validation for reefing as a hobby
- Thread starter LeslieS
- Start date
lol - to be honest, we didn't even go snorkeling. Jer had a business meeting so we stayed at a resort in Nassau. The thought of floating around with Jer and 50 of my fellow resorters on some poor over exposed reef wasn't so great.
I am trying to arrange a trip for later in the year to the Bahamian island of Mayaguana where you can snorkle from the beach. If anyone has been there, I would love to hear about it!
I hope to get my dive certification before I go.
I am trying to arrange a trip for later in the year to the Bahamian island of Mayaguana where you can snorkle from the beach. If anyone has been there, I would love to hear about it!
I hope to get my dive certification before I go.
- Location
- Marine Park
Cozumel is another place where you can dive from the beach. The island is a coral reef in itself. The beach is about 6 feet long and then becomes a cliff. The drop off is very sudden and it gets deep quick. A baby baracuda hit me in my goggles going for my right eye I assume. I saw a few lookdowns that snook up on me and your usual carribean fare. Tons of fish, which by the way LOVE rubberbands, the ones that come with the disposable cameras. They come from all over to inspect it but be quick as there's usually a larger fish watching you and them.
- Location
- NYC - 10026
ignorant people like this really piss me off.
that's what cameras are for, to preserve your memories without ruining it for the next person. you should have informed the Bahamanian authorities; I don't think they take too kindly to tourists destroying their natural resources.
</rant>
You should go to Village Divers for your cert. I believe it's on either E2 or 4th off 1st ave. Cal is the owner absolute great guy. I did my nitrox cert there, and was on my way to trimix but haven't dived in a few years cuz haven't had time or money since my son was born and now my wife's expecting again. But anyway, I can't wait to get back into diving soon......:tub:Right now this is the only kind I'm doing.
I did all of my course work there, but I couldn't get my dives in within the 6 month time frame. The first time it rained and the second my reservation was messed up. I was only able to do one dive, but I loved it. Unfortunately, I have to start over at the beginning again!
Did you get a chance to do any diving with them? They are a motley crew. And I say that with love.:knockedou I got a few good days in of diving with them. They are a HARDCORE bunch.
hmmm - not sure that I am ready for hard core yet!
I did my one and only dive in San Diego and getting through the surf twice (once for snorkel once for the dive) in all of that equipment pretty much wiped me out! I couldn't even walk the last 10 feet to the beach until the instructor carried my weights for me. Mind you - they were about a million pounds because I had such a thick wet suit on!
I did my one and only dive in San Diego and getting through the surf twice (once for snorkel once for the dive) in all of that equipment pretty much wiped me out! I couldn't even walk the last 10 feet to the beach until the instructor carried my weights for me. Mind you - they were about a million pounds because I had such a thick wet suit on!
HEHE I know the feeling. When you go for your cert dives with Cal the first place you will go is to Dutch Springs in PA, it's a fresh water rock quarry. Pretty cool place actually. LONG walk to the water though. They got some pretty cool things to look at sunk at different depths. The water is FREEZING, the deeper you go. Cal and his guys are into DIR diving. BUT they don't descriminate if your not. The openwater dives will be probably off a boat out of Sheepsheadbay, I can't recall the name right now., or out of Point Lookout the Eagle's Nest with Capt. Howard. Both great dive boats.
- Location
- Baiting Hollow Long Island NY
The people in the Bahamas and the Caribbean are not crazy or heartless they are just surviving. I have been on and dove many Islands in the South Pacific, the Bahamas and most of the Caribbean. Many of those people are very poor and live off the sea. I myself eat fish almost every day and I see no difference in someone drying a starfish to make money to buy food. All of the fish we eat, along with that tuna in that tuna fish sandwich and all the fish in cat food died suffocating on the deck of a ship.
I have seen lookdowns dying on the sand with tangs for sale for 50 cents a pound for food. Of course I feel bad for the fish but it is what it is. Just about all fish are eaten by other animals. Almost no fish die from old age. In Jamaica I have seen tons of corals drying to sell for ornaments and hundreds of porcupine fish sold with light bulbs in them for lamps.
Could I tell the man with the skinny children that he should do something else? He was fishing for breakfast with a hermit crab for bait while his kids waited. We are very spoiled living in our beautiful homes and having so much extra cash that we can afford to even have a hobby. Most people in the world are just trying to live.
As I said I feel bad for the animals but I also feel bad for the people.
Of course, if he was just drying the starfish to keep as a momento for himself, then by all means throw it back along with him.
Paul
I have seen lookdowns dying on the sand with tangs for sale for 50 cents a pound for food. Of course I feel bad for the fish but it is what it is. Just about all fish are eaten by other animals. Almost no fish die from old age. In Jamaica I have seen tons of corals drying to sell for ornaments and hundreds of porcupine fish sold with light bulbs in them for lamps.
Could I tell the man with the skinny children that he should do something else? He was fishing for breakfast with a hermit crab for bait while his kids waited. We are very spoiled living in our beautiful homes and having so much extra cash that we can afford to even have a hobby. Most people in the world are just trying to live.
As I said I feel bad for the animals but I also feel bad for the people.
Of course, if he was just drying the starfish to keep as a momento for himself, then by all means throw it back along with him.
Paul
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- Location
- Franklin Lakes, NJ
Yes... yes we are!
When was the last time you dove locally? There's a good chance we know each other.
Don't let Cal hear you say that! It's not DIR / GUE it's a similar rig, but we don't subscribe to some of their practices.
HAHA I haven't dove unfortunately in over 3 years since my son was born. As far as DIR/GUE, after diving with them I think that's a good thing. Cal called me a Christmas tree one day. I has so much $h*t hanging off me. I felt like a lil kid as he helped me reconfigure my gear and help me get more streamlined.
- Location
- Franklin Lakes, NJ
Gotcha... we dive very close to DIR standards, but not quite. Some of the things we do are not DIR (i.e. we use a small ball on our reels and our bladders which GUE doesn't approve of). Being streamlined is always good!
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