Okay, let's call it what it is. Fear of water. Which is why I've struggled with the 'giant stride' form of getting into the stuff.
Scuba divers employ a variety of methods for entering the water, depending on the setting. Weighed down with our gear, including heavy tanks of air, and wearing large fins on our feet, our mobility is impeded. Simply 'diving in' isn't as easy as it sounds.
As I mentioned in my very first post, I'd never jumped into water before taking up scuba diving. Which made my first practical lesson even more daunting, because I was asked to perform a giant stride to get into the swimming pool.
My preferred approach has always been to climb down a ladder or walk down a gently shelving beach. Or simply to stay away from the wet stuff. That way I remain in control.
The giant stride is exactly what it sounds like. You stand on the side, facing the water. You put one hand on your face to hold your mask and regulator in place, face straight ahead, and take a huge step forward. The result is a fall, feet first, into the water.
You crash through the surface and drop beneath it. I make a point of not closing my eyes and for a couple of seconds my vision is filled with a seething mass of bubbles. Then buoyancy takes over and, having filled your jacket with air before stepping out, you bob to the surface and raise a hand to signal that you're okay. Assuming that you are, of course!
I'd got used to the giant stride at the swimming pool, although I didn't enjoy it. But when we went diving at Vobster Quay it reached a new level of challenge, with the entry point a few metres above the water's surface. It looked a very long way down.
There wasn't a lot of time to consider the options. My dive buddy, much more experienced than I, was soon in the water and waiting for me. There were two extremely inviting ladders from the entry point into the water but they're almost impossible to negotiate in fins. No, my choices were to pull out or step in.
A fundamental of scuba diving is having faith in your equipment. For me the giant stride tests that trust from the very start, because only my artificial buoyancy is going to compensate for the huge weight I'm carrying.
And it does the job admirably, every time.
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