Scuba Diving?

[MBass300]

Re: Scuba Diving?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Target07</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: STRICK9</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lost a friend July 4th two years ago in a diving accident. Can't tell you how many hours he had logged but was one of the best spear fisherman around. Gear failure took his life and left his wife and kids behind. No way to predict the failure it just happened and now I free dive.</div></div>

Sorry to hear that Strick. Like you say, no way to predict a failure. </div></div>

STRICK9, I am very sorry to hear about your friend. Ihave also lost some friends to diving accidents, and for those of us who love the sport, it is always very sobering to hear of a "dive gone wrong".
Target07, Agreed, there is no way to predict an equipment failure. However, keeping equipment in good working condition can greatly minimize this risk, and through proper training and repeated practice, one can learn to deal with and overcome a failure if one does occour.
For years I taught Scuba diving, both in S. Florida, and in New England. As well as teaching, I also worked in several dive shops, and performed equipment service. It was always amazing to me how some people would bitch about spending $35-50
on having a regulator serviced that they "only use once a year"
To the OP, Scuba diving, if done properly with proper training and good equipment can be extremely enjoyable, and can be done with a good degree of safety. But don't forget, when you are underwater, you are in an enviornment in which your body is not suited for survival. Therefore, you are dependent on a) your equipment, and b) your training and skill.
I do hope you decide to take a course, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have for the last 20 years (without incident).
Just do it safely.
Matt

 

[MBass300]

Re: Scuba Diving?

One more thing I'd like to note, for the OP as well as anyone else who might be reading this who has not already "taken the plunge": I think it is important to realize that there is a big difference between becoming Open Water Certified to participate in "recreational" diving activities, and the level of diving that includes cave diving, deep wreck diving and other overhead enviornments, commercial diving, mixed gas and rebreathers etc...
I would hate to scare someone away from the sport by leading them to believe that by taking an OW certification course, that they might automatically find themselves diving in a cave or 200' of ocean, or diving solo. The commonly accepted depth limit for OW certification is 60', and many people never have any reason to go beyond that. Some of my best dives ever have been shallow ones. I have also made deep dives (300'+) and penetrated wrecks, but that was an informed decision on my part, with lots of experience gained before I even considered going deeper than 60'

 

[i_Adam_i18]

Re: Scuba Diving?

I agree. For recreational diving, most of the interesting things that you'll want to see aren't deeper than 60 or so feet anyway (well here in the NW) just because sunlight doesn't penetrate the water past that. Which means there isn't much plant life which in turn means there's not as much animal life.

Cave, wreck, and tech diving is a whole other ball game. Your plain old open water cert will keep you busy and interested for a while and it's easy. Once you get bored with that you can consider getting more technical, but that stuff is by no means a must.

 

[Alaskaman11]

Re: Scuba Diving?

It was one of my first dives, I was at C54 in Cancun, we had one hell of a current that day. We got down to the bow of the ship and for some reason I started overbreathing. It scared the shit out me, the panic responce was so hard to overcome. But after a min (seemed like hrs) I got my self calmed down. Diving is not something to kid your self with, its dangrous. But god I love it. We have great diving up here (just get a dry suit).

 

[USMC 0231]

Re: Scuba Diving?

Great topic guys. I start dive training next Thursday with my Emergency Service Unit. We chose Rutgers University since they have a great reputation and are PADI. Its long as hell though. We are doing Open Water, Advance Open water and Rescue all in a row. It is every Thur untill Mid July plus 3 weekend dives at Dutch Springs in Pa. The thing that sucks is we have to pay for this our selves but the PD will pay for all the special schools and gear after this basic course. We got a group rate $650 including the use of all the gear. I think that is a good price.

I was not gung ho about dive but since our main job is Hazmat/cbrne techs as well as confine space rescue , high angle rope rescue and all that, I thought what the hell.

This might sound strange but my biggest hang up is breathing just out of my mouth. Im used to my Scott mask but I will have to get used to it.

Thanks for the good info

Kevin

 

[Alaskaman11]

Re: Scuba Diving?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: USMC 0231</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Great topic guys. I start dive training next Thursday with my Emergency Service Unit. We chose Rutgers University since they have a great reputation and are PADI. Its long as hell though. We are doing Open Water, Advance Open water and Rescue all in a row. It is every Thur untill Mid July plus 3 weekend dives at Dutch Springs in Pa. The thing that sucks is we have to pay for this our selves but the PD will pay for all the special schools and gear after this basic course. We got a group rate $650 including the use of all the gear. I think that is a good price.

