Overcoming mental blocks and getting back into it

[SquishyDuck]

I finally did my first PNW dive on Saturday. To put it bluntly, it didn't go well.

A little background: before moving up here from AZ, I had 103 open water dives under my belt. All of which were in Mexico, CA, and the lakes in AZ. I hadn't been in open water since Sept 2006. I recently had a burning desire to get back in the water (and I am glad that the burning sensation was desire, because at first I thought I was an STD, but my Dr. said it wasn't). Knowing that my skills were rusty, I thought the best way to get back into it was to take a class. Since I was inexperienced with my drysuit, and my last dive with that suit didn't go very well (reference the "i got narced" thread for the story) I opted to take a drysuit class. The pool session went okay, and I was slated to do my open water checkouts on Sat.

We dove off the shore in Hoodsport in front of the Yellow House. I got in the water to do my weight check. Once my head got underwater, I could tell that I was apprehensive. Before starting the actual dive, I informed my instructor that I was feeling that way. We dropped down in about 8 fsw and practiced inflating/deflating the suit. It was weird because with the fluffy undergarment I was wearing, I couldn't tell if there was any air in there or not. But I could see the effect on my buoyancy, so I figured it was working well. Then my instructor had us (there was one other student) disconnect and reconnect the inflater hose. That was a challenge because not only did my inflater hose barely reach the valve, but the new thick gloves I was wearing made it difficult for me to feel anything by touch. I did complete the task, though.

I was feeling a little out of control. I knew I was on the bottom because if I moved at all, it would kick up a bunch of schmutz, but I couldn't feel the bottom (I assume it was because of the undergarment). I couldn't tell where the air bubble in my suit was, and I couldn't feel anything with my hands because of the extra-thick gloves. All this I should have been able to handle, if I had just remained calm. We finished those exercises and began to descend. All I could think about is "What if I freak out? We are going deeper, and the deeper we go, the longer it is going to take me to get to the surface." We got down to about 18 fsw and I started to fall behind the group. I could see my instructor's fins start to fade in the mucky water (they were still within arms reach, of course). I kept thinking "I am going to be left alone down here wearing this thing that I can't control." I grabbed his fins to get his attention, signaled that something was wrong and we needed to surface. We got to the surface, I told him that I couldn't do it and was scrubbing the dive. They watched me get back to shore and continued their dive. I lasted all of 7 minutes underwater. The bitch of it is, I didn't freak out about anything other than the possibility that I might freak out. I feel like a flipping headcase.

So here's the problem, I need to get back to the point that I can handle myself underwater. There was a time when I was on my way to being a pretty decent diver. I need to get back to that place. The obvious answer is that I need to dive, dive, dive, and dive some more. But if all I do is worry myself that I am going to freak out to the point that I actually freak out, what good is that going to do?

I have been thinking a lot about all of this, and figured there is a number of factors that added to the problem:
1) I haven't been in the water for a looong time. My skills are rusty.
2) I was wearing new a undergarment that was very lofty compared to the sweats I would wear in the past.
3) I was diving a back plate and wing setup for the first time, as compared to my old back inflate BC.
4) I was wearing new gloves that were thicker than any I had worn before making it feel like I had lost all tactile sensation.
5) I was wearing more weight that I have ever needed, which underwater is not a big deal, but during the walk to get in the water, I kept thinking "OMG, this thing is heavy." which I think affected me mentally.
6) I never got over my freakout from the last time I wore the drysuit. And was afraid of freaking out again.

Grouping these problems and breaking it down, it comes down to:
1) Practice, practice, practice. I have been out of the water too long and need to start diving regularly again.
2) Revert back to some of my old gear. They say you should only add/change one piece of gear at a time. I am thinking that I should take advantage of the warmer water of the summer and start diving wet again for my first few dives. Also think that I should go back to using my old BC for now. When I get comfortable in the water again, start using the back plate. When I am comfortable with that, switch to the drysuit with a lighter undergarment. Then work my way into the heavier undergarment.
3) As far as worrying about a freakout, I think that once I start having some successful dives, I will get back my confidence to know I can calmly and rationally handle any situations that may arise.

Does this sound like a solid plan? Does anyone have any other recommendations? Do you think it would be a good idea to find an instructor who will work with me on my skills until I start getting back into the swing of things? Does anyone want to dive with a headcase?

