Newbie worries, Advice??

[ScubaGirlJg]

I am going to be a certified open water diver with SSI by the end of this upcoming weekend and I am definitely nervous about my check out dives.

So far the deepest we have gone is 12ft in a pool during the pool training sessions and I must admit I was experiencing some anxiety down there because we were being tested in all of the skills we had learned.

I did all the skills fine except I had a bit of trouble taking off my mask, placing it back on and then draining it from water. I ended up getting quite a bit of water up my nose but when my instructor held my shoulder I relaxed and was able to recover.

We are headed to a springs on saturday and then to the beach on sunday. I was wondering if anyone can offer me some advice before the big trip to maintain my cool?

I also was irritated when we had to sit at the bottom of the pool and the bubbles escaping my regulator was hitting my mask...

I guess I just would like to know what piece of information would you have preferred to know for that first dive that you didn't learn until later?

 

[offgasn]

Put your face in the water before doning your mask as to get it used to the cold water (68 degrees) and when you are ready to do your mask removal slowly fill your mask with water before you remove it. Just think it thru and you should do fine. By the way if you are going to Morrison Spring on Saturday I will be there with students also. Maybe, Good Luck...

 

[Beyond_Diving]

Personally, I don't have my students sit or kneel... I find that to be uncomfortable and stressful after a while... When we do our checkout dives I start the dive, and i start having them do the skills as we dive and maintaining neutral buoyancy. I figure if they need to use the learned skill, it'll be while they are diving, not while they are kneeling (not that you would ever be kneeling during a dive). but the best thing to do to keep your cool is to relax. even though you're being "tested" you want to learn to dive and be a certified diver because diving is fun and it is relaxing, so keep that in mind always. don't expect your instructor to hold your shoulder or your hand during your checkout dives. expect help if needed, but nothing else, and talk to your instructor about any concerns you may have prior to your dive, and if you don't feel ready, tell your instructor and see about scheduling some more pool sessions (probably will have to pay extra for that). that's the best advice I can give you. hope it helps

 

[BettyRubble]

THink of it as yoga exercise -- zone into your breathing and slowly go through the skill. Helped me tremndously.

Also, I was WAY nervous before my first c/o dive. By the 3rd c/o dive I realized, it's not nearly as bad as I feared. No one died, skills were fine and I LOVED it.

Good luck!

 

[Markho71]

Cold water can def give you some bad feelings. I hated the quarry dives we did in AOW. As for mask clearing, I just took mine all the way off. Then put it back on, look up, and start blowing bubbles out of your nose while slightly cracking the bottom seal of your mask. You might try keeping your eyes closed if the water bothers them. Just remember, you have plenty of air and people in the water looking out for you. Just relax and enjoy.

I almost forgot to mention breathing. Always be sure to exhale fully, I mean really push. This allows you take complete breaths and reduces co2 build up in your blood. It will keep you feeling calm and cool.

Hope that helps!

 

[ScubaGirlJg]

Can you guys tell me what to expect on a checkout dive? Like usually the protocol instructors go by of there is one?

 

[Beyond_Diving]

every instructor is different and every agency is different in terms of what skills you will be doing during your checkout dives. As I said, i start the dive and then have my students do the skills of that particular dive as we are diving along.. i find that to be less stressful both for my students and for myself.

 

[BettyRubble]

Your first c/o dive is likely going to be down to a platform. So just like your pool work. Except instead of 12 feet, you'll probably be at 25 feet or so. Your legs are on the platform and you'll do your skills. For me, it was exatly like pool time. Students lined up on platform, instructor went one by one down the line and had us do skills. No biggie.

 

[Markho71]

All of the above, plus some extra time to fly around and check out some of the underwater sites. Time permitting of course.

 

[osanties]

Well the best I advice I can give you from my inexpereience is to stay calm and breath deeply, aside from that I'll be there next to you hoping that you nailing every skill and anxious that my turn to do them is next.