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Diving |
 Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 10:30 am |
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| Hi there, I know a lot of people on here will have been diving somewhere in the world however i wanted to ask a question.
I was in Koh tao for a couple of days and decided to just do a discover scuba diving course. I thought i'd be fine with diving as i'm a reasonably good swimmer etc. but to my surprise, i was all paniced and didn't like it. Is this common to feel this way and is this something you can get over? I don't think it helped as i only had a bit of time and the instructor wasn't the most patient of people. In the end i decided not to go out into the sea as it was not something i fancied but i'd like to try it again as i reckon it would be amazing. |
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| Back to top | Location: Unknown | 155 Posts |
| Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 11:48 am |
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| It's quite natural. I wouldn't say I was hugely scared but I definately didn't start to really relax and enjoy diving until a few days into doing a PADI course. If you think you might panic again try and make sure you get a decent instructor who won't rush you (get recommendations from other people and talk to them before the course).
If you are doing a course some places seem to rush you to try and finish in as little time as possible, this is fine if things are going ok but if you are struggling with something then there is a temptation for them to do a half arsed job. The place I learned in Malawi was fantastic, we were supposed to finish in 4 days and could have but the instructor said we could stay another day for a couple more dives without paying anymore as he wanted us to be prepared as possible. |
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| Back to top | Location: Unknown | 719 Posts |
| Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:59 pm |
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Yep, I agree its completely natural. It is also deff something that you can overcome. When you first go underwater and realise that you can breathe I think it just completely freaks your brain out (and yes that is the technical phrase) I think it happens to most people to a certain degree. Like Andy U said - try and get some recommendations from other people, don't let anyone rush you, take it at your own pace and always let the instructor know if you have had any concerns or questions so they can keep an eye on you and reassure you once your under. Just remember once your down to keep breathing at a normal rate, don't hold your breath, and try to enjoy the things you see. Good luck! xxx |
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| Back to top | Location: Unknown | 32 Posts |
| Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 2:32 pm |
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| Cheers for that. The woman who was teaching me was really impatient. Did it at Crystal on Koh tao. Any reccomendations of where to go? | |
| Back to top | Location: Unknown | 155 Posts |
| Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 2:48 pm |
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| Also, with the PADI open water courses, do the instructors give you more time to get used going under? The one thing that bothered me was not having enough time to get used to it. We had an hour (maximum) in the pool. | |
| Back to top | Location: Unknown | 155 Posts |
| Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 3:56 pm |
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| It's worth speaking to an instructor before signing up to anything, and explaining that you've tried diving, but that you're not totally comfortable with it.
You should be able to gauge pretty quickly if they're the kind of instructor who will be inclined to spend extra time making sure you're comfortable and confident. It's also worth mentioning that diving isn't for everyone, and some people simply can't get over that insecurity. Having said that, it's definitely worth trying again with a different instructor. Where are you headed on your travels? Have you left Koh Tao yet? If not, try Buddha View. |
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| Back to top | Location: Unknown | 5217 Posts |
| Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:57 pm |
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| You should be able to take all the time you need, maybe it would be an idea to stay at the level your at and just do another couple of 'try dives', then once your comfortable and if you find you enjoy it, then go for the longer course. That way if you still really don't take to it you wont have spent a fortune on an unnecessary course.
I found my open water really good. I did it in Egypt with a company called Dive Africa and they were superb. The guys were really patient and expained in great detail, maybe you were just unlucky? If your still interested doing something come October (might be too late for you) but I'll be working on a dive resort in Koh Lanta doing my divemasters. Come and see me and I'l look after you. ;-) xxx |
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| Back to top | Location: Unknown | 32 Posts |
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