Belzelbub
Contributor
If he were still in business, I could absolutely point you to a PADI instructor who wouldn’t take you deeper than 10’. I got my first OW cert after doing a single dive to about 8’. No pool dives or anything. I learned very little in that class, so I wouldn’t recommend it.
It sounds like the problem is not necessarily the depth, but equalization. Most of the time it’s a technique problem but it could also be a medical issue. An ENT should be the first stop. If ENT clears you, then you need to work on technique. Read up on the various techniques for equalization and try them to find out what works best. Then practice. Equalize early and often. If it’s been a while, I equalize a bit in the day or two before a dive. It’s like stretching before exercising. It will make it easier to equalize.
You’ll have to equalize much more often in the first part of the descent than later due to the pressure differences being greater near the surface. So, if you are able to equalize to dive to 10 or 15’, then you should be able to do the same to get to 50’.
It sounds like the problem is not necessarily the depth, but equalization. Most of the time it’s a technique problem but it could also be a medical issue. An ENT should be the first stop. If ENT clears you, then you need to work on technique. Read up on the various techniques for equalization and try them to find out what works best. Then practice. Equalize early and often. If it’s been a while, I equalize a bit in the day or two before a dive. It’s like stretching before exercising. It will make it easier to equalize.
You’ll have to equalize much more often in the first part of the descent than later due to the pressure differences being greater near the surface. So, if you are able to equalize to dive to 10 or 15’, then you should be able to do the same to get to 50’.