The SCUBA thread

[qwerty007]

Any divers out there?

If so, why not post some of your pics and regale us with your stories. Who certified you and where? PADI, NAUI, ACUC, SDI...

...maybe you've just done a DSD (discover scuba diving) course at a resort on holiday.

Perhaps you've thought about diving and have some questions?

Post it all here and let us know.



Here are a few pics I took in the Bahamas, while on a dive with a few students. Caribbean reefs sharks are quite curious and harmless. So is the nurse shark, nestled in the coral.

[blueballsdc]

I took my diving classes and became NAUI certified about 35 years ago. I have been diving in:

Carribean (love it)
Bahamas (my favorite)
Gulf of Mexico (boring as hell)
Florida Keys (fantastic)
And the Atlantic Coast of the USA from Florida to New Jersey.

Lots of great wreck diving along the Atlantic Coast especially North Carolina and New Jersey.

Some other highlights include diving on a WW2 U-Boat off of North Carolina and oyster diving in the Chesapeake Bay.

I've also been diving in lots of rivers, lakes, and old quarries around the US.

[qwerty007]

Originally Posted by blueballsdc

I took my diving classes and became NAUI certified about 35 years ago. I have been diving in:

Carribean (love it)
Bahamas (my favorite)
Gulf of Mexico (boring as hell)
Florida Keys (fantastic)
And the Atlantic Coast of the USA from Florida to New Jersey.

Lots of great wreck diving along the Atlantic Coast especially North Carolina and New Jersey.

Some other highlights include diving on a WW2 U-Boat off of North Carolina and oyster diving in the Chesapeake Bay.

I've also been diving in lots of rivers, lakes, and old quarries around the US.

The Keys, huh?

Been to the Spiegel Grove, perhaps?

One dive I haven't made yet, but is on the list, is the Oriskany.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x48Q2JCPh7c

[rustler]

Unforunately I am not a diver, but two things that interest me greatly are sharks and wrecks!
I've been interested in sharks ever since I first saw 'Blue Water White Death', back in the 70's. Fascinating creatures, and to swim with them and see them in their natural habitat must be absolutely awesome! Greatly misunderstood creatures. Thanks for the pictures qwerty007!

Wrecks are another fascination for me, though to be honest, though they fascinate me so much, I do not think that I could dive on one. Anyone got any pictures, experiences that they will share ???

Very interesting thread, I do hope that it continues

[qwerty007]

Originally Posted by rustler

Unforunately I am not a diver, but two things that interest me greatly are sharks and wrecks!
I've been interested in sharks ever since I first saw 'Blue Water White Death', back in the 70's. Fascinating creatures, and to swim with them and see them in their natural habitat must be absolutely awesome! Greatly misunderstood creatures. Thanks for the pictures qwerty007!

Wrecks are another fascination for me, though to be honest, though they fascinate me so much, I do not think that I could dive on one. Anyone got any pictures, experiences that they will share ???

Very interesting thread, I do hope that it continues

Thanks for your kind words and support.

Sharks get such a bad rap, mostly because of misinformation and fear. You are more likely to get hit from a falling aircraft, then getting attacked by a shark. In fact, more people die annually from bowling, then they do from shark attacks.

I used to work a shark feed dive, in the Bahamas, where we'd have upwards of 50 sharks zipping around, eating bait. It was quite the experience. A lot of them got used to tactile contact and would swim close by, as we copped a feel.

Wrecks are great fun and there are tons of great sites to dive on. One of my fondest memories was diving on a Russian missle destroyer in the waters off Cuba, in about 100 feet (30 m). The water was so clear, you could see the wreck from the surface.


A great way, Rustler, to sample diving without having to take a full blown certification, is to do a Discover Scuba Diving course - best done while on a vacation somewhere warm.

