Scuba Diver

[BigmoneySr]

Is anybody out there in Florida a scuba diver. I'm a Padi divemaster planning to use my RV on trips over to Jupiter Beach and Key largo this summer.

Picture is from Little Cayman bloody bay wall

[Abnmarine]

Not Florida but have been doing a lot of diving out here in Hawaii.

[Wayne M]

Oh how I miss it. PADI Assistant Instructor back in the 70's, did not dive after I left Guantanamo Bay Cuba. Reef Raider certified, with the Reef Raider's being a private club in GTMO. Most times, those certified as Reef Raiders just had to show the RR card in the states to get air and dive. PADI was first introducted to GTMO around 1971 and the NAUI. GTMO spoiled us (DW Advance PADI) and when we got back to the states, Norfolk, VA, well diving was just not good. I did not keep up the AI, but I still have my Dive Master certifiication. As necessary, if I decided to do it again I would ask to monitor a local course before I jumped in.

Good luck to you - and breath air - compressed or not.

[BigmoneySr]

Smart choice if you’re getting back into diving on a refresher course. I was first certified in 1972 by NASDS before I started my management career with Bechtel traveling across the US making 23 house moves. Before I retired I started back in with Padi from the bottom as an open water diver working my way up to my current certification as Divemaster. I now made our 24th house move and I hope the last down to Tampa when I retired. Bottom line is no more cold water diving for me and after I turned 60 I use my DPV Apollo scooter on wreck dives if the current allows.

[Wayne M]

It should be taught in class, I did, that whenever you transfer to a different area, ask an instructor if you can sit in on the lecture part of the class. That familiarizes you with the local environment, safety and dangers of specific areas, and the underwater environment. Plus you get to meet other divers.

Do you know that in all the diving that I did in GTMO, I never had to use the dive tables. Everything that was beautiful was in 30 feet of water or less. On a few occasions we went to 70 feet but never stayed more than a few minutes picking up conks. However, just after that 70' depth, about 100 yard or so out, was the continental shelf. I did plan a few dives for those who wanted to drop over the edge to about 120'. My partner was always a woman, either a good friend, Vi, or DW and they never wanted to drop off the face of the earth, hee hee!

[Abnmarine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne M It should be taught in class, I did, that whenever you transfer to a different area, ask an instructor if you can sit in on the lecture part of the class. That familiarizes you with the local environment, safety and dangers of specific areas, and the underwater environment. Plus you get to meet other divers. Do you know that in all the diving that I did in GTMO, I never had to use the dive tables. Everything that was beautiful was in 30 feet of water or less. On a few occasions we went to 70 feet but never stayed more than a few minutes picking up conks. However, just after that 70' depth, about 100 yard or so out, was the continental shelf. I did plan a few dives for those who wanted to drop over the edge to about 120'. My partner was always a woman, either a good friend, Vi, or DW and they never wanted to drop off the face of the earth, hee hee!

We do a lot of shore entries here in Oahu. Most of our depths are 20-50 feet. We have dived a couple of trenches reaching 120 feet. It's a whole different world down there.

[SlipF18]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the reefs in the Keys are all bleaching and dying. We polluted the water, we caused climate change and water temp rise, and now we are reaping our inevitable "reward". Protection has been too little and too late, despite the best efforts of some. Take a dive off Key Largo when you get there and you'll see what I mean. Still a bunch of fishies around, but the corals themselves are in bad shape. One saving grace is the wreck diving. If you don't mind going a bit deep, the Spiegel Grove or the Duane are nice dives. And, at least there are still places like the Caymans (we really like diving on Cayman Brac) and Bonaire. But as for Florida, what we once had here has been ruined. Sad, sad, sad.

[BpK9Miami]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigmoneySr Is anybody out there in Florida a scuba diver. I'm a Padi divemaster planning to use my RV on trips over to Jupiter Beach and Key largo this summer. Picture is from Little Cayman bloody bay wall

Don't overlook the dive opportunities right there in your backyard in and around Tampa as well. Gulf diving, and the rivers and springs within an hour or so of Tampa, are often overlooked. During my duty time there in Tampa I hooked up with one of the older shops, volunteering in the pool (non-paid) and than went along as a safety to several of the dive spots. It gives you an opportunity to learn about them from the more senior instructors and gets you into the dive community all at once.

Good luck!

[Clifftall]

I used to do a lot of diving. I had about 250 dives logged before I stopped. Funny thing is that I used to use 2 lbs of weight and if I ever dive again , I will no longer need to add any weight as I've had both knees replaced and they weigh about 1 lb each.

