First pool diving class

Bambamski · Posted: Mar 24, 2009 8:36 am Post subject: First pool diving class

Finally after waiting what seemed like forever we had our first night of classroom and diving for our PADI class.

I have to say, I sucked at it big time. Didn't feel comfortable clearing my mask at all, I'm not sure if it really fit properly or not. I think maybe I'll just go buy a mask before the next class.

Equalization. Is there a trick to this? I could never really get my ears equalized when we went to the bottom of the pool. I felt a lot of pressure and wasn't comfortable at all. Without me sounding like Obama, I felt very Special Olympian like when moving around. So the first time I went down it took a while just to get down 8-9 feet and felt not too bad. I was wearing about 10 pounds of weight and had my BCD completely empty so I tried to get a zero buoyancy thing going and puts some air in the BCD and pretty much shot right up which freaked me out. I did concentrate on breathing all the way up but that was kind of frustrating as when I went back down I felt a lot more pressure in the ears when I was at the bottom of the pool.

The second time down I didn't want to add any air to the BCD so I tried swimming around the bottom of the pool. I pretty much kept banging my knees on the bottom and couldn't really keep myself a couple of feet from the bottom and could never get the neutral buoyancy thing going. What's the trick to this? When you're in the pool do you worry about adding air to your BCD?

I have to admit I was kind of humbled last night which maybe was as good thing? Anything athletic I usually pick up right away and feel comfortable doing it. This was a different story though. As I'm writing this my ears are bugging me a little bit and I have to say my first "diving" experience wasn't what I expected. Last night driving home the right ear felt like it was all plugged up and had water in it. It didn't really clear until this morning.

What about the rest of the divers out there. Do you feel a bit like a "special Olympian" in the water with all that gear on. Also, the equalization, is there a trick? How hard do you "blow" to get you ears feeling better. My sister in law who is a nurse said they all take a Sudafed to help with the equalization. The book and the course say don't do that, she said it's more of a liability thing and most divers take something. Allergy season is starting and I think it would only get worse over the next couple of months.

Faust · Wakeboarder.Commie Joined: 20 May 2005 Posts: 1496

My first and only time ever diving was at the great barrier reef.

Went down 10 meters, and my ears never popped. Most pain I have ever been in in my life... I had no idea it would be such a big issue, the other 5 or so people I was with said their ears popped easy, no problems...

If I hold my nose and blow out, it takes about 10 seconds of doing that to make my ears pop, which I know is a lot longer than a lot of people too...

Later I talked with this nurse who said she had the same problem, and with her it turned out to be earwax plugging up her eardrums. Confused

eeven73 · Posted: Mar 24, 2009 8:44 am Post subject:

I got certified several years ago.

Ear pressure was always relieved fairly easily for me with the pinched nose technique. If you cant do this it will be a problem for you as you have to repeat the nose technique every 20 feet of depth or so.

sounds like you need more weight if a little bit of air in BCD took you to the surface.

Aubs · Motorboat Queen Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9167

I did my entire 30ft dive for my certification without ever equalizing. Incredibly painful. When I came back up, I had burst a ton of blood vessels in my nose, and there was blood pooling up in my mask.

Taking the mask on/off is the hardest part to do. Just relax and know that you can do it. It's such a pain, but you have to get comfortable with it.

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

For clearing - plug your nose and blow hard. If your sinuses are stopped up sometimes that can cause problems. You should be able to do it just sitting in your chair.

Using the BCD, just fill it very slowly. I tap mine and see if I start to rise at all. As you breath in and out you should rise and fall. It takes some time to get it right.

I just did my first dive in 15 years at the great barrier reef a few weeks ago. Definitely enjoyed it.

Bambamski · Posted: Mar 24, 2009 11:58 am Post subject:

haugy, Everything we are using is rental at this point. That's why I'm thinking about getting my own mask and snorkel right away.

I don't know if I have "sinus problems" and have only had a problem once flying into Houston a couple of years ago. I do get the odd alergy but I don't have really bad alergies by any means. I was sick last week but was feeling pretty good until I jumped in the pool.

Next week I'll try some Sudafed and if I have no problems next week I'll try the week after without. I didn't really know how hard to blow and how often I would need to equalize. From the sounds of it some people have it easier then others.

I would definetly feel way more comfortable at the bottom of the pool last night if my ears weren't giving me any issues. I had no problem breathing and doing most of the drills in the shallow end. It didn't really bother me when I took the regulator out ect ect. I wasn't great at clearing my mask but it doesn't bother me not having the mask on in the water so that wouldn't cause me to panick I don't think.