I was not gung ho about dive but since our main job is Hazmat/cbrne techs as well as confine space rescue , high angle rope rescue and all that, I thought what the hell.

This might sound strange but my biggest hang up is breathing just out of my mouth. Im used to my Scott mask but I will have to get used to it.

Thanks for the good info

Kevin </div></div>

You will see how quickly you don't even think about breathing through your mouth.

 

[Target07]

Re: Scuba Diving?

Again gents...great info. Keep it coming. Thanks to all who have contributed and continue to contribute. This is turning into a very knowledgeable thread for all those seeking info on scuba diving. Thanks again.

 

[msrtex]

Re: Scuba Diving?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: eleaf</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Those signs are found wherever there are freshwater caves. Devil's Den in Williston, FL has them, as does Blue Grotto, Ginny Springs, and very likely dozens of others. </div></div>

I don't remember seeing that sign at Ginny Springs the last time I dove there, however that was in the seventies!

 

[i_Adam_i18]

Re: Scuba Diving?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: USMC 0231</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Great topic guys. I start dive training next Thursday with my Emergency Service Unit. We chose Rutgers University since they have a great reputation and are PADI. Its long as hell though. We are doing Open Water, Advance Open water and Rescue all in a row. It is every Thur untill Mid July plus 3 weekend dives at Dutch Springs in Pa. The thing that sucks is we have to pay for this our selves but the PD will pay for all the special schools and gear after this basic course. We got a group rate $650 including the use of all the gear. I think that is a good price.

I was not gung ho about dive but since our main job is Hazmat/cbrne techs as well as confine space rescue , high angle rope rescue and all that, I thought what the hell.

This might sound strange but my biggest hang up is breathing just out of my mouth. Im used to my Scott mask but I will have to get used to it.

Thanks for the good info

Kevin </div></div>

Yeah that's a good price for all 3 of those classes and the use of all the gear. If you did those seperate and rented gear each time, it would be a lot more. I've been told rescue is the most fun.

And the breathing out of your mouth, you won't think too much about it. When you don't have the option (unless you use a $1500 full face mask) your body adapts pretty quick. I suggest staying hydrated before your dives though, otherwise you will get wicked cotton mouth from breathing that super dry air. It isn't exactly like atmospheric air in that it must be completely filtered of all water content (think bare metal on the inside of your scuba tank). You really don't want the inside of your tank rusting.

 

[MBass300]

Re: Scuba Diving?

+1 on staying hydrated. Dehydration is the #1 predisposing factor to decompression sickness.
Whenever you hear about someone who went on vacation, dove within the limits of their tables/ computer, and still got bent, here's why: They got on a plane and breathed dry air for several hours on the way there. When they get to their destination(usually warm), they spend some time in the sun, drink alcoholic beverages, stay up late, wake up hung-over and drink coffee, get on a dive boat and then wind up breathing dry compressed air out of their scuba tank.
Any one of these things can cause some degree of dehydration, but all of them together, over the course of a week?
Thats just asking for trouble.

 

[USMC 0231]

Re: Scuba Diving?

Good tips guys

 

[MBass300]

Re: Scuba Diving?

I agree with Witch Doctor about not going with the cheapest certification class/ checkout dives you can find. I have seen new divers who took a "rushed" 3 day course prior to making their checkout dives, and most are not as confident or comfortable with their skills as someone who took a class 2nights a week for 4 weeks. Think about it: If you you only do 2 pool sessions instead of 4, you only have the opportunity to set up your equipment and practice your skills twice before you are expected to do so on your own. Like anything else, the more times you do something, the easier it becomes, and the more familiar you are with it.
My Open Water checout dives were in Long Island Sound. With about 2-1/2 feet of visibility, it was not quite what I was expecting, but after that, everything else was easy.
If you plan to do most of your diving in the Gulf, then doing your checkouts in a quarry will not be very satisfying, or prepare you for what to expect later on. If you plan on diving from a dive boat, your checkouts should include at least 2 boat dives. I believe checkout dives should be about introducing the student to the enviornment that they will actually be diving in, not just what's easy for the instructor.
Once you are Certified, dive as much as possible.People who only dive once a year on vacation have to concentrate so much on remembering what they have forgotten between dives, that they find it hard to just enjoy the experience.