Q for those who are newly certified

[LG Diver]

Hey all,

After years of pestering, begging, pleading, and bribe offers my wife has finally agreed to try the Discover SCUBA session that our LDS offers. Note that this is the pool-only session that some LDS's offer for free to let people try out the gear in the pool and see if it's for them. No open water diving involved. This post is a blatantly selfish attempt on my part make her experience as pleasurable as possible so she'll decide to move forward with getting certified.

The two of us are opposite personalities, and while I love to study stuff to death (including surfing SB for hours), she easily suffers from information overload, so I'm struggling with how much information, if any, to feed her before her session. I think there's a right balance between her going in blind and being oversaturated by info.

The two primary "hangups" she has about the sport are:

1) hauling all the heavy gear around

and

2) work of breathing

I think the latter stems from snorkeling experiences where she had difficulty getting enough air comfortably through a snorkel and felt uncomfortable. She obviously doesn't want that same sensation while underwater. I've tried to explain that a SCUBA regulator is different than breathing through a snorkel but the uneasiness remains. I'm planning to bring in one of my tanks and regulators to the family room tonight and let her just sit there and breath from it for a while to get the sensation of breathing from a regulator (not so long that she gets that horrible dry mouth though ) As far as the gear goes, I'll tag along to the pool portion and help her gear up and get in the water so help with the heavy lifting and gear phobia.

So (finally) here's my question- for those that have gone into a Discover SCUBA session with reservations at the pleading of others:

- what were you biggest hangups? Did you later find that they were unfounded, and what helped you realize that?
- do you feel that if you knew more, or had some "myths" debunked beforehand you would have enjoyed it more, or done it sooner? If so, what info would have been useful?
- Do you wish that your niusance spouse would just shut up and stop trying to feed you useless (at the time) information?

I'm cautiously optimistic about this whole deal. I would LOVE for her to enjoy it, get certified, and be my dive buddy, so any tips on things I can do to ensure she's not "blindsided" by some uncomfortable aspect that she wasn't prepared for would be greatly appreciated.

-John

 

[Mauifish]

I do have some experience with this, working with people who have a big fear of breathing with their face in the water. For beginners never try to coerce your beloved into doing this with pressure, they will have more stress for fear of dissapointing YOU. I would suggest having a good instructor explain all the things they will experience at first attempt, some are good at this, some are not. What I do is talk a while before first attempt to get them to relax a bit and explain how everyone goes through the initial shock of hyperventalation, rapid heart beat, the desire to escape is strong. With a little time, it will pass and you will feel more relaxed and eventualy enjoy it. Hope this helps a little

 

[Mauifish]

Also might be a good idea if you were somewhere else on her first attempt

 

[LG Diver]

Thanks Mauifish. To clarify, I wasn't intending to have her try breathing underwater before the session- just sitting on the couch to get a feel for the fact that there is very little resistance to airflow with a reg vs a snorkel.

Regarding the instructor- I intentionally scheduled her for the session with the instructor I've worked with on several courses including AOW, Rescue and a few specialties, so I'm comforable that the instructor is good and more importantly has a good relaxed funny personality to make the whole thing fun.

As far as being there or not, I thought I'd hang out at the pool to help with gear but I can see how this might be intimidating or add unecessary pressure. I'll rethink that part and maybe take the opportunity to hang out in the showroom buying more gear .

 

[Mauifish]

Thanks Mauifish. To clarify, I wasn't intending to have her try breathing underwater before the session- just sitting on the couch to get a feel for the fact that there is very little resistance to airflow with a reg vs a snorkel.

Regarding the instructor- I intentionally scheduled her for the session with the instructor I've worked with on several courses including AOW, Rescue and a few specialties, so I'm comforable that the instructor is good and more importantly has a good relaxed funny personality to make the whole thing fun.

As far as being there or not, I thought I'd hang out at the pool to help with gear but I can see how this might be intimidating or add unecessary pressure. I'll rethink that part and maybe take the opportunity to hang out in the showroom buying more gear .

Very good thinking my friend, i wish you both the best of luck and hope she learns to love it as much as the rest of us!!

 

[Blue Kangaroo]

M-fish. I agree totally. go some place else - maybe that evening try something she's a star at and your not !

choose your instructor carefully - or rather let her choose. If the ins. won't give you the time in the shop then ditch them and go else where. Once happy leave the teaching to them ! There is nothing worse than a loving spouse giving tips, and butting in - get the hell out of dodge. Remember that nobody likes to look scared / clumsey and thats exactly what your wife will be like for the first 5 mins. BUT with patient instruction and a little time she should love it.

The breathing - yeah UR right - snorkelling is hard work compared to scuba( dead space, water in the top etc etc) + your body is working to stay afloat so you don't get to use all your lung capacity as some of it is being used as a massive float. all of which you don't get with scuba. BUT with scuba ur under the water !!! 1inch or 100feet it's basically the same and the psycological factors kick in.

finally if it's not for her it's not for her - and what's more she damn well knows best - not you. If you push it it will ruin your diving experience and piss her off in to the bargain.

good luck with it.

I've taught (as many contributors have) 100's of DSD's - If you take to it, that evening / day can be just the best...

 

[zipbamboo]

My wife (Tanya) and I went to a try dive about three weeks ago, first ever dive experience. Tanya was very nervous and one of the instructors picked up on this right away, and took her aside a step or two to give her one to one attention. That really helped.

We decided to go for the padi open water course, and paid a little extra fro Tanya to have one to one again. Well worth every penny. She was not worried about holding back the rest of the group. She could ask questions . She worked at her own pace..

I would recommend finding a helpful flexible school, and paying that bit extra for anyone who is at all nervous.

Tanya now feels confident enough to do the open water bit without the extra help.

 

[tedj01]

IMHO, have her do it one on one with instructor. She can provide at her own pace and not feel any peer pressure.

BTW this has been said in perfect 20-20 hindsight based on experience of my SO.

Glad she got thru it - she is an excelent buddy! If I had to do it again I certainly would not hesitate to have private training for her. Before based on how many people ask if I can dive with someone else so they can dive with her. She is an exceptional scout (finding stuff u/w).

Oh yeah you need to not be there - let her learn to be a good diver. Then you can go diving with her afterwards.

 

[Teamcasa]

Find her a female instructor. Don't go to the class with her - let her find her own comfort zone. Offer only to carry the gear and then leave or wait in the car.

My wife and I had a terrific female instructor. The instructor, Kaki in Kauai, was the best with my lovely bride. She made all the difference in my wives overall scuba experience.

Dave

 

[highlandfarmwv]

and for the "horrible dry mouth", slip in an Eclipse mint in the side of your mouth--no more dry mouth.