Newbie - a little scared...

[Heatheroe]

Hi all, finally got registered. We are looking to get certified in the near future and have so far only snorkeled in Eleuthera and are going to Long Island (Deans Blue Hole) in a couple of months. We purchased our fins, snorkels, masks and boots. I don't know how we'll afford to get the rest! Maybe one piece at a time?

One question I have is about the risks in diving. I'm worried by the number of deaths I've read about in that section of the forum. In fact, we were just in Carolina Beach, NC a couple of weeks ago and spoke with the Cape Fear dive shop owner while there. And then we hear of the death of one of their charter divers this past weekend. I'm so sad to hear of this and the many others, some of which seem to be mysterious.

Anyway, i'm sure we'll learn all about safety and the dangers of diving in the class. But it would be nice to hear from some of you to put my mind at ease!

 

[tstormdiver]

There are certainly risks & they should be taken seriously, but don't over- think it. The only way to have no risks is not to dive. As long as you have a good instructor, listen to his instructions, keep a level head in any situation(s) the risks are actually very small. There is actually & probably more risk just getting to the dive site than the diving itself. There are hundreds of thousands, if not more, dives made every year with no problems at all. Most training is comprehensive & explains what "may" happen, but instead of concentrating on what could happen, think about what you can do to avoid the problems & enjoy your dives!

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Welcome to ScubaBoard.

Scuba diving can be an expensive sport. On a limited budget, you do the best you can -- research items prior to purchase, compare prices, buy gear in an order that makes sense to you. An important distinction to make is the difference between necessary gear and "nice to have" gear. The best gear for you won't necessarily be the most expensive gear available. Try out stuff before you buy it (if possible). Learn how to do comprehensive pre-dive checks on rental gear, since you have no idea how the gear was cleaned, stored, and maintained.

Yes, diving does have some inherent risk. The way to manage that risk is to obtain quality training (find a good instructor), exercise good judgment in planning and executing the dive, gain experience, and practice your skills (air-sharing, situational awareness, good buddy skills). Since diving can involve strenuous physical activity, it's probably prudent to get a comprehensive medical check-up before starting an open water certification class. Many experienced divers will schedule annual medical check-ups with their primary care physician.

I'm fairly risk-averse. I wouldn't be engaged in a sport that I thought was reckless or outright dangerous.

Have fun out there...

 

[LIVES4SHARKS]

Welcome to :sblogo:

Scuba is a sport that requires you to have a source of life support. Like anything else, it has it's risks and it is only as good as the equipment and the person using it. For the number of divers world wide, the number of accidents and deaths are a small. What you will find, is that there is usually a chain of events that put that diver in danger. For the majority of accidents, it is from things that could have easily been prevented, or risky behavior such as diving in ways outside of their training. I would not let the accident forum discourage you in any way. Remember, we all learn from our mistakes and the mistakes of others. Just don't repeat them and you will be fine.

When you take your course, you will learn all the things necessary to make you a good diver. How you take that knowledge and apply it is up to you. Scuba is an awesome sport and I am happy that you will be joining our dive family. If you have any questions or concerns, discuss them with your instructor. You already know how to utilize the board for information, if you need any further help, please feel free to contact me.

Carolyn:shark2:

 

[TSandM]

Diving is definitely an activity with some inherent risk. You can mitigate the risks enormously by remaining respectful of them, and avoiding complacency. You will be taught some good habits in your class, like buddy checks, and making and following a dive plan, and once you finish, you will see many people who have jettisoned those good practices. Sticking to them will avoid many problems, and a problem avoided is one that can't spiral into panic or danger.

Paying attention to fitness is important, too. The underwater part of diving is not normally heavy exertion, but getting into strong currents, or surfacing downcurrent of the boat or in heavy chop can require some vigorous swimming. And moving gear around, walking in it, and keeping your balance on a boat are all things that require some strength to avoid injury. Particularly if you are older (over 40) and overweight or out of condition, a physician's evaluation before your class might be a wise thing. And a fitness program isn't a bad idea, either.

 

[Matt S.]

If you read the accident threads on this forum you will notice a lot of common factors. People try dives they are not trained for, and people lose track of the fundamentals like, oh, making sure you have enough gas to finish the dive.

Don't get complacent. Develop good habits and stick with them, like TSandM said.

And always remember that YOU are in control of your dives. Make sure the staff on your upcoming dive trip knows what your skill level is so they can take you to appropriate sites. Get a thorough pre-dive briefing and never, ever be afraid to sit out a dive if you think it's beyond you. Never rely on a divemaster for anything more important than pointing out the pretty fish... Become a skilled, self-sufficient, and smart diver.

Recognizing that there IS risk and asking what you can do to be safe shows you are already on the right path.

Good luck and enjoy diving.

 

[2905luvsbubbles]

Welcome to the board and the sport. Take it one step at a time. Equipment is expensive but lasts a long time. There are inherent risks in diving. The thing to remember is that there are inherent risks in everything you do. Take driving...if you run a stop sign you risk death...so you obey the rules. Diving is the same way, you learn the rules and abide by them and don't exceed your skill level. You wouldn't drive the Indy 500 as a newbie diver, the same way you don't do advanced dives until you have the training and skills to do the advanced dives. If you keep it in perspective it is a rewarding and fun filled past time. Just my opinion.