Top 10 Tips for First Day Diving Nerves
I’m probably a little biased but I honestly think that Scuba Diving is genuinely one of the greatest and most fulfilling sports in the world! However, even the most water confident amongst us may still find themselves feeling nervous diving metres below the surface into the unknown for the first time. Don’t worry, it’s completely natural! Trust me, we’ve all been there!
Whether you’ve decided to sign yourself up for the PADI Discover Scuba Diving Course or maybe gone one step further and are undergoing the PADI Open Water Course, here are 10 tips to help keep those pesky anxious thoughts at bay.
1. Breathe!!!
The number one rule in scuba diving (and believe me, you’re going to hear it a lot) is to never hold your breath. It sounds silly but think about it, our natural response when swimming underwater is to hold our breath but for scuba diving, you must always breathe just as normally as you would on land. Try to breathe as steadily and as naturally as you can, not only will you feel a lot calmer but it’ll also help you to conserve energy during your dive.
2. Listen To Your Instructor
I can’t express enough how important it is to listen to your instructor! During my Divemaster Internship, I assisted on many dives and it always baffled me how many students simply do not pay attention! Your instructor is trained to teach you, to assist you and a good instructor will always be there for you. You should be able to feel comfortable with them and rely on them at all times whilst learning. Try to get to know your instructor and build trust with them throughout the entire process. If the trust isn’t there or you decide they aren’t the instructor for you, then there’s absolutely no harm in saying something and switching to a different instructor much more suited to you.
3. Get To Know Your Equipment
One of the first things you’ll learn in the practical section of your Open Water Course is how to put your equipment together. Your equipment is essentially an extended part of yourself and if you don’t take the time to understand it and familiarise yourself with it, it’ll only lead to problems and complications. Even when enjoying a Discover Scuba Diving day, it’s important to listen to your instructor and follow through with all the skills.
4. Pace Yourself
You’re bound to notice how smoothly your instructor glides through the water at a very slow and steady pace, whilst you’re over here doggy paddling feeling out of your element. It may have you questioning, ‘how do they DO that?” Well, the answer is simple really - practise. It takes a while to get to grips with your buoyancy underwater and maintaining neutral buoyancy can take even longer to achieve. The best thing to do for your first dive is to understand your body, recognise how you feel and swim slowly. The less you move, the more air you’ll conserve. You don’t need to swim fast, you won’t miss anything! Try to pace yourself, regulate your energy and keep calm. Learning not to depend on your arms will come in time so for now, look around, feel peaceful and enjoy your dive!
5. Don’t Rush The Theory
I kinda wish I’d taken this tip a little more seriously when I first started, all I wanted to do was get straight into the water but please remember that scuba diving is an extreme sport. It’s to be taken seriously. Yeah I know, it can be daunting seeing just how much theory and practical work is involved in each course but it's important to be safe and to do the work. Try not to rush through the reading material, you’ll wish you hadn’t when it comes to your first day in the real world.
6. Don’t Put Pressure on Yourself
Nobody is perfect at anything the first time and even if we were, where’s the fun in that? Scuba diving is just as much of a learning process as anything else - even divers with thousands of dives under their belts still find themselves discovering new things. So take it easy on yourself!
7. Stay Hydrated
Ok, we all know how important it is to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated each day but when scuba diving, you really do need to be on top of your game. Maybe you’re lucky enough to be diving in some exotic location with the sun beating down on you or perhaps you’re diving in an icy cold lake somewhere, either way, stay hydrated and treat your body with some respect. You’re putting it through something it won’t be used to, you’ll want to be fully alert and in top health!
8. Ask Questions
Ever heard the phrase - no question is a stupid question? If you have any questions at all then please don’t hesitate to ask your instructor! You never know, if you’re diving in a group, someone may also have the same question but might be too scared to ask. Remember, there’s no verbal communication under the water so it’s important to be clear about any safety protocols and instructions. If you have any queries at all, ask!!!
9. Be Prepared
You’ll want to be well-rested the night before your day of diving, believe me, it’s going to be a very tiring first day. Make sure to enjoy a little self-care the night before, don’t drink any alcohol, sleep well and drink lots of water. Diving days are very long days with early starts so it might pay off to pack your day bag the night before. Do yourself a favour and write a little list of what you might need: towel, sun cream, hairbrush, SPF lip balm, reusable water bottle, purse, phone, camera for the boat (maybe leave the underwater camera at home for the first dive, you’ll have other things to concentrate on).
10. Enjoy Yourself
The last tip I have for you is not to forget the reason you wanted to learn to dive in the first place! Scuba diving is such an amazing opportunity, it's so much fun and not everybody gets a chance to do it! You’ll only ever be a beginner once, these nerves won’t last forever, so take your time, listen attentively and above all, enjoy yourself!
Just remember, there’s nothing more rewarding than achieving your dream, and even better, there’s nothing quite like first-time nerves to keep you on your toes! You’re only a first-timer once, so embrace your nerves & get diving!
