Scuba Diving

[jgohlke]

Something I always wanted to do. My son and I got certified a couple of years ago (I was 45!). I have about 20 dives and the good dives are a blast and make up for the bad ones.

A couple of things to know....if you are the kind of guy who tends to jump in to something with both feet....watch out! SCUBA is a very "equipment intensive" sport...there is lots to buy and it is all expensive! SCUBA shops make most of their money by selling equipment, so watch out for the "Welcome to ACME Scuba, let's get you signed up for classes and here's the $2000 worth of equipment that you'll need."

I would suggest buying the barest essentials and renting some different equipment until you find what works for and what you like. I'm on my 3rd mask and still haven't found one I really like (that fits my big head). Mask, snorkel and fins is all you really need to get started.

Eventually you'll want a dive computer, but I think it is important to learn how to use the dive tables first. My son and I both wear dive computers, but we still plan our dives and set our dive watches.

Go for it! It's fun and Florida has some great diving, both fresh and saltwater.

Florida Keys - Summer '04

Me in front of the wreck Benwood.

If you go down to the keys, you gotta stop at Robbies and feed the tarpoon.

 

[preembargo]

Jim,
I was FREEZING after just looking at those pictures!!! :0

Hmmm, I just realized that I have this place about 2-3 blocks from my house!!!

I remember that place. You should be in good hands. I got my certification at a place in B'ham. There's also a good place in Oak Harbor (at least there was 10 years ago). It was owned Pat Beach (no relation), I think he used to play for the Colts.

 

[Nice_Ashh]

Just be careful, and don't wind up like this guy.....

http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2005/wetsuit-fart-p1.php

 

[Gonz]

Another Advanced Open Water diver here. My wife and I got into diving a few years ago, and like most folks I wish I had the time and location to be able to dive more than twice a year on vacations. We'll be down in Jamaica in April on vacation and will plan on diving most days, and we're trying to find a quick 4 day trip down to Grand Cayman in March.

I'd really like to do a live-aboard dive trip, such as those seen at THIS link.

 

[preembargo]

...The AGA masks rock... although it took some time to get used to them. I'm a 'pinch the nose to clear' kinda guy... never can clear by the swallowing or jaw wiggle. So it took some getting used to but no problems now.

Wow, after more than two years and over 1000 posts I FINALLY get to talk about a topic I know a little something about.

Jim, (I'm sure you know this) The AGA has a nose pad for clearing, just push it up against your nose and blow.

...And as far as the supplied air and comms, well, we do have comms. The wire runs down with the tender line, but to be honest, they suck. I'm sure there are better systems out there...

No matter what set up you have for coms, they're gonna suck. I drilled two holes in the front of the mask above the regulator, installed two com posts (using silicon and thick latex gaskets), went down to radio shack and bought any speaker that would fit the space above the regulator and wired it in.

And the supplied air is a safety issue- the lake around here are FULL of snags - trees, cars, picnic tables, you name it, it's probably in the water. We dive free bottles in case of entaglement - we can cut the tender line free, but cutting an air line is a different matter. Plus there are other issues- air quality, length restrictions, budget again, and so on. We dive with a secondary pony bottle for backup, and regularily practice rescue scenarios on our own divers getting entangled, off line, and so on.

Yeah, I can't tell you how many times I've been hung up in the kelp, nets, etc. Pretty much any entanglement hazard out there has grabbed me. It was nice to have an 'infinite' supply of air to give me all the time I needed to get myself out the snag. But in the event that you can't clear yourself from the entanglement (which has only happened to me a few times), a proper set up has a check valve and a quick release connection and of course you'd have a bail out bottle on your back.

I'd love to go to the south pole and do some diving with the penguins, seals and such. Better than the dead bodies and muck we deal with now.

[/quote]

Ok, now I see the appeal, I'm in!!!!

Love to dive, Open Water Advanced. Unlike Swissy, I like my water warm and clear. So all I need is swimsuit, t-shirt, tank, mask and fins.

I have been on a few night dives, really cool.

Ken

Man, there's nothing like a Puget Sound night dive on the lee side of a jetty (Keystone Ferry on the Whidbey Island side)) with just a little current. The barnacles are feeding which stimulates the phosphorous and makes the entire jetty sparkle in green. Unbelievable!!