[Joshua Smith]

Sounds like you have this thought through pretty thoroughly- maybe too thoroughly! You need to get some fun dives in to build your confidence up a little. A little confidence will lead to more relaxing dives, which will lead to more confidence, etc. Almost everyone has a hard time getting used to the drysuit- I sure did.

I'd say you need to solve the issues causing the stress one at a time. For example, you could get some of these little beauties:

https://www.deepseasupply.com/index.php?product=45

And put them on your suit inflation hose, and get a longer hose while you're at it. There's an easy one- problem solved.

And, yeah, dive, dive, dive- find some patient dive buddies who want to help you out, and don't mind helping you sort out gear issues.

Another trick I use for dives that cause me apprehension is to find a quiet place before the dive- preferably before I leave the house, and close my eyes, and run through the whole dive in my mind before I do it- from gearing up all the way to getting back on the boat or car or whatever- I just visualize the whole thing, kind of like meditation- I "see" myself dealing with problems, and how I'm going to deal with them in my mind's eye. It sounds kind of like new-age spirit-babble, but it works for me.

[Pez7378]

Does anyone want to dive with a headcase?

Drew, you'll have no problems finding someone to dive with you. I'll dive with you. Seriously, even if you consider yourself a serious headcase, it's still got to be better than diving with my regular buddy.

When I purchased my first Drysuit last summer I was having the same concerns you are. It sounds like you need some one on one instruction, with someone who practices good buddy skills and will dive beside you, not in front of you. It's re-assuring to be able to maintain eye contact during the dive, especially when you are a little apprehensive. I'm sure that someone will come forward that is willing, and qualified to assist you with your orientation.

[Phineas Gage]

If you have the confidence and courage to post your experience on a public forum and ask for help, then you obviously have the self-awareness needed to work past this.

Thanks for sharing, I'm sure there are lots of folks here who can relate and offer actionable, constructive advice.

[Penopolypants]

I was feeling a little out of control. I knew I was on the bottom because if I moved at all, it would kick up a bunch of schmutz, but I couldn't feel the bottom (I assume it was because of the undergarment). I couldn't tell where the air bubble in my suit was, and I couldn't feel anything with my hands because of the extra-thick gloves. All this I should have been able to handle, if I had just remained calm. We finished those exercises and began to descend. All I could think about is "What if I freak out? We are going deeper, and the deeper we go, the longer it is going to take me to get to the surface." We got down to about 18 fsw and I started to fall behind the group. I could see my instructor's fins start to fade in the mucky water (they were still within arms reach, of course). I kept thinking "I am going to be left alone down here wearing this thing that I can't control."

That is EXACTLY how I felt on my first open water class dive, also done in a dry suit. I remember being pretty overwhelmed and thinking that maybe scuba wasn't the sport for me. When we got out my instructor said "I bet a lot of you thought that sucked. Give it one more try....I also bet that will change your mind."

She was right, the next dive I was hooked! All it took was a little more practice, and just a little more comfort in the water.

After that, taking additional classes and finding more experienced divers to dive with helped me along immensely. The nice thing about this board is that there is no shortage of excellent instructors and mentors that are happy to dive with you, myself included (not an instructor, I just like to dive. )


And Nailer’s right, the DSS hose hats rock!

[Grateful Diver]

Sounds like a classic case of task-loading.

If you're interested in an instructor who can work with you on these issues, drop me a PM ... I'll be happy to help.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[SquishyDuck]

Sounds like you have this thought through pretty thoroughly- maybe too thoroughly!

I have a background in engineering. Over thinking is a common theme for me.

You need to get some fun dives in to build your confidence up a little. A little confidence will lead to more relaxing dives, which will lead to more confidence, etc.

Exactly what I was thinking.

and get a longer hose while you're at it.

Yeah, I have been told that before, but those darn pills don't work! Oh... you mean a longer inflater hose. Yup, that's on the list.

Another trick I use for dives that cause me apprehension is to find a quiet place before the dive- preferably before I leave the house, and close my eyes, and run through the whole dive in my mind before I do it- from gearing up all the way to getting back on the boat or car or whatever- I just visualize the whole thing, kind of like meditation- I "see" myself dealing with problems, and how I'm going to deal with them in my mind's eye. It sounds kind of like new-age spirit-babble, but it works for me.

I am good with the new-age spirit-babble. I am no stranger to meditation, so doing a little before a dive sounds like a good idea to me.

Drew, you'll have no problems finding someone to dive with you. I'll dive with you. Seriously, even if you consider yourself a serious headcase, it's still got to be better than diving with my regular buddy.

