# My Daughter's First Dive



## bmoore (Oct 10, 2007)

I have been working with my 11 year old daughter and she is an excellent free diver. 

She wanted to try scuba so I hooked her up with a small size BC and one of my deco bottles "hose clamped" to it. Took her out to the Navarre pier and she LOVED IT! 

She is better than most adults I have worked with. Her bouyancy control was good and she was taking the regulator out of her mouth, clearing it and replacing it underwater. Even put a shell in her bc pocket..not looking..WHAT A PRO!

Took the video camera out on the second dive.






Guess I need to get her trained up on Nitrox as well...she is breathing a 50/50 mix. LOL

Got her a wetsuit from Bay Breeze (Thanks guys!) and we are off to Marianna this weekend for some further training.

(Her mother is worried to death! :nonono)


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

Very good Brain. I wait for the day that I can get my daughter underwater. She's only 3 now. But she has no fear of the water. 

Get her interested early and you will have a dive buddy for life. Who knows, one day she might be out shooting you underwater.:doh I hear you about mom being so worried. My wife hates it when I tell her the stories of sharks almost eating me and she doesn't like my diving/spearing hobby. I can only imagine when I tell my wife that I am going to take my daughter out.


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## bmoore (Oct 10, 2007)

Yea you might want to avoid the horror stories to the missus. 

I try not tell her in too much detail about the sharks or getting lost for a moment or two or silted out in a cave. 

And I never mention the deep dives! LOL

This weekend will be her first "deep" dive ...over 15 feet but I think she will do fine and really enjoy it.


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## Brandy (Sep 28, 2007)

Brian I have A 3mill shorty thats brand new she can have. My daughter out grew it before she got to use it.


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## bmoore (Oct 10, 2007)

Might take you up on that. 

We have a shorty that is a little big and I just bought her a full suit.


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## flappininthebreeze (Jul 13, 2009)

Don't know you and highly commend you encouraging the interest in scuba. Also very highly recommend you getting the aforementioned training, from a certified and insured professional instructor, as soon as possible. 15 feet doesn't seem like much, but it's deep enough to get hurt in. You can be as careful as you can and things can still go to hell in a handbasket quicker than you think. It is worth every penny and then some to let the pros handle it, and your wife will feel better too. If you are a pro yourself, go for it. Otherwise, pony up and get your girl some professional training. You can always tag along and share the experience. As good as you are, a professional instructor will be better. Just my $0.02, but for sure, kudos on encouraging her interest.


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## Orion45 (Jun 26, 2008)

> *flappininthebreeze (8/13/2009)*Don't know you and highly commend you encouraging the interest in scuba. Also very highly recommend you getting the aforementioned training, from a certified and insured professional instructor, as soon as possible. 15 feet doesn't seem like much, but it's deep enough to get hurt in. You can be as careful as you can and things can still go to hell in a handbasket quicker than you think. It is worth every penny and then some to let the pros handle it, and your wife will feel better too. If you are a pro yourself, go for it. Otherwise, pony up and get your girl some professional training. You can always tag along and share the experience. As good as you are, a professional instructor will be better. Just my $0.02, but for sure, kudos on encouraging her interest.


What is the basis of your comments if you don't know the girl's father? Has it ever ocurred to you that he might be a certified instructor? Additionally, I take exceptionto your comment that "as good as you are, a professional instructor will be better". That's about as accurate as saying that someone with a captain's license is a better boater than someone without one. Sometimes, one's .02 are neither required nor desired.


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## matthewy8 (Feb 5, 2008)

> *Orion45 (8/13/2009)*
> 
> 
> > *flappininthebreeze (8/13/2009)*Don't know you and highly commend you encouraging the interest in scuba. Also very highly recommend you getting the aforementioned training, from a certified and insured professional instructor, as soon as possible. 15 feet doesn't seem like much, but it's deep enough to get hurt in. You can be as careful as you can and things can still go to hell in a handbasket quicker than you think. It is worth every penny and then some to let the pros handle it, and your wife will feel better too. *If you are a pro yourself, go for it. Otherwise, pony up and get your girl some professional training.* You can always tag along and share the experience. As good as you are, a professional instructor will be better. Just my $0.02, but for sure, kudos on encouraging her interest.
> ...