I think I cleared every bit of air out the BCD and with the 10 pounds I think I'd sink? I don't know, we really spent most of the time in the shallow end and didn't go deap until the last 5-10 minutes of the class. I assume I would sink just because when I was at the bottom I kept banging my knee on the bottom of the pool.

I guess it's just so different from anything I'd ever done. I just expected it to be so natural. I suppose there is nothing natural about it though....

Hollywood · Posted: Mar 24, 2009 12:09 pm Post subject: Re: First pool diving class

Dragonlady8 · Black Widow Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 9198

finkle · Wakeboarder.com Freak Joined: 22 Sep 2003 Posts: 4067

Bambamski, haugy pretty much hit everything right. You shouldn't take sudafed or the like because it eventually wears off and then you are screwed. If you can't clear, then you are descending too fast for your body. Some people can clear every 5 feet, others every 2-3. You will find out what works best for you. As for equalizing, try jutting out your jaw or plugging your nose and blowing works too.

Clearing your mask isn't anything to be afraid of or nervous about. Just relax and focus on what you're doing. People for some reason freak out under water because you have to breath out your mouth. If you just focus on it for a minute, it will become natural.

Investing in your own mask, snorkel, and fins are worth it imo. Those are the pieces that are important to be comfortable with and know. I mistakenly bought flippers that give me the worst arch cramps. Definitely don't get ones that are too stiff.

Wakebrad, HOLY EYEBROWS BATMAN!!!

south · Posted: Mar 25, 2009 2:22 am Post subject:

Dont take medication and go diving!! Dont go diving when you are blocked up!! I have had a nasal barotrauma (not from diving, but due to pressure change) and it pretty much incapacitated me due to the pain. Felt like someone was hammering a 6" Nail up my nose into my sinus. The good thing with diving is that the pain in your ears will happen as you go down. This stops you from going to far and you should just ascend again (mind you sounds like some people in this thread have pushed it too far)

Wrt equalizing.. I find I used to just pinch my nose closing off both nostrils and try to "breathe out" of your nose. You shouldnt have to do use much pressure, can you do it normally? Your doctor should have checked, did you have to equalize in the medical? If you are blocked up you may need to try harder. As Finkle said, some people find it helps if they open their jaw slightly as it seems to open up their eustatian tube.

The only help I have with working the BC is to fine tune the balance, you "blip" the air in and out. Like, open the valve for the shortest period of time that you can.

Dpierce37 · Ladies Man Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 7659 City: Austin

I have been diving since I was 15. I was like Haugy...just felt natural underwater. I was a quick study. I have dove in some of the nastiest...darkest...murkiest water you can imagine...but also, the clearest and most beautiful. As long as you stay calm...you should never have a problem.

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

finkle,

yeah, they're big normally but the mask stretches them out.

Bambamski · Posted: Mar 25, 2009 7:15 am Post subject:

south,

if I was sick and very congested I wouldn't take medication and try it. however if I'm feeling fine and the medication helps equalize I think I'll try that. There's a bunch of divers in office it turns out and most of them say they'll take a sudafed or something before a dive just to help.

Dragonlady8, so your telling me your some deformed freak? Shocked

laugh I have no idea what you just said.

Dpierce37, like I said I've never had a problem picking up any sort of physical activity very quickly. Who know maybe this will be the same once I can get the ears working properly. I felt comfortable doing everything, even though the mask didn't clear very well the first couple of times I tried it, it didn't bother me to have a bit of water in there.

My next class is Monday night. Would it be worth it to just go to the local pool and try without all the tanks and gear and kind of practice? I'd just be holding the breath, would that work?

Dpierce37 · Ladies Man Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 7659 City: Austin

Bambamski, yes...dive to the deep end, work on clearing your ears. Use a snorkel and mask with fins. Just keep working on getting your ears adjusted in the deep end.

I ran out of air around 60 feet...didn't panic, just swam to my partner and used the signal for out of air, took his octopus, and continued our way to the surface with a decompression stop at 15'. I had a good laugh about it. I was stupid and was following some rather large bumphead parrotfish. Something I have never seen. They look like parrotfish, but like 4 to 5' long and over 100lbs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_humphead_parrotfish

eeven73 · Posted: Mar 25, 2009 7:34 am Post subject:

Dpierce37 · Ladies Man Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 7659 City: Austin

eeven73, wouldn't dive without one....you never know when you might need your own! When your life is on the line...having a back-up plan is a must. I also like to have a knife strapped on me somewhere.

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

Bambamski · Posted: Mar 25, 2009 10:00 am Post subject:

I wouldn't go with any gear just some goggles maybe and if they have fins maybe grab them.

