Divers?

hey folks! I'm in the process of getting my PADI scuba diver certification, and i'm really excited. i had my first pool class last night and it was a blast!!

before this class i'd done a ton of snorkeling, but only one dive while in the caribbean. the thought of being able to go on my own is really exciting, and kind scary!

are there any other certified divers out there? or anybody who has just gone once or twice? i'd love to hear about peoples experiences, favorite dives, etc. (bonus pts. if you live in new england!)

Hi Jules,

I've been a certified diver since 2001 and have about 50 dives under my belt to date. It's the most exciting activity I have ever done and if it wasn't so damn expensive to travel to all the places I want to dive, I'd have a lot more dives.

Been to places like Caymens, Bahamas, Cozumel and Maui and they were all amazing. Done shark dives, wreck dives (IMO wreck dives are kind of boring), shore dives, but the most exciting trip was in Maui. I came nearly face to face with a humpback whale that had to be at least 25' long. It was definitely a religious experience that I will never forget!

Just remember that most of the underwater wildlife is more scared of you than you are of them. Congrats on beginning the cert process and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

I became a NAUI certified SCUBA diver in 1974.  Although I did my certification in northern freshwater lake, I have done most of my diving in the ocean.  I used to go to the Keys every year for a dive trip but I haven't been for several years now.  I am hoping that when my kids get a little older they will want to get certified so we can go diving together.  I love diving on the reefs.

that's cool tom! my partner in class was a 12 year old girl who was getting certified so she could go with her dad. i thought it was pretty brave of her to take the class all by herself with a bunch of older people like that!

 i snorkeled the great barrier reef, but i'd do anything to get back there and dive it. i've also snorkeled some reefs int he caribbean, amazing.

scuba toy, i've heard there are some really cool wreck dives in my area. where were the ones you did? i guess it's the kind of thing that only interests certain people. i'm the type that's fascinated by old stone walls in the woods and stuff like that, so i think wreck dives would be great.

I've always wanted to get certified to dive. It's just such a large monetary expense, that I could never jusitify it.

I do live in New England though. =)

I hope someday to be able to afford to get certified and then be able to go diving. It sounds like so much fun.

yeah, it is pricey, but it's something i wanted to do for some long!

the place i'm going isn't hugely expensive. $400 for everything. they provide all the gear, with the exception of hood, boots and gloves. and if you buy the hood, boots and gloves from them for $115, they give you two-day equipment rentals for $25 for life! usual fee for a two-day rental is $90, so it's an amazing deal.

hopefully one day i can get all my own gear. that would be neato! 

Jules,

I have gone on quite a few - most of which were actually in Australia.  You will definitely have to make it back there to dive.  I did a 3 day trip from Townsville (I spent a year there) to the Yongala wreck - pretty well intact passenger cruiser at 120 ft to shallower.  I think I would have to say that it was the best overall experience, although I do like marine life and ecosystems more than "people stuff" in general.  There was even a juvenile whale shark nearby after we came up for a dive and they took some of us close in to snorkel near it. 

I went one day off of Ocean City MD - there are some wrecks there but they are too old and not so interesting.  I wanted to do the ones off of NC, but the weather prevented my friend and I from going.

I have been to Grand Cayman and Bonaire - I really enjoyed both.  If you do go to Grand Cayman, be sure to dive the East End - there is a really cool "canyon" like feel to some of the reef formations over there.  Bonaire is nice because there is so much to do right off the shore.

Cece

funny you mention that wreck at townsville clinder! i did my study abroad in Sydney, and my roommate was a diver. she wanted to do that dive so bad, but she was never able to make it. we ended up going on a road trip from Cairns, and stopped at Mission beach, which i think is pretty close to Townsville though. spectacular! i think to this day that road trip were two of the best days of my entire life!

and that's awesome about the whale shark. i've always wanted to see one!

Original Post by jules817:

scuba toy, i've heard there are some really cool wreck dives in my area. where were the ones you did? i guess it's the kind of thing that only interests certain people. i'm the type that's fascinated by old stone walls in the woods and stuff like that, so i think wreck dives would be great.

 I did wreck dives in the Bahamas and in the Caymens.  You are correct, it all comes down to personal preference.  They are fun, just not my first choice.

Well, then let's both plan a return trip!

I loved being in North Queensland, but did have some fun around Sydney on the way back home.  I also did a study abroad but at James Cook Uni.

I would totally emigrate to Australia.  What a wonderful sense of humor most my friends had there.  I can still remember small refrains of their drinking songs fondly - "Tie Me Kangaroo Down" and "Beastality's Great, Mate!" 

It is great that you love learning to dive - it freaks some people out but it does get so much like second nature with time.  I am super bummed that it has been so many years (yikes! I think over 10) since I have gone diving somewhere tropical.

Have fun!!

Cece