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I like my wrist computer because it doubles as a watch, stopwatch, and compass, but that’s more than anyone probably really needs  (Note: I used to work for an Oceanic dealer, so I’m probably biased on those computers I did have a Zoop and a d6i at one point, so I’m at least marginally familiar with those too)All of the major companies have similar computers around the same price points. Suunto Zoops, Oceanic Veo 2s, Aqualung i300c, etc are all entry-level computers, and puck-style. They’re made to go in a console (alongside your pressure gauge), but can be put into a band for a wrist-mount too. These usually go for ~$250, plus or minus some based on brand. The same goes for actual watch-style computers, which is where you’ll run into some of the higher-end stuff. There’s the cheaper ones still (Oceanic Geo 2, Aqualung i200) that work perfectly fine; my job loaned out a Geo 2 to me for my work dives (I work for the National Park Service as a diver). Geo 2s are a solid computer that’s hard to beat for that price. They go for ~$270 online, depending on brand and retailer. The next tier up on wrist computers is where you start inching closer to ~$1,000. Oceanic OCis, the Suunto d-series, Shearwater Perdix, Garmin Descent, etc. these start getting into things that have more and more bells and whistles on them than most people would ever need. Digital compasses, multiple gas mixes, ability to change gas mix on the fly, decompression dives, rebreather monitoring, etc. I have an OCi for my personal computer, because I had a day in the dive shop where I had more $$ than sense and was mad at my Suunto d6i dying permanently (that was a gift from someone who quit diving when he had his first kid). I feel like I’m rambling on already, and that’s just for the computers 
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Sep 4, 2019 00:38
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Squashy Nipples posted:My dive club is planning a trip for late winter this year, but I haven't gotten any details yet. Yeah I probably can't do much about that, but hell yeah we can dive! I've been away from this thread for a few weeks while doing the IDC/IE and specialty instructor training but look forward to catching up in the next couple of days. FL goons, good luck/stay safe! Looks like the bullet was mostly dodged but anything can happen.
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Sep 4, 2019 00:44
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Ramrod Hotshot posted:I'm a pretty new diver, and now I'm deciding what gear to get, and I guess also whether to get gear at all - will I be diving enough? But I figure if I do get gear I'll be diving more so it'll be worth it. There's a ton of options and they're all really expensive so it's hard to know where to start. I've bought all my gear used and it's lasted a long, long time. My BCD I bought on Yahoo Auctions 10 years ago and I still use it today for work. If you're going to get a travel set up, make sure your bag has wheels (or get a collapsible trolley) because that poo poo gets heavy. Fins are large and bulky, so consider just renting those at whatever destination you choose. Mask and computer are least bulky (obviously). I saw a customer the other day with an entirely new setup that was quite small when packed together. Looked easy to travel with. I was envious. A console computer will require you to look down every time you want to use it. If you get a compass for navigation, it could be a hassle to look between the two, whether it be wrist mounted or lanyard mounted. As for regs, Calypsos are used throughout the Pacific. They're the workhorse models. If you get similar, you can rest assured they can be serviced anywhere you go in the region. They are not enviro sealed though, so don't use them in cold water (as far as I know).
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Sep 4, 2019 02:17
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I dive a Zeagle ranger which is a fine BCD but my next one will be a Diverite TravelPac The Zoop watch we bought on sale works well enough that we have needed to replaced them with the Perdix I keep threatening to buy. I would go to some shops and try on gear, fondle gear, and talk to some locals before buying.
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Sep 4, 2019 13:21
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Oh, I forgot to mention. A good thing to keep in mind re: computers: some models allow you to change the battery yourself. Some models require you to send it in to a dealer / manufacturer or whathaveyou. This can be a big problem if you dive infrequently and find out your comp is dead upon arriving at your destination.
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Sep 4, 2019 15:00
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I confirmed some of the people I met on the Conception last year died in the fire. My Facebook feed is full of my friends discovering that they had friends on the boat. I feel utterly sick. My heart is breaking, and I have no idea what to do.
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Sep 4, 2019 15:08
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Any word as to the cause yet?
