Not being able to see the bottom...

[fisheater]

You should dive in low vis. Heck, I often can't see what's below me, even in relatively shallow water.

Diving the Bloody Bay Wall on Little Cayman was great, once I assured myself that it wasn't the "stuff" in the local water that held me up.

 

[MarkH]

Certain things tend to freak me out (heights, roller coasters, bungee jumping, etc.), but instead of trying to "conquer" them, I just avoid them. So far, my self-esteem hasn't suffered too much. Night diving sometimes puts me on edge too, but I'm usually sleeping at night anyways so I just do my diving during the day. Maybe I'm unambitious, but I'm not a big promoter of "overcoming your fears", unless there's a really good reason. There are plenty of dive experiences available for every comfort zone. I'm personally not planning on getting into deep, mixed-gas, wreck penetration anytime soon.

 

[lulubelle]

Certain things tend to freak me out (heights, roller coasters, bungee jumping, etc.), but instead of trying to "conquer" them, I just avoid them. So far, my self-esteem hasn't suffered too much. Night diving sometimes puts me on edge too, but I'm usually sleeping at night anyways so I just do my diving during the day. Maybe I'm unambitious, but I'm not a big promoter of "overcoming your fears", unless there's a really good reason. There are plenty of dive experiences available for every comfort zone. I'm personally not planning on getting into deep, mixed-gas, wreck penetration anytime soon.

I don't know, I think that not tackling a fear of wall diving would cheat a diver of some of the most magical geography the ocean has to offer. You can dive walls an stay above 80 feet. I was a bit timid about night diving, but decided to stick with it for a few dives and had my most magical dive ever while on a night dive in Little Cayman. So I'm glad I did.

 

[askdjasd]

I firmly believe that unless you stick your hand into the coral and pull out that GPO you are not going to see anything.
Well, not in vancouver.
a baby octo
a shark
and many seals in 2 years of diving.

 

[nadwidny]

I firmly believe that unless you stick your hand into the coral and pull out that GPO you are not going to see anything.

A GPO in coral. Interesting. Not sure how that happens but good luck with that.

 

[DaleC]

Certain things tend to freak me out (heights, roller coasters, bungee jumping, etc.), but instead of trying to "conquer" them, I just avoid them. So far, my self-esteem hasn't suffered too much. Night diving sometimes puts me on edge too, but I'm usually sleeping at night anyways so I just do my diving during the day. Maybe I'm unambitious, but I'm not a big promoter of "overcoming your fears", unless there's a really good reason. There are plenty of dive experiences available for every comfort zone. I'm personally not planning on getting into deep, mixed-gas, wreck penetration anytime soon.

Mark, that is very interesting. I also don't like rollercoasters, bungee jumping, doing back flips into water etc... I don't like the feeling of losing my orientation and/or contact with a surface. Even more funny considering I spent many years soloing rock and ice routes. I however don't mind small confined spaces and find myself drawn more and more into the wrecks. I also don't get a kick out of night diving as it seems to add a large degree of uncertainty for (to me) a small return. I never have a problem finding thinks to look at in the daylight.

I get what you mean though Marty. I used to get that feeling of not knowing what might come out of the gloom and chomp me quite a bit (particularily when solo diving) especially after having a seal ghost me without my knowing and nibble at my fins but not so much now. Part of it is just getting more comfortable in the water and part of it is understanding animal behavior a bit better. The truth is, as clumsy as we are, we are an "unknown" for a big predator to take on and most will check us out first and be put off by our oddity. Most want easy meals without risk of injury in the process. Although our senses are limited under water, aquatic animals generally sense what's what a lot better and sooner than we do.
There is a minute chance you might meet a rogue GWS but then again a rock is far more likely to crush you on the way to Porteau. I personally would worry more if I were adrift on the surface and floating around Howe sound than on a wall for that. You might encounter a senile male GPO or an over protective sea lion but generally common sense will keep you out of those situations. More likely you should worry about your direction of travel as the odds are far greater you will swim right into a lions mane jelly while looking down for a Sixgill.

Anyways, it's not pussyish to have those feelings. The water poses a huge psychological taboo for the human mind and it has only been the last 70 years since we have gone down into it to discover that things like the Kraken etc... don't actually exist. Before that it was all "guess work" as to what was down there so we naturally have a lot of resistance to the unknown. Some people say they have no fear at all but they usually scare me the most.

 

[askdjasd]

A GPO in coral. Interesting. Not sure how that happens but good luck with that.

I meant a den. sweet jebus.

 

[CapitanBlack]

Mark, that is very interesting. I also don't like rollercoasters, bungee jumping, doing back flips into water etc... I don't like the feeling of losing my orientation and/or contact with a surface. ....

Same here. I don't like heights, rollercoasters, bungee jumpling, etc... Never go there - I don't like when something else is controlling my orientation in space... However, I don't really mind diving and ascending in "blue" (or green) water (specially with a surface marker ). Drifting in a strong current is also OK. It's kind of different feeling when in water. It took me around a year of active diving in fresh lakes to rid out of the bad visibility and "no bottom" phobia...

P.S. Not an advertising - just sharing my own experience. I've found a nice portable sounder, that measures depth beneath you OR distance to a wall, wreck or any other (large) objects. It's waterproof down to 150ft and reads depth (or distances) up to 200ft. I've tested it here in BC - works great, I've lost a wreck on purpose and found it again after the third "shoot". Neat and handy device. I've attached a sviwel snap bolt from the rear side - it allows stowing it the same way as a DIR backup light. Not a DIR device of course..

Vexilar - The LPS-1 Digital Handheld Depth Sounder

 

[ZenDiver.3D]

You are not unusual or freakish. But you can overcome it. You have to be patient and slowly work it through.
We train new divers in waters that have, quite often, 3ft or less vis. They never see the bottom until they are right there at even shallow depths. Go slowly, watch your gauges, and breathe.
Did you train in the area you dive now? Many people who learn in those clear nice waters and have most all of their experience, no matter how many dives, find it hard to get through low vis, can't see the bottom dives. I don't know if this is you, or if this feeling has just manifested. Tell me more.....

 

[bighiller]

Best way to get over a fear is knowledge. These are the things that go through my head when I get that twinge of fear.

When was the last time any of us heard about a diver being eaten, or maimed by any creature in the PNW? (my answer to myself: Never)

What exactly is down there? (my answer to myself: More of the same thing I see here).

Basically, there isn't anything scarey 'out there', all the scarey is 'in there' (your head). I feel that being calm and aware helps too. When I feel the fear/panic coming on, I stop and give it a think. Usually my body will give me the "what the hell is out there fear" which my mind becomes aware of and answers "Not much different than what I see now".

It's primarily a fear of the unknown, so make it "known" with knowledge!

my $0.02