Not being able to see the bottom...

[askdjasd]

Is it just me (it probably is since im afraid of bees, many sb'ers can confirm this) or do you folks get a bit worried when you're diving a wall and cant see the bottom?

I've gotten into panic mode sometimes when I cant see the bottom, (i've studied sharks for far too long esp cold water sharks)

What's a good remedy for this?

also having pussy problems with night diving

Need help

 

[ClarkKent]

Go to Whytecliff and dive the cut several times ....

At the cut swim out about 60 ft and drop down there is a sandy bottom that is about 30ft. get comfy then follow the wall to the right and desc to 60ft. The slope is not quite vertical. Although it can be very deep in places (600ft), for the most part the wall is sloped enough there is something under you. When you reach 1500 psi slowly ascend to 40ft and return.

I did this with my GF who was very nervous about walls and no bottom visible, after doing this a few times she felt much more comfortable.

As for night dives, some people just don't like or handle them well.

In both cases experience and time will increase your comfort level.

Go to The Edge Dives on Sunday's, there are some good people who can guide you.

 

[fire_diver]

Hell, I cant see the bottom 20 feet below me. Wall dives are nothing, at least you know you arent going to run into a tree at any moment.

 

[tregrrr]

hrrrm I personally get curious and it refreshes the desire or (perceived) need to take a trimix course.

The best cure as far as I know is just more diving. When you are sufficiently confident in the tendency of water to adequately support (buoy) you, one day, your sub conscious will clue in to what your conscious brain has been trying to tell it for the past hundred dives... Its not natural for humans at our current point of evolution to be flying or swimming. It ain't right to our mammalian brains to stand on a magic carpet out off the side of a cliff. Just as the average person needs to acclimatize to roller coaster rides, with time many people find it fun.

As for the night diving, I'm going to have to give the same bit of advice. Keep doing it. One day your perception will *snap* shift out from trepidation to acceptance. There is little other than reinforcing the "ok"ness of this alien sensation to accelerate the unconscious side of your brain in enjoying as much as your conscious.

If the lack of floors under the walls really bothers you, try moving in and getting more up close and personal. think macro photography instead of wide angle. Also, despite the "best practices" desire to get horizontal in the water, if you shift head up more so that your perspective is up and you are looking more towards the surface, that may help as well. If you don't give your ninny, worrying side any 'wrong' perspectives to look at, it can't make it's argument that things are actually wrong.

 

[vjanelle]

Just dive with your hands in front of you, keep trim and keep an eye on your computer to watch your depth. Remember your rescue course too, the stress triangle or whatever they called it.

 

[ClarkKent]

Also another thought, how comfortable are you with your buoyancy, to you tend to hug the bottom?

Perhaps working on hovering further off the bottom might get you more comfortable and get your brain trained to know your not going to suddenly sink into the abyss.

 

[Ghanguss]

Is it just me (it probably is since im afraid of bees, many sb'ers can confirm this) or do you folks get a bit worried when you're diving a wall and cant see the bottom?

I've gotten into panic mode sometimes when I cant see the bottom, (i've studied sharks for far too long esp cold water sharks)

What's a good remedy for this?

also having pussy problems with night diving

Need help

Look toward a stationary object like a wall, anchor rope or as suggested your own hand.

Time in the water will help, boat dives in particular as you usually cant see the bottom on these dives. My AOW course cured me of this as we did alot of boat dives in 90-100ft.

 

[askdjasd]

my buoyancy and trim all that stuff is fine.

but not knowing what's below me scare me.
I guess its just me.

Sinking.. I look forward to the day!

 

[lulubelle]

my buoyancy and trim all that stuff is fine.

but not knowing what's below me scare me.
I guess its just me.

Sinking.. I look forward to the day!

Think about it this way, do you know what is above you and in front of you?

I'm far more scared of what is above sea level personally. It has all caused me far more pain than that which lives below.

Remember, sharks really don't want to eat you. You don't taste good to them.

I love wall diving, when I was new to it, I just had to have my gauge handy to make sure I wasn't going to far down.

 

[askdjasd]

hmmmm.. so larger knife.

kidding

Nay I think i'll just continue diving and stuff.. the worst part is the blooms during descent.

I didnt used to be like this