 

[smokelaw1]

Been diving for a few years now, myself.
I never learned to swim as a kid, and it wasn't until I had to pass my PADI swim test to dive that I learned. My now father-in-law taught me in the pool in their backyard.
Great stuff. Private divemaster off the big barrier reef in Belize (2nd largest in the world, after the GBR in Australia) for 10 days while on our honeymoon.

 

[Mr Peat]

I never learned to swim as a kid, and it wasn't until I had to pass my PADI swim test to dive that I learned.

I remember doing that test. We had to tread water for 15 mins without fins. Then had to do 10 laps on a Olympic sized swimming pool. I was thinking at the time what the hell did I get myself into during the fitness test they put us through. I'm glad I stuck it out but my whole family said I would quit before I certified. Needless to say I am the only certified diver in the family.

 

[Shooter]

Underwater investigator (trained with metro dade PD), all the other certifications, advanced, rescue all that good stuff.

You always seem to taste those dead bodies before ya find em.

 

[preembargo]

I only did one recovery operation. We searched for three days and never found her. It was very difficult... hoping to find her, dreading finding her. It's not something I ever want to go through again.

 

[TBaGZ]

Pics of undergoing yet another certification in 2000... ice diving (and total blackwater diving). As a long time member of the AFD Dive Rescue team, I've done my share of diving!


Me sitting and waiting my turn

Talking a dive plan out with my tender... I'm the 'dope on a rope'

Signaling my remaining air

that's me... with my shulder pressed up against the ice underneath, and all I could get to show was my hand. The ice was that thick!

any questions?
:laugh:

Only question I have is... Are you out of your effin' mind? Seriously?

 

[TBaGZ]

Wow.... looks like I need to do some research on this because if it's as cool as you guys say i deffinetly need to get into this a bit.

 

[Saxjazzman]

The one thing I have not figured out yet to do while I dive is how to smoke a cigar! If I could get that down we could plan on having a dive HERF sometime, somewhere!! :whistling: Hell, we should have the dive HERF anyhow!! :thumbs:

 

[davidr2340]

Jim,
I was FREEZING after just looking at those pictures!!! :0

Hmmm, I just realized that I have this place about 2-3 blocks from my house!!!

I remember that place. You should be in good hands. I got my certification at a place in B'ham. There's also a good place in Oak Harbor (at least there was 10 years ago). It was owned Pat Beach (no relation), I think he used to play for the Colts.

Good to hear!
Thanks for all great info bro!!!

:thumbs:

 

[preembargo]

The one thing I have not figured out yet to do while I dive is how to smoke a cigar! If I could get that down we could plan on having a dive HERF sometime, somewhere!! :whistling: Hell, we should have the dive HERF anyhow!! :thumbs:

Diving surface supplied, I would often be in the water for up to four hours, my tender would lightup and blow into the intake. :laugh: Sometimes I wasn't sure what he was smoking, though :whistling:

Jim,
I was FREEZING after just looking at those pictures!!! :0

Hmmm, I just realized that I have this place about 2-3 blocks from my house!!!

I remember that place. You should be in good hands. I got my certification at a place in B'ham. There's also a good place in Oak Harbor (at least there was 10 years ago). It was owned Pat Beach (no relation), I think he used to play for the Colts.

Good to hear!
Thanks for all great info bro!!!

:thumbs:

No problem David but be warned, you think you have a passion for cigars? You ain't seen nothing yet! :laugh:

 

[preembargo]

The one thing I have not figured out yet to do while I dive is how to smoke a cigar! If I could get that down we could plan on having a dive HERF sometime, somewhere!! :whistling: Hell, we should have the dive HERF anyhow!! :thumbs:

Diving surface supplied, I would often be in the water for up to four hours, my tender would lightup and blow into the intake. :laugh: Sometimes I wasn't sure what he was smoking, though :whistling:

Jim,
I was FREEZING after just looking at those pictures!!! :0

Hmmm, I just realized that I have this place about 2-3 blocks from my house!!!

