Check in please: SCUBA divers
- Thread starter Stringztoo1
- Start date
PADI since 1995.
Best experience so far was last November's excursion to Bonaire. We had the opportunity to dive the East (Windward) End of the Island due to the change in wind direction. That side is only dive-able for a few weeks out of the year and the life there is absolutely incredible.
Best experience so far was last November's excursion to Bonaire. We had the opportunity to dive the East (Windward) End of the Island due to the change in wind direction. That side is only dive-able for a few weeks out of the year and the life there is absolutely incredible.
Cool thread! Glad to see so many divers. Experience what we love first-hand eh?
I've dove in Fiji, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Belize, Grand Cayman, San Diego, FL keys, and the Gulf (Flower Gardens).
I love it!
If you're into underwater photography, check out my pix at www.reefpix.org or here in the photo gallery forum. Yes, it's true, one of the ops is an UW photographer!
Cheers
James
I've dove in Fiji, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Belize, Grand Cayman, San Diego, FL keys, and the Gulf (Flower Gardens).
I love it!
If you're into underwater photography, check out my pix at www.reefpix.org or here in the photo gallery forum. Yes, it's true, one of the ops is an UW photographer!
Cheers
James
PADI OWSI, IANTD 30%Nitrox, worked in Grand Cayman for a while, dived in Egypt, Malta, Scotland, Thiland, Turkey, Bahamas, Hawaii (indigenous coolness), South Africa.
Best Dive:
We were sitting in the Dive shop teaching a discover Scuba class when me and my freind Jeff heard there was a 40 ft whale shark just off the coast. We dumped the class (screw em, whale sharks rule), grabbed a jet ski from the Beach Club entertainments guy (he used to borrow scuba stuff so we had a good trade) and ripped it out to the site.
When we got there there must have been about 3 or 4 huge snorkelling boats moored up to this bouy, and about 40 - 50 snorkelers in the water. Jeff and i screamed up in this jet ski with our dive gear on (looking damn cool i might add) and threw ourselfs in the water.
There it was, 40ft of aquatic beastage, its eye was about the size of my head. We swam down about 5 meters to where it was, the Shark was playing with the snorkelers and they were all trying to grab a hold of its fin. Seen as it was being harrassed it kinda dived down a bit deeper, about 10 meters or so and hung arround with me and Jeff for a while.
It was the single most amasing expirience of my life, being there with probably one of the oldest lifeforms on the face of the planet. You could just see the envy in the faces of the snorkelers as we were playing with this thing. All was good untill Jeff decided to grab a hold of it himself, the shark just dived off the north wall, and boy did that thing shift, straight into the blue in one swish of its huge tail. Jeff had a little momento from our encounter, as he had tried to grab it the rough skin of the shark grazed the skin on his chest, boy did he ever make a big deal out of his Whale Shark wound. That day was the coolest day of my life so far, and ive met people who have spent thousands upon thousands unsuccessfully chasing these things, i felt blessed and so did Jeff.
Naughtyest Dive Encounter:
Me and Brad, another of the Beach Club Cayman Crew, were diving in the harbour (i know, very naughty) well just outside it actually, when we spotted the Atlantis submarine that runs tours through the harbour. We both swam round the back of it and over onto the top, being carefull to avoid all the windows as we moved. We were allways playing gags on the glass bottom boats, like farting as they went past etc, but the sub required something different, something a little more macarbe. Anyways, there we are, me and my buddy taking a rest on the top hatch of the sub, trying to plot a deveous ploy to wreak havok inside. After a little scribbling on the dive slate, and a few gestures of the hand Brad removed his mask and Regulator and decided he was going to "play dead". He drifted limp past the entire side of the sub, reg just drifting arround and i had his mask in my hand. I swear i could hear the screams from the top of the sub where i was sitting, the whole thing leaned over as all the passengers inside crammed against the tiny portholes to check out the Dead Bradley floating by. I allmost spat my reg out laughing, it was the funneyest damn thing ive ever seen, pitty the port authorotys didn't see the funny side, we allmost got deported that day, but youve never seen two guys beg like we did. Plus we made it out to be an accident, but they were more pissed about us playing with the sub than anything else.
