Scuba diving

[Lythiaren]

I'm a PADI certified open water diver. I did my cert dives in the Carribean sometime this past summer, after having the remarkable fortune of running into a certified instructor and his course director friend on the cruise ship. I've seen a turtle the size of my coffee table, watched a lionfish hunt (and then get hunted himself), poked christmas tree worms, had a gigantic shark swim right over my head. It's amazing what you can find and see down there.

 

I do not, however, own any of the gear required to go diving, and so we've been renting gear when we dive. My mom did recently decide to go buy regulators, BCDs, fins, snorkels and masks, but the problem is... she's looking for it on eBay. I'm a little concerned that she might wind up buying a leaky BCD, broken reg, damaged fins, or even just gear that had been improperly stored and had suffered unseen damage. So I'm looking for more experienced people who might be able to give us some advice.

 

Any other divers out there? :3

[angelkay]

Woo! Finally, a topic I can really talk about. <3

 

I am a certified PADI diver as well, and I received my license about two years ago. We have all of our own tanks, wetsuits, BCS, and everything else so we can go diving whenever we'd like. We even have a hooka rig, which is much easier then setting up your BC.

 

Over the summer, I went Scuba diving once on a dive boat, and then went lobstering almost everyday for a week! (The Jellyfish were really bad, along with the weather, so it made diving a little bit complicated...)

 

I would like to get my next level of PADI open water diving sometime next year (So I can go down to wrecks and such), and possibly do some night diving in a couple years (I'm a scaredy cat, so it would take a lot of courage to get me into the water, LOL).

 

As for the equipment you are buying... Are there any dive shops in you area? If so, you could probably bring it there for them to check.

[Lythiaren]

Yeah there's a couple of dive shops in the area, but for some reason my mom doesn't trust them. e.e;

 

To be honest I think we should go visit the guys down in Arizona who certed me and buy gear from them if she doesn't trust people up here. :|

[angelkay]

Yeah... My science teacher certified me, so we had to find a trustworthy dive shop. e.e;

 

Luckily, there weren't too many to choose from, so the one we go to now is nice.

 

If your mother doesn't trust any of the local dive shops, then why don't you try your supplies in like... a local pool? That's where I did lessons. That way you would know if it leaks or whatnot. (I don't know if you'd want to do that, but it's just a thought.) ^-^'

[Kursedfire]

I cant Suba dive, I've quite costraphobic. I've tried but I panic to easily even just skimming the water in a mask and snorkle I panic. Even though I'd love to, I just can't I've been trying for years to get over the fear but to no prevale

[Jet Raptor]

PADI certified, too~ *flails*

Haven't been in forever, though....I miss it. :c

Last dive, I saw 3 white-tip reef sharks, quite a few turtles (mostly green sea turtles, but did see one hawksbill :3 ), and a dragon eel. Those things are awesome-looking.

 

About a year after I got my certification, I learned that the dive master that instructed my class had been stealing money that was supposed to be going towards paying the rent for the dive shop. That really bummed me out. The dive shop had to close because of him. Q-Q It was the only one on this side of the island...

Ok, so there is another one but the owner is just completely rude. Not to mention he didn't want to have to teach me because he didn't like kids...I had just turned 14 and wanted to get my certification right away.

[skinst]

I'd love to do this at least once in my life. :3

[angelkay]

For all that haven't gone, it is truly amazing. You should do it at least once, if not more. :3

 

@Kursedfire: Awww! That stinks! I'm kind of claustrophobic, but once I get under the water and start looking around, I forget all about it.

 

@Ali'l Makani Pahili: Oof. That really sucks. I guess I'm kind of lucky that a science teacher at my school was offering a class for anyone who wanted to try diving. OwO

Is that why you haven't gone in so long? Because you have no other dive shops?

Edited November 19, 2011 by angelkay

[Rosedamai]

I'd enjoy this a lot more if I weren't so afraid of huge fish :/ I went snorkeling once, and I managed not to get too nervous as the fish were very small fish, bright colored, and rather cute. However, big stuff like sharks (the very thought of meeting with a shark scares me) would definitely set off a frenzy for me. Ah well, maybe I'll be okay with dolphins, that's what I'm personally hoping...

[angelkay]

Sharks and Jellyfish = My two worst fears while I'm diving. D:

 

Sadly, I have not seen a single dolphin while scuba diving. I want to see one SO bad though!

