Just trying to help Celia- I believe
this is less draconian. Have her watch her reflection in a pool until she feels “one” with the water:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/twhalliii/Lady%20In%20The%20Water.jpg
Thank you for the advice guys.
I also knew I was not theonly one here with this “problem”. I think her main phobia is that she will tip and get stuck in the boat. She also has major problems with her head being under water for some reason (and no its not because of the hair lol). I will try to work with her this summer and see what happens… maybe as you sugest get her into a beginners class or something along these lines. I qould love for her to come with me a see the beauty out there on the water as looking from shore into the blue is just not the same thing.
You’re welcome Tomek- to mitigate
her fear further, please impart that there are many others that have had more harrowing experiences at sea than she can imagine and survived.
Good luck.
http://www.timvp.com/gillign2.jpg
If it’s that…
I get it. Not necessarily the head under the water per se, but definately the head-under-the-water-with-legs-still-in-boat. I had a hell of a climb thru claustrophobia to make it to a roll, and even after having my first combat roll in WW I still have to stay wet in order for the anxiety to not creep up again. And in my case it wasn’t about being underwater in and of itself, that was fine. If it’s just about being under the water it’ll be harder for her.
So seriously - is there any reason that a SOT wouldn’t work for her to go out with you at first? I agree that she should take classes etc, but she wouldn’t be the first to find lots of excuses to be too busy just to avoid that first wet exit they’ll make her do. Going with a SOT and very conservative paddles with her would give you this coming season to resolve just the deep water/swimming part - she could even practice launching off the SOT - and by season’s end she herself may be ready to take the step of lessons in a SINK. (And you have a better chance of still having a happy girlfriend.)
Try some videos…
– Last Updated: Mar-20-08 9:39 PM EST –
No, you Pervs, not that kind!
...like "This is the Sea" series or similar. NOT INSTRUCTIONAL. This way she can see different people enjoying the sport and how it is really no big deal to capsize or roll if you know what you are doing.
Then assure her that you are both new and learning and will build up to bigger challenges later. The "Calm Before the Storm" speech.
If she needs to watch once or twice while you paddle around close to shore on a calm day, at least you still have a picnicking partner for that outing. If all else fails, you can still 'yak: find something else to have in common - like Mosh Pits or guns (something not as dangerous as kayaking!)
Take her to her favorite beach
and go swimming in shallow water.
Then bring out the yak…same shallow water… You stand in the water… have her dump…pick her up in your arms.
One new thing is enough. Familiar safe territory is the key.
Many people are afraid of the unknown…ie that first capsize.
Some then figure out the most fun in kayaking is the capsize…then the fun starts for you!
If she looks like that…
I’ll sit on the rock with her
while he goes kayaking.
Goggles
One of those duh moments here - I should have thought of this earlier. If she has never learned to get her head under water comfortably, there’s a good chance she’ll shut her eyes when she does. Which, if she isn’t accustomed to being under there, will only make things worse because she will be both intimidated and unable to figure out where “up” is. It usually takes a liftime habit of being blind under water to have a decent sense of position without seeing.
Get her goggles - a decent pair from a scuba shop that are really comfortable and fit well, maybe even some basic snorkeling stuff and poke around in shallow water with her on a sunny day. Find some areas with a decently active bottom, baby fish and whatever. I suspect she’ll be much more ready to follow you in a kayak after a while.
Personally, my reaction to someone who really can’t put their head under water is that they are a non-swimmer. But I know not everyone agrees.
Or Even
Use it as a fun toy for a while. Take turns climbing up on it rodeo style, maybe a little rocking the boat and see how long you can stay on straddled on the back deck. I guess a SOT would be a natural first choice.
Lou
Snorkeling
is probably a good suggestion, but beware that it might be another thing that she may need to get acquanted to.
My wife is very at home in the water. She was on a swim team, had pool growing up and we have been paddling lakes, bays etc… for sometime.
I am a certified diver and have snorkeled many times. I didn’t even give it a second thought when on our vacation last year we decided to “Snorkel with Salmon”. Basically this was floating down a river with full wetsuit, mask and snorkel. The Salmon were swimming upstream to spawn.
My wife freaked out when her head was in the water and she had to breathe through her mouth through the snorkel. This was before we even really started and had nothing to do with the salmon.
I took the first run with the guide without her. For the secoond run, the guide told her that she could hold onto his boogie board and if she didn’t like it, she could remove the gear and just float down head up.
She took him up on the offer and when I looked back she was swimming on her own. She loved it and wants to do more snorkeling now.
According to the guide, she is the first person that ever went down th eriver when they did not go the first time.
try an outfitter
If she has any interest in trying kayaking and you’re still a beginner I would suggest going to an outfitter. You’d be out with one or more experienced guides who can handle the unexpected and she’d likely have other people out there as new to it as herself. I plan to take my sister out for the first time this way. On the other hand if someone has no interest and/or has a big fear of it I would leave it alone and share some other sport with her.
Snorkeling and diving
I wouldn’t be surprised if you tried full scale diving with a tank and found your wife to be immediately fine with that. To me, the air tank is a little more secure air supply. I absolutely loved the beginner dive lessons and actual dive we took in Mexico, had no problem with the qualifying skills even with a known issue with claustrophobia, but am still fairly hesitant to go deeper with a snorkel.
And the view down over the reefs was unbelievably and distractingly gorgeous. I can really see why people will spend the bucks to do this.