OT- All the divers out there

[eelfreakrobi]

SCUBA rocks!! Since I live in Puerto Rico I go quite frequently, and the islands around here are amazing, so far in specialties I have done deep sea diving, wreck diving, night diving and looking foward to get dive master. I started about 2 years ago.

 

[eng50]

We should get a dive trip together!! I have been diving for 20+ years, and in as wide a variety of conditions as there are. There is absolutely nothing like scuba diving, if anyone has ever considered it and is hesitant, go for it!! Most dive shops now offer free into days in which you get a small taste of diving (all equipment, breathing underwater, the weightlessness, etc) Take advantage and see if you don't get hooked! If anyone ever wants to dive, or just talk about diving, I would love to!!, email or call me 804-339-2984 anytime. My absolute favorite is night diving in the carribean, or any clear water for that matter, on reefs, the marine life that is out at night will astound you!! For all of you who stare into your tanks at night (and yes I do too!) just imagine being in it and swimming with all that life. Nothing like it at any price!!
Did I mention that I Love Scuba Diving?
Bill

 

[steve40]

when you dove at night, did you see all that algae that lights up when you sway your arm back and forth. thats what happend when i was at the red sea and it was incredible. very beautiful at night!

 

[dcox88]

Has anyone been to St. Lucia? I was thinking about doing a live aboard trip there. I know 1 couple that went there and loved it. Just looking for other opinions.

 

[eng50]

Steve, yes actually believe it or not you can do that off the coast of NC, the phosporescent plankton is there as well, and sometimes quite dramatic!! We take day trips to the Outer Banks and Nags Head all the time to beach dive or wreck dive. I have several videos from underwater at OBX from this year and last (just got my housing a year ago) if anyone is interested, I would be glad to share them...
dcox88, I have been to St Lucia, not as good as other islands, but I was not on a live aboard.so that may be much better, the diving I did there was all on local charters, I can go back through my records and try to find out company names etc if you need them...

 

[dcox88]

eng50, we are not planning to go until June of 2005! Our 10 year anniversary. My wife is not a diver - I have to talk her into getting certified and then dealing with a live aboard! On our honeymoon, she spent her time on the beach and I spent 2 days in the water! I have my work cut out for me, but I have my fingers crossed!

 

[steve40]

i wonder if you can get phosporescent plankton into a tank. you think there would be a way?

 

[eng50]

Well best of luck to you D, maybe try her in one of the scuba experience day programs? A live aboard can be rough on a land lover...but maybe she will see the "blue light"!!
Steve, there was a thread on here not long ago, do a search and you should find it, as to where it can be purchased! It apparently does not do well in tanks and some other things that I can't remember, but if you have a spare tank it might be worth a try!

 

[plum70rt]

Hey Brooklynjohnny, I live right near atlantic blvd, can you give me better directions to that dive spot, I went scuba diving on my honymoon 12 years ago in Aruba, took a resort course, and since have a timeshare there too, always wanted to certify but never did, now that I live in fla ,and settled in, I think im going to go for it, any suggestions for a beginner?

 

[j21kickster]

seema like a lot more divers than i thought- any personal pics underwater?

 

[ntvflgirl]

Don't dive myself, but hubby is a former navy diver, master diver, and does search and rescue diving for the sheriff's dept. I'm too chicken. Maybe I should trust him more...lol.

 

[eng50]

kickster,
I would be glad to post as many as you want, but computer just got back from the shop, have to transfer lots o stuff back on..will do it at a later time...
Bill

 

[j21kickster]

cant wait- thx

 

[stacyt]

The wife and I got certified last year. So far we have logged about 50 open water dives. The best so far has been in Hawaii. We did night dives there that was awsome. Also I've dove of the coast here in CA at the Catalina islands. Can't wait for the temps to get back up a couple of degrees so I can get back in the water. I can't handle cold to well do to some injuries that I suffered a while back, and still havn't got a dry suit. Maybe this next year I'll work on the dry suit certification. I got into the diving because of my saltwater tanks. I think I've spent more on dive gear than I have on my salt tanks.