Dpierce37 · Ladies Man Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 7659 City: Austin

Wakebrad, your holding on too coral...that's a no-no Wink

Looks to be a nice current. Drift dives are my favorite.

ky1e · Wakeboarder.com Freak Joined: 31 Mar 2008 Posts: 2693

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

Dpierce37, yeah, I wasn't planning on grabbing the coral but the photographer told us to.. He was messing with all kinds of crap too. He'd fiddle with the anemones to get the clownfish to pop out for a better picture. This was after everyone on the boat told us not to touch anything. Oh well..

There was a little current on that dive, but it wasn't a drift dive. Drift dives are fun though, I did a few of them in Belize when I was 13 - the last time I dove.

It was definitely fun getting back into it, but the original assessment that snowboarding/wakeboarding/surfing is more fun than scuba still holds true. It'll probably be something I do every few years while on vacation, but not much more than that.

Bambamski · Posted: Apr 08, 2009 5:32 am Post subject:

Well I think the dive career is over before it started. After taking two weeks to clear up my ear infection I went back in the pool Monday night. I cleared the ears not too badly (little bit of trouble but better than before) and did all the skills no problem. I can take my mask off underwater, clear, take the equipment off and put back on under water ect ect. When I got out of the pool my ears wouldn't drain again. I tried the swimmers ear stuff as well as a alcohol vinegar mix to see if they would dry up. I seriously couldn't year a freaken thing yesterday. Both the drying agents wouldn't work so back to the dr yesterday. Sure enough, water behind the drum that won't clear and now I’m getting another infection. Wow, how fing frustrating. I see the specialist tomorrow to see why my ears won't drain but my regular Doc said diving just might not be my thing.

Dlady, your left ear Eustachian Tube problem, does that no allow your ears to drain also? I've never had a problem with my ears before, I pretty much live in the water in the summer and never had a problem, I guess I'm never under the water by more than a couple of feet at a time though.

That really sucks as the resort I'm going to in a couple of weeks is basically a dive resort. The whole island of Roatan for that matter is pretty much a diving destination with not much else to do I don't think. Has anyone else been to Roatan? If I'm stuck on the Island for a week is there something else I can do? I’m not one to just sit and read by the beach I have to be doing something. I'm pretty sure there is no surfing or golf on the island as well. Anyone been there before?

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

Damn man, I'm sorry. Well I know you may hate it after diving. But you can always snorkel.

Broccoli B · Posted: Apr 08, 2009 6:08 am Post subject:

Go to your ENT specialist and have them make you custom ear plugs, then you can wear those while diving.

My Father-in-law is an ENT.

8824 · Posted: Apr 08, 2009 7:31 am Post subject:

Bambamski, That really sucks. You should check out the free diving thing. I am the farthest thing from an expert but I really enjoy it.

http://forums.wakeboarder.com/viewtopic.php?t=80871&highlight=free+diving

Bascially, if I start to tweek out, I want to be able to surface. Plus I am just getting tired of sports that require a lot of equipment. Mask, snorkel and fins and your good.

I did a dive in Jamaica, while it was an experience I enjoyed I am not sure I prefer it over the limited amount of free diving I have done.

Sucks, hopefully the trip is still a blast. I have heard great things about Raton. Survivor!
Laughing

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

8824, I've always just called that snorkeling. I still do a fair amount of snorkeling and will usually dive 30+ ft down. It is fun though. It's just a little more frantic and you don't have extended periods of time down there.

This won't work for Bam. You still have to be able to clear your ears at > 6 ft.

8824 · Posted: Apr 08, 2009 7:53 am Post subject:

timmy · Addict Joined: 18 Jun 2003 Posts: 882 City: Jupiter, FL

What resort are you going to in Roatan? I am contemplating a trip to CocoView sometime in the near future. My GF and her parents went several years ago and since I picked up diving last year we are thinking of planning a trip. From what I understand based on CocoView's website there are a lot of other activities you could partake in.

Regarding the ears, make sure you are equalizing before you start to feel any pain.

I will say it is nice to live in an area with some of the best diving in the country in "my backyard".

Bambamski · Posted: Apr 08, 2009 12:09 pm Post subject:

We are staying at Anthony key's resort. We were suppose to go to Bora Bora this year but a couple of the folks couldn't afford that trip with the economy being what it is. I wanted to stay in huts on the water and Anthony key's had that option. They're not quite the same but close. Looks like a decent place, I'll let you know.

Dragonlady8 · Black Widow Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 9198

Nor*Cal · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9479 City: Sac

I clear by chewing on my regulator or snorkel a little. I don't think it works for everyone but I am also incredibly comfortable in the water.

Been PADI certified since I was 15 or so. Haven't been diving in a few years. Maybe hit Monterey or Catalina again this summer?