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let it mellow posted:Man, you should have rented the hi-lux and just drove around with your wife or whoever you were there with and just gone. That’s the best part of Bonaire. That's what happened. They rented us a few Mitsubishi L200's which are pretty similar. The tanks we could pick up 2 at a time but could pick up as many as we wanted throughout the week unlimited Nitrox with Dive Friends. Where we stayed at the Sand Dollar we were right next to one of their main locations which had tank pickup and drop off.
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Nov 24, 2018 03:39
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Ropes4u posted:We see singles diving alone all the time in Bonaire, but there are boats all day long from the dive shops. We have taken a few and with the exception of a few spots you aren’t getting anywhere you can’t walk to. Most of the shops have bulletin boards you could write on looking for a partner. We use dive friends because they have a pick up and drop off spot walking distance from our condo. let it mellow posted:As said above, Buddy Dive has lots of trucks out there that we saw driving around the sites so that’s probably your best bet. The shore dive sites absolutely do not need an instructor unless you’re looking for help spotting sea life - Something Special had three seahorses that we found, but we were told ahead of time by someone coming out to the shore where they were. We just rented a place near the airport and picked up a hilux, but not sure I’d do that solo with the expectation of finding a competent buddy.... I'm a bit late, but thanks for the answers. I guess it's more or less in line with what I thought. I think I'll postpone Bonaire to another time, then, until I've got someone to go with. Or until I'm confident enough to take a solo diver specialty and have done plenty of diving on my own, which at this rate might happen first.
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Nov 24, 2018 18:03
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If you go back far enough in this thread, you'll find the posts about when I got my 10yo son certified. He does well, remembers his training, and we dive our plans. He doesn't push to go deeper or do anything dangerous. He doesn't like water under 77 degrees, not enough body mass and his lips turn blue. Now he's 13, has about 30 dives in the log, half of which were giant strides off the back of boats. He finally got to dive with a shark in the Keys in March (a 4 foot blacktip), which was a major thrill, for him. His present this Christmas is that we're going to Atlanta in a couple weeks, to do the whale shark dive at the Aquarium. Going back to Molasses Reef/Keys in 2019. Until he's 15, can't do the deeper stuff like the Texas Coral Gardens. But we're having fun.
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Dec 9, 2018 22:07
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GORDON posted:If you go back far enough in this thread, you'll find the posts about when I got my 10yo son certified. He does well, remembers his training, and we dive our plans. He doesn't push to go deeper or do anything dangerous. He doesn't like water under 77 degrees, not enough body mass and his lips turn blue. I remember these! I didn’t think it’d been 3 years, though  Also, that’s a hell of a Christmas present, and something he’ll remember/cherish for the rest of his life. Solid choice 
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Dec 9, 2018 22:13
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Yeah I remember that too! I hope someone's there to take pics of him, 'cause those photos will be like gold. Send him somewhere to do his Dive Master's when he turns 18.
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Dec 10, 2018 01:52
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It's been a new wetsuit every year... and he's grown six inches in the last year. Anyone want to buy slightly used, 3mm, Bare size 10 and 12 wetsuits? :-D Or maybe it's sizes 12 and 14. If anyone is interested, I'll check.
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Dec 10, 2018 02:14
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It'd be less expensive just to rent and buy him a good computer instead.
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Dec 10, 2018 08:28
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We have computers. It's his wetsuits he outgrows every 5 minutes.
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Dec 11, 2018 02:37
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Enjoy ten minutes of dark zen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BamNxoo8YrM
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Dec 21, 2018 04:22
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Alehkhs posted:Enjoy ten minutes of dark zen: holy gently caress this is good
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Dec 21, 2018 05:18
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Alehkhs posted:Enjoy ten minutes of dark zen: I don't know what the gently caress that was but it was good. Reminds me of 2001, in a good way. And not until I typed that last sentence did I realize that both of these things share the name "odyssey" and that the concrete column thingy is pretty reminiscent of the monolith from 2001 so that was probably incredibly intentional.
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Dec 21, 2018 07:32
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Why do I suddenly want to do my drysuit, ice diving, dpv and rebreather courses?
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Dec 24, 2018 22:25
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The biggest thing that scares me is the lack of ANY line for that entire dive. Those two could be setup for a bad day
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Dec 25, 2018 17:03
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I just learned about the Suunto class action settlement and maybe it was already posted here, but maybe not. We were diving in st Croix last week and someone on one of our dives mentioned her Cobra download said she dove at 167’ for an hour on the dive we did the day before. Anyway apparently Suunto hosed it all up and if you have a Suunto computer, you should probably get its depth sensor checked out.
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Dec 28, 2018 02:09
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let it mellow posted:I just learned about the Suunto class action settlement and maybe it was already posted here, but maybe not. We were diving in st Croix last week and someone on one of our dives mentioned her Cobra download said she dove at 167’ for an hour on the dive we did the day before. Mine went bad on my Zoop, it claimed it was 60ft down while sitting in my backpack in our office 🤔 I wonder about my D6i now, too...or anything dive-related Suunto is making. Last year it was exploding transmitters, this year its dive computers that can’t tell how deep they are. I wonder what’s coming next, or if another company will end up in the hot seat instead?
