It’s crazy to think that I have more than 500 dives to my name. I learned from a highly skilled diver who, over the decades, has become a genuine master of the sport and an instructor in nearly everything except for the mermaid courses and cave diving. I felt so confident in my youth as a diver. Even today the smell of neoprene makes me crave putting together dive gear and getting wet.
But life and circumstances change, and I spent 20 years out of the water. A couple years ago I went on a dive trip to Cancun and realized how nervous I was to be getting in the water again. Honestly, everything went well. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I just wasn’t confident about the things that I used to feel so sure about. Like, how much weight did I need? Will I be able to clear my ears? Will I be able to maintain buoyancy and not be shooting up and down willy-nilly? What are all my hand signals? What about boat etiquette?
Fast forward a couple years out of water, and I was invited to go to Bonaire on a dive trip with ten friends of mine, with all but one other guy, very experienced divers. Once again I felt this incredible sense of intimidation creep in. My OG dive buddy Joe was going, so I felt comfortable that the person who really taught me to dive was going to be guiding me once again.
Joe and his buddy do technical rebreather diving and so their gear takes a bit of special set up and planning, and as a result, I didn’t get to dive with him until literally the last day of the trip. There was something unnerving about diving with these other people. Would I embarrass myself? Would I feel comfortable under water? Am I going to handle my gear properly? How do I get this damned dive computer I’ve been loaned to work? Stupid thing doesn’t sync to my phone to keep track of my dives. GRRRRRR!!!
Fortunately, everyone else are incredible divers who all made me feel comfortable and helped me with my gear and getting in and out of the water. I paired up with a dive instructor and friend who’s a terrific diver and the magical underwater world unfolded pleasantly. HOWEVER!! My stupid tank would slip a little to one side and I felt I was diving lopsided and leaned over. My secondary regulator was flopping about and wouldn’t stay put with the clip I had so that irritated me. I felt my pressure gauge was awkwardly short and I couldn’t easily access it to check how much gas I had. It seemed like I was overweighted in one pocket making me list to one side. So while the company and dives were awesome, MY personal space felt damned awkward and the anxiety really kept me from wanting to get wet again.
I confessed to Joe and his dive buddy Mark that I just felt awkward. Nothing felt right. I just didn’t feel at home the way I used to. I feared they would think I’m lame. Basically I didn’t want to dive any more. Seriously, I’m tearing up right now thinking how vulnerable I felt to have once been good at this and I can’t even don my gear confidently. I couldn’t even take my shit off my tank and put it on another one without being awkward. I absolutely have no business being in the company of these two. Joe was so sweet – without missing a beat, he had me stay in my gear (sans tank) and examine my fit. He began pulling straps off and adjusting things. “How does that feel?” I mumbled how something felt weird over here, and something is pulling over there. Nodding, he made more adjustments, and soon my gear felt like it belonged on me.
Mark is this incredible studly looking Adonis. He’s tall, handsome, fit as Hell and has this incredible confidence-oozing personality. I’m so embarrassed to be seen near him and Joe who are clearly the rock stars of our group. Joe and Mark are SCUBA instructors who have seen it all, and Mark immediately related to me all the things I was anxious about and told me how he overcame them. All of a sudden, these two amazing men that I am in awe of, were guiding me out of my anxiety.
For my next dive I went with Mark and it’s hard to describe what it feels like to descend and feel entirely comfortable. To dip below the surface, and all of a sudden, you’re one with the ocean and its denizens of the deep. I could access my pressure gauge, my danged octopus was tethered and not flapping at me. My weight was perfect and distributed evenly so I wasn’t fighting against my own gear. The dive was magical, and Mark said as soon as I began to feel cold, let him know so we can turn around and go back. He told me cold ends a dive for him also.
I got to do a night dive with both of them, and the dive went well, but Joe indicated I did several things incorrectly like not being able to stay where he can see me. I thought I was in his view by his side, but I guess I was supposed to be more ahead, but since I didn’t have a light, I stayed slightly to his side and back so that I could see everything. Anyway, this again gave me anxiety because he felt he was always looking for me. Another learning experience. Another thing that was making me not want to get wet.
On the last night, I finally got to have a dive alone with Joe. First time in more than 25 years. It was a dusk dive and everything was picture perfect. My gear felt right, my positioning to him was great, our communication on pointe. The creatures were wonderful and everything felt like Christmas – just perfect.
This led to a conversation about starting a service where we take divers and really teach them how to feel comfortable in the water. Sure, with your open water and advanced training you learn about how to take care of your gear, clear your ears, find buoyancy, plan your dive – dive your plan, but you don’t get practice at adjusting your gear, and really getting truly comfortable in it. You’re not given tips and tricks on getting in and out of shore entries that feel like you’re in a turbo-charged washing machine. What if you have a bad back, bad knees, arthritis, how do you manage this?
This has been the impetus for me to become a Dive Master. By simply having Joe and Mark restore my confidence in myself, my gear, and my diving, I am eager to become better and better in my knowledge and skill. I want to help others fall in love with a sport that many take on to be with a partner who is already confident and skilled.
Joe Scuba Dive Refinement Trips
There is a steep drop-off in diving after getting one’s Open Water and Advanced certifications. Why is that? I wager that while the underwater world is spectacular to explore, if you’re just not comfortable and confident in that world, your desire to pursue the sport wanes.
Joe and Mark have developed a whole curriculum around taking divers, new, experienced, those who’ve been away from the sport, young and older divers and refining skills that were learned, but taking them to next-level confidence.
We’ve come up with more than 20 skills, tips, and techniques to build confidence in any diver, and take truly experienced divers to another level. Learn more at Joe Scuba and join us.