Awesome! Let's set it up. I am free most weekends.


Seriously, though, I really appreciate the support. I was half afraid of being told "Dude, just give up diving." And suffice it to say that's just not an option.

[spatman]

I was half afraid of being told "Dude, just give up diving." And suffice it to say that's just not an option.

on some other forums, that might be true. but you won't really find that attitude here, which is why so many of us stick around as both mentors and mentored.

[Nwbrewer]

Does anyone want to dive with a headcase?

Drew, you'll have no problems finding someone to dive with you. I'll dive with you. Seriously, even if you consider yourself a serious headcase, it's still got to be better than diving with my regular buddy.

Poor Joe. Slammed at every turn!

[Sounder]

Does anyone want to dive with a headcase?

Drew, you'll have no problems finding someone to dive with you. I'll dive with you. Seriously, even if you consider yourself a serious headcase, it's still got to be better than diving with my regular buddy.

Poor Joe. Slammed at every turn!

Are you sure he's saying Joe is his regular buddy? I thought he was more of a charity case.

[Nwbrewer]

Does anyone want to dive with a headcase?

Drew, you'll have no problems finding someone to dive with you. I'll dive with you. Seriously, even if you consider yourself a serious headcase, it's still got to be better than diving with my regular buddy.

Poor Joe. Slammed at every turn!

Are you sure he's saying Joe is his regular buddy? I thought he was more of a charity case.

No, that's me who's always beggin for someone to come diving at the last minute.

Drew, if you want to come north a bit I'll dive with you. I've been a train wreck myself in the past, you'll get through it.

Jake

[dwashbur]

Squish,
For what it's worth, you're not alone, not even close to it. It does sound like you overloaded yourself with unfamiliar gear, and you're working that out. But as far as the mental part, several of us have been there.

When I was doing my OW a little over 2 years ago, we were at Blue Lake in Nevada/Utah and I was buddied up with my wife. We were on one of the permanent platforms doing an air sharing exercise. I was using rented gear and wasn't all that familiar with the Air-II system on my inflator, but up to this time (second OW dive after our 4 pool dives the previous weekend) I had been having a ball, so when my wife gave the "out of air" signal, I confidently handed her my primary while taking hold of the mouthpiece near my left hand to put in my own mouth. I took a breath and got nothing. I pulled a little harder and got water. "Well, that's okay, I forgot to purge it." So I expelled a forceful breath and tried again. Nothing. Only this time I didn't have any air in my lungs. Now I was getting concerned. I could see my wife's primary bobbing in the water beside her head, so I grabbed it and gave it back to her, and took my own reg back. I looked at the instructor to ask what happened, and he waved his snorkel. You can guess what that meant; I got in a hurry and grabbed the wrong thing. Feeling like a complete idiot, I finished the dive and got ready for the third one.

Trouble was, now I was spooked. I couldn't finish the dive and completely skipped the next one. After some pep talk with that same instructor, I managed to finish the course, but it took more than a year of constant self-talk, both before and during dives, to gain real confidence again. A couple of months later, we were in Hoodsport, that same place you were at, for our AOW course. We had tried to do one dive locally here in Boise at a popular pond, and it was basically a cluster-!@#$. We hadn't tried since that, but we were excited about finally getting in the ocean, which was why we got into diving in the first place. Well, the night before our first dive, just as I was dropping off to sleep, an image flashed into my mind: I was having a panic attack underwater. It was vivid enough that I could actually taste the salt water gushing into my mouth as I spit out my reg. That kept me awake the rest of the night. I headed out for the first dive on 2 hours of sleep. It took more coaxing than you can imagine just to get me off the bottom step into the water (you've been there, you know the step I'm talking about). It did get better, especially after we got the deep dive out of the way the next day, but I still had to talk to myself constantly in order to start and complete a dive.

I carry one of those Trident slates with the compass on it, and one thing I kept written on it for that year and more was "Psalm 121." I'm a biblical scholar by training, and it's one of my favorite psalms. It's often called the "traveler's psalm" because it talks about protection from stuff while going places and such. A key part says "the Lord will preserve your going out and coming in." To that, I arbitrarily added "and your going down and your coming up" so I could cover my diving. I would recite it inside my head again and again as I headed for the water, as I descended, as I did safety stops, and until I was back on land. Hey, you do whatever it takes.