Here is a like to the PADI website, which will give you an idea.


http://www.padi.com/scuba/padi-cours...g/default.aspx


You can get wet for around $100 (some places a little more), which will include a short classroom period, a session in a pool to master a few easy skills (like clearing your mask underwater) and a shallow open water dive with the instructor - lasting usually around 30-45 minutes.

Some advice:

1) Get your own mask and snorkel

There is nothing like the comfort of having your own stuff that is fit for you. If diving is not for you, you can always use it for snorkeling or looking at the girlies in the pool

2) Dive somewhere warm

Some of the best dives I have ever had were shallow dives, with great visibility, in warm waters. It makes the experience so much more pleasurable, especially when starting out. If you have the option, wear a wetsuit. Most shops will rent you one for a few bucks and the added comfort - even in warm water, is well worth it. (Tight neoprene can make you look quite sexy, as well!)

If you want your own suit, Costco sells some for dirt cheap - a low cost, low risk investment. (I usually pee in mine for added warmth - so you might want to consider that - lol)


I'll work on pulling some pics off my hard drive and see what I can find.

Thanks for coming to the thread.

[blueballsdc]

Originally Posted by qwerty007

The Keys, huh?

Been to the Spiegel Grove, perhaps?

One dive I haven't made yet, but is on the list, is the Oriskany.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x48Q2JCPh7c

Been down to the Spiegel Grove but haven't been on the Oriskany.

Rustler - Some of the best diving I have done has been shallow diving. Frequently in 30' or less of water. That can be found all over the Bahamas. There are an incredible number of reefs, fish, and even wrecks at that depth. It is well worth taking the time to check it out. One of my favorite areas is around the island of Eleuthra. A beautiful island with wonderful people and some fantastic diving.

http://www.shipwreckexpo.com/tseleutherashipwrecks.htm

[scoundrel]

Originally Posted by qwerty007

Sharks get such a bad rap, mostly because of misinformation and fear. You are more likely to get hit from a falling aircraft, then getting attacked by a shark. In fact, more people die annually from bowling, then they do from shark attacks.

I can't swim. I'm unlikely to get killed by a shark, because they can't walk; I might drown though. If I swam around in shark waters a lot, I'd be a bit more likely to get nibbled. I reckon its a danger to take seriously, though probably not as dangerous as marine pollution.

[qwerty007]

Originally Posted by scoundrel

I can't swim. I'm unlikely to get killed by a shark, because they can't walk; I might drown though. If I swam around in shark waters a lot, I'd be a bit more likely to get nibbled. I reckon its a danger to take seriously, though probably not as dangerous as marine pollution.

Scounds, sorry to hear that you can't swim. Shame - water is something really special. You know, it's never too late to learn

I cannot remember the exact statistic, but almost all (something like 80-90%) shark attacks happen in 4 feet of water, or less. With that, there are over 375 species of sharks, but three of them - the great white, bull and tiger sharks are responsible for most of the attacks on humans.

Here's a Nat'l Geo article:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...harkfacts.html


Movies and media have given sharks a bad name - but the fact of the matter is that they are not 'man-eaters', we just happen to be in their environment and often get mistaken for food, as untasty as we are to them.

[richardoe]

I cant swim either, although I have been told that its not that bit a problem with diving. What puts me off is the risk. It may not be that great but in my time as a rescue co-ordinator I had to deal with a couple of cases of divers going missing and also a couple of bends cases. Oddly enough the bends cases were in the English lake district.

[HugoHackenbush]

Where to begin...

I have been diving for over 40 years. Starting out learning on the old double hose regulator. You really had to pull if you moved your face from off dead center.

In the old days, there were few rigs with pressure gauges. As a result I ran out of air in 40 feet of water off Grand Bahama. Obviously lived to tell the tale.

Have dove off of:

Grand Bahama
Nassau
Eleuthera
Bermuda (cold!)
Florida coast
Florida Keys
Cozumel
Grand Cayman
British Virgin Islands
Tahiti
And saving the best for last..
Australia Great Barrier Reef. Un-freakin' believable!