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Sep 4, 2019 15:34
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Trivia posted:Any word as to the cause yet? Only speculation. I don't think there will be anything official until the NTSB issues a report. The galley was at the top of the stairs from the bunk room, so there are the associated hazards there, although I think the galley was electric. I also keep thinking about the piles of batteries charging overnight in the salon. Everyone's lights and cameras are set up on the table and benches. But it was a boat, with all the other associated hazards as well. My experience with Truth Aquatics was always pretty positive. They seemed like clean, well run boats. https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-wes...wFf8fup3DVKSJgU DeadlyMuffin fucked around with this message at 16:01 on Sep 4, 2019 |
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Sep 4, 2019 15:51
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A Facebook friend of mine, who is not a diver, knew two people on board. And that boat was definitely on my bucket list for liveaboards. I don't see how the NTSB is going to be able to determine anything from that inferno. Did you see the pics of what was left? When they say burned down to the waterline, in this case it was the waterline after everything heavy on the ship had already been incinerated.
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Sep 4, 2019 16:01
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I saw the pictures. I don't know how they will figure it out, but I hope they do. I absolutely loved those boats. I don't think I'll be able to sleep below decks again for a long time.
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Sep 4, 2019 16:04
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Now I'm scared to go below on the lobster boat.
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Sep 4, 2019 16:05
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Sounds loving terrifying. My first thought was an O2 tank catching. Though could just as easily be engine-room related no? Awful.
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Sep 4, 2019 16:11
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Trivia posted:Sounds loving terrifying. My first thought was an O2 tank catching. Though could just as easily be engine-room related no? I don't think they had O2 tanks beyond the typical DAN safety stuff. They did do nitrox, but it used a membrane system.
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Sep 4, 2019 16:27
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The lack of an escape hatch was a serious oversight, but the vessel passed its safety inspections and met all USCG requirements. All the lobster boats I've ever worked on have an escape hatch, and most of those only sleep 2-4. It's a real shame, too, everything I had heard about those trips was awesome. I can only imagine what the crew/captain are going through. The guilt must be incredible... and the media isn't helping. All the comments are basically "What, was this a slave ship, why were the passengers locked belowdecks?" That misunderstanding by the Coastie on the radio (about the boat being locked somehow) is being taken out of context, and I really just hope that the survivors can get through this ordeal with their sanity/dignity intact. The accommodations like exactly like every other bigger vessel like that that I've been on. Bunks 2 or 3 high, packed in tight. There's nothing wrong with that, assuming a disaster like this doesn't happen. I expect we'll see some changes in exit requirements once the investigation is over. The deck layout shows both escape paths being basically next to one another. On most of the larger work boats that I've been on, there's full firefighting gear, but this vessel must not have been big enough to require it. Plus, with only a 5-person crew, that doesn't leave many hands for firefighting and evac. sharkytm fucked around with this message at 18:05 on Sep 4, 2019 |
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Sep 4, 2019 17:58
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sharkytm posted:The lack of an escape hatch was a serious oversight, but the vessel passed its safety inspections and met all USCG requirements. All the lobster boats I've ever worked on have an escape hatch, and most of those only sleep 2-4. It's a real shame, too, everything I had heard about those trips was awesome. There was an escape hatch. What makes you think there wasn't? You even mention multiple escape paths. There was the main stairway out, then a hatch into the salon. DeadlyMuffin fucked around with this message at 19:59 on Sep 4, 2019 |
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Sep 4, 2019 19:56
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Sorry, the deck layout shows two companionways, next to one another. Several news reports have said there was no escape hatch out onto the deck. https://www.truthaquatics.com/conception/ Two companionways, both leading to the gallery. No hatch marked. sharkytm fucked around with this message at 21:25 on Sep 4, 2019 |
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Sep 4, 2019 21:22
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Ropes4u posted:I dive a Zeagle ranger which is a fine BCD but my next one will be a Diverite TravelPac Is there any reason not to get a travel BCD to use as my only one? On top of being able to travel with it, they seem cheaper. There's got to be a disadvantage to them, I just don't know what it is
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Sep 4, 2019 23:38
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I’ve used a travel BCD (Hollis LTS) as my main for a few years, even as a divemaster. The biggest issues I recall off-hand are no pockets, other than those for your weights. Also, those pockets won’t hold a ton (mine max out at 6lbs of soft weights each). There are usually less clips to attach things to on a travel BCD, which may or may not be an issue for the type of diving you’re doing. Another thing related to weights is that you’ll need more; steel aluminum, and other hard backplates reduce the amount of lead you’re wearing in your pockets/on your belt, and also give you some structural stability for the trouble of carrying them. I think rolling your BCD into tiny-ball mode probably does some damage long term to it as well, but of that I’m not totally certain. Don’t get me wrong, they’re great for the niche they fill (packing up to travel to a warm destination, while being fairly light), but I think I’d go for something else after having dove one for a few years. I’m not currently in the market for a new BCD
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Sep 5, 2019 00:14
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Ramrod Hotshot posted:Is there any reason not to get a travel BCD to use as my only one? On top of being able to travel with it, they seem cheaper. Another goon reported that his girlfriend loves her TravelPac, could be TransPac, but that is what I am buying next. I live in colorado and have to travel to dive so the smaller the better. I would look at travel specific rigs or a back plate and wing. I bought a slightly different version of this regulator set up and could not be happier. We have a 26" and 60" hose with the secondary on a necklace.