Anyway, I said all that to reiterate: you're not alone. A lot of us know exactly what you were feeling, and we've had to deal with it. And we're here to help you do just that. I have to do it by long distance; I wish I was still out there so I could dive with you. I also don't know of ANYBODY here who will tell you not to dive. We get to see and experience something that most people can't even begin to imagine. Everybody I know on this list wants to share that and is willing to do what they can to make it happen for you. You're in the right place. And even though the dive was short and frustrating, you came back alive. That makes it a good dive. And you learned a lot of things from it. That makes it even better. So you had a successful dive. It doesn't look like it from certain angles, but you did. Hang on to that.

[Pez7378]

Another trick I use for dives that cause me apprehension is to find a quiet place before the dive- preferably before I leave the house, and close my eyes, and run through the whole dive in my mind before I do it- from gearing up all the way to getting back on the boat or car or whatever- I just visualize the whole thing, kind of like meditation- I "see" myself dealing with problems, and how I'm going to deal with them in my mind's eye. It sounds kind of like new-age spirit-babble, but it works for me.

This is a good idea. Here is an article from John Rawlings about pre-dive visualization:

WARNING: thoughts of what some would consider of a "spiritual nature" follow:

When divers talk about preparing for a dive they generally mean getting the equipment ready, getting the tanks filled, arranging for a buddy, looking at the tides and currents....etc....etc.....but how many of us take the time to prepare our MINDS for the dive/s we are about to undertake?

Long before we enter the water, it is important for our success and safety to be able to tell ourselves (and believe it!) "I'm going on this dive and I'm going to do everything right. Things are going to go smoothly because I've planned them well, I know what I'm doing, and I'm well prepared. I know what I'm doing.....and I'm coming back to the surface safely."

All of the above comments are what are termed "positive affirmations", and they are basically a personalized advertising campaign that you run inside your own head. They are not simply wishful thinking, because in fact you must actually prepare and plan and know what you are doing....the affirmations simply help you to build confidence in the skills you have gathered and convince yourself of your own strengths.

One skill that I learned long ago is creative visualization. When first exposed to it (in a non-diving situation involving business training through the EDGE Learning Institute in Tacoma) I thought that it was just a "load of far-eastern crap". I quickly was disabused of that notion, and have since come to realize that it has become a cornerstone of my diving.

Basically, the sub-conscious mind isn't capable of differentiating between a real experience and one that is vividly and emotionally imagined. Studies have shown consistantly that one minute of emotional imagery performed in a state of relaxation can have 10 to 60 times the mental impact of a "real" experience.

Think for a moment about what that means.....

You can actually experience your dive in your mind before you ever actually even enter the water!

"So what?", you might be asking! Well.....along with the "normal" planning of your dive, creative visualization enables you to "see" the possibilities that might occur during a dive and decide, in advance, how you will deal with them (both positive and negative) should they actually occur. This enables you to anticipate situations, seeing them in your "mind's eye" as if they were actually occurring in reality and understand in advance how you will respond to them. Trust me, it is a GREAT thing to do for photographers, enabling them to "see" what they will do in advance should the "critter of a lifetime" suddenly appear on a dive!

Professional athletes, coaches and others make use of this technique all the time - "seeing" what victory will look and feel like long before it actually occurs. This technique is a hallmark of successful people worldwide and there is nothing "mystical" about it.....it is merely part of solid prior planning and preparation.

Creative visualization is an excellent tool for reducing or eliminating negative beliefs that you might have about your performance in the water (or elsewhere). You literally use your imagination to "see" yourself succeeding. It works best when a person is in a state of relaxation. A means of achieving such a state that works for me is this:

I lay down in the most comfortable position I can find and close my eyes. I then make the effort to concentrate on my breathing technique - slowly and deeply - making sure that I am breathing through my diaphragm and not my upper chest. Basically, this means that my abdomen will rise and fall rather than my chest. If you've ever watched a baby sleeping peacefully you will understand what I mean....they breathe down deep into their tummies.....you need to do the same as an adult. (Note: breathing in this manner while diving will also help you immensely in controlling your gas consumption.)

Once I am calmly breathing in the manner described above, I will begin to think about my feet.....how they feel.....how soft they are on the surface they are lying on....how their temperature is "just right".....how the muscles in them are relaxing and whatever tenseness there was is seeping away.

Once my feet are in a state of total relaxation I will begin to move upward (mentally) to the muscles of my lower legs...thinking about how they feel and how the muscles are slowly and dreamily relaxing.

Eventually, I will take this methodology all the way to the top of my head. it takes far less time that you would imagine!