Top Depth:
And ok, i dont wanna get matcho on you guys but here we go, 92 meters on Air, no trimix helox or deco tanks just me and ten litres of good ole compressed air AT 92 METERS. You can check the profile on my Sunto, and my wetsuit still has the stains to prove it, jeese i thought i was going to die that day, or at least end up in the chamber. I think those pullman tables are crap btw, thats why i like my Sunto, best tables on any computer especially the older one i have, no way would i change that for anything (especially one of those damn Aladins, every time i take someone diving who has one of theose its goes into SOS mode before weve even hit deco). so cummon, who can top 92 on air. :twisted:
N.B. Mouse in no way endorses the entering of decompression within the confines of recreational diving, unless you get caught up playing drinking games at 70m.
PADI = Pay Now Die Instantly
PADI = Put Another Dollar In
Best Dive:
We were sitting in the Dive shop teaching a discover Scuba class when me and my freind Jeff heard there was a 40 ft whale shark just off the coast. We dumped the class (screw em, whale sharks rule), grabbed a jet ski from the Beach Club entertainments guy (he used to borrow scuba stuff so we had a good trade) and ripped it out to the site.
When we got there there must have been about 3 or 4 huge snorkelling boats moored up to this bouy, and about 40 - 50 snorkelers in the water. Jeff and i screamed up in this jet ski with our dive gear on (looking damn cool i might add) and threw ourselfs in the water.
There it was, 40ft of aquatic beastage, its eye was about the size of my head. We swam down about 5 meters to where it was, the Shark was playing with the snorkelers and they were all trying to grab a hold of its fin. Seen as it was being harrassed it kinda dived down a bit deeper, about 10 meters or so and hung arround with me and Jeff for a while.
It was the single most amasing expirience of my life, being there with probably one of the oldest lifeforms on the face of the planet. You could just see the envy in the faces of the snorkelers as we were playing with this thing. All was good untill Jeff decided to grab a hold of it himself, the shark just dived off the north wall, and boy did that thing shift, straight into the blue in one swish of its huge tail. Jeff had a little momento from our encounter, as he had tried to grab it the rough skin of the shark grazed the skin on his chest, boy did he ever make a big deal out of his Whale Shark wound. That day was the coolest day of my life so far, and ive met people who have spent thousands upon thousands unsuccessfully chasing these things, i felt blessed and so did Jeff.
Naughtyest Dive Encounter:
Me and Brad, another of the Beach Club Cayman Crew, were diving in the harbour (i know, very naughty) well just outside it actually, when we spotted the Atlantis submarine that runs tours through the harbour. We both swam round the back of it and over onto the top, being carefull to avoid all the windows as we moved. We were allways playing gags on the glass bottom boats, like farting as they went past etc, but the sub required something different, something a little more macarbe. Anyways, there we are, me and my buddy taking a rest on the top hatch of the sub, trying to plot a deveous ploy to wreak havok inside. After a little scribbling on the dive slate, and a few gestures of the hand Brad removed his mask and Regulator and decided he was going to "play dead". He drifted limp past the entire side of the sub, reg just drifting arround and i had his mask in my hand. I swear i could hear the screams from the top of the sub where i was sitting, the whole thing leaned over as all the passengers inside crammed against the tiny portholes to check out the Dead Bradley floating by. I allmost spat my reg out laughing, it was the funneyest damn thing ive ever seen, pitty the port authorotys didn't see the funny side, we allmost got deported that day, but youve never seen two guys beg like we did. Plus we made it out to be an accident, but they were more pissed about us playing with the sub than anything else.
Top Depth:
And ok, i dont wanna get matcho on you guys but here we go, 92 meters on Air, no trimix helox or deco tanks just me and ten litres of good ole compressed air AT 92 METERS. You can check the profile on my Sunto, and my wetsuit still has the stains to prove it, jeese i thought i was going to die that day, or at least end up in the chamber. I think those pullman tables are crap btw, thats why i like my Sunto, best tables on any computer especially the older one i have, no way would i change that for anything (especially one of those damn Aladins, every time i take someone diving who has one of theose its goes into SOS mode before weve even hit deco). so cummon, who can top 92 on air. :twisted:
N.B. Mouse in no way endorses the entering of decompression within the confines of recreational diving, unless you get caught up playing drinking games at 70m.
