More experience needed?

[Foo2]

When have you done a dive and within the first couple of minutes realized that you are out of your league? What did you do when you realized it? What did you learn?

For me...it was my 4'th dive after OW certification on Tormentos in Cozumel. Because I'm landlocked, I did all of my training in a local quarry. I had zero experience in drift diving. My 3'rd dive was on Palancar Gardens in Cozumel. I didn't have any issues. The current was slow and relaxing. I had a lot of fun! On Tormentos, the current was a bit more swift...not dangerous, but more than I had ever experienced. It was fast enough that I found out that my mask was not right for me and I was having to clear every 30-45 seconds cause the water was rushing in. At one point I felt like I could have panicked. My husband looked at me deep in my eyes and took some deep breaths with me and after a few seconds, I was fine. I stuck with the dive although I didn't see a thing the whole time. Thinking back, I wonder if I should have called the dive. I was just so excited to finally be in blue water I couldn't hardly stand it and the thought of missing out killed me. With about 20 more dives on my belt now than I had then...I wonder how that same dive would be. I wonder if I would have an easier time. Especially since I feel like my bouyancy skills have improved a lot since then and I have a mask that fits me better. Guess I'll have to plan a trip to Cozumel sometime soon to find out.

[unclepooty]

Dove the C-53 or 58 wreck off Cancun. About 10th-15th dive post OW cert. with wife (buddy). First dives were Cozumel drift dives with no issues. The current was probably similar to some in Coz., but it was the first time trying maintain position. We were fine behind the wreck but when we cleared the stern and met the current, we really had to put our heads down and kick. My legs started heating up, and I knew wife's had to be also. Main worry was for her. Like Fooman2 made sure she knew I was aware and there if she needed. We made it fine, but couldn't help but feel afterward that might have been more than we should have bitten off.

[digitalman]

Originally Posted by unclepooty

Dove the C-53 or 58 wreck off Cancun. About 10th-15th dive post OW cert. with wife (buddy). First dives were Cozumel drift dives with no issues. The current was probably similar to some in Coz., but it was the first time trying maintain position. We were fine behind the wreck but when we cleared the stern and met the current, we really had to put our heads down and kick. My legs started heating up, and I knew wife's had to be also. Main worry was for her. Like Fooman2 made sure she knew I was aware and there if she needed. We made it fine, but couldn't help but feel afterward that might have been more than we should have bitten off.

It sounds like that dive might have almost been a candidate to turn you into a statistic.

[gthomas]

I also had my first few dives in Cozumel. Fast current and fogged mask. Sure made me think twice about diving, but everything worked out and I'm hooked now.

[georoc01]

Gee, everyone has had a rough time in Cozumel. Mine was right after finishing my 8th dive, went to Cozumel and dove with a friend using Aldora Divers. They have larger tanks which I thought would be a good thing as I knew I was still working on my breath control.

The current was really ripping on that first day and I struggled with the dives, going through my air much faster than the rest of the group and having to surface with whichever divemaster we would catch along the trip.

I really felt like a worthless diver at that point. Now 80+ dives later I am much more confident, and also grew an awareness of the need for my buddy or myself to be able to call a dive at any time no questions asked. There will always be another dive.

[bubbletrubble]

Originally Posted by georoc01

Gee, everyone has had a rough time in Cozumel.

The fact that divers are sharing scary Cozumel experiences isn't too surprising. It's a combination of several factors:
1. ScubaToys is located in TX, and many active posters on this board reside within the state.
2. From TX, Cozumel is arguably the cheapest, most convenient/accessible dive destination in the Caribbean...thanks to the Continental hub at IAH.
3. Cozumel diving, at times, can feature strong currents.
4. Shortly after certification (assuming that it was a positive experience), many divers plan to do their first tropical dive vacation.

With respect to the OP's query, I don't think I've ever felt during a dive that the experience was "out of my league." I guess I've been lucky, diligent with my dive planning, or a combination of the two. Have I ever been uncomfortable during a dive? Sure, especially earlier in my dive "career." I just chalked it up to the whole learning experience of being a novice diver. One experience in particular was rather amusing. Essential elements of the story: 3rd night dive ever, separation from dive party (total 4 divers), mistaken buddy identity at 80fsw, blue water ascent by myself after not finding my group, and hanging out at the surface for 15 minutes. As I was starting to make my way into shore, I saw a couple of lights on the beach. Apparently, people in my dive party had mistaken each other for me, completed the dive...and then realized that I was nowhere to be found. I learned that tank marker lights can be useful with this many people in the water. Now, however, with more dives under my belt, I pay close attention to distinguishing characteristics of each person in the dive party: color/brand of gear, the caliber/spot of light beam, etc.

