First Time Divers

As all first time divers you would like to see the underwater world and experience what millions of people enjoy in beautiful crystal clear waters on holidays or at home. Some of you are content with just snorkeling, but your friend or partner pushes for scuba diving.

At this moment you may think about your fears and anxieties and may be skeptical about diving. You don’t want to disappoint your friend or partner and before you know it you are already signed up.

You are signed up for the first time scuba lessons. So, what is next?

In the pool, you will get a jacket (BCD) that holds the tank with some hoses (REGULATOR) that go around. You are asked to put scuba diving equipment on and to swim in the pool. This will allow you to breathe and familiarize yourself with breathing through the regulator. Breathing underwater can feel strange at first and at this point you may feel that you love it or hate it.

Love it the first time around

Those first time divers who love it will be excited and will wonder what is next. They will strive for more knowledge and will be open to new challenges with a positive attitude. This is a reason why kids have no problem in learning scuba diving.

Hate it the first time around

Many factors can contribute for first timers to hate scuba diving.

• water in the diving Mask
• air bubbles coming from the equipment

Thoughts of other fears about diving may also block you and cause a negative experience. Simple tasks, such as clearing diving mask underwater become a real challenge.

Some divers require extra amount of time, assistance and practice in order to feel comfortable and confident before progressing to the next stage. The experience and attitude of your dive instructor play a huge role and can completely change your experience. A key is to understand, trust and feel comfortable with your instructor.

In some cases people thought that diving was not for them after their first try. However, after they gave scuba diving a second try, scuba diving changed their lives. So don't give up.

What do you learn in the first lesson?

After your first experience with breathing from the scuba gear in the pool, you will learn how to clear your mask, recover and clear your regulator, basic rules of diving and some diving signals. You should also have some time (5 to 15 minutes) to go underwater in the pool and practice a little. You learn all this in preparation for your first dive.

Your first time diving.

Very soon you will be able to enjoy the vibrant colours of the coral reefs, fish and other underwater organisms. If your experience in the pool was positive you are up for it. On the contraire, if your experience was not that positive, you may be nervous and concerned that the person that taught you in the pool may not be diving with you today.

A dive master or instructor will take you diving. What is important is that the dive master knows who has experience and who the first time divers are. The depth of your first dive will be shallow for safety reasons (10 to 12 Meters/33 to 39 feet maximum depth).

Your group will use a rope for the descent (mandatory). You will have to equalize your ears and remember the first rule of diving - always breathe. When you are at the required level or depth you will start to swim along your assigned partner and enjoy your first dive.

Some of the factors that cause bad experiences on first time divers:

• Diver is too nervous before the dive.
• Inability to equalize ears while descending.
• Bad judgment in amount of weights required for the dive.
• Dizziness or over ventilation.
• Diver is not relaxed underwater.
• Mask keeps on fogging or filling up with water.

All these factors can be preventable and being nervous on your first dive is understandable. If you have any concerns ensure you bring them to the attention of the dive master. The dive master's assistance can help you relax and feel more confident.

Being relaxed will help with the relaxation of some muscles that are required for the equalization of the ears. It also will help to avoid over ventilation and will facilitate achieving certain tasks with self-confidence.

Remember that practice makes perfection. The more you dive, the more comfortable you will be underwater and the more you will enjoy your dives.

The Open Water course

Some first time divers experience a dive first and then sign up for the open water course. Others experience their first dive as part of their open water course.

During the open water course you will have more in the pool practice, more knowledge and a minimum of four dives with the diving instructor supervising you. At the conclusion of the course you will have a certification of your diving level that will be recognized by diving schools and other diving agencies or organizations around the world.

If you will like to help new divers with some tips or add something more to this page  "First Time Divers" Please send us a line below.

First time divers who hate it or love it the first time are welcome to share.

On Thu Jun 10 15:49:45 2010

First Name: Phil Text: Is the litlle guy in the foto an instructor ?great web page!

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