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Sep 5, 2019 00:21
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sharkytm posted:Sorry, the deck layout shows two companionways, next to one another. Several news reports have said there was no escape hatch out onto the deck. The bunk map doesn't show the emergency exit. I think you're counting the staircase from the shower room, which isn't right. But there was an escape hatch that I believe exited into the salon. If I remember right on the Conception the escape was in the changing room, but I might be misremembering, the 3 boats are all slightly different.
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Sep 5, 2019 01:25
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DeadlyMuffin posted:The bunk map doesn't show the emergency exit. I mean no trespass. I just went off the deck layout on the website and news reports. I'm sorry you lost dive friends, they're hard to come by. It's a tragedy for sure.
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Sep 5, 2019 01:46
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I didn't mean to snap, it's just hitting me pretty hard.
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Sep 5, 2019 04:11
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It’s ok, we understand.
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Sep 5, 2019 18:00
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DeadlyMuffin posted:I didn't mean to snap, it's just hitting me pretty hard. No offense taken. The situation just plain sucks.
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Sep 5, 2019 18:04
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Ropes4u posted:Another goon reported that his girlfriend loves her TravelPac, could be TransPac... That was me. She dives a DiveRite TravelPac. It’s a very nice unit, especially for the price. It’s not as flexible as a more serious plate and wing for doubles or tech or a dry suit or whatever, but it’s waaaaay more than enough for tropical rec diving.
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Sep 7, 2019 18:40
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I went snorkeling with a friend at Molasses Reef today, and managed to get some pics         
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Sep 8, 2019 21:26
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Update on the CA tragedy: https://news.yahoo.com/early-ntsb-report-expected-fatal-070812554.html
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Sep 13, 2019 16:15
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 I don’t really have anything else to add.
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Sep 13, 2019 17:57
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Yeah. gently caress. I am glad they found the last body, there's something final about it that helps. Diving is good therapy for me. For some reason getting in the water helped me distance myself a little bit, and dwell on it less. And, since I was diving, I have pictures!  I really love the little sculpins here, but IDs are rough. Artedius spp.  China rockfish are the prettiest rockfish. Fact.  I was super excited to get 3 chitons in one shot!  I can't remember if I posted this before, it's from a few dives ago. The crab looks completely wedged into the blue rockfish's mouth. Pretty cool, but I think one or both of them will starve in that situation.
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Sep 13, 2019 21:08
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It’s my therapy too. It’s part of why I went through with a dm internship, so I could share it. I came back from the army with a case of long-term minor depression, and working with a local veterans’ group to get them in the water for a discover scuba diving is probably one of my higher points as a dm. Some of them even went on to get certified themselves, and last I heard one of them became a divemaster himself 
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Sep 13, 2019 21:20
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So, who else is having nightmares about burning to death? If they really were loving off against the rules, I hope all of the survivors go to jail. Also, 6 crew members seems a little skimpy for a boat that size, especially if you need to have a full-time night watch. It's just asking a lot of people. I'm dealing by finally doing my Rescue Diver. As much as I love SDI, the book for this class is poorly edited. I just read the exact same paragraph twice in a row.
