Embarassing First Open Water Certification Dive

by Emilyn Monroe
(Malaysia)

Hi, I thought I might share my first Open Water Dive experience with you. I find it highly hilarious (now) but back then I was mortified!

I took my Open Water Certification Dives (License) in Phuket, Thailand. The center I took it from had a rule where any student under 18 years old had to have a one on one tutor.

So on my first dive in the ocean, it was just me, my instructor and my buddy (who is also an instructor, but he wasn't the one instructing me. He was there purely for the function of being my buddy...)

As we got ready to descend, my buddy (Neil) and I ran through a buddy check. All his apparatus seemed fine.

Mine was a trainwreck even from the beginning.

As my buddy inflated my BCD, I felt one side of the vest being inflated, but not the other. I thought this was common, because it has happened before when I was training in the pool on my first day.

When we finally ran through the final okay, we took a giant leap into the sea: left hand holding the weight belt, right hand holding the regulator and mask. Check.

As I entered the sea, I switched to my snorkel and inflated my BCD. PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHH... my BCD retaliated.

I searched for my dive instructor and notified him. He swam towards my back and held me still, fixing the BCD. After a while, he says, "I need you to unbuckle your weight belt and hand it to Neil, as I'm trying to keep you buoyant here when you're BCD is deflated... not the easiest thing to do, mate."

Thank god we learned the whole removal and attachment of a weight belt underwater in the pool prior to this. So I did exactly that. (Little did I know when I did that, one of the weights slipped off the belt and descended 20m below...)

As we got the BCD cleared up, we descended. No major catastrophe happened throughout the dive, but as my SPG read 80 bars, I couldn't keep myself at depth. I signaled to my buddy to help me with my buoyancy.

He swam towards me like a pro (ahem, which is IS) handling me one of his weights and chucking it into my BCD pocket. After he did that, I still felt myself floating to the top. I pressed the deflate button as much as I could.

No use, I was still ascending. I panicked.

I couldn't ascend without them and since it was my first dive, I didn't have a dive computer to plan my safety stops. I frantically tried to signal them for help.

Finally, before I could get any higher, Neil caught my eye. He swam up and tugged my D rings down (ha, well, I apparently forgot the whole securing my BCD tightly rule) and he signaled me to pull the BCD hose upright.

OH YEAH. Completely forgot about the whole upright low pressure hose rule, too. Instantly bubbles arose from the low pressure hose. Phew.

Soon, I managed to get myself right at the bottom again. We were about to ascend, when I decided to check my SPG. Big mistake.

I turned to Neil and showed him my fist. (No one told me that only if HE ASKS, then showing my fist would mean 50 bars left.) I completely forgot that a fist circled around my chest would also mean, "low on air" ...

He came to me and gave me his alternative from his octopus. I took it, because according to the textbook, 50 also means low on air.

Upon seeing the sharing of oxygen, my instructor panicked and rushed to us.

He grabbed my SPG and looked me in the eye and signaled "7" that means I had 70 bars left- plenty much. I looked at my SPG and squinted.

He was right.

The fog in my mask deluded me to think I had 50 bars left. Feeling stupid, I returned Neil's octopus and we ascended, successfully.

As we reached the surface, my instructor reminded me, "You had 70 bars left in your tank, lass, nothing to worry about." I explained to him that I thought I saw it was 50. "Well, even if it was 50, at the depth of 18m, to be frank with you even if you were left with 20 bars, you would be able to ascend comfortably with a safety stop."

I was red. As we boarded the boat, I took off my weight belt again. Noticing I had one weight missing, I notified Neil.

I knew this would be bad because we rented these weights from the boat, and it wasn't from the dive academy. That meant we would have to pay extra for any missing items. Neil looked at me. "I dunno, it might have fallen... Just... hang the weight belt back where it was" and winked. We just avoided that topic and never told my instructor...

At least that was the only thing that went right that day.

....

P.S: I managed to get really good marks on the theory and got through the other 3 dives without a single hassle, thankfully. Upon receiving my certification, my instructor claimed that I've been the best student he's gotten so far... HA, LIES.

- Emilyn Monroe, Malaysia.


Hi Emilyn,

Great story. I'm glad you got through the course successfully and didn't let a couple incidents deter you.

You are not alone in having a couple of "incidents" on your first certification dive. That first dive can be nervewracking - there is alot to remember plus it is your first time diving in openwater.

I'm glad you got through it and can appreciate the humor now.

Thanks for sharing your story - I enjoyed it and it will probably help some other new divers feel a bit more relaxed.

Dianne

Comments for Embarassing First Open Water Certification Dive

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Botched first open water dive
by: Anonymous

Thanks for your story! (Note to Anonymous from webmaster: I moved your story to your own page since I think more people will see it there and benefit from it. Thanks for your story, you can read my comments on your page. Your story about your first open water dive can be found here.)

Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Thanks
by: Emilyn Monroe

thanks for your comment, yeah it was rather embarassing for me, im just glad the instructor didnt take me out of the water and said "STAY ON BOARD" haha.
but yeah thanks for the tip, and thanks for rating :)

Rating
starstarstarstarstar
i loved the story
by: miskiman

Hi there i loved the story is it very funny but i know it was not when u were living it ...

be assured after few hundred dives u wont know that u are diving .. u will feel that u are going to where u belong .. trust me .. and enjoy the water dear ..

miskiman

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Your Scuba Dive Story.



 Want to stay down longer and improve your buoyancy control and other diving skills? Our free report "Increase Your Bottom Time" along with our practical, weekly actionable tips will have you looking like a seasoned diver in no time. So come join us and see improvement on your very next dive!
(Click on the photo to join us now!)

Click here to subscribe


What's New

  1. Unofficially Summer

    May 25, 24 07:19 AM

    Well it is finally here. Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of summer! Wishing everyone a happy and healthy holiday weekend. Hopefully the weather cooperates wherever you are and you will b…

    Read More

  2. Happy New Year

    Jan 01, 24 06:00 AM

    Happy New Year everyone! I hope everyone is well and had a fun New Years Eve! May your new year be filled with lots of wonderful dives. All the best to you and yours in 2024! Let the dives begin.

    Read More

  3. Happy Holidays

    Dec 14, 23 05:05 AM

    I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season! I am always amazed at how fast time flies and another year is just around the corner. I wanted to pop in and say hi to everyone. I am doing some full ti…

    Read More

  4. 3 Common Scuba Diving Mistakes New Divers Make

    Feb 23, 23 02:18 PM

    3 Common Scuba Diving Mistakes
    In this video, I share 3 common scuba diving mistakes beginner divers make. Learn how to correct these for a better - and safer - dive.

    Read More

  5. Scuba Diving Tipping Etiquette: How Much And When To Tip Scuba Crew

    Feb 06, 23 03:34 PM

    scuba diving tipping etiquette
    Not sure of scuba diving tipping etiquette? In this video I share who to tip, when to tip, how much to tip, tipping on liveaboards, tipping an instructor & more

    Read More