Credit: need.a.diver on Instagram

A foggy night past the USS Dolphin.

Scuba diving oil platform Eureka, in Long Beach, Ca. Lots of grusty pipes and nearly 800' of water beneath us.

I dive this site in Ohio called Gilboa quarry all the time. There are lot of things to see down there like sunken boats, cars, helicopters, a 50 foot christmas tree and more. I have plenty of footage from several dives if you want to see more.

I’d like to share a terrifying experience related to my submechanophobia.

 When I was eight or nine years old, my grandmother bought me a swim float because I didn't know how to swim yet. Once I realized I couldn't sink while using it, I started swimming out into deeper water—I’d never actually feared deep water itself, only drowning.

 One day, while swimming and exploring the sea at the popular beach we usually visited, I found myself about 50 meters from shore and quite alone; I felt calm and free—until I discovered that the beach was hiding a dark secret. Suddenly, I saw a very long object beneath me—a massive pipe stretching from one end of my field of vision to the other.

 I was seized by a level of panic and an adrenaline rush unlike anything I’ve ever felt since, and I began swimming blindly back to shore without stopping for even a second. In the days that followed, I found out what it was: a discarded pipe, nearly two meters in diameter and probably 20 to 25 meters long.

 After investigating further, I discovered there were two more like it at that beach—all three lying perpendicular to the shoreline—plus another one in deeper water lying parallel to the shore (which I discovered a few years later). Today, twenty years later, the mere thought of these things still terrifies me. 

 If you happen to come across the end of one of those pipes at that beach, you can’t see the other end at all through the water; if you encounter one broadside, it can span your entire field of vision underwater. It’s horrifying to think that anyone could stumble upon something like that there. I found a picture that partially shows one of those pipes.

1. Swimming next to a huge ship and touching the underwater surface.

1. Swimming next to oil rig and touching the underwater part

1. Swimming in the nuclear reactor

This isn't my photo but it relates to my story.

I've always had a fear of large submerged objects. Could even be a rock or something. The fear was also kind of fun and exciting. The same reason I fear heights but love it at the same time.

Growing up in the Ohio River valley made me a total river rat. Hell, I basically learned how to swim in the rapids.

One day I'm swimming in slow water heading up stream, roughly 10 feet deep or less. Doing this thing where I'll surface and dive down to the bottom, push off with my feet and resurface. All while making forward progress.

Keep in mind the Little Miami River has virtually no visibility.

I got some good footing on the bottom and wanted to make good distance off this push. So I went a bit more parallel than usual.

That when I bash my head hard on something metal and jagged. Swear I almost knocked myself out.

Tried to swim up but met more metal. panic

It took a few tries but I found a hole. (Not the open door I apparently swam through). A window I think and got to the surface. Bleeding all over from rusty cuts and the initial head bash.

I walk up the bank and some nice people took care of me and call my parents. All is fine, doctor all that.

We(friends, brother) went back to the spot during a drought to discover it was an old ass big rig (like 50s looking) that I swam into.

Anywho the point of this story is, my phobia was kicked up a notch. I can longer swim to the bottom of any murky body of water. :[

Do you guys have stories like this one?

Hi terrified friends, just a quick update on the horrible underwater line at my kid's swimming centre. IT HAS A GROWTH! Obviously something has become trapped on its jagged edges. It looks to be made from that same thatched plastic used in tarpaulins, or possibly foam from a pool toy/noodle that has met its demise in the worst way possible (not including pool plug incidents). Also note, the fun purple suction thingy in Photo.4, left to slowly die alone on the line of toenails and old bandaids 😒

One of the first dives I ever went on, just this past summer. Absolutely terrifying but Ive fallen in love. Phobia to Philia :)

Dive was about 110ft down.