SCUBA / Diving / Diving license

[billswim]

I'm gonna go against the grain here and qualify whether or not you should jump right into AOW before doing some dives on your own. How comfortable are you in the water now and with your equipment? IMHO, if you're comfortable with both, skip it for a while go get some experience on your own and you'll be a better diver in the class and be able to pick up on more of the material.

When I got certified a million years ago, there was a guy in our class who I was certain wouldn't even pass the basic dive course. He was so obviously dangerous, by the time we got to the ocean, no one wanted to be his dive buddy. The instructor had to. When the class "graduated" the instructor strongly encouraged this guy to take the AOW ASAP. I was

I asked the instructor about it and he said it was the best way to have dude dive with qualified supervision for a few more dives and hopefully make a better diver out of him. I sort of saw the logic but I wouldn't have passed him, regardless.

I've been around the ocean for my entire life. Equipment doesn't intimidate me so I didn't go AOW for a few years and lots of dives later. YMMV

That being said the most valuable thing I took from the advanced course was compass navigation. So if you do nothing else learn a little about how to use it and you'll be way ahead of most other divers.

The second most valuable thing was learning how to recognize nitrogen narcosis. It sneaks up on you so knowing what its like can save your life.

 

[MotoWhip101]

Nick and I are getting our diving license at Bamboo Reef in Monterey via private lessons and the class structure can accommodate 4 people. There are 2 spots available and the price is 299 per person which includes gear and can be schedule to best suit the people attending the class it is 2 nights and 2 days and then we'll be diving!

Let me know if anyone is interested as Nick and I will be signing up within the week to get our dive license before racing at Laguna Seca at the end of July.

 

[Volcomism]

Have fun Todd!

 

[MotoWhip101]

Have fun Todd!

literally cannot wait! between fishing on the lakes & working on the ocean (I work on Cannery Row) I want to get under the water SOOO bad!

I've been a surface dweller too long as a wakeboard instructor, and spear fisher, but I am sick of holding my breath and seeing shiny things on the bottom when I am almost out of air!

worst case scenario Nick & I pay a little more and get out certification out of the way so we can go dive under the wharf and start a refurbished sunglasses marketarty

 

[Volcomism]

Dude, I'll show you some best practices in diving if you teach me spear fishing!

 

[MotoWhip101]

Dude, I'll show you some best practices in diving if you teach me spear fishing!

Spear fishing is a cake walk if you have diving down. We just use hawaiian slings which is like a glorified rubber band gun that is sharp. We usually catch a random assortment of Rock Fish, Ling Cod, and the occasional Halibut. It's a lot of fun if you've got a BBQ or dinner planned and fresh fish that you caught yourself always tastes better

 

[Volcomism]

Ok. I gotta try this Sounds like a blast. Just gotta get used to the colder water.

 

[Kim]

I got a flyer for lion fish hunting down in FL with prize money and everything. Spear fishing would be really cool to learn.

Thinking after the wedding planning and things settle down. We can dive and Im going to sign up for Advanced Open water

Speaking of which. I FINALLY got my PADI certification card in the mail this week.

 

[MotoWhip101]

Here is a spear video a buddy of mine made in Australia.

*PETA warning fish get speared in this video*

here is the direct link to the video on Vimeo, not sure if it was my poor attempt at embedding or if the video is private?

http://vimeo.com/42529005

 

[Kim]

says the URL is blocked.

 

[MotoWhip101]

says the URL is blocked.

I added a full link to the video let me know if it's working now?

No takers on the diving classes? It's $550 for 1-2 people $400 for 3 and $299 for 4 and they schedule the classes around our work/play schedule. We are looking to have ours by the end of next week if that works for anyone let me know! That does include gear rental for all of the dives

The classes will be in Monterey

 

[PRELUDE]

Sydney is awesome. You'll need 2-3 days to see most of it. (Totally worth it, and I'll show ya around if I'm not working).

Gold Coast (Surfers Paradise) during Summer (November-February) is like a mini-Vegas. Everyone just gets piss drunk and parties all day/all night.

