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re: Getting in to Scuba Diving....
Posted on 4/24/20 at 2:53 pm to Fishwater
Posted on 4/24/20 at 2:53 pm to Fishwater
Been certified since 79. One of he founding members of the Git'Em Spearfishing Club in Baton Rouge. Have dove all over the world. Some of the best diving experiences I've had were in the Gulf diving the rigs. Rode Whale Sharks & Manta Rays. Spear Fishing and catching lobsters are some of the best times I ever had. But it's different than diving in the Caribbean or other parts of the world. Like most have said, reputable dive shop and buying quality equipment is very important. Can't wait to retire and do more of it. 
1
Posted on 4/24/20 at 3:03 pm to Scooba
quote:
Have you seen life on a coral reef?
Only on the weekends...
Maybe it's because it was things I was doing already, but I got nothing from AOW. The best way I can describe it is that OW makes you a scuba diver, it gives you the tools to go scuba diving. AOW doesn't make you an advanced diver. PADI uses AOW as a platform to take your money while trying to further sell you on their specialty certs...some shops push it, some don't.
I've heard that some places won't even take someone if they aren't AOW and I've heard you will be grouped differently if you are AOW. I haven't seen that personally. I've only seen people grouper by number of dives. I agree, that would be a benefit, I've just not seen it.
Respect...
There is no dive shop that's going to respect you because of AOW. You can literally have AOW 2 days after your OW. You can be an "advanced" diver with like 10 dives...
Posted on 4/24/20 at 3:09 pm to DownSouthDave
Alot of good info in this thread but I will expound on one thing....DO get your advanced cert. It makes you a more competent diver and gives you additional experience thatt will help you with deeper dives.
When I got my certs the Open Water only really got you ready down to 60' IIRC. It's past this depth where people get into trouble and get into it quickly.
Around 60' is where a new diver (or one who hasn't been at depth for some time) starts getting "Narced". They begin feeling euphoric and lose a sense of awareness and safety. I have seen it happen way too many times when paired with newbies.
On one wreck dive out of PC they buddied me up with a girl who swore she had 30 -something odd dives. As soon as we hit 70 ft all she wanted to do was keep swimming deeper, away from the wreck. I finally grabbed her a basically drug her slowly back up to 60 ft until she got a bit acclimated. When we got back to the boat she admitted she had under 20 dives and hadn't been in 3-4 yrs. She was narced as hell and without my insistence I have no doubt whatsoever she would have kept swimming deeper and farther out until her air gave out. Crazy
Bottom line is go for it and get those certs with a GOOD PADI instructor. It's the second greatest thing you'll ever do and lasts a lot longer than the number one (on average) LOL
When I got my certs the Open Water only really got you ready down to 60' IIRC. It's past this depth where people get into trouble and get into it quickly.
Around 60' is where a new diver (or one who hasn't been at depth for some time) starts getting "Narced". They begin feeling euphoric and lose a sense of awareness and safety. I have seen it happen way too many times when paired with newbies.
On one wreck dive out of PC they buddied me up with a girl who swore she had 30 -something odd dives. As soon as we hit 70 ft all she wanted to do was keep swimming deeper, away from the wreck. I finally grabbed her a basically drug her slowly back up to 60 ft until she got a bit acclimated. When we got back to the boat she admitted she had under 20 dives and hadn't been in 3-4 yrs. She was narced as hell and without my insistence I have no doubt whatsoever she would have kept swimming deeper and farther out until her air gave out. Crazy
Bottom line is go for it and get those certs with a GOOD PADI instructor. It's the second greatest thing you'll ever do and lasts a lot longer than the number one (on average) LOL
This post was edited on 4/24/20 at 3:11 pm
Posted on 4/24/20 at 3:12 pm to DownSouthDave
quote:
You can be an "advanced" diver with like 10 dives...
And your logs will show this.
All I'm saying is don't throw the baby out with the bath water.
Where are you diving on weekends?
