pepetj

This Sunday, December 13th, at 8AM I am scheduled to experience my first open water dive. I just finished the pool training. I'm going to La Caleta (a national underwater park).

Here's an informative pic showing the place:

Wish me luck!

Pepetj
Santo Domingo

Attached Images

La Caleta Underwater National Park.jpg (56.0 KB, 49 views)

Amanda

That's SO AWESOME!! Good luck & have fun!

Tony G.

good luck!

scatty

Woohoo! I remember my first ocean dive, you'll love it! Have fun and good luck!!

aquarist48

Have a great time and be careful. Are you taking an underwater camera with you?
Ken

iloveengl

Best wishes for a safe dive! I hope you have an amazing time (and bring a waterproof camera).

Sonfish

Oh yeah your gonna love it, Be safe and remember the rules....

pepetj

Thank you pals. I won't bring a camera since I need to focus on developing my newby skills and also because I don't have the waterproof case yet.

It's 7:34AM Sunday, I got some butterflies (more like Zebra Danios) in my stomach. Feels like adding fish for the first time to the first newly cycle time being certain MTS is waiting down the road.

Scheduled to be out of water by 1PM (we are doing two inmersions today), so I'll see you then. Again, thanks.

Pepetj
Santo Domingo

bolivianbaby

That sounds so awesome! Have a great time and be careful!

Lucy

How cool! Be careful, enjoy yourself and post all about it when you get back.

pepetj

Update on my scuba dive training: I felt terrible, I got seasick as I was getting ready for immersion.

Ended up throwing up after 20 minutes in the water. I managed to practice two rescue drills fairly well but had problems with my sense of equilibrium (felt dizzy) and got sick as I tried to control it. The instructor told me I had to quit the dive. So as I returned to the boat I managed to spot a jellyfish upside down below our boat, like it was eating something. As I got closer to the boat I had the time to pause and watch a light colored rayfish "gliding" at 20' depth.

I felt like giving up for good (that's how sick I felt) but I know how obstinate I am. I'll get ready for next dive. The instructor asked me to consult with my physician for medication prior to dive. Felt like the odd-man out. I was sharing my first dive (in my case failed attempt) experience with three young adults from the US Peace Corps and a French diplomat.

The instructor told me this does not count as aborted dive since I couldn't go down. It was the captain of the boat who comforted me the most. He shared with me that when he started going out to the sea, he often got severe seasick until somehow his body got used to the sea.

At least I know I put my best effort. So it feels like I crashed my first tank... at least no fish were in it.

Pepetj
Santo Domingo

Omgami

Wow, have fun. One of my greatest fears has been scuba diving so of course I had to overcome that fear. Like you, I got PADI open water certified and have had a few great dives in Mexico and in Bali. Warning, this just made me more into fish and fed my MTS big time. Let us know how it went. Swimming with the fish is awesome.

sirdarksol

Doesn't sound like a failure to me. Sounds like you succeeded for 20 minutes.
You certainly saw two things that most of us will very likely never see in nature. That's no small feat.

You can't control your equilibrium. When your inner ear thinks it's out of whack, nothing short of anti-nausea meds will convince it otherwise.
Aside from the meds, figure out what works for you in minimizing the disorientation of the boat ride. Some people do best if they're in a room somewhere and can't see the whole world spinning around them. Others do best if they can.
Most people don't do well focusing on something hand-held (like a book or GameBoy). That tricks the brain into thinking it's motionless, which, in turn, makes the body think it's been poisoned (because the inner ear is acting up but the body is "still").

scatty

Well that's a bit of a bummer, but at least you know now and can be prepared next time. I get horribly seasick too, its not pleasant. I'm one of those that needs to see whats going on and lots of fresh air, so the bow of the boat is my fav spot. You'll be fine with the proper meds next time, don't be discouraged.

Red1313

<hugs>
I have no doubts you'll have this conquered soon

bolivianbaby

I agree with the above posts. Now that you know what to expect and how to "trick" your ears as Sirdarksol mentioned, you'll have this mastered next time

We're behind you all the way!

Tony G.

You'll do better next time It happens, whenever i am on the road i get sick sometimes

Sonfish

Dont worry about the seasick thing, my first wreck dive which was also my first waaaayyy off shore dive(28 miles out) I got green and wanted to die, I made the first dive fine but when I got out for my surface interval it got me no kidding I was ready to give my gear away right then and there. Then one of the dive masters told me to hang on the line out the back of the boat which helped alot and I made my second dive, Then I learned the trick, take one dramamine the night before you go out to dive so it gets a start in your system, then take another when you get up. It worked for me and I made the dives the following day, a couple of the crew even asked me are you gonna try again when I showed up the day after I turned green at the gills lol. I was determined to get that wreck certification...Dont let the sea sick turn ya off on diving, alot of people get it.... Good luck on your next dives, it is something you will really be glad ya did....