[Leidarendi]

Before I die I'd love to explore these 2 places:

 

Undersea brine lake, Mexico

 

Dean's Blue Hole, underwater sinkhole, Bahamas

[TheDarkCynder]

I have not scuba dived before, but I've been thinking about looking into it soon. I live in Florida almost right next to Homasassa Springs (a very popular diving spot) and Tarpon Springs (another very popular diving spot).

[Ruins]

I've never been scuba diving, but I want to because it looks like a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I'm not in the right place for such things- diving in England? Seriously?- and my family's not rich enough to go jetting off to nice places where I can go scuba diving to see the pretty fishes. Even going to Italy for a week required them saving up for about seven years, and I've heard that lessons and gear hire and stupidly expensive.

 

I'll just have to watch and be jealous, then.

[angelkay]

Another Florida resident here.~

Sadly, the water is not very clear and pretty where I live, so we have to drive quite a few hours to get to a nice dive spot.

 

Yes, lessons and equipment are very expensive, which really sucks. Along with equipment repairs, dive boat payment (If you go on a dive), Tank refills, and everything else, it costs quite a bit. That's why we don't go too often (Along with school and other activities.). :c

Edited November 19, 2011 by angelkay

[TheDarkCynder]

In Homasassa Springs I went snorkeling over a huge pit where I could see divers underneath. That's probably one of the places I would go should I get a license. It's in a spring called Crystal River, noted for how unbelievably clear the water is.

 

There's manatees there too!

[Ruins]

*turns very, very green indeed*

[angelkay]

Oh my! I would love to go and dive there just for the manatees. <3

[Nectaris]

I would love to go scuba diving. The most I have ever done was some snorkeling in the Virgin Islands. What I saw there was so pretty, I would love to see the stuff that lies deeper. The neatest thing I thought were the sea turtles I saw while there.

Edited November 19, 2011 by Nectaris

[TheDarkCynder]

Oh my! I would love to go and dive there just for the manatees. <3

They're adorable. You don't even have to go diving to see them, they'll come and play with you even if you're just swimming there.

 

Of course, you're not allowed to approach them, but if the manatees come up to humans, we are allowed to play with them and pet them.

[marhawkman]

Before I die I'd love to explore these 2 places:

 

Undersea brine lake, Mexico

 

Dean's Blue Hole, underwater sinkhole, Bahamas

I love exploring things, and I love the water. So I'd love going diving some place like that.

 

but are you sure that's Dean's Blue Hole and not the Great Blue Hole?

 

Angelkay: don't most wetsuits and drysuits protect against jellyfish?

 

EDIT: I'm more worried about large black and white cetaceans than most sharks. Medium sharks? problem. Small sharks? If dogfish bother you.... eat them.

 

Killer whales earned their name.

Edited November 19, 2011 by marhawkman

[angelkay]

They're adorable. You don't even have to go diving to see them, they'll come and play with you even if you're just swimming there.

 

Of course, you're not allowed to approach them, but if the manatees come up to humans, we are allowed to play with them and pet them.

D'awwww!

 

Yes, they do, but I still don't like them. Since the waters are usually pretty warm where we live, we usually don't use wet/dry suits.

[Jet Raptor]

@Ali'l Makani Pahili: Oof. That really sucks. I guess I'm kind of lucky that a science teacher at my school was offering a class for anyone who wanted to try diving. OwO

Is that why you haven't gone in so long? Because you have no other dive shops?

Nah, I haven't been because I just haven't had the time. Well, that and I don't have a place to rent tanks now. I have almost all the other gear, just not tanks and weights.

[Lythiaren]

I wanna meet a manatee. :c

 

The big turtle I mentioned in the OP kind of came up to me though. But it was during a current dive so he was like "Hi! Bye!" as we got swept past him. Then we found a bunch of barracuda.

 

We made a friend during the previous dive, though. A snapper followed us around.

[angelkay]

I wanna meet a manatee. :c

 

The big turtle I mentioned in the OP kind of came up to me though.  But it was during a current dive so he was like "Hi! Bye!" as we got swept past him.  Then we found a bunch of barracuda.

 

We made a friend during the previous dive, though.  A snapper followed us around.

I want to see a sea turtle... *le sigh*

 

I saw them floating on top of the water while we were on the boat, but none under the water. :c

 

Oof, Barracuda? I see so many of those every time I dive. We had to go back once because a couple of them were circling our boat... They probably thought we were fishing, LOL.

Edited November 20, 2011 by angelkay

[TheDarkCynder]

I've met dolphins, but not while diving. (Yes, this is me from two years ago.)

 

I'm going snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef this summer. It's not diving, but hey, it's something.