OMG Raina. That is so amazing! I'm so happy for her. Some people never get to understand what it is like to breathe underwater. I recently got my open water scuba certification. The feeling of breathing underwater is amazing.
Me too. I can only imagine how she feels. Being confined to a wheelchair, it can be rough. I spent a month in a wheelchair when I broke my ankle, was not fun
These things prove that even the handicapped can dive!
Like the SASY rig I built for my autistic nephew. He loved it until he outgrew it. The SASY rig is a scuba system built into a Type III PFD. As you stay on the surface, you don't need certification, as no pressure related injury can occur.
You should have heard him start screaming when he opened it!
Thats so cool Nemo. I know how he feels. I got my certification last month, and it was absolutely amazing. Got to dive the southern part of the Puget Sound. You wouldn't think there is much there because of the cold but, there was a lot to see. The water was REALLY warm that weekend too. Actually got to just snorkel on the surface for about 2 hours
And as Lexia can attest, scuba really isn't that hard! It's mainly in the mindset. I even thought that I wouldn't make it through class, until everything clicked, and then it was easy! The biggest part is learning what can hurt you, and how to prevent it. After that, all it takes is practice with the gear.
With the advent of the Buoyancy Compensator (BC, BCD), it opened the way for handicapped divers. Ascent and descent at the push of a button. And with the Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV) even paralized divers can skim the reefs.
I almost didn't get my cert. First time I went up, got my first 2 dives done and was headed back to Yellow house... I tripped and bashed my head on the asphalt of the road. Had to wait 2 months till I could go back and try again. And yeah, it is a lot about mindset. I have to work myself through getting into a wet suit. I am claustrophobic and cannot stand to be confined... I know what you are thinking, how could I stand to be in a tail? It's all about mindset ^^' It's going to take getting used to being in a tail, but its something I want most
Are you using a your own wetsuit or a rental? If it's a rental, they tend to feel a lot more restrictive. If you can get a good custom fit suit, it won't be so bad. If you can find a Henderson 7mm Goldcore suit (discontinued), for all their pain in the ass, they really are warm for their thickness, and won't be as restrictive.
Even if you can't get a custom suit, check the thrift stores, as you may find a perfect suit for dirt cheap. Locally, I've hit 7mm suits for anywhere between $5 and $25.
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