[TRACI]

I do not recall just one particular dive, it was a combination of several dives when I was first certified. I realized that proper training is a must, and that you have to continue diving to gain experience to work through any issues

[unclepooty]

Originally Posted by bubbletrubble

The fact that divers are sharing scary Cozumel experiences isn't too surprising. It's a combination of several factors:
1. ScubaToys is located in TX, and many active posters on this board reside within the state.
2. From TX, Cozumel is arguably the cheapest, most convenient/accessible dive destination in the Caribbean...thanks to the Continental hub at IAH.
3. Cozumel diving, at times, can feature strong currents.
4. Shortly after certification (assuming that it was a positive experience), many divers plan to do their first tropical dive vacation.

With respect to the OP's query, I don't think I've ever felt during a dive that the experience was "out of my league." I guess I've been lucky, diligent with my dive planning, or a combination of the two. Have I ever been uncomfortable during a dive? Sure, especially earlier in my dive "career." I just chalked it up to the whole learning experience of being a novice diver. One experience in particular was rather amusing. Essential elements of the story: 3rd night dive ever, separation from dive party (total 4 divers), mistaken buddy identity at 80fsw, blue water ascent by myself after not finding my group, and hanging out at the surface for 15 minutes. As I was starting to make my way into shore, I saw a couple of lights on the beach. Apparently, people in my dive party had mistaken each other for me, completed the dive...and then realized that I was nowhere to be found. I learned that tank marker lights can be useful with this many people in the water. Now, however, with more dives under my belt, I pay close attention to distinguishing characteristics of each person in the dive party: color/brand of gear, the caliber/spot of light beam, etc.

True, most of our dives have been in Cozumel, But I don't want to put anybody new off the place. We've had no issues with the dives there and and headed back in 8 days The drift diving, even in the strong currents, was/is a blast. What we were'nt prepared for was the resistance swimming against it created in Cancun to stay on the wreck. I'm not experienced enough to estimate its speed that day, but when we were hanging on the mooring line for our safety stop, we stood straight out like flags in a stiff wind with our faces towards the current. You had to hold your mask on with one hand if you turned your head or it would shoot right down your face.

[bubbletrubble]

Originally Posted by unclepooty

True, most of our dives have been in Cozumel, But I don't want to put anybody new off the place. We've had no issues with the dives there and and headed back in 8 days The drift diving, even in the strong currents, was/is a blast. What we were'nt prepared for was the resistance swimming against it created in Cancun to stay on the wreck. I'm not experienced enough to estimate its speed that day, but when we were hanging on the mooring line for our safety stop, we stood straight out like flags in a stiff wind with our faces towards the current. You had to hold your mask on with one hand if you turned your head or it would shoot right down your face.

Thanks for making this point, unclepooty. Cozumel, even post-Wilma, can/should be a fun, safe place to dive. IMO, drift diving can be the most relaxing diving one can do. Want to work on that SAC rate? Go to Cozumel, dial in your buoyancy, and go with the flow. Enjoy the fish show. I can't wait to get back there.

[MSilvia]

Two come to mind... no, three.

One of my first non-class dives was several years after I was certified. My dad needed to find his mooring, and I thought I'd go down solo and get it. I was totally unprepared for low vis, and the silt at the bottom was deep... as I found out when I plunged into it. With zero vis and next to zero experience, there wasn't much I could do, but I poked around at random for a few minutes anyhow. When I felt something (probably my imagination, possibly a piece of dangling gear, almost certainly not JAWS) brush against my leg, I had enough and surfaced 5 minutes into the dive without success.

Second was on my first liveaboard trip. We were doing two dives on Stetson Bank in the Gulf of Mexico... max depth about 90 feet. The current was ripping, and my buddy and I were pretty low on air when we got back to the boat. We didn't have a good sense of how to dive in a current, and we were both pretty spent, so we decided to sit out the second dive. As fate would have it, that dive was fatal for one of the other divers, an older and larger gentleman who apparently suffered a heart attack while swimming against the current. I learned to trust my instincts on that one.

The third was a training dive for my adv. nitrox/deco class. Vis was low on a 90' wreck, and the instructor spontaneously decided he wanted to do a penetration. I wasn't trained for that, had neither a backup light nor reel, and it hadn't been discussed pre-dive, so I made it clear I wouldn't be following. That he went anyhow didn't instill me with a lot of confidence in his judgement.