Once I am in a state of complete relaxation, I will begin to visualize the upcoming dive....how it will feel when I slip into the water.....the deep geen of the water itself as the sunlight filters down through it....the colors of the seaweeds and invertebrates splashed about the rocky walls around me.....the chill of the water against my face and the force of the current against my body. Literally, I "see" success. Even when I visualize negative things occurring (loss of gas....lost buddy.....poor visibility...etc.) I also visualize my success in effectively dealing with those things.

This technique is far more than merely going through a list of "what-ifs", it is a means of allowing yourself to experience those "what-ifs" in your mind in such a way that you feel as though you have already experienced them.

It's really quite simple.....if you believe in success you are far more likely to achieve it.....in diving and anything else.

Well, I've been pretty long-winded on this subject! I'm curious to read your thoughts on this......

- John

[Joshua Smith]

OOOO! Nice work, digging John's post on that up! Yeah, that's where I learned it from, allright. I'd actually forgotten he wrote that- I thought maybe it was something he told me in person!

[John Rawlings]

I'd forgotten that I had written that here on NWDC....a long, LONG time ago! How on Earth did you find that, Chris?

I think that a significant part of SquishyDuck's problem is that before he enters the water he is actively envisioning himself FAILING rather than envisioning himself SUCCEEDING.

The imagination is an extremely powerful thing and can be used to your advantage. You still need to learn the skills and know what to do, but by "seeing" yourself in your mind successfully completing tasks underwater you will better prepare yourself to perform those tasks when you actually ARE doing them in reality.

- John

[SquishyDuck]

I think that a significant part of SquishyDuck's problem is that before he enters the water he is actively envisioning himself FAILING rather than envisioning himself SUCCEEDING.

I was thinking the exact same thing as I was reading through that article. Thank you, Pez, for posting up. And thank you, John, for writing it. I will definitely take your suggestions to heart.

And thanks to everyone for posting up. I have a tendency to be a little hard on myself, and being reminded that I am not the only one who has been through this makes me feel a lot better. I have to admit it's pretty awesome to have a place where everybody rallies together to help out a guy they have never even met in person. It just... <sniff> makes me... <sniff> feel all... <sniff> warm and squishy inside.

Okay, enough of my sappy BS. You guys have me all revved up to go diving again!

[Pez7378]

You guys have me all revved up to go diving again!

That's what we are here for!

How on Earth did you find that, Chris?

Thank Calvin, he inspired me to go back and read some of the older posts, and I came across this one. When Nailer mentioned visualization It seemed like a perfect opportunity to share your article with Drew!

[Joshua Smith]

And thanks to everyone for posting up. I have a tendency to be a little hard on myself, and being reminded that I am not the only one who has been through this makes me feel a lot better. I have to admit it's pretty awesome to have a place where everybody rallies together to help out a guy they have never even met in person. It just... <sniff> makes me... <sniff> feel all... <sniff> warm and squishy inside.

Okay, enough of my sappy BS. You guys have me all revved up to go diving again!

Hey, you would really impress me if you could write about a problem that nobody on this board has had before- mostly, we struggle with the same stuff over and over again, learning to dive. And learning to dive in cold, murky water is tougher than throwing on a 2 mil shorty, an Al 80, and splashing into warm clear water- it takes a special kind of idiot to love local diving, and I'm proud to say that we have quite a large group of just that kind of idiot on this site!


Seriously,with the kind of determination I'm hearing in your posts, I have no doubt that you've allready become fairly stupid, and you just need to log some more dives before you are a full-fledged idiot! :occasion5:

[SquishyDuck]

And thanks to everyone for posting up. I have a tendency to be a little hard on myself, and being reminded that I am not the only one who has been through this makes me feel a lot better. I have to admit it's pretty awesome to have a place where everybody rallies together to help out a guy they have never even met in person. It just... <sniff> makes me... <sniff> feel all... <sniff> warm and squishy inside.

Okay, enough of my sappy BS. You guys have me all revved up to go diving again!

Hey, you would really impress me if you could write about a problem that nobody on this board has had before- mostly, we struggle with the same stuff over and over again, learning to dive. And learning to dive in cold, murky water is tougher than throwing on a 2 mil shorty, an Al 80, and splashing into warm clear water- it takes a special kind of idiot to love local diving, and I'm proud to say that we have quite a large group of just that kind of idiot on this site!