He doesnt need a basis for his comments. He was expressing his concern for a child that could be trained improperly from someone that isn't an instructor. Whats wrong with what he said?


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## Mike aka FishWerks (Oct 22, 2007)

Congrats, she's looks like a natural. Terrific confidence builder for a youngster. We also have a full wet suit that would probably fit her... my daughter used it for surfing in California... and she quickly outgrew it, may be just a bit big for your daughter now but may work by the time she's diving the Big "O". Freebie just let me know. Again great job!


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## Orion45 (Jun 26, 2008)

> *matthewy8 (8/13/2009)*
> 
> 
> > *Orion45 (8/13/2009)*
> ...


It's the overall tone of *flappininthebreeze*'spost. No inputs were originally requested. It was a post concerning *bmoore*'s daughter accomplishment. Why rain on someone's parade? Why not just say congratulations like everyone else has and forgo the lecture?No need to take to the pulpit andadmonish someoneon his fatherly duties.


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## Brandy (Sep 28, 2007)

I agree Vlado. When Brian got his cert he obviously knew the importance of proper training.


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## Evensplit (Oct 2, 2007)

Orion,

The difference between a skilled andexperienced diver (or pilot, or captain, or NFO)and a trained and certified instructor is the focus of the training received. Instructors spend a great deal of time learning why to teach certain skills a certain way, how to teach them, and how to handle a bad situation. Not saying an instructor is a better diver (pilot,captain,nfo) by default, but an instructor is trained to do the job.

There are some anomalies in teaching children, including some physiological issues thatneed tobe addressed.

I'll agree thatFlap's approach could have been better, but the message is mostly valid. And no, I'm not bashingBrian.


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## bmoore (Oct 10, 2007)

Well guys here is the low down. 

Actually I am "professional"..and I used that term very loosely knowing some of you instructor types around these parts! oke

As an SSI Dive Control Specialist (this is a dive master/assistant instructor), I am qualified, insured and trained to give intro to scuba lessons, lead dive trips/tours, teach refresher courses/speciality coursesand teach scuba rangers, (children 8-12).

I am NOT a full fledge instructor but working that way on a NAUI crossover.

Now, not to toot my own horn,..oh what the hell, imblowing away....

I have been diving for 27 years and am a certified cave diver and advance trimix diver. 

I have worked on dive charter boats and with 400 dives logged and god knows how many not, I am quite aware of what can happen under water and how fast it can snowball. 

I've experienced it first hand, both on myself and with other divers. Passing this knowledge and experience on can keep a person from making the same mistakes I, and others, have made. Not too mention I have a vested interest in my daughters success....and survival!

The biggest challenge I have working with my own children is the fact that being their dad, they may not listen to me as they would a stranger. All of us parents have seen this..heck I am sure we did it as kids as well. Fortunately she has not gotten to this point..guess she is a little too young (11 years)and just starting to reach it?? 

It would be different trying this with your teenager I bet! 

If everything goes well and she continues to want to pursue her training I plan on gettingCraig at Bay Breeze to help me out with it this spring.

Thanks for the comments and thoughtful posts! 

We are off to Marianna to get her cave diving this weekend! 

Just kidding.... oke


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

> *bmoore (8/14/2009)*Well guys here is the low down.
> 
> Actually I am "professional"..and I used that term very loosely knowing some of you instructor types around these parts! oke
> 
> ...


So what you are saying is, "you have no idea what you are doing". oke :letsdrink Again, congrats to your daughter and keep her interested in it.


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## Orion45 (Jun 26, 2008)

> *Evensplit (8/14/2009)....I'll agree thatFlap's approach could have been better, but the message is mostly valid.....*


*

I completely agree the message is valid. It's just how and where it was delivered. In my opinion, acase of "right church, wrong pew".

Moving on.......:grouphug :letsdrink*


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## bmoore (Oct 10, 2007)

*Precisely Telum!*


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