Posted by Wayne on July 09, 2002 at 14:57:15:
In Reply to: Why We Don't Teach Beach Diving (full version) posted by Ken Kurtis on July 08, 2002 at 22:19:14:
OK that is not fair. I like shore diving. I really like shore diving in warm water, but that is a different story. Having watched quite a few friends and family start diving here I can say that you seem to be right on the money. Once a diver is a bit comfortable with the gear issues, they are ready to add the beach issues to their comfort zone. My memory is too faded to remember much about my first beach dives, but I grew up body surfing and was comfortable in the surf zone. So did my kids. This enabled them to be able to get through the surf or get flattened by the surf without panic or excessive frustration. But the non-beach types I have known had a very bad time on their first beach dives. One particular one comes to mind.
Her husband has been diving for ages and she wants to start. She has snorkled and done "discover" diving experiences in warm water. She wants to certify before their next tropical vacation. She is an avid swimmer. And I foolishly recommended she use a local shop who I mistakenly thought was better than they really are. And her instructor was an arrogant jackass who thought he was God's gift to the world.
When it came time for the beach dives, the surf was BIG at Vets park in Redondo. She had to suit up fully at the car and wear all gear down to the briefing (he said it was part of the experience and was a requirement of the class). So this gal wore her 7 mil wetsuit and all gear (which weighed about the same as she did) and walked down. She was overheated. Then she was paired with another student for their entry. They waddled in backwards holding hands and when a wave hit them, her "buddy" took her under and would not let go -- good thing she kept her regulator in her mouth. The class DM rescued them and had them start again. It happened again and this time she got free and out of the surf zone. She was out of breath and late to the buoy. She was told to descend immediately. She had trouble descending (not unexpected with hyperventilation) and was being shouted at by the DM to hurry up and get down. The other student was still floundering in the surf zone and he wanted to drag her to shore and my friend would be unattended at the surface. Finally my friend was told to go to the beach and wait for the next dive. So she had to sit on the beach. On the second dive, her anxiety level was so high that she had trouble again and was sent back. She was told that she could not continue with the class and had to forfeit her $$ for the boat dives scheduled the next day (including the $20 for food and air that she would not consume). If she still wanted to be a diver, she could join another class the next weekend and pay for another boat dive.
There is a happy ending for this story. I introduced her to a competent instructor and set up an private (referral) class on a boat for her. She did fine and had no problems at all. Now she does beach diving and it is no problem.
Her class dove on a day I would not have dove. She did that stupid holding-hands thing that knocks everyone down. She was not told to swim under the surf and surface after she was through it. She was shouted at for being slow after having been nearly drowned by a paniced fellow student. Most students would have never come back. But a patient instructor and a dive boat named Peace fixed it all up.
Wayne