*DIVERS* got a dumb question

[quads4_lif]

I am going on a cruise with my first dive and I am wondering what you put or do with your ears. When I am just snorkeling and I dive down just a small ways the pressure hurts my ears to the point I have to go back up. I am just wondering if there is any thing can you just use regular ear plugs or what. Sorry I am diver stupid I guess.

 

[anmldr]

Have you ever taken a dive class before? I have been diving for about 10 years now. It doesn't really sound like you are certified. Where are you going on your cruise?

 

[quads4_lif]

that was not my question but no I have not taken a dive class yet. But this is not a serious dive they give you an hour crash course in diveing then take you out for like a 20 min dive. We are going to Coasta Maya, Cozumel, Youcatan

 

[reefforbrains]

Same as free diving, practice popping your ears without exhaling. you might need to pop them every 5 feet of your dive but thats ok once you get the hang of it.
Might invest in an acredited few dry lessons first. Cert is cheap and easy, its the manuvers and exp that makes good divers. The basic pool parlor tricks- practicing hovering, re-masking and removing and replacing your regulator ect will make your dive much more enjoyable when you hit the open water.
This is a very strong statement but Diving is a total breeze and its SUPER addictive, but TONS of tourists are killed every year biting off more than they can chew. Spend the time and money and do some prepwork at a local shop. You will be blown away on your dive and most likley hooked forever on breathing from a bottle. Buy your own mask too. Even if you only use it once, They are not terribly expensive. It will make the experience more comfy and enjoyable.....aka safe
-JMO

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by quads4_lif
that was not my question but no I have not taken a dive class yet. But this is not a serious dive they give you an hour crash course in diveing then take you out for like a 20 min dive. We are going to Coasta Maya, Cozumel, Youcatan

This is an excellent way to kill yourself.
I would STRONGLY discourage taking this sort of "not a serious dive"
ALL DIVES ARE SERIOUS, ALL DIVES CAN BE FATAL. And it is lack of training that will do that. INSTINCTIVE things, such as holding your breathe, is FATAL in diving.
Do you want to risk your life for a 20 minutes dive? Because it is a real possibility.
It is a wonderful sport, and safe, with proper equipment and training.

Invest in a real training course (and that is not a few hours...), and good equipment. Then you will know the answers to this and thensome...and be involved in a fantastic sport.

 

[autofreak44]

yeah im no dive expert but take your time and do it right just like in saltwater tanks. also i was suprised the first time i actualy dived (in my training course) how much you have to pop your ears. i guess i just have to get used to it.

 

[reefforbrains]

Now the poor guy is going to be so scared.
They dont take Tourists even near passing the first atmostphere so theres not as much danger of embolisms and such but still. I used to bribe my way past the red tape for getting tanks and farting around and let me be the first to tell you IT CAN KILL YOU.
Shallow diving presents its own risks because of surface turbulence and so on, dropping under even 12 ft can panic people and they dont make it to the surface. While I think this thread has some doom and gloom talk going on I most definatley agree that some classroom work wouldnt hurt a bit.
Many goofy things and habits to break compared to free diving. The more exp the better the dive will be and less you will be thinkig of your breaths per min and fear of de-fogging and remasking

 

[scubaguy]

Originally Posted by quads4_lif
I am going on a cruise with my first dive and I am wondering what you put or do with your ears. When I am just snorkeling and I dive down just a small ways the pressure hurts my ears to the point I have to go back up. I am just wondering if there is any thing can you just use regular ear plugs or what. Sorry I am diver stupid I guess.
While going to the boat clear your ears, while on the boat clear your ears. Then while you are descending clear you ears at the slightest pain. The more you clear your ears on the surface it should allow you to clear it easier under water. Also if for some reason your ears do not clear do not keep descending. Ascend a couple of feet and try to clear again, if they still do not, ascend a little further and try again. If for some reason your ears will not clear then call the dive and call it a day. You do not want to blow a ear drum, very painful and most likely you will never be able to dive again.
It sounds like you are going to be taking a explorer dive class. They will take you out with about 10 to 20 other divers and two Dive Masters will dive with you guys and monitor you. Make sure you stay near the DM in case something goes wrong. Also like stated before if you like diving take a certified course back here in the states. Do not take these two day wonder courses they do not teach you everything you need to know. Diving is a great sport but if you make a mistake it could kill you. Also if you decide you have more questions and like diving. Try Scubaboard.com my sign name is Floridawannabe. Hope this helps.