Seriously,with the kind of determination I'm hearing in your posts, I have no doubt that you've allready become fairly stupid, and you just need to log some more dives before you are a full-fledged idiot! :occasion5:

LOL
I may be closer than you think to being an idiot. Part of the reason I moved up here was to be close to some good diving. And now that I am here, I am pondering migrating further north so I can be even closer. One of the joys of working in a distributed office environment is as long as I have high-speed internet and reasonable access to an airport, I can pretty much live wherever I want.

[spatman]

And learning to dive in cold, murky water is tougher than throwing on a 2 mil shorty, an Al 80, and splashing into warm clear water- it takes a special kind of idiot to love local diving, and I'm proud to say that we have quite a large group of just that kind of idiot on this site!

i am proud to be an idiot!

One of the joys of working in a distributed office environment is as long as I have high-speed internet and reasonable access to an airport, I can pretty much live wherever I want.

any job openings at your company?

[LCF]

We've all had our apprehensions. I frightened myself so badly on a night dive, early on, that it was quite a while before I got back in the water at night, and longer still before I was willing to try doing any drills in the dark.

I really don't know what kind of person you are, but I don't think you necessarily have to go back to all your old stuff to get through this. What you DO need, I think, is to dive at a site you KNOW is very benign, in the company of someone really calm and solid whose attention is completely on YOU.

This is the kind of thing I would do with you: First off, come over and get in my pool in all your new gear and play with it for an hour. The pool is nine feet deep and the viz is excellent Lie on the bottom; get off and swim around a little. Most of the pool, you can stand up if you're anxious. Keep it up until you start to relax and things start to feel like fun again.

Then do a dive at Edmonds, where you can stay in ten feet of water very easily. Lie on the bottom and breathe until you're happy being there. Then add some air to the wing, come off the bottom, and swim around a bit. Yes, the buoyancy will be harder, because you're shallow; on the other hand, the fear of "we're going deeper and it will take longer to get to the surface" is completely negated. Play with your dry suit, play with your wing, until the way they behave starts to make sense to you. All that time, you'll have a buddy right next to you who's attentive and stable and calm.

Next dive, maybe try Cove 2 down to 30 feet. Find out where the little voice in your head starts whimpering about the surface, and stay shallower than that. Do several dives within your comfortable limit (the Alki Pipeline is a splendid, shallow dive, and so is Titlow). Eventually, your brain will give up firing off false alarm signals, and you'll look around one day and say, "Hey, this is FUN, let's go deeper!"

That's what I'd do anyway, and if you want any company with it, just let me know.

[dwashbur]

Next dive, maybe try Cove 2 down to 30 feet.

An alternate suggestion if you don't mind a short drive, would be Harper's Ferry on the other side of the Sound, just outside Port Orchard. It only gets down to 30 feet and is one of my all-time favorite places to dive. There's a big dolphin just out from the pier that harbors an unbelievable variety of life, and there's an old 30-foot trawler that has been known to have everything from 10 kinds of nudibranchs to the occasional GPO. And for that matter, you can stay around the pier between 15 and 20 feet and find more small critters than you could imagine. It's not a current-sensitive site so you can dive it almost any time, and access is reasonably easy. Oh yes, there are guide ropes and lines from the pier to all the major points of interest, so navigatiton is great as well.

[scottsax]

SquishyDuck (the "U" is critical )- I've found that positive affirmations ABSOLUTELY work. Even if I don't have time to prepare myself mentally at home, which is most of the time, I try to take a few minutes at the dive site to collect my thoughts and slow my breathing. I tend to struggle more underwater if I don't take the time to do that. Other than that, dive with the folks on this board-I've dove with many of them, and they're all incredibly patient, supportive, and skilled. Besides that, they're good people! :rr:

And remember, the post-dive debrief is of paramount importance! :occasion5:

Safe diving!

[SquishyDuck]

Just wanted to jump in here and say thanks again to everyone. I now have a long list of people who are willing to dive with me, and I am going to hold you all to it. Heh heh heh.

Hey Squishy, I just realized you live in Vancouver. Some of us like to car-pool up north from the Portland area; you should join us sometime. I don't personally live in the Portland area, but visit family there often and try to get a dive trip in while I'm there.

Sweet! Next trip, I am in.

[Cuppie]

just a quick comment...you said you were diving a new back plate and harness, etc. It may seem less task loading if you only make one new change to your gear config at a time instead of five changes. then your comfort level isn't so shocked. I know its hard but getting comfortable with one change is a lot simpler.