I remember that place. You should be in good hands. I got my certification at a place in B'ham. There's also a good place in Oak Harbor (at least there was 10 years ago). It was owned Pat Beach (no relation), I think he used to play for the Colts.

Good to hear!
Thanks for all great info bro!!!

:thumbs:

No problem David but be warned, you think you have a passion for cigars? You ain't seen nothing yet! :laugh:

 

[davidr2340]

The one thing I have not figured out yet to do while I dive is how to smoke a cigar! If I could get that down we could plan on having a dive HERF sometime, somewhere!! :whistling: Hell, we should have the dive HERF anyhow!! :thumbs:

Diving surface supplied, I would often be in the water for up to four hours, my tender would lightup and blow into the intake. :laugh: Sometimes I wasn't sure what he was smoking, though :whistling:

Jim,
I was FREEZING after just looking at those pictures!!! :0

Hmmm, I just realized that I have this place about 2-3 blocks from my house!!!

I remember that place. You should be in good hands. I got my certification at a place in B'ham. There's also a good place in Oak Harbor (at least there was 10 years ago). It was owned Pat Beach (no relation), I think he used to play for the Colts.

Good to hear!
Thanks for all great info bro!!!

:thumbs:

No problem David but be warned, you think you have a passion for cigars? You ain't seen nothing yet! :laugh:

LOL... GREAT!!!
I don't think my checking account can handle another hobby!!!

 

[Lopaka]

Open Water Diver and dove mostly in Okinawa. Awesome diving out there!

 

[Mr Peat]

If you are ever in Salt Lake City, UT and just happen to be a certified diver, then I highly recommend a lake out in those parts. Its South of the border between Utah and Nevada. The town is Wendover, Nevada. Its on the old Scenic Highway heading South. Its out a few miles and you will see a sign for it on the left side of the road. Its called Blue Lake. Its also a natural geothermic lake so you can dive there all year round. If you goto the bottom which is in the 60 foot range aka with the altitude figured it, its more like a 90 foot dive. You will get to see something that I found to be very cool. You will see a bunch of sand naturally on the bottom and you put your hand just above the bottom. Then you will see pockets of hot air rising as it kicks the sand up. Also if you like fish just tap on your tank and fish will come upto you. I think they was Blue gill but I can't remember as it was so damn long ago. If they do not have any diving classes out there, the distance you can see under water is pretty amazing for an Inland lake in the States. :thumbs:

 

[preembargo]

LOL... GREAT!!!
I don't think my checking account can handle another hobby!!!

David, you like scallops? Abalone? Crab? Oysters? Clams....? See where I'm going with this?

If you and/or Bill decide to go for it, I can give up some killer dive spots. I know a spot where I was scooping up 100-300lbs of scallops a dive (though the sport limit is 10lbs, that's plenty for a weekend fish fry).

And nothing beats Abalone right out of the water, right out of the shell, right into the pan!!

You want some homemade clam chowder, I can tell you where to dive for horse clams and geoducks.

Sushi? Sea urchins (uni) abound!

Man, I miss Washington!!!!!

 

[rob300c]

If you are ever in Salt Lake City, UT and just happen to be a certified diver, then I highly recommend a lake out in those parts. Its South of the border between Utah and Nevada. The town is Wendover, Nevada. Its on the old Scenic Highway heading South. Its out a few miles and you will see a sign for it on the left side of the road. Its called Blue Lake. Its also a natural geothermic lake so you can dive there all year round. If you goto the bottom which is in the 60 foot range aka with the altitude figured it, its more like a 90 foot dive. You will get to see something that I found to be very cool. You will see a bunch of sand naturally on the bottom and you put your hand just above the bottom. Then you will see pockets of hot air rising as it kicks the sand up. Also if you like fish just tap on your tank and fish will come upto you. I think they was Blue gill but I can't remember as it was so damn long ago. If they do not have any diving classes out there, the distance you can see under water is pretty amazing for an Inland lake in the States. :thumbs:

I have experience a dive similar to this. To the south of Park City I dove what's called the crater. It is a hot spring that goes maybe 50-60 feet at altitude. Ain't a damn thing to see in there but it's fun to dive in 88-90 degree water!

-Rob