PADI = Pay Now Die Instantly
PADI = Put Another Dollar In
Nice one about the whale shark, Mouse! 8O I'm really jealuous.
PADI certified since '90.
Dives; Fiji, Red Sea, Maldives, Zanzibar, Italy(Elba), Florida Keys, San Diego and Lake of Zurich. We 're soon planning to go to the Seychellen. No place is worse than the Lake of Zurich: in Winter 15 ft visibility and 39 degress. We always say if you can dive there you can dive anywhere.
We planned a trip to Belize two years ago but a hurricane hit and devastated our hotel so we had to cancel.
The Red Sea is definitely one of the best and for me it's pretty close with it being only a 4 hour flight away.
PADI certified since '90.
Dives; Fiji, Red Sea, Maldives, Zanzibar, Italy(Elba), Florida Keys, San Diego and Lake of Zurich. We 're soon planning to go to the Seychellen. No place is worse than the Lake of Zurich: in Winter 15 ft visibility and 39 degress. We always say if you can dive there you can dive anywhere.
We planned a trip to Belize two years ago but a hurricane hit and devastated our hotel so we had to cancel.
The Red Sea is definitely one of the best and for me it's pretty close with it being only a 4 hour flight away.
OK, here I am photographing some California Sea Lions back in November. During the winter, they stay in the leeward side of the Coronado islands and you can go play with them (or take photos). My buddy Eric and I dove with 7 juveniles and were in heaven! We popped our heads out of the water to find that everyone was back on the boat staring at us like "WTF are you guys doing, we want to go home."
James
Photo by Eric Cheng
James
Photo by Eric Cheng
Attachments
I got certified in high school, but never dove until a couple of decades later my wife and I did a resort course at Anse Chastenet, St Lucia on our honeymoon. I got re-certified and went to Bonair diving 3 years ago and had a great time. I haven't dove since, mostly because I don't know anybody around me who dives. Hope to get back to it one of these days. Also done tons of snorkling, Costa Rica, St John, Florida etc.
I got certified two summers ago. I dove a few times that summer in the florida keys. I didn't dive any at all last summer. I got to plan a trip soon as the water temps are getting warm enough to dive.
Diving is the coolest thing. I'll be glad when I get enough expericene to make a tank last more than 30 minutes.
And your buddy isn't very happy either.
Louey
Diving is the coolest thing. I'll be glad when I get enough expericene to make a tank last more than 30 minutes.
And your buddy isn't very happy either.Louey
Even though I should be taking care of the baby, I gotta share my whale shark story!
We were diving for a week near Phi Phi Thailand. On the third day it was my wife and I, a 'fun diver' and 2 snorkelers on the boat. Our DM liked our air consumption, so we decided to dive all the way around a small Island, Bida Nok. The dive was fantastic - 60 foot walls of multi colored softies, fish up the wazzoo, reef squid checking us out, shifting light from the shadows of our circumnavigation. We were at 55 min, and were about to cruise back to the boat, when my wife saw what she took to be a school of black tipped reef sharks about 60 feet away. She grabbed my fin and pointed. Just then two things happened at once - the DM started swimming towards the fish and my wife and I saw a wall of white spots moving in the background. It hit us - not sharks, cobia, and the white spots was a whale shark! We bust after the DM and end up having a good five minutes with the 40 foot beast.
This is where it gets good.
We get back to the boat and we are waiting to climb the ladder, screaming about how cool it was. As it wasn't whale shark season, the other DM on the boat was skeptical. Our DM had just gotten on the boat, and I was on the ladder with one fin off, when my wife pulled her head out of the water and said "its under the boat", and down she went. The other DM jammed her gear on and dove head first over the rail, while our DM settled for snorkel. The 'fun diver' and the snorkelers only heard 'shark' and thought we were crazy. I got my fin back on and went after my wife. Off to the side I saw the other DM going down at speed. All that happened in the space of 15 seconds. It was under the boat all right, but get this, it was a different whale shark. This one was about 35 feet, and had a rope wrapped around its body, scraping the back of its dorsal fin. Our DM tugged the rope twice, but it stayed firm. The shark checked us out and I got the full view you always see in the nature shows. It was swimming away from me, then turned and swam right at me. RIGHT AT ME WITH ITS 7 FOOT MOUTH WIDE OPEN. All I could think about was recently reading that whale sharks eat beg tuna as well as plankton. It came at me, getting bigger and bigger, and went right under my legs. I had to do a roll with a twist to keep watching it as it swam under and past me, and then it glided into the deep.