 

[windmill]

Just get some ear plugs, goggles, and a quality snorkel.
With practice and experience a novice snorkeler can go down 20-30 feet and have enough air to check out the bottom thoroughly.
Plus you don't have to worry about all that other junk and danger associated with scuba.
I'd personally rather dive under my own power and breath than have some steel tank and lead weights strapped to me.

 

[dragonzim]

Originally Posted by windmill
Just get some ear plugs, goggles, and a quality snorkel.
With practice and experience a novice snorkeler can go down 20-30 feet and have enough air to check out the bottom thoroughly.
Plus you don't have to worry about all that other junk and danger associated with scuba.
I'd personally rather dive under my own power and breath than have some steel tank and lead weights strapped to me.
DO NOT plan on using ear plugs if you are going to dive. The pressure from the water can force them deep into your ear canal making them next to impossible to remove. One of the first things they will teach you in any diving course is how to clear your ears and NOT to use ear plugs. I agree with what has been said above. If this is something that you think you are going to want to pursue you are much better off going for your Open Water Certification and a regular dive shop. The course should cost somewhere around $100 and the only equipment you need to buy up front is a mask, fins and a snorkel. Expect to spend around $150 or so for a basic gear package. You will learn so much more in a real course and your dive will be that much safer and more enjoyable if you already know what you are doing and are comfortable underwater. A resort course, which is what these little 2 hour classes and then you are diving are called, can not possibly teach you all that you should know.
I've been certified as an Advanced Open Water diver and Wreck diver for about 10 years, so if you have any questions, ask away..

 

[agent-x]

Not to mention the knowledge you will gain by taking a cert class may save your life or the life of someone close to you. I've been a diver for 8 years (certified) and two years before that. If I would have taken a class earlier it could have saved a life. My best friend died in a diving accident and I strongly believe had we taken classes this would not have happened. I know the accident wasn't my fault, but you will never forgive yourself for not taking the steps that could have helped to prevent it.

 

[agent-x]

Originally Posted by windmill
Just get some ear plugs, goggles, and a quality snorkel.
With practice and experience a novice snorkeler can go down 20-30 feet and have enough air to check out the bottom thoroughly.
Plus you don't have to worry about all that other junk and danger associated with scuba.
I'd personally rather dive under my own power and breath than have some steel tank and lead weights strapped to me.
Even when I snorkel i use skills I learned in dive class.

 

[alyssia]

I've heard of something called the bends before. What is that?

 

[windmill]

I've used ear plugs on many snorkel dives up to 30 feet. They're the long ones with a little grab-hold thingy on the end mind you, never had a worry with them. I could see your point about ear plugs on a 40 plus foot dive though, but then you'd likely be using tanks.
Most people start snorkeling first, then work their way up to scuba. I've never heard of someone starting the complicated and risky hobby of scuba before trying the simple and easy hobby of snorkeling. That just seems odd to me, start with the more difficult task first then implement skills learned there on the easy task.
Now i'm curious, what skills did you adopt for snorkeling that you learned while scuba-diving? The only things I can think of are the spittin in the goggles and to bring a diveknife just in case.

