newbee

[String]

Reference the "floaty feet". I noticed you're in the UK.

Are you wearing a dry suit ?

If so, does it fit properly? If its too big you'll experience that.

Also, is your weight correct? Too much weight == too much air and floaty feet.

The last ditch alternative is ankle weights.

If its a wet suit and worried over floaty feet im not sure what to suggest. Maybe more negative fins (or maybe even ankle weights there!).

If you arent comfortable with the basic skill set, doing AOW is definately a no.
Get comfortable with the basics before going any further at all.

Ive seen some divers "rushed" through the OW system meaning they havent had too long to practice skill sets to their liking. Maybe thats your problem.

Some pool sessions to get comfortable with the drills are advisable. If you're nervous about anything, mention it to an instructor.

Get comfortable doing everything in the pool then practice it in calm shallow open water to get over that barrier.

Above all, work up slowly and dont leave problems hidden.

 

[WaterBaby]

Angel

I have joined a SAA club to learn how to dive - and have found them brilliant! My husband and I joined together but he was far more confident with the whole thing at the start than me. The club's training officer decided to split us up (not in the divorce sense!!) so I can go at my own pace and am not holding my hubby back. I am taking it steady and feel very comfortable with the whole thing - I am starting to really look forward to seeing somenthing a bit more interesting than the bottom of the pool!

Joining a club also gives you numerous, experienced divers to learn from - everybody has their own ways and tips! If you have qualified and do not feel confident to go on a dive, all of your training will be wasted - getting in to a club can help build up your confidence and give you invaluable pool time before a real dive!!

Good Luck!

 

[String]

Id second that about joining a club.

There will be various clubs in your area be it BSAC, SAA or maybe even a general dive agency club.

Joining those means you'll get normally a pool session once a week, instructors to work through you AND regular diving.

Its a good idea if you want to improve.

 

[DeepTechScuba]

learn-scuba once bubbled...
As for the panicking thing... frankly, if you panicked in open water you shouldn't have been certified.

You might also ask the dive shop if you could sit in through the pool sessions in another open water class.

I completely agree with Scott on this aspect of the problem.

You were certified TOO FAST.

Ask the store to let you to go through the class again. They SHOULD allow you to do so without charging you. They are responsible to train you. Things like this happen occasionally, and it is not unusual to have a recently certified diver take the pool sessions again and go on the basic 4 to 6 open water dives again.

If the store does not agree, then you need to find a different store. The only problem with that is that you would then have to pay again. Some stores will give you a discount, when they take on divers who have been inadequately trained by competing stores across town. Things like this happen occasionally as well.

Your "floaty feet" problem could be related to any one of a number of things. You may be wearing your B/C too low. Or your B/C may be the wrong size for you. You may be wearing your weights too far towards the back. You may be wearing positively buoyant fins. You may be wearing a tank that is too negatively buoyant. An instructor is supposed to be able to sort all that out for you and fix it.

I would not rely on a dive club or a divemaster. If you can afford a private follow up lesson with an instructor, that might also be a solution. But dive clubs depend on divers being self sufficient and well trained, and divemasters are only instructors in training themselves.

Do NOT dive alone in a pool yourself. That could be really dangerous as well. You need an instructor's help.

 

[String]

But dive clubs depend on divers being self sufficient and well trained,

Not really, going by the location the person gave (the uk) id say thats incorrect.

Clubs like SAA and BSAC operate with the end goal of training students. They take on new students and train them within a club structure. Once trained these people then go diving with the club and so on.
They dont expect someone to join fully certified and ready.

Their founding philosophy is basically, training new members to expand the club and in turn, eventually those students will themselves graduate to instructor level. (unpaid obviously).

Do NOT dive alone in a pool yourself. That could be really dangerous as well.

Again, in the UK that isnt really an issue. It tends to be only millionaires have access to private pools. The public pools are mainly council owned and unless rented for a session by a dive club will not allow people to dive in them - mine for example wont allow snorkelling or even someone wearing a dive mask unless its part of the dive club.

 

[iiii]

:tree: You wll become more relaxed as you dive more. I have been a fish all my life (55 Yrs) .when my husband and I took up diving he was the panicky one. Stoping dives early or not diving at all even when we were all geared up. But as time went by he got much better. Now he wonders why he was even like that. About floating feet I had that problem also.As I got better on my skills I found my feet floated less. So I ditched my ankle Weights and now I don't need them