We got back onto the boat, shrieking at our good fortune, when the other DM showed up saying she has followed the bigger shark for a while and got to watch both of them at the same time.
We radioed the other boats in the area - they thought we were lying - and to Bida Nok they went. We moored at Maya Beach for lunch (the spot where the beach was filmed - freaking beautiful.) Usually there were about a dozen boats there for lunch, but today we had it all to ourselves, because everyone was looking for whale sharks. As we sat on the deck in the sun eating the best tasting sandwiches ever and grinning at each other like happy idiots, the snorkelers hiding below decks wallowing in their shame that their lack of a sense of adventure robbed them of a life changing experience, we got the radio message that another boat was able to cut the rope free of the smaller shark. All in all, the most absolutely perfect day of diving.
The only thing that would have made the day better would have been to have an underwater camera rig, which I promptly bought as soon as we got home.
We were diving for a week near Phi Phi Thailand. On the third day it was my wife and I, a 'fun diver' and 2 snorkelers on the boat. Our DM liked our air consumption, so we decided to dive all the way around a small Island, Bida Nok. The dive was fantastic - 60 foot walls of multi colored softies, fish up the wazzoo, reef squid checking us out, shifting light from the shadows of our circumnavigation. We were at 55 min, and were about to cruise back to the boat, when my wife saw what she took to be a school of black tipped reef sharks about 60 feet away. She grabbed my fin and pointed. Just then two things happened at once - the DM started swimming towards the fish and my wife and I saw a wall of white spots moving in the background. It hit us - not sharks, cobia, and the white spots was a whale shark! We bust after the DM and end up having a good five minutes with the 40 foot beast.
This is where it gets good.
We get back to the boat and we are waiting to climb the ladder, screaming about how cool it was. As it wasn't whale shark season, the other DM on the boat was skeptical. Our DM had just gotten on the boat, and I was on the ladder with one fin off, when my wife pulled her head out of the water and said "its under the boat", and down she went. The other DM jammed her gear on and dove head first over the rail, while our DM settled for snorkel. The 'fun diver' and the snorkelers only heard 'shark' and thought we were crazy. I got my fin back on and went after my wife. Off to the side I saw the other DM going down at speed. All that happened in the space of 15 seconds. It was under the boat all right, but get this, it was a different whale shark. This one was about 35 feet, and had a rope wrapped around its body, scraping the back of its dorsal fin. Our DM tugged the rope twice, but it stayed firm. The shark checked us out and I got the full view you always see in the nature shows. It was swimming away from me, then turned and swam right at me. RIGHT AT ME WITH ITS 7 FOOT MOUTH WIDE OPEN. All I could think about was recently reading that whale sharks eat beg tuna as well as plankton. It came at me, getting bigger and bigger, and went right under my legs. I had to do a roll with a twist to keep watching it as it swam under and past me, and then it glided into the deep.
We got back onto the boat, shrieking at our good fortune, when the other DM showed up saying she has followed the bigger shark for a while and got to watch both of them at the same time.
We radioed the other boats in the area - they thought we were lying - and to Bida Nok they went. We moored at Maya Beach for lunch (the spot where the beach was filmed - freaking beautiful.) Usually there were about a dozen boats there for lunch, but today we had it all to ourselves, because everyone was looking for whale sharks. As we sat on the deck in the sun eating the best tasting sandwiches ever and grinning at each other like happy idiots, the snorkelers hiding below decks wallowing in their shame that their lack of a sense of adventure robbed them of a life changing experience, we got the radio message that another boat was able to cut the rope free of the smaller shark. All in all, the most absolutely perfect day of diving.
The only thing that would have made the day better would have been to have an underwater camera rig, which I promptly bought as soon as we got home.
