Very worried and Nervous about Diving

[LVX]

As a NAUI instructor, I will tell you that if you don't feel comfortable with your present instructor, talk to the shop and ask to be placed in another class. There is nothing wrong with this. If he/ she is not taking the time you need then they are not doing their job. Scuba is about being "comfortable" underwater and each instructor needs to remember what it was like to first get certified.

Please don't give up. Scuba is a great and enjoyable activity and if there is no reason physically why you can't continue, I would do so.

good luck

LVX

 

[canuckdiver]

Well, possibly you could find a friend that is into scuba that could spend some time in the pool with you this weekend and bring you up to speed at your own pace.

You know my number bud

 

[Diversauras]

LVX once bubbled...
As a NAUI instructor, I will tell you that if you don't feel comfortable with your present instructor, talk to the shop and ask to be placed in another class. There is nothing wrong with this. If he/ she is not taking the time you need then they are not doing their job. Scuba is about being "comfortable" underwater and each instructor needs to remember what it was like to first get certified.

Please don't give up. Scuba is a great and enjoyable activity and if there is no reason physically why you can't continue, I would do so.

good luck

LVX

And I would add that you shouldn't give up because of the instructor, find one you are compatible with, and even if you couldn't get a refund and went to another LDS, it would be the best $200 (or how ever much it was) you have ever wasted. If you don't like it after a realistic attempt then quit for you.

 

[Wilder]

Thanks for the input guys. I think I will do a little snorkeling this weekend and see how things go. If I feel I can get mentally in shape I will return. If anyone else has ever had this problem of clausterphobia and learned any ways of dealing with it .. you input would be much appreciated.

 

[MikeFerrara]

I have to jump on the band wagon also. The OW training that has become common place consists of a very few hours in the pool and even less in the classroom. I don't think it works well for any one and is an outright disaster for many. This type of training only results in certification if we lower our proficiency requirements. It's kind of like grading on a curve where nobody in the class does well on a streight percentage. Some can tolerate it and go on to learn to dive after they're certified but...it's often a cert mill more than it is training.

Assuming that diving is for you in the first place, I would discuss your needs with the instructor and if they can't offer training that suits you I'd go somwhere else.

I have a class going right now and one of my students is the girl freind of one of my DM's. He expressed displeasure at the fact that I stopped the class from going further and spent an entire extra night just practicing what we had done so far. His worry was not getting through the required skills in time to be in OW this weekend. My concern was teaching people how to dive. You can have what ever kind of schedue you want but sometimes students just can't learn on that schedule. When he asked why we spent so much time on those skills, I simply replied that the students weren't any good at it yet and going further made no sense. When he expressed concern about not making OW this weekend, my answer was, who cares? Rescheduling the class is far easier than dealing with injured divers of having a nervous breakdown trying to keep them from being injured, IMO.

Diving is fun and safe if you know how. If you don't know how and do it anyway it's not fun or safe.

 

[Walter]

BTW, Mike is one of the good ones. They are becoming all too rare these days.

 

[canuckdiver]

To be honest, the instructor that is teaching the class is NOT a "weekend warrior". His classes for basic OW run about 4 weeks, and are about the most thorough that I have found in the area. Yes, he is......."intense", to put it mildly. He can be a little overwhelming, and some people really get aggravated by him. He is still a good instructor, with about 20 years of diving experience in the cold, murky waters here in ontario.

I tend to agree that it might be a good idea for wilder to change instructors, but not because of lack of skill of this instructor, more a personality conflict.

just my opinion

 

[Wilder]

I agree a new instructor would be a better idea , but for this area I have been told that there is little to choose from. Unless you know any otherse canuckdiver?

 

[Arnaud]

I completely agree on what's been said on the instruction front.

Regarding your difficulties breathing underwater, there are three areas you may want to look into:

1. Psychological: Claustrophobia (fear of closed spaces), or its opposite, agoraphobia (fear of open spaces), will provoke stress, and in turn, hyperventilation. These can often happen to new divers and can be overcome with time as confidence builds. Sometimes not... Also, a lot of people are just not comfortable in the water, no matter what (aquaphobia, fear of drowning).

2. Medical: Pulmonary conditions do not obviously mix well with diving. Did you get a clean bill of health from your physician before getting in the pool?

3. Gear: A BC too small and over inflated, a poorly serviced reg or too much lead can also cause difficulty to breathe.
This is also common with new divers. Rental gear is not always in top form and instructors tend to add more lead than necessary to keep their students at the bottom.

It's very obvious but you should be breathing comfortably while UW. Look into it, take your time and relax.

 

[canuckdiver]

Wilder once bubbled...
I agree a new instructor would be a better idea , but for this area I have been told that there is little to choose from. Unless you know any otherse canuckdiver?

It's true, there are very few in the immediate area.

the only other one that I would recommend at all is Ron (the other instructor that you met in your class) He has a seperate shop, and does his own classes as well.

If you go to kingston, there are tons, though.