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MSD FORUMS - BASIC SCUBA DISCUSSIONS |
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TOPIC:
Not comfortable with diving after 4 dives.
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tender
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Joined on
3/12/2006
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What training agency will provide the safest and most comprehensive course of instruction? I am new to the sport and don't really feel that my instructor trained me well enough in just 4 open water dives. I was somewhat out of control with regard to my bouyancy and my ascents and descents. I wouldn't feel comfortable diving without a professional present even though they told us that when we recieve our card we are qualified.
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Captain Dale
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Joined on
3/31/2006
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The agency is never the answer. If what you want is further instruction, find an instructor you feel comfortable with. But, you should understand that courses only introduce you to the basics. No one is entirely comfortable with diving after only four dives. No one masters buoyancy in an open water course. It all takes time and experience. I was recently asked on a form what my next educational goal was. My honest reply was "To learn perfect buoyancy control." That is my goal, I practice it on every dive, but perfection is illusive. My best advice is to find some buddies to dive with on a regular basis, and then go diving. Every weekend if you can.
Safe diving,
Cpt. Dale
Dive Charters - Novice to Technical
Instruction - Open Water to Tri-Mix Instructor
dale@captaindales.com 847-640-8113
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tender
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Joined on
3/12/2006
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I appreciate your reply, but when I signed up for the course they told me I would be competent to dive unsupervised in any condition. I really don't feel comfortable and I spent alot of money on instruction and basic equipment. Maybe they should have told me that it will take more than 4 training dives to be comfortable. I feel I was rushed through. The instructors probably new I wasn't that competent, but didn't offer additional training dives or follow up. They just gave me a certification and said I was good to go. I know if I wan't more training at a basic level it is going to cost me more. They should have trained me to competency. That would seem to me to be a responsibility.
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Captain Dale
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Joined on
3/31/2006
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I have been diving for 33 years and have made thousands of dives but I am neither competent nor confident to dive under any condition. Be careful how much you read into what was told you. Were you ready for the Indy 500 when you got your driver's license at 16? Your open water certification is your learner's permit. Now it's time to go out and practice. Go out and dive with someone who is more experienced than you are. That's how to learn and gain confidence.
Safe diving,
Cpt. Dale
Dive Charters - Novice to Technical
Instruction - Open Water to Tri-Mix Instructor
dale@captaindales.com 847-640-8113
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hammerhead
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Joined on
3/13/2006
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To become a good diver is not something you can purchase. Where did you get your training? How long ago? I'm always looking for someone to dive with. Contact me maybe I could help.
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Larry
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Joined on
1/19/2006
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Is your lack of comfort at a level of panic in the water or just that you don't feel that you have the basics mastered? My suggestion would be to try and pair up with someone who is also certified and dive at a local quarry. Spend some time on the training platforms (15-20-25 ft) and just test your buoyancy. Work on your weighting, controlling your breathing, and just general hovering. Try to get closer to where your regular inhalation and exhalation underwater keep you suspended with very minor elevation change. As it is a skill, it will indeed take practice. These may not be exciting dives (from either a "wow" factor or depth), but over time you will become much more comfortable in the water. As to the statement from your course, "under any condition" is a statement for disaster...especially to make in a basic OW course I'm quite certain that only four dives, for anyone, would not qualify you to dive in the Atlantic with six foot waves to a depth of 130 feet. Learning the skills from obtaining your C card should train you to dive unsupervised, but there are efinite restrictions associated. You should assume that you need to crawl (figuratively) before you walk. Just get wet! Log some bottom time at relatively shallow depths practicing skills. Out of curiosity, how many people were certifying with you during your OW dives? A large instructor-student ratio may have added to your "rushed" feeling.
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divedeep
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Joined on
1/24/2006
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I agree with Captain Dale. It's all about the instructor
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divedeep
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Joined on
1/24/2006
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I agree with Captain Dale. It's all about the instructor and
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DiverDan
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Joined on
1/19/2006
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I am relatively new to diving as well and trained with Cap't Derrick. I have 21 dives in now and definately still learning. It shows that you are wise to seek out advice on this if you are uncomfortable when diving. Practicing with good divers that you know and trust will be the best way to get your confidence and abilities to a level where you begin to get comfortable. I'm just starting to get there myself, and it's a good feeling. I still have a lot of learning to do but I think I'm hooked. Stick with it, It's worth it.
Diver Dan
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chgodvr
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Joined on
5/29/2006
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Obviously, you were not happy with your instructor. However, I'm assuming you completed your certification. Therefore you are looking for someone to help you work out some of the bugs. Take some time and talk with some other shops and instructors to find someone you feel comfortable with. There are a lot of very good instructors and divemasters out there that will help you work things out so that you are comfortable. But the open water course is not intended to make you the perfect diver. It gives you the skills you need to be a competent diver. There is never been a course that substitutes for experience. A thousand dives later, there are dives that I am apprehensive about before hand. I do not have the skills to dive under all circumstances. But I am willing to learn what I need to know to do the dive. If you really want to continue learning to be a better diver, let us know. I'm sure someone in the group would be willing to work with you.
Al
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Laser
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Joined on
5/31/2006
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Your OW allows you to dive-- and hopefully not kill yourself. How proficient a diver you become is all up to you.
You need to find more advanced divers to dive with . Classes are great -- they give you a base -- then it's up to you. I suspect you expect too much.
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ppo2_diver
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Joined on
6/7/2006
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Be careful by just finding buddies and going out and practicing buoyancy. The benefit of taking the peak performance buoyancy class is that you learn the skills to really fine tune your buoyancy. If you just go out with buddies, then you risk picking up their bad habits.
Since it looks like I'm the only one here to support DIR, I'd recommend the DIR-F course or learning from a DIR type diver. :)
Duane A. Johnson
www.chicagoexplorers.com
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twow/atwist
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Joined on
1/26/2006
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Wow. Any instructor who will tell you after 4 dives you are good to go unsupervised in any and all conditions shouldn't be an instructor. I was nervous handing my children my car keys the day they obtained their drivers license. Not a bad analogy when someone first hands you your basic cert card!
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