2 dives a day.

 

[Kathleen Sea Hare]

It sounds like you are certainly physically fit and capable. If you can walk with your gear on the beach and down stairs without issues, you are better off than a lot of divers. A couple of things come to mind when you talk about getting fatigued while swimming on the surface. My husband cannot stand swimming out on his back. He uses a snorkel, face down. I am a back swimmer. When I started out diving, I had a difficult time swimming on my back with a regular BCD. When I changed over to a back inflate BCD, it was much easier and more coordinated. Another consideration are your fins. Perhaps you are not able to gain enough purchase with your current ones. Instead of vertical kicking, I prefer propelling myself frog legged. I started out doing the frog leg motion to ease muscle cramping, now I find it to be easier and less taxing.

Over time, you will find your mojo. Try experimenting with different styles and ask your partner for honest feedback and observations. Another consideration involves the chilly waters of Monterey; perhaps 3 dives is too rigorous. I am content doing only 2 dives a day.

Thank you for this feedback ... especially about the back inflate BCD because I didn't know there was one!! ... I'll will def keep that in mind when I start scoping out getting my 1st BCD! ..i'm gathering its a combo of technique that works for you and the gear!

 

[Tom_Ivan]

Don’t feel bad about it. It doesn’t matter how fit and strong you are, when in SCUBA gear, surface swimming sucks!!!

 

[Kathleen Sea Hare]

Shore diving can be hard work for anybody. As you have discovered have to get yourself and the kit to the water, the actual dive site may be a bit out and require a surface swim. When you surface it is up to you to swim back to the exit.

A liveaboard is the opposite, your kit lives on the dive deck, ready to go, and you only have to get there from your cabin. Some use small boats to shuttle you to the actual site, some drop and pick up with the main boat and only have a tender for emergencies.

In between is diving from day boats. Depending on the parking and boat location there may still be a significant effort required getting the kit to the boat, but that is usually in day clothes rather than kitted up. Here in the UK boats are always ‘live’ and pick up divers unless that would pose a danger to the boat, so there is no swimming to and from the site except for perhaps 10m to and from the shot line.

If you find shore diving particularly hard look to what you can change about how you are doing it. The instructor choosing how you have dived so far may have had different reasons to chose sites, timing and so forth than you will have doing it for fun. For example you might not need to do so many dives in a day, or take spare cylinders down in one go and set up camp closer to the water.

By and large diving ought to be easy, not rushed and not hard. If your buddy is too fast ask them to slow down.

...oh you're right on a live-aboard all your gear is there! Ok I was actually a bit worried that's how I will feel after all open water dives? Thanks! I feel a ton better knowing that it shouldn't feel that tiring. Now that I think about it ... was actually really far from the set up area to beach entry.

 

[Kathleen Sea Hare]

Don’t feel bad about it. It doesn’t matter how fit and strong you are, when in SCUBA gear, surface swimming sucks!!!

....yeeeesss!!! I enjoyed everything about it but that surface swim!

 

[Boglefish]

I used to get fatigued easily when I started diving as well. I started doing a Pilates routine that helped me greatly:

 

[mikaila_jane]

Three dives a day can be exhausting, especially when you start out. Regardless of how physically fit you are, you are using new muscles and getting used to new gear. Diving itself burns a lot of calories, and your body is probably a bit tense because of all the excitement.

When I started my DM training I literally had to carry one tank at a time to the boat. Long walks to the shore felt like hell (and that was before drysuit diving).

It will get easier when you get more comfortable and build your muscles up. A good, supportive and well-fitting BCD also makes a world of difference. But a nap is still always nice after a full day in the water

 

[Neilwood]

Personally I wouldn't worry about being tired after 3 dives - I think most of would be especially with shore dives with all the lugging of gear.

It does get better bit by bit.