Started diving in Missouri quarry's in 1963, mowed lawns to buy my first tank. Finally got certified in '74 with NAUI, advanced and photo courses in '87 or thereabouts. My new wife is excited about diving now, so will get her certified this summer if all goes well.
YMCA certified. I dive mostly in the BVI but plan to do much more local diving this summer. I got certified with my sister, now my brother is certified as well so we all dive together.
Nice pics James I just got the PT-010 for my olymus 4000 and hope to get some decent pictures.
FWIW, The YMCA being the original SCUBA program is very close to stopping the program althogher. It would be a great shame to see the program go. They have promised all YMCA SCUBA cards would remain valid.
Nice pics James I just got the PT-010 for my olymus 4000 and hope to get some decent pictures.
FWIW, The YMCA being the original SCUBA program is very close to stopping the program althogher. It would be a great shame to see the program go. They have promised all YMCA SCUBA cards would remain valid.
NAUI Since '96. I must admitt, I'm suprised to see so many NAUI divers posting here! It seems like PADI is all you ever hear about. Anyway, I just finished my Advanced course last fall. Places I've dove; the Keys, St. Thomas, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Norfolk Lake, Bull Shoals (salvage).
Can't wait to get a chance to dive outside of the Carribean. Wouldn't give it up for anything!
Can't wait to get a chance to dive outside of the Carribean. Wouldn't give it up for anything!
I certified in 1988, and in 1991 became an AAUS Scientific Diver at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans. I have been a member of their Dive Control Board for several years. I've logged 500+ open water dives, and another 500+ in Aquarium exhibits.
As a scientific diver, I've been very fortunate to be able to participate in many research projects in the Gulf of Mexico, mainly in and around the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
I produce several underwater accessories for underwater cameras as well as research, and have gotten lucky with my camera a few times over the years. (Take a look at www.gbundersea.com if you're curious.) My better half is also a staff diver at the Aquarium, and we're both fish ID instructors for the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF). We co-founded the REEF Field Station of the Northern Gulf of Mexico and teach free REEF classes throughout the Gulf Coast area. We long ago decided that we would only display animals in our home aquariums which we collect ourselves. We're on a tight budget, thus have put a lot of effort and ingenuity into the techniques and equipment necessary for safely collecting and transporting our animals. While we've had disappointments and made some mistakes, overall our animals have done well. Most of our collecting has been done off the Pensacola, FL coast.
Don't miss my Jensalt sump horror story site.
See also how I cycled a new tank with household ammonia.
As a scientific diver, I've been very fortunate to be able to participate in many research projects in the Gulf of Mexico, mainly in and around the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
I produce several underwater accessories for underwater cameras as well as research, and have gotten lucky with my camera a few times over the years. (Take a look at www.gbundersea.com if you're curious.) My better half is also a staff diver at the Aquarium, and we're both fish ID instructors for the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF). We co-founded the REEF Field Station of the Northern Gulf of Mexico and teach free REEF classes throughout the Gulf Coast area. We long ago decided that we would only display animals in our home aquariums which we collect ourselves. We're on a tight budget, thus have put a lot of effort and ingenuity into the techniques and equipment necessary for safely collecting and transporting our animals. While we've had disappointments and made some mistakes, overall our animals have done well. Most of our collecting has been done off the Pensacola, FL coast.
Don't miss my Jensalt sump horror story site.
See also how I cycled a new tank with household ammonia.
PADI certified last summer, but have done several resort dives in the Caribbean in past years.
Took a trip to Barbados in March, did four dives. The reefs there are astounding, and there are about 25 shipwrecks do dive as well. Very cool stuff.
This summer I'll be doing a lot of freshwater diving. I plan to get my advanced open water this summer. Living in the north, I want to get drysuit certified- there are some great wrecks in Lake Superior. Brrrr!!!!
Took a trip to Barbados in March, did four dives. The reefs there are astounding, and there are about 25 shipwrecks do dive as well. Very cool stuff.
This summer I'll be doing a lot of freshwater diving. I plan to get my advanced open water this summer. Living in the north, I want to get drysuit certified- there are some great wrecks in Lake Superior. Brrrr!!!!
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