 

[ophiura]

Frankly, when I was getting certified - it was a semester long course- I panicked in the pool and yes even that can kill you. It doesn't take much.
People snorkeling tend to hold their breathe, which is the single, number one rule NOT to ever do diving...2 feet below the surface or 100.
You also do not use ear plugs, or take decongestants to start - as a general rule.
Diving requires a lot of attention to how long you have been at depth, as problems can arise. You need to be careful planning your dives for different depths and how long your dives are. You need to be very careful about flying soon after. There are actually a lot of things to learn that are different - what to do in emergencies, how to deal with the very real possibility of panic, equipment breaking, buoyancy, etc.
What I learned diving that applies to snorkeling? You are right, not much...I don't hold my breath even then. But it is a different ballgame, really, in many respects.
These sorts of "not serious dives" make me really cringe.
Like many LFS', their primary concern is often your money, and they are hedging bets on the fact that you are probably not going to get hurt. I've seen some real shady "dive master's" in some of these resort areas too.

I would add about the free diving. First, many of the greatest are dead. But believe me...NO WAY can you thoroughly "check out" the bottom. Not until you have a tank, sit at 30 feet, and just wait, do you really see the life there

I am not a deep diver, I love just watching.
It is amazing!

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by alyssia
I've heard of something called the bends before. What is that?
Nitrogen in your blood becomes gaseous and the bubbles rip their way out of your capillaries. Your blood can literally become foam. Needless to say, it varies from serious/deadly.
Quads, please listen to Ophiura on this thread. Diving is the greatest experience I've ever undertaken. Done improperly, it can kill you however. The air in your lungs at 33 feet is 1/2 the volume as it is at the surface. Simply translated, that means that if you panic at 33 feet, get a big gulp of air and head to the surface you could in fact blow up a lung... Not to mention rupturing capillaries in your eyes from mask squeeze, permanently damaging your ears, etc.
Take a class before the cruise. It will take a couple of weeks. It also will teach you and prepare you for your cruise. That way, when the hoards of other tourists with you are struggling to breath in leaky regulators while their masks are filling with water and their ears feel like they are going to burst you'll be enjoying the reef.....
I had a similar experience to Ophiura. My first dive was in 12 feet of water in a swimming pool. I grew up swimming... Still, it takes a while to get your brain to understand you need to breath while underwater. That's a leson best learned in a controlled environment like a pool.
Would you take an hour lesson before driving a race car? Skydiving? Snake Charming? :joy:
Get certified... the certification will last you a lifetime and you'll enjoy your first dive a lot more.

 

[ophiura]

In fact...if you go certified, you probably won't have to deal with some 20 minutes dive crowded with loads of other people. You can go out and get a real great dive in

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by ophiura
In fact...if you go certified, you probably won't have to deal with some 20 minutes dive crowded with loads of other people. You can go out and get a real great dive in

Great point...

 

[ophiura]

One thing I also must mention...
Many of these snorkel and "not serious dives" on cruises or through resorts also feature a great deal of alcohol.
DO NOT MIX ALCOHOL WITH THESE SPORTS

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by windmill
...
Now i'm curious, what skills did you adopt for snorkeling that you learned while scuba-diving? The only things I can think of are the spittin in the goggles and to bring a diveknife just in case.
Better gear for one thing. My SCUBA fins, mask, snorkel, etc. are a lot better then what I had bought for snorkeling. Makes a huge difference.
SCUBA, when done properly, is a minimally dangerous sport. While I enjoy snorkeling, the truth is as a snorkeler you are observing the reef. While diving, you become part of the reef. There's not enough time in the day for me to share with you the experiences I've had while diving.... Not just things I've seen, but things I've encountered and interacted with.
In December me and a friend went to Bonaire for a week. Our third day we decended to about 120 feet and my dive computer (a very conservative one set to be conservative) started squacking at me. The display said I needed to decompress at 20ft for 40 minutes. Apparantly it calculated that since we had been diving to 130ft the previous 2 days that I needed to take a break. Anyway, me and my buddy immediately began to ascend as we knew air was going to be tight.
So, we found ourselves swimming in 20 feet of water across the forereef. About 5 minutes into our decompression we had a school of about 20 squid come in. They swam right up to me, and started flashing colors back and forth as they communicated with each other. Then they slowly began to school around me. They lined up horizontally, on each side of me like I was one of them. For 10 minutes I slowly swam in (not with, but actually as a part of) the school of squid. That's not an experience I would have gotten to have if I had been snorkeling.