# ATTN Scuba Divers



## DennisP (Mar 3, 2014)

So I saw another thread that got me wondering... 

Who of us are scuba divers? 
What is/was your favorite place to dive? 

For those who aren't but are interested, I highly recommend trying it. One of the coolest things I've experienced is breathing under water for the first time. 

As for me, I've been PADI certified since 2007. I've gotten to dive a few lakes in my area, Cozumel Mexico, and Bonaire. All unique experiences. 

Bonaire is by far my favorite. Water temps near 80. Abundant marine life. Amazing aquascape, especially the northern dive sites. Can't wait to go back.


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## ffparamedic (Dec 14, 2015)

I am, not sure when I first started. I think it was around 05-06.

My two favorite spots are drift dives in Cozumel or Grand Turk. St Maarten also has great diving.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

First certified in 1982

NOW
PADI, NAUI, and TDI certs

Basic, Open Water, Advanced open water, and Nitrox

I have dove on the wreck of the captain Dan in S Florida and done 100's of hours of other beach and boat dives in Florida and lakes in Maine and NC 

I love diving

I once did a shark dive.. ONCE

use to lobster fish with SCUBA

I love night dives

Had a large sea turtle swim up to me and let me "pet" him/her.. the turtle swam up to each of the 6 divers in my group

Got to touch a manatee and swam up to me in Crystal river FLA

I once ran out of air on a safety stop and had to buddy breath
Had a regulator break and had to use my octo
had a friend get bit by a Moray Eel 

I love diving...

I once wrote a excel program to track dives and time.. I sold copies of it on ebay

EDIT - did I mention i love diving


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

6811, Denton and Salty (Salt N Pepper) are Divers. I never got certified so I look forward to hearing and learning more from you all.

Thanks DennisP, nice thread.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

DennisP said:


> *For those who aren't but are interested, I highly recommend trying it.*


Breathing under water and the feeling of flying through the water. I also recommend trying it.


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## ffparamedic (Dec 14, 2015)

Maine: my wife and I love lobestering in FL, we used to do it often.


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## Medic33 (Mar 29, 2015)

I got into diving in the 80's right after the army sent me for my scuba bubble. liked it so much I stuck to it and became an instructor.
all I can say is it another world down there,fascinating, beautiful, and so relaxing.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

There was a time you'd find me diving Alabama or Florida on every weekend and weekdays when I had spare vacation days. Caves, quarries, lakes, rivers and the Gulf of Mexico.
Sure, there were places that were better than others, but all were better than dry land.

Then, my son went off to college and working over time has taken center stage. Son's graduated and is working on an Air Force base close to Pensacola, so we'll probably start back up, soon.


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## Linedog (Jun 29, 2015)

Diving since 99, I dive primary Puget Sound, amazing life out there!!


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## 6811 (Jan 2, 2013)

PADI open water, Advanced Open Water, Rescue, Dry Suit, Nitrox and Divemaster since 07...

I learned to dive in in dark, murky and cold waters of Pennsylvania Quarries. I went Diving in the Philippines 3 times already and im going back February. I was hoping to dive the Yonaguni Monument in Okinawa Japan but it dont look like it is going to happen. I was told it would take a long time to get there by boat from Naha and I only have 3 days. too expensive to fly from Naha to Yonaguni. oh well, I guess I will have to try some cave or wreck in the Philippines instead.:crushed:


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## DennisP (Mar 3, 2014)

6811- I've seen pictures from the Philippines and they looked amazing. A location on my diving bucket list for sure.


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

I'd love to try one day! The closest I've come is when some rich guy paid me to use his scuba gear to clean out his huge pool after I mowed his lawn as a youngster. That was fun even tho it was work. 

I've heard some crazy stories secondhand about the guys that inspect the dams in local lakes. They say there are giant catfish unlike any you've ever seen at the bottom of most. Wonder if there's any truth to that myth?


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Done a lot of snorkeling for spear fishing locally. Back in the late 70's dad was diving all the time. He had me going for a while but then the dive shops wanted us to be certified to fill the tanks. Dad got pissed cause he trained the shop owners and now they wanted him to pay them to get certified. Yeah right.


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## Quip (Nov 8, 2012)

Arklatex said:


> I'd love to try one day! The closest I've come is when some rich guy paid me to use his scuba gear to clean out his huge pool after I mowed his lawn as a youngster. That was fun even tho it was work.
> 
> I've heard some crazy stories secondhand about the guys that inspect the dams in local lakes. They say there are giant catfish unlike any you've ever seen at the bottom of most. Wonder if there's any truth to that myth?


