Each of us is born with what seems to be an inherent attraction or an inherent aversion to the water, with some of us taking to our first water experiences with joy, and others with trepidation or even tears. Now you want to become a better diver, and no matter what your feelings about the water, doing so involves getting more comfortable in a foreign environment. Before you start, please keep in mind that your own safety is up to you; control your own risks, and swim under the supervision of a competent instructor or lifeguard.
Getting Comfortable With Submersion
We humans are not equipped to stay underwater for much longer than a few seconds, and we are hard wired to react to submersion, both physically and psychologically, particularly when water is cold. Stress and panic can be part of the package, serving to make things worse. While SCUBA equipment allows us to breathe underwater, it’s up to us to develop the remainder of the skills and experience that can lead to complete comfort with submersion.
First, recognize that breathing with your mouth alone is going to be a necessity, and second, recognize that the ability to do the crawl stroke with your face mostly submerged throughout the mouth breathing cycle will greatly enhance your ability to gain comfort in the water. You can try swimming the crawl with a snorkel, focusing on deep, rhythmic breathing, to gain better comfort and efficiency.
Mask Clearing Practice
You don’t need SCUBA gear to practice clearing your mask. In the shallow end of the pool, practice kneeling on the bottom and clearing your mask on a single breath. Once you can do it a single time, see if you can do it twice, or three times in a single breath. Any time you feel uncomfortable, you can just stand up and breathe, then give yourself another chance. Work on making the action feel routine.
Other Methods for Gaining Comfort in the Water
In the military, divers and sailors alike must undergo rigorous in-pool training, all without the help of SCUBA gear. You can try a few of these exercises on your own, depending on how well you can swim. If you don’t swim well, see if you can find a qualified swimming instructor to help you gain better skills before trying anything that might cause you to panic, and if you’re afraid that you might panic, don’t leave the shallow end; just stand up and breathe.
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Snorkel breathing with a buddy – This is a good practice exercise for buddy breathing. Float on the surface with your buddy, arms interlinked. Keep your eyes open. Take turns breathing with a single snorkel, remembering to exhale slowly rather than hold your breath while waiting your turn for the next breath. Remember to breathe out through your mouth, not your nose.
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Survival Bob – Bob to the bottom, then bob back up, exhaling as you bounce down and continuing to exhale as you rebound; never holding your breath. Get a breath at the surface, and keep practicing until you can do it in water deeper than you are tall. Wear a ditchable weight belt if you are too buoyant to touch bottom on your own. Be sure someone watches you closely the whole time.
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Snorkel Gear Don and Doff – Drop your snorkel gear to the bottom of the pool. Get a breath, then drop into the pool, holding your breath as you dive down to your gear. Put your mask on and clear it, then put the snorkel in your mouth. Next, put your fins on your feet; then, look up as you surface, exhaling slowly to clear the snorkel. Recover on the surface, keeping your face in the water, and your snorkel in your mouth. Make sure someone competent watches you the entire time.
Each of these practice drills enhances comfort, efficiency, and safety over time. No matter how experienced a diver you are, you can give them a try; next time you need to clear your mask or recover a piece of gear underwater, you’ll feel just a little more at ease.