Happy International Awkward Moments Day (yes, that’s a thing)!
We all remember the first time gearing up in a scuba kit—and how awkward it felt! Metaphorically a fish out of water, the heavy tanks, random hoses and floppy fins can make even the most hardcore human feel a little ridiculous. At least, until, you get into the water.
Sans the freedom of movement that accompanies aquatic submersion, your scuba gear is heavy, cumbersome and not meant for transiting long distances, but that all changes once you break the surface. And although the clunkiness of scuba gear is contrasted by the tranquility of being underwater, diving itself also has a lot of awkwardness potential.
In celebration of Awkward Moments Day, we asked you, our faithful diving community, to share some of your top awkward experiences.
From diarrhea explosions, to having lobster-pinched privates in front of laughing bystanders, you all had a lot of funny stories to tell.
Especially in this season of quarantines, cancellations and closures, it’s important for us to remember the happiness that diving brings to us all. That said, we hope a few of the anecdotes below bring a smile to your face and maybe elicit a laugh, or two—or 10. Enjoy!
Your Top Awkward Underwater Moments
Jason Mills: Years ago, when we didn’t know any better, or didn’t care: We’d gone out to Mexican that night, loading up on all the typical Mexican food and margaritas. In our inebriated state, we decided that it would be a good idea to go for a night dive that night, then drink some more. So we did.
Went to about 85 ft, dove for a while, then started to come back up. About 60 ft I could feel the gas ball start to build, both in my front and my rear. When we got to about 20 ft., I had the biggest gas ball I’ve ever had rip itself out of my body–the one in the front tore my regulator out of my mouth and the one in the rear almost made me flip upside down…
Yeah, don’t mudslide any more..
Jordan Kneldson:: Showing how lobster can swim to a class of kids snorkeling on a group snorkel, and when I let it go it darted straight into my nuts.
Kevin Goldsberry: It was post-dive, during my open water certification. Walking back to my truck for a tank change and warmup. I strode past a couple of young ladies who couldn’t take there eyes off me, Joe Cool Diver. I got back to the truck and as I unlocked the door I caught a glimpse in the rear view, of the snot streaming out of my nose. AWKWARD.
Jennie Svensson: I was on safety stop under the boat taking photos of some nudie branches. A diver that just did his 100 dive decided to jump in the water .. naked.. he landed just in front of me.. (Tony Hadarson I’m not telling anyone that it was you … 😂🙈)
Kane Dive: Jumping in (Giant Stride) w/o Fins 🤣
Alan Hoare: In zero viz swimming into a fishing net.
Brian J Miller: I accidentally hit a divemaster in the head with a weight that had fallen out of my bcd pocket
Gary Winstanley: Not opening cylinder valve fully, got down to 25m air cut off, look of horror on buddies face when rugby tackled to get alternate air source 😂😂
Sean Kelly: Doing a shore dive with my sunglasses still on and my mask back in the truck!!! Had to swim back to shore and walk all the way back to the truck.
David A Cassotta: Diarrhea in Cozumel, 35 feet deep on Palancar reef. Ugh
Ed Cave: Throwing up at 40 feet.
Thomas Tigner: I pissed in my wetsuit and then realized I was still on the boat! 😂😂😂😂
Rosi MacKinnon: Cold water night dive in a secondhand neoprene drysuit- with boots a few sizes too big. Forgot my ankle weights so boots filled up with air. Just couldn’t right myself so ended up doing the whole dive upside down
Kent Fisher: Exhaust valve on drysuit came undone and fell off. Suit filled with COLD water.
Veronica Diaz: I punched a cormorant. It came out of nowhere and I freaked out and hit it. I felt bad right away.
Willy Everman: I was diving in rough visibility, and came up with the wrong group. Didn’t notice until I was on the boat and couldn’t find any of my friends.
Also did an entire dive with a giant hole in the butt of my wetsuit. a BIG hole.
Marc Brady: Peed my wetsuit , but then realized it was my drysuit… 🤦♂️🤷♂️🙈
George Bartsch: A husband and wife “fighting” at 60fsw. He pulled her reg out, she pulled his mask off!
Brian Smith: In Cozumel on a safety stop at 15′. A woman jumps in the water right above us – completely oblivious that we were there. She promptly pulls down her swimsuit bottom to go pee… in full view of our dive group. It took all my willpower to not film it with my video camera. That was the day we saw the Sea Beaver.
Glen VanDelay: For my 100th dive, I was in Bonaire. I got convinced that you have to do your 100th naked. So I did. I can honestly say I was naked when I penetrated the Hooker in her stern. Then as I came around the bow, a group of german tourists came face to face with me. Oh well!
Jill Heinerth: Walked my sidemount tanks down to Little River in my Crocs. I stepped onto the concrete ramp and kept on going. The tanks and me (in my drysuit undies) went for an early swim.
Mark Greenhill: I once had to punch a fish!🥺
Normsashi Ronda: During a deco when my partner handed me a piece of clam meat and a banana. Bananas taste better with salt water. Try it! 😁
Elaine le Claire: Undersuit and pants round my ankles about to go for a pee in a bucket, boat lurched, I fell backwards and got jammed between the rib seats and tubes. Couldn’t move for laughing and the guys couldn’t turn round to help, female buddy was mortified 😂
Grant Bullied: Almost being run down by a whale shark
Paul Pease: 115 feet in the Thunderbolt a monster goliath grouper took 2 fish off my stringer. It was attached to my belt. There was a wamp and it felt like I was in a vacuum cleaner.
Jo Jarvis: When I turned my head thinking I was to face my buddy diver… Then coming face to face with a seal.
Gareth Richards: My buddy is my wife Fiona and (more times than I can count) I look around and she’s not there! Boom, vanished! Oh crap, where did she go, one minute drill, I’m circling, looking everywhere, did she stop behind that last coral head, drop to the bottom, what??! Then it hits me, I roll on my back and there she is, 3 ft. above me, looking down at me losing it , and laughing. Again! You think I would have learned by now. Must be those goldfish genes.
Paula Wunsch Keith: Throwing up underwater, thinking I need to hide from others and going behind a boulder to puke through my regulator. Good times, good times.
Rus Oister Jr.: I got stuck/wedged sideways in The Ear at Devils during cave class. I could literally hear my instructor laughing at me through his reg.