Try a resort dive. I went to the Keys with a girlfriend who was already certified. After the 1st day with the dive master he let her take me out on her own. We called ahead and the place had prescription goggles and said to bring a copy of mine. It was great not screwing with the mask/glasses. A few hours in the pool/classroom and you're good to go with the instructor. I found diving is best fun you can have with your clothes on.


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## SecretPrepper (Mar 25, 2014)

I started in 98. Love shooting fish off the rigs in LA and TX, FL gulf and Atlantic. 

Remember MM it ain't nitrox any more it's "Enriched Air". If I had a free fill for every time I have been told that by the kid filling my tank I would have a foot tall stack of free fill cards.

Edited to add:
My favorite dive shirt says at 100' you have no friends.


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## 6811 (Jan 2, 2013)

DennisP said:


> 6811- I've seen pictures from the Philippines and they looked amazing. A location on my diving bucket list for sure.


Let me know when you are going to the Philippines. I can direct you to a good small dive resort that wont break the bank. Very nice place and very cheap. Its located in Puerto Galera Philippines. The name of the place is dolphin bay beach front and dive resort. I stayed there before and the place is fantastic.


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## 6811 (Jan 2, 2013)

Anybody want to organize a PF diving trip sometime this summer?


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## SecretPrepper (Mar 25, 2014)

The admirals walk in west Palm Beach is a cool dive. Its a drift dive (lazy man's dive) too. Not to deep and not technical so divers of all levels can enjoy. There are a few cool ledges and reefs in that area.


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## DennisP (Mar 3, 2014)

6811 said:


> Let me know when you are going to the Philippines. I can direct you to a good small dive resort that wont break the bank. Very nice place and very cheap. Its located in Puerto Galera Philippines. The name of the place is dolphin bay beach front and dive resort. I stayed there before and the place is fantastic.


Will do. Unfortunately that trip will be a few years (or 20)  We're in the planning stages of our next trip to Bonaire. We have a time share at Buddy Dive Resort that we recently purchased and is given us the bubble blowing itch.


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## DennisP (Mar 3, 2014)

6811 said:


> Anybody want to organize a PF diving trip sometime this summer?


Let's do next winter


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## Waterguy (Jul 15, 2015)

This is how I spent Sunday. That's me standing in the water, and a glacier in the background.


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## 6811 (Jan 2, 2013)

DennisP said:


> Let's do next winter


Are you suggesting ice diving? I'm in...


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## 6811 (Jan 2, 2013)

Waterguy said:


> This is how I spent Sunday. That's me standing in the water, and a glacier in the background.
> View attachment 14487


That is a spectacular view WG...


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## DennisP (Mar 3, 2014)

6811 said:


> Are you suggesting ice diving? I'm in...


HELL NO. I'm suggesting Caribbean


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## 6811 (Jan 2, 2013)

DennisP said:


> HELL NO. I'm suggesting Caribbean


I got an extra dry suit for ya, you won't get cold... I swear....:encouragement:


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## DennisP (Mar 3, 2014)

I'd be down, but the wife has zero desire to dive in anything colder than 75 degrees. She'd kill me if I went diving somewhere without her


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## 6811 (Jan 2, 2013)

DennisP said:


> I'd be down, but the wife has zero desire to dive in anything colder than 75 degrees. She'd kill me if I went diving somewhere without her


Oh you guys would definitely enjoy diving in the Philippines. Warm waters all year round. Check out Palawan, Bohol, Puerto Galera and Coron for wreck diving.


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

Certed about 10 years ago. I've got a box full of the cards (I was bored one year so I earned just about everything PADI had).

Currently working on Full Cave cert, we do a lot of caving but just the easy stuff right now. Dove in a lot of holes in the midwest and south, caves & caverns in Florida, done the keys and the Caribbean and Hawai'i, in the hundreds of dives but not the thousands experience wise.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Salt-N-Pepper said:


> Certed about 10 years ago. I've got a box full of the cards (I was bored one year so I earned just about everything PADI had).
> 
> Currently working on Full Cave cert, we do a lot of caving but just the easy stuff right now. Dove in a lot of holes in the midwest and south, caves & caverns in Florida, done the keys and the Caribbean and Hawai'i, in the hundreds of dives but not the thousands experience wise.


That is why they call it "Pay another dollar in."


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## 6811 (Jan 2, 2013)

Denton said:


> That is why they call it "Pay another dollar in."


yep, PADI certifies you for everything. underwater photography, and just about anything you are willing to pay for. do they offer swimming pool diver certification now?


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## SecretPrepper (Mar 25, 2014)

6811 said:


> yep, PADI certifies you for everything. underwater photography, and just about anything you are willing to pay for. do they offer swimming pool diver certification now?


If the do is it a prerequisite for open water cert?


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