 

[hairtrigger]

Thats some good points about the coast of NC. I used to live in Wilmington. They call NC the ship graveyard of the east coast. There are a couple of amazing dives there. Three sunken submarines. Two of them German U boats. One was sunk by a Coast Guard Patrol during WW II. The story behind it is: The coast guard machine gunned the crew in the water. There are still German sailors in the front of the wreckage. It is a German National Memorial, but is open to divers. U-352. The other isn't as nice. The last is an American Nuke Sub that was being towed for repairs, rope snapped, it sunk. Conning tower is gone, just looks like a big cigar. Not much in the way of reefs, but the wreck dives are the

[hr]
.
We go to the Caymans every summer. Grand Cayman is ok, amazing reefs. But, it has become too touristy recently. I prefer Cayman Brac or Little Cayman. Off the Brac there is a sunken Russian Destroyer. AMAZING. It was sunk on purpose to turn into a reef only a few years ago. It still bears the markings. Actually, it was a Russian Destroyer used by the Cuban Navy. Great dive. Eerie.
I learned to dive in the keys. The reefs are nice, but are lacking. John Pennecamp National Underwater park does a good job of protecting them. There are two sunken Coast Guard cutters you can dive. The Duane and the Bibb. Nice dives. It's eerie to see them loom up from the depths. There is also an underwater hotel there too. More of a gimmick than anything though.
One of the best reef dive trips is the Red Sea. The corals would make any reef keeper envious. I wanted to pack em all up. Coolest thing we saw was a huge shadow coming over us. Looked up and saw a ray with a 24 foot wingspan. Amazing. The wildlife in the Red Sea is something to marvel at. Clown Triggers are huge.
Ok, enough diving talk. I might leave work, pack a bag, and go. Come back to no job though.

 

[scubamedic]

JPeavyTX, we stayed at Fantasy Island also! I thought it was the greatest place to stay. The people there were just great to be around, and Teresa is just plain HOT. They really don't make it any easier to dive thats for sure. We went over to Anthony's Key and it looks like the facilitys are nicer but the people were not as nice and I did not see a dive boat leave very often. Moses (our boat captain) used to work at AK and he said Fantasy is more fun.
We stayed 2 weeks and if I would have known how much I was going to enjoy it I would have stayed another week or two. I got lots of pictures and underwater video while we were there.
Email me at ScubaMedic@intothefog.us if you want to talk some more. Or if anyone wants info on Fantasy Island.

 

[brooklyn johnny]

Hey Plum I just went to yahoo maps and realized it is not atlantic blvd., it's Commercial Blvd. The directions, however, are simple. Take Commercial blvd. east until you hit the ocean. At the end of Commercial there is a pier that has a parking lot. The reef is right off of the beach. The small town is called Lauderdale-by-the-sea. You can enter that town into mapquest and get a map. You can dive there, although I recommend snorkelling as it is pretty shallow. You need to stay I think 200 yards away from the pier when snorkelling (there is a sign) and make sure you have a dive flag for snorkelling (which is required if snokelling more than a hundred yards off shore). It is an awesome day trip for you south floridians and I was very surprised with the diversity. You can get a reef map from any of the local dive shops also. Good luck.

 

[eelfreakrobi]

So divers whats the deepest youve gone down to? Any one here gone nitrox diving?Its way better than the regular air for diving.

 

[plum70rt]

Thanks Brooklynjohnny I will check it out , Ill take some pics and post them

 

[aquagirl]

I have been diving for 10 years and have slowly made it to an Instructor. My first dive experience is what led me to become a marine biologest and aquarium/pond lover. I am now teaching marine biology at a high school level and for the kids I made a scuba club and take about 5 of them at a time and certify them. It is a great motivator for all the students to do well in their other subjects and they are stunned after their first open water dive. You can make pretty good money as a Instructor by yourself, don't go with a scuba shop because they will take all of the money while you do all of the work. Absolutly nothing is better than the underwater environment and I am sooooo happy to see other people who feel the same way!