After the Scuba Course
Tackling the First Dive After Completing Basic Scuba Training
After finishing the initial training course a student scuba diver needs to get back underwater to reinforce the skills learnt. What to do. How to get gain more experience
Finally you’ve finished your basic scuba course. You’ve suffered the lectures, the frustration at the bottom of the pool clearing your mask; the apprehension of the first open water dive where you stick close to the instructor so that a marauding monster picks their leg, not yours.
Many divers complete their basic course and do no further diving. There is a multitude of reasons for this: too expensive, can’t find the time or maybe a slight fear of the unknown.
You’ve got the basic skills: mask clearing, boat diving, and buddy breathing. Your mind is full of globs of theory about Boyle’s Law, the Bends, repetitive dives, and the workings of a regulator. You’ve done your boat dives and introductory dives. Now what? Simple … keep diving !
Do an Easy Dive
That last shore dive to ten metres may have stretched the nerves, so as soon as possible after your course get into the water. You should be aiming for comfort and relaxation underwater and the only way you will get this is by diving.
Like riding a bike, the more you do it, the better you get. Hire some gear, find a buddy, preferably someone at the same level as yourself – maybe another student from your course. Pick a simple dive site; maybe a shore dive you did during the course. As a dive pair you can take your time, relax and get used to your gear and the sensation of being underwater.
Try to Relax Underwater
You might have noticed your instructor and dive-masters seemed casual and almost graceful underwater. Did it look as if they were part of the environment while you felt all arms and legs? Have faith! The reason they appear so good is that they are simply relaxed. The act of breathing underwater has become second nature.
Take long slow easy breaths rather than huge gulps of air. Relax and feel how your breathing affects your buoyancy.
Forget about those fancy shots of mind-blowing underwater seascapes. They will come in the future. What you have to do now is become comfortable underwater. Once you’ve tackled a few simple shore dives, try more advanced boat dives. In no time at all you’ll be one of those experienced divers on the boat.
Take a Dive Holiday or Join a Dive Club
Another way to gain confidence underwater is an extended dive trip. Two or three dives a day for a week makes for a perfect introduction for a novice diver.
One of the best ways to keep in touch with diving is to join a club. Most clubs not only organise dives but also social events that usually centre on diving. The main benefit of a scuba club is being around other divers; hearing them talk, joining in the dives and simply being part of the ‘dive scene’.
Beware of too Much Confidence
Of course there is also the danger of too much confidence and not enough experience. In diving, as with all sports that contain an element of risk, you can’t simply rely on bravado and a ‘devil may care’ attitude to get you out of a tight spot. As a thinking diver, and a beginner, you should steer clear from the macho divers in the group. You might find it is all a facade and that they may have less experience that you.
Whether you continue in a rewarding pastime of sport diving is entirely up to you. Make that first commitment of your first dive after letting go of your instructor’s fins and you’ll never look back.
