I just finished an intense PADI Open Water Diving Referral course held at a nearby pool over the last two days. Before the course, it required reading a book, watching some video's and answering some quizes. The course itself alternated between pool sessions practising scuba skills and classroom work which concludes with a final exam you had to pass. The theory is easy but practice is more challenging. It went well but I did find it a bit freaky at times.
Right in the beginning, I felt my nerve dissolving as diving underwater is such a strange environment! But as you stick with it, you slowly get more comfortable. I'm not a keen swimmer in the first place. Funny enough, the whole trick is to just relax. Much easier said than done! You really do have to concentrate on staying focused, trusting the equipment and swallowing any doubts. The worse bit I think was taking off the mask underwater and swimming with only the regulator and then putting the mask back on and clearing it. Or maybe the worse bit was shivering with cold underwater while waiting for my turn to try something. Or maybe the worse bit is knowing that I have to repeat the whole thing in a dirty cold lake in deeper water to complete my Open Water certificate! Coming this September...
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