Posted on 4/24/20 at 3:16 pm to Fishwater
Got certified when I was around 19 because my dad wanted a dive partner. Have most of my own equipment, which is useful if you live near a good dive spot (which I did). Anytime I traveled pretty much rented everything -- much easier.
Haven't been in quite a few years. Makes me wonder if a PADI certification expires.
Haven't been in quite a few years. Makes me wonder if a PADI certification expires.
Posted on 4/24/20 at 3:16 pm to PurpleAndGoldFinger
quote:
PURPLE&GOLDFINGER
Hmmmm, do you have a daughter that freedives?
Posted on 4/24/20 at 3:17 pm to Scooba
quote:
Where are you diving on weekends?
I've lived in the USVI for the past year and a half.
Posted on 4/24/20 at 3:38 pm to SloaneRanger
quote:
How does he get tanks filled and take trips on dive boats?
he is on the volunteer fire and rescue team and even does body recoveries for the police as needed sometimes. he has taken 4 or 5 bodies out of the river but most of his diving is recreational
i know he isnt certified or anything, not sure how he gets around anything but its louisiana so i suspect no one is too worried about it
Posted on 4/24/20 at 3:43 pm to Trevaylin
quote:
rig diving is dangerous esp if there is a current. I sold my tanks because almost lost a couple people that drifted off
Have enjoyed reading this thread, and it sadly reminds of of a grad school classmate and later work colleague who died some years back while rig spearfishing off the LA coast. He was smart guy and a very experienced diver. I seem to recall it was speculated he speared a large fish that dragged him into the rig structure and he may have been knocked out in the process - none of his divemates saw what happened - he just didn’t surface when he should have.
This post was edited on 4/24/20 at 3:45 pm
Posted on 4/24/20 at 3:58 pm to DownSouthDave
BVI > USVI
Posted on 4/24/20 at 4:39 pm to Fishwater
Buy mask, fins, booties, and snorkel.
Rent the rest until you know you’ll do it a bunch and get your money out of it.
I went through this phase 20 plus years ago. ScubaPro was hot shite back then. Don’t really know anymore.
Rent the rest until you know you’ll do it a bunch and get your money out of it.
I went through this phase 20 plus years ago. ScubaPro was hot shite back then. Don’t really know anymore.
Posted on 4/24/20 at 4:51 pm to Scooba
Been to BVI.
I'm in STX. There is really good diving here, especially when you get off the head boats and dive spots nobody else dives. Having the wall right offshore is fantastic, you can walk off of the beach and go as deep as you'd like.
The oil rigs in the gulf have the Mississippi river pumping in nutrients all day every day. There is no replacement for that. You don't get that sort of nutrient dense water in the Caribbean. That's why Venice is the fishing capital of the world.
I'm in STX. There is really good diving here, especially when you get off the head boats and dive spots nobody else dives. Having the wall right offshore is fantastic, you can walk off of the beach and go as deep as you'd like.
The oil rigs in the gulf have the Mississippi river pumping in nutrients all day every day. There is no replacement for that. You don't get that sort of nutrient dense water in the Caribbean. That's why Venice is the fishing capital of the world.
Posted on 4/24/20 at 5:01 pm to Fishwater
Scuba diving is for pussies.
This post was edited on 4/24/20 at 5:03 pm
Posted on 4/24/20 at 5:29 pm to Jim Rockford
quote:
I spent a couple thousand dollars on scuba gear several years ago. I did enjoy it, but the time and travel involved meant it wasn't a wise investment. I only used it once or twice a year, and it's been a very long time since I used it at all. Hence my recommendation upthread to rent.
Ditto. Diving in the Maldives was incredible though. And I still have gear for one I want to pick it up again. Rental stuff usually sucks. I liked the idea of knowing my own stuff too. Worth the money, no. But what hobby is.
Posted on 4/25/20 at 11:21 am to TigerDeBaiter
Thanks for all the replies and advice!
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