Yan

[wmw999]

I keep getting the "you haven't posted yet -- try the intros forum" message. I follow instructions well, so here's my post.

I'm a recently recertified OW diver; was certified in the 80's, went on one dive trip, and wasn't that impressed. I'm figuring out why now, and working to fix that. I've been to the local lake a couple of times since certification with dive classmates just to build skills and comfort; after one more trip to learn more about the range of weighting (I want to figure out how little I can safely go with -- I was OK with 0 lbs last time in a 10-minute test, but I'm not sure that was safe and always controllable). Haven't bought any gear yet, but I have read the "what I regret" thread

Oh -- I love snorkeling No buddy or group to get impatient with my dawdling, I can take as long as I want to look at anything I want, and any time I want to submerge to look at something, I just do it. And the light's great at 10 feet.

My other sports are skydiving (30+ years' worth) and motorcycling. I'll be reading the incidents forum pretty regularly, but it really looks as though the similarities are endless with skydiving. Plenty of accidents happen to people who were dealt just a little more than they could handle. How did you get into that situation in the first place is the best discussion, followed by how to train if you have to deal with something similar. And sometimes it's just not your day.

WP

 

[gypsyjim]

You never said why you think you were not impressed before, or what you are doing about it now. Curious.

Someday I intend to try skydiving, but just to experience once. I need no more expensive habits. Diving, Harleys, shooting, etc, sure eat up the $ fast!

 

[wmw999]

My dive buddy was impatient and in a hurry; he also breathed a whole lot more than I did and so ended up sucking my air for parts of some dives. I was a newbie without great buoyancy control, so I was always reacting, rather than enjoying, and feeling bad about my lack of skill.

So I'm taking some time with throw-down dive partners to determine what I like and don't like on my own, and to actually begin to master some basic skills (like buoyancy control beyond the "BCD vs. weights"). I'll then figure out which of the "don't like" are essential so I can master them anyway. Then I'll just frickin' tell my likely dive partner (my husband, an experienced diver who also doesn't breathe, and not the buddy of old) not to hurry too much with me.

And I do understand about the no more expensive hobbies thing

WP

 

[alchickypup]

I too have had issues with buoyancy control but once I relax and stop thinking so much about wanting to sink and just relax, I get it like a lightbulb and am good at it... I would love to go sky diving even if it was just once but I've been told you can't have bad knees cause the landing would kill ya, is that true?

 

[gypsyjim]

Learning to simply relax, and drift peacefully threw a dive makes all the difference! When you reach the point where you really aren't thinking "buoyancy", but simply adjust your breath volume slightly to ascend or descend a bit, you begin to feel like you are flying! Go slow, relax, enjoy the experience.

One thing that only comes with more dives behind you is the realization that the more relaxed you become UW, the less weight you will "need" to achieve that neutral buoyancy.