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Sep 16, 2019 10:35
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Rescue is a great course, although I did PADI. I assume you’ll have a similar experience. E: if you were a lifeguard/ wsi back in the day then this is basically the same except with scuba gear and an ocean instead of a pool. And no backboard due to neck issues, but something else to replace it let it mellow fucked around with this message at 04:36 on Sep 22, 2019 |
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Sep 22, 2019 04:34
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let it mellow posted:E: if you were a lifeguard/ wsi back in the day then this is basically the same except with scuba gear and an ocean instead of a pool. And no backboard due to neck issues, but something else to replace it Yup. BSA Life Saving in 1987, Red Cross Lifeguarding in 1988. CPR is all different now.
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Sep 24, 2019 14:49
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Yeah, it changed but the principles are similar enough that you’ll be fine with it. And you do CPR re-cert before rescue anyway, so you’ll be refreshed on it before you get into the water. Then you’ll see similarities to guard classes, but there’s an obvious difference in the diving response (no backboard because someone did a bad backflip off the diving board!)
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Sep 26, 2019 00:53
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Finally., tomorrow going to the Daimaniyat Isles in Oman for a week. Anyone been there and can share some not-to-miss tips?
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Sep 26, 2019 07:36
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I'm arriving to Bonaire a week from tomorrow! I can't wait.
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Sep 27, 2019 01:19
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Icon Of Sin posted:I'm arriving to Bonaire a week from tomorrow! 👍 e: find the seahorses at something special and send pics! e2: and if you have any Bonaire questions, PM me let it mellow fucked around with this message at 04:09 on Sep 27, 2019 |
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Sep 27, 2019 04:02
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I'm taking my advanced open water course this week. It started at six people. Four dropped out after the gear checkout pool session on Friday night because their rental drysuits were leaking; I watched one guy pour two quarts out of a boot. Yesterday the one guy in a wetsuit dropped out because he was feeling sick, couldn't manage buoyancy and felt like he couldn't breathe underwater. So today I got two dives private instruction, and tomorrow we go out for two more after work. Cold water diving is rad.
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Sep 30, 2019 05:24
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Electoral Surgery posted:I'm taking my advanced open water course this week. It started at six people. Four dropped out after the gear checkout pool session on Friday night because their rental drysuits were leaking; I watched one guy pour two quarts out of a boot. Yesterday the one guy in a wetsuit dropped out because he was feeling sick, couldn't manage buoyancy and felt like he couldn't breathe underwater. So today I got two dives private instruction, and tomorrow we go out for two more after work. For cold water diving, gear is EVERYTHING. I love cold water diving, but didn't really start to love it until I had my own drysuit and undergarments that were fitted for me. A first rate set of dry gloves were the second purchase. Next comes the heating system, but that's a ways out. It seems many of the serious divers in my area are on doubles...I shifted a few years back and wouldn't go back to singles for cold water - the doubles platform just feels a lot more stable and in control. It's certainly miles heavier, but I seem to have enjoyed my cold water diving more in that configuration than I did in singles. Congratulations on the course, in any case, sorry to hear about the drop-outs. Not fun for them.
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Sep 30, 2019 06:25
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Electoral Surgery posted:I'm taking my advanced open water course this week. It started at six people. Four dropped out after the gear checkout pool session on Friday night because their rental drysuits were leaking; I watched one guy pour two quarts out of a boot. Yesterday the one guy in a wetsuit dropped out because he was feeling sick, couldn't manage buoyancy and felt like he couldn't breathe underwater. So today I got two dives private instruction, and tomorrow we go out for two more after work. I have a bunch of friends who work in Florida, while I'm now up in New England. I make sure to periodically send them photos of my dive computer's temperature readout so I can hear them scream from two thousand miles away. It's also fun to mention the feel of snow under your dive boots as you walk down to the water and watch their faces. I made a few buttons to hand around the people at school who dive during the winter for our research last year. I kind of want to find a way to make them into legit patches, but it amuses me nonetheless. 
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Sep 30, 2019 17:27
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