Cairns is where you'll want to do all your diving. You can dive in places like Whitsundays , but it's not going to have the conditions of Cairns. And if you're going to do your Open Water Cert... 11 dives in 5 days will be enough for ya.

Hey Anthony,

Been a while since I posted here. So I got certified with prodive cairns on the 3-day livaboard last October. Still missing the dive-eat-dive-eat-sleep-repeat lifestyle haha. And the night dive was WICKED.

Since, I have completed dives in Byron Bay, Cozumel, and Southwest Rocks and have about 15 dives to date. I also relocated to Sydney from SF. By chance, are you part of the Sydney Scuba Divers meetup group?

Reading your previous posts def makes me want to get my own gear too. Not exactly sure where to start--everything in australia is unaffordable by my standards. And do you always hire/rent tanks?

The Similan Islands looks off the charts! What time of year did you go? Def hitting that up in the next 12 months. Hope there's a chance we could dive together here in Sydney (once I have my gear)! Love to checkout Magic Point.

Im headed to Port Lincoln next week to do the White Pointers with Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions
https://www.rodneyfox.com.au/index....entDriven=2147259961&currentContent=520356878

And here's a video from my dive at Fish Rock Cave (May '12)
https://vimeo.com/43764056

- Sean

 

[secn8ure]

Anyone know where I can get a Gopro Dive housing for $50 within a week or so? Need one before 7/26. My favorite online store (Amazon) is on backorder. TIA.

 

[Kim]

Gopro website has them for 50$ plus shipping? They ship out of Half moon day so you'll get it fairly quickly. I have one you could borrow as well if you just wanted it for this dive trip.

 

[secn8ure]

Thanks for the offer, Kim. GoPro site is on back-order too though they say it'll be in-stock a week from now. Will have to check their site then.

 

[secn8ure]

I'm back from my Hawaii trip and thought of sharing my GoPro pics. Not bad for an old 960 model.

 

[Kim]

Jealous!

I havent been diving since i got certified water looks amazing.

 

[CannonFodder]

Hey Divers - As a Marketing class project, I am doing a marketing plan for my local dive shop. I'd like to do interviews with divers other than the shop customers I have spoken with before finalizing if I will do a survey and what the survey will contain (it is best to do interviews before surveys). Would any of you be up for a phone call or meet at a Peets in the 925? So far the interviews about been around 45 minutes. It can go shorter, but when you get people on the phone that like diving, and the time flys by. If you haven't gone diving in a while, that is fine - actually, your input would be as interesting as the people who dive often. The information you provide is anonymous. We can schedule via PM and you can call me.

 

[Volcomism]

I can do a phone interview if that works for you.

four,zero,eight. seven,eight,zero, 6609

 

[slydrite]

Well, we booked our air travel to both Miami and Bonaire, booked hotels in Key West and Bonaire, car in the Keys. Still need hotel in Miami, Key Largo and book dives in all locations! Super stoked. We're doing it all on the super cheap, as I had $500 United cert, cashed in some CC points, rental car points, hotel points. Basically we're staying in Hiltons for free while in the Florida and the convertible car in the Keys is free and we saved $300 on the Dutch Air flight to Bonaire!! I used miles to upgrade, so we're First Class SF-Miami and back!!! This entire trip is going to be less than $2K and we're living it up! arty

I thought Great Barrier Reef/New Year's Eve in Sydney harbour in 2008 was epic and couldn't be topped, but this might do it!!! teethteeth.

I think we need an Advanced Diver course though before this trip. This will be the most SCUBA intensive trip we've ever taken and we want to come back in one piece. We're real casual divers and haven't even been out on 'our own' before.

Dude right on! You better post up pics and video! If you need a dive camera you could borrow my GoPro w/ Dive housing.

Thanks for that. We bought a couple of them already with a nice deal from Yakoo. Any recommendations on where to take an Advanced course? I want to take Rescue Diver, but you need Advanced before that, right?