AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye OK divers, do SCUBA and claustrophobia mix????

Make sure when you are trying it out that you have a mask with a clear silcone skirt as it allows more light in and feels less constrictive. I wear a black skirted mask as I have a prescription mask and don't need to extra refraction to muck up things.

Play in a local pool with a snorkel and mask, get use to a mouthpiece and breathing thru your mouth. Also try a discover scuba session. Most shops will apply the small fee to a class if you decide to take one. Also, shop around shops.

I decided to go with an SSI shop versus PADI because the flexiblity in the class. Same skills taught but flexibilty in that if you are having a problem with a certain skill, you can move on to the next topic and revisit that problem skill. PADI from what I hear is more structured and less flexible. However, it may depend on the individual instructor.

You may want to check on a smaller class option or private lesson. It doesn't cost much more and you get the extra attention. Also mention your apprehension and find an instructor who meets your style. Perhaps a female. My instructor is like your grandfather. Easy going, no hurry, extremely patient and supportive.

whatever you do, don't borrow somone's gear and try it in a pool first as many accidents can happen this way. Try the discover scuba thing with a reputable shop or your local YMCA or parks and recreation dept.

Best of luck to ya!

[This message has been edited by RobertE (edited 06-06-2001).]

Personaly, I think that diving is a pretty serious matter. It depends exactly what level you want to take it to, I guess.

I mean it seems easy enough going along with experienced divers and guides. It usually is. But things can go to hell in a hurry. If you've never been involved in a diving emergency you may not realize what it actually means to be 100' underwater and have your air supply fail.

I read a story on another thread about someone taking Open Water Diver in AC and then going out to the Blue Hole and diving. It made me kind of mad. Man, everyone was screwing up there. The diver, her parents, the divemaster.

Here is a basic guideline. If you are unsure if you can do something, don't attempt it. If you do not feel confident about something, don't do it. Take your time, build your schooling, your experience and your skills. Your self-confidence will grow with those things. At a certain point you will look at something like the Blue Hole and say to yourself, "Piece of cake." Only then should it be done. Learn to walk before you try to run.

Sometime soon I"ll make a post about my first diving accident. As you'll see, it's the little things that spank you. Thing is, the sea doesn't forgive even little mistakes.

Thanks for taking your time to give really good information on diving.

I agree with Florian on the whole scuba approach. Would love to hear about your diving "experience". I'm Mr.Caution, Mr. Safety. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. Guess it goes back to my boy scout training. You should see all the safety stuff in the trunk of my car for unexpected situations!

The whole Blue Hole thing is a little scary in the fact having someone who is inexperienced descend that fast to such a depth then have to make deco stops on the ascent. I don't think I would want that responsibilty as a dive master with a bunch of newbies!

You guys have been such a help!!! Thanks for the information and advice. I think I will see if the dive shop we choose will give me a trial lesson before I decide to go full-force into certification. I'm usually pretty fearless, but for some reason, I'm aprehensive about SCUBA. I need to get educated, I think. Keep coming with any advice or comments you have!!
Does anyone know of a good, reputable dive shop in Austin, Texas??? Maybe I'll do another post about this...
Thanks again!
JennieE, aka Turnbun

Turnbun, try these guys in Austin
www.tomsscuba.com/

Ok, here it is, my one and only scuba emergency.

I was down in Aruba about a year and a half ago. The place is deservedly well known for it's good wreck diving.

I had been diving all week with the same buddy, who I had had the good fortune to meet my first day there. He is an experienced diver. He works in South America and had come to Aruba on short notice and did not have his equipment with him. He was, therefore, using equipment rented from the shop we were using, Red Sail Sports.

On the next to the last day of the week, I made the following entry in my dive log.

"Night dive on the wreck Antilla with Red Sail Sports. Multi-level computer dive from boat with full wetsuit and 16# weight. Water temp=83deg F, Air temp=79deg F."

"Just when you are getting complacient life reaches up and bites you in the ass. Tonight in 50' of water my dive buddy's mouthpiece came off his regulator and he sucked in some seawater. Very dark. He was using poor quality rental equipment. He had put his octopus in the pocket of his BC to keep it out of the way on the wreck. The plastic zip-tie holding his mouthpiece broke, and the regulator just floated off. He could not find it as it had floated above his head, He tryed to get his octopus out of pocket but it caught on something. I was close by and gave him my octopus, which he used until he could dig his out. In the confusion he grabed for me and got one of the releases to my weight pockets by mistake. Lost one pocket and could not find it in the dark. Dive over, man. LONG swim back to the dive boat."

Scuba is ANTI-claustrophobia

its like cutting loose from the planet and flying.

its the opposite of being squeezed in tight.

my daughter is claustrophobic, and thats her reply

Florian, your post brings me to another question: should I buy my own equipment if I decide to get certified and dive while on AC? Or is most rental equipment ok???

jenniee
Before you shell out the cash for quailty gear, you may want to rent the gear from the shop you trained with, you will be familiar with it and also know it works. I have also heard horror stories from other caribbean places.