by LittleToe 29 Replies latest jw friends
Ohhhhhhhhh! I've always wanted to learn to dive! I actually got to do it once...my bro-in-law had one of those octopus thingies and let me go down with him...only problem was, I kept floating back up...I always seem to float I seem to have my own built in..erm..floatability BUT I can snorkel with the best of 'em!
Key West and Key Largo are great places to dive/snorkel...they're also great places to party
Dana
Dana,
I really, really want to do a Key Largo/ Key West trip this winter. Got any ideas? e-mail me, please.
j2bf of the snorkling/gotta get my scuba certification class
Dana we all float too easily. But stick a few pounds of weights on and you'll sink like all divers. I encourage you to take the basic scuba open water course. You'll never regret it.
Night dives are definitely the best - my favourite.
I usually dive with a membrane drysuit and 12lbs of lead.
I live near the Atlantic ocean, so losters and scallops are aplenty, straight off the sea bed.
Gotta follow what LB said, for anyone. Take a basic diving course - you'll never regret it.
LB...Great pic...was that a cave? I worked with a couple a guys who used to do alot of quarry diving. They used to dive a quarry in Portland Ct. They mapped out many horizontal shafts that went down to depths of close to 200 feet. They roped it all off every time they dove it. They had to use a few pony bottles re-surfacing. It's closed to divers now since the death toll got up to five and that was the end of it. I'm not the adventurous type. I enjoy comfort,safety and freedom while diving. I tried some small caves that had exits through so you didn't have to turn around, just swim forward. I didn't mind that, it was fun.
Has anyone dove in a lava tube in Hawaii? I had a dive buddy up North who went thru one and said it was awesome! I might get up enough guts to do that...LOL.
CC
I've dove in caves on maui, which are lava tubes. Not deep ones but still you needed lights. That was a cave pic I got off the net. I would love to go to fla and dive those springs. I'd have to get certified to dive in many of them I guess. That's ok, training sure doesn't hurt. My last instructor had only about 25% of the dives that I've had, but, I still learned some things.
I have dove past the 200 foot depth many years ago. I was experienced but honestly didn't have a clue as to what my decom would be. I just trusted the guy I went with. He was an old naval diver. The total dive time was 3 1/2 hours. We clipped onto an anchor at various levels and I actually spent my time reading a paperback book I brought with me. Weird huh? These days there are a lot of rules we just didn't have back then. It has gotten a lot safer.
I also noticed that with age I have to be more careful about staying within the tables. I use a computer and it's very conservative and even then, if I exceed it I have problems. So age changes things too. I'm very fit for a guy my age, but, age is age.
An apostascuba event would be a blast some day. Only problem is distance. I'm diving with Mr Princess next weekend and can't wait. He's a good guy.
Hey Joy
Yup, a Key West trip would be wonderful! Um...I don't have any firm ideas on when or anything; I do know that the winter months are the most expensive (obviously). I'll have to check my school schedule to see when would be the best. Are you thinking of just a weekend? Coz that's probably the best I could do.
LB, thanks for the encouragement. I may very well do what you and LT suggest
Dana
Hey LB, what do you mean at your age! You can't be older than me. I'm 47 and am in decent shape. I've got rhuemadoid arthritis but it doesn't bother me when I dive, only when bad weather comes. You look maybe 45 but more like 42. I've been diving with guys in their fifty's and they do very well. Come on you spring chicken!....LOL
CC
I wish I was in my 40's. I'm 56 going on 17. I keep fairly fit and don't plan to give up yet. But there are some limitations. Still I'll dive til I can't. I'd even get a scooter if that keeps me diving later.
Hey LB 56!!!!! You just blew my mind man...That's a great attitude...keep going till the air runs out...LOL... I am really jonsing about going diving again. Where land locked here in Tn. Center Hill Lake and Dale Hollow Lake are the only places I know of around here that people dive, but there is limited visibility and if you like swimming with giant sized catfish (50-80 lbs as big as a bus) then so be it. NOT for me. Like I said before, I'm spoiled with warm water and 100+ ft visibility.
Funds are pretty low too. We bought a house 2 yrs ago and put most of our money into it. We haven't been on a decent vacation in a while, so this Feb or Mar Tink and I are talking about Aruba. She has never been there and I had a time share there in the early 90's so I know alot of cool places that both of us would love. She's not a diver and has a hard time even snorkling. I haven't even been snorkling with her yet. Some guy in Fla. tryed to teach her in a pool but had no teaching quality's. I was trained by some good instructors and I told her I'd help her. I picked up some good technics to help newcomers.
If someone wants to plan a short dive vacation in the future I'd be interested enough to look into it. Let me know if anyone is planning something.
CC