I do miss it, and cherish the times I had. Enjoy

[BigmoneySr]

Has anyone used a DPV when diving? I bought the Apollo scooter six years ago and put it to good use when diving on wrecks. This scooter is very easy to use and control lets you cover a lot on a wreck. All you need to do is just get in the saddle and then use the speed control while both hands are free unlike other scooter where you need to hold on.



http://www.scubaonline.com.au/bmz_ca...ge.250x183.jpg

[Wayne M]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clifftall I used to do a lot of diving. I had about 250 dives logged before I stopped. Funny thing is that I used to use 2 lbs of weight and if I ever dive again , I will no longer need to add any weight as I've had both knees replaced and they weigh about 1 lb each. I do miss it, and cherish the times I had. Enjoy

Hee hee! I never thought about that. I have had one replaced and the other one needs to be replaced. Now this is going to be a problem if I dive. Here is the reason:

Learning to dive: Guantanamo Bay Cuba, I'm in the pre-qualification phase of "can you swim." We had to do the mandatory swimming, and one of them was to float for 15 minutes. Well, I'm in the pool, on my back, and i'm moving my hands (and feet a little), and the instructor says, "You can't move your hands or feet." I replied to him that I would sink if I didn't, and I had to prove it to him. I took a deep breath and stopped moving. I sank to the bottom of the pool. I pushed myself back up and when I surfaced he said, "Put a little air in the vest." Well, to make a long story short, I eventually had to inflate the vest all the way, and when I tried to float I was still a foot or more below the surface. Now that my friends is "Negative Boyancy." So now with an artificial knee it would be worse. I ended up with a Navy Below Decks life preservier, the one that sits in the little pouch in front of your belly, and is inflated by CO2. Now that kept me up. They just did not make an over the counter vest in those days with enough volume to hold me on the surface.

As for the dying ocean, it is sad. Over 40 years ago I was out fishing here in the Gulf and the boat operator tossed an aluminum can over the side. My wife and I, being divers, were appalled and informed the person of the dangers it contributed to, and eventually the bottom of their fishing area would be nothing but aluminum. We went fishing many times after that and they never threw another can over-the-side.

The story I also tell is about our time in GTMO. There was one pier that we used to go to that was "ocean side," and allowed ships to dock on the end and was used for parties. After any ship had a party, the Reef Raiders would hold a clean-up dive. Let me tell you that on those dives we would overflow a large dip-y-dumpster with aluminum cans and trash. It would get to the point that we would have to stop and dive another time to continue clean-up. That is a most likely reason why our shorelines for good fishing and diving are polluted, having to do with the amount of trash - and other liquids being dumped.

[Clifftall]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne M Hee hee! I never thought about that. I have had one replaced and the other one needs to be replaced. Now this is going to be a problem if I dive. Here is the reason: Learning to dive: Guantanamo Bay Cuba, I'm in the pre-qualification phase of "can you swim." We had to do the mandatory swimming, and one of them was to float for 15 minutes. Well, I'm in the pool, on my back, and i'm moving my hands (and feet a little), and the instructor says, "You can't move your hands or feet." I replied to him that I would sink if I didn't, and I had to prove it to him. I took a deep breath and stopped moving. I sank to the bottom of the pool. I pushed myself back up and when I surfaced he said, "Put a little air in the vest." Well, to make a long story short, I eventually had to inflate the vest all the way, and when I tried to float I was still a foot or more below the surface. Now that my friends is "Negative Boyancy." So now with an artificial knee it would be worse. I ended up with a Navy Below Decks life preservier, the one that sits in the little pouch in front of your belly, and is inflated by CO2. Now that kept me up. They just did not make an over the counter vest in those days with enough volume to hold me on the surface. As for the dying ocean, it is sad. Over 40 years ago I was out fishing here in the Gulf and the boat operator tossed an aluminum can over the side. My wife and I, being divers, were appalled and informed the person of the dangers it contributed to, and eventually the bottom of their fishing area would be nothing but aluminum. We went fishing many times after that and they never threw another can over-the-side. The story I also tell is about our time in GTMO. There was one pier that we used to go to that was "ocean side," and allowed ships to dock on the end and was used for parties. After any ship had a party, the Reef Raiders would hold a clean-up dive. Let me tell you that on those dives we would overflow a large dip-y-dumpster with aluminum cans and trash. It would get to the point that we would have to stop and dive another time to continue clean-up. That is a most likely reason why our shorelines for good fishing and diving are polluted, having to do with the amount of trash - and other liquids being dumped.

Glad I'm not your dive buddy. With all the air you need for your BC, what would be left for buddy breathing.

Talking about piers. One of the most interesting dives I took in the late 80's was the Town Pier in Bonaire. They didn't have any restrictions ( appeared that way ) as to what could be tossed over in the water. .
In every tire there was a Moray Eel and every shopping cart was encrusted in beautiful colored coral. A common prank was to inflate someones BC and laugh as they shot up to the bottom of the pier ( 20 feet ). Anyway if I do dive again, it will be nice not to wear a weight belt. The benefits of metal knees.