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Dec 28, 2018 04:44
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Brief Georgia Aquarium Trip Report: $375ish per person gets you a memorable dive, unless you already do a lot of aquarium and/or big animal diving. Four whale sharks, about that many big mantas, a giant turtle, and a massive tank for 30 guided minutes (my computer read 39 minutes of bottom time... one of the other people in the group had a mask issue right at the beginning, so we got to sit on the bottom for 10 minutes waiting and dodging what I think was an 8 foot Sawfish that was circling in and around us). I dive my local zoo aquarium all the time doing the feed shows, so that aspect wasn't a big deal for me, but the whale sharks circling overhead were neat. But the best part was that my 13 yo finally got to dive in an aquarium, and swim with giants (we've only managed one brief shark sighting in the Keys, so far), and at the end he told me "Best Christmas present ever." Which pretty much makes my Christmas, and makes the expensive day worth it. It's "valet diving," with Disney-tier customer service. They take care of you every minute. The dive masters were all competent, and fun. They even put your equipment on for you. You can bring your own mask, and they allowed my son and I our own dive computers. 29 feet max depth, 21 feet avg, 39 minutes, 75 degrees. Considered an "overhead environment," due to the whale sharks constantly circling at about 10 feet, generally.
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Dec 29, 2018 23:17
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let it mellow posted:I just learned about the Suunto class action settlement and maybe it was already posted here, but maybe not. We were diving in st Croix last week and someone on one of our dives mentioned her Cobra download said she dove at 167’ for an hour on the dive we did the day before. Icon Of Sin posted:Mine went bad on my Zoop, it claimed it was 60ft down while sitting in my backpack in our office 🤔 I wonder about my D6i now, too...or anything dive-related Suunto is making. Last year it was exploding transmitters, this year its dive computers that can’t tell how deep they are. I wonder what’s coming next, or if another company will end up in the hot seat instead? Do they always tend to tell you you've gone deeper than you actually have when they fail? Because if that's the case then at least it's better than the alternative. ...I think I'm gonna take a look at the ol' dive tables again right about now to get a feel about what's right and isn't for no-deco time.
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Dec 29, 2018 23:22
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Deep Dish Fuckfest posted:Do they always tend to tell you you've gone deeper than you actually have when they fail? Because if that's the case then at least it's better than the alternative. Her computer was accurate during the dive, it was when she connected it to her computer and downloaded the dive info that it told her she was at 167’ for an hour. At least it has the dive time right but I’m not sure we went below 60’ on that dive. Haven’t connected my cobra yet to see what it has to say about our last hundred dives or so. I’m curious if I’ve been real deep now too.
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Dec 30, 2018 01:37
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A good friend of mine from B school is native to Indonesia, and she just got back from an incredible dive/snorkel trip. I'm so jealous. Here is here Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/puffwuzz/ GORDON posted:Brief Georgia Aquarium Trip Report: Good report! Thank you, definitely going on my bucket list.
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Jan 1, 2019 18:36
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My wife & I just signed up for an open water course here in town. Of course they wanted to outfit boots, fins, mask, and snorkel in-store too, but they had only one brand of masks (Tusa, I think it was) and snorkels, and if I'm going to pay $80 for a mask I'm going to at least run it past goons first... so we just bought our boots and figured we'd get the rest after looking around. Is $80 what I should expect to pay for an acceptable starter mask? Similarly $80 for a set of fins? My wife's not as comfortable in the water so I guess we're probably going to do a dry snorkel for her, while I'm considering a semi-dry myself--recommendations? The certification dive is at Blue Hole in Santa Rosa which is kind of neat.
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Jan 4, 2019 03:54
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I'm interested in a beginner gear recommendation convo
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Jan 4, 2019 04:13
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If you have the option I would go to a dive store and try on masks. I have burned through 3-4 masks trying to find the perfect one. If I had to buy one off the net or in a store with low stock I would opt for the mask that fit my face over all other options. A leaky mask is awful to deal with.. I’m no expert and am not sure there are significant differences in fins. But when we bought them I fell for the marketing and picked some expensive fins, while my wife bought a moderately priced set. We are both happy with our choice.
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Jan 4, 2019 04:22
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Ropes4u posted:If you have the option I would go to a dive store and try on masks. I have burned through 3-4 masks trying to find the perfect one. If I had to buy one off the net or in a store with low stock I would opt for the mask that fit my face over all other options. A leaky mask is awful to deal with.. Echoing “find a mask that fits first, then work from there”, especially agreeing with the bolded part. Fins come in a few different types, and everyone has their own preferences. I’ve got solid-blade fins (Oceanic Vipers) that are great for me; they’re light, flexible, and move a fair bit of water whenever I kick. Split-fins kick easier, but don’t move as much water (at least in my experience) so I don’t really like them. Jet fins are heavy, won’t bend, and try to displace all the water when you kick. Some people swear by them, but my experience has been that those people are usually working divers (military, scientific, some tech divers). The really long fins (3ft/1m or longer) you see sometimes are freediving fins, and aren’t generally used in scuba diving. The other thing with fins is open-heel vs full-foot cup. If you’re going to be wearing booties with your fins, open-heel is your only choice. If you’re lucky and diving warm waters all of the time, you could probably get away with full-foot fins.
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Jan 4, 2019 04:44
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Yeah, having only one brand of mask isn't the end of the world but it's definitely better having a larger selection to try. Price wise isn't really a great indicator of how good the mask is. More expensive ones are likely to have better quality materials (like softer mask skirt or fancy lens material) which can look cool or mitigate the face shape not quite being right a bit. Three fit is key though, I know more than a few people with cheap masks that fit well who are far happier than people with £100 masks they bought off the internet. I think there's a fitting guide in the OP and plenty online but the key is don't be pushed into buying stuff then and there (although I think that's a PADI training point for instructors, to encourage just that). Fins there's been solid advice already. Jet fins are good for technical divers because they've got more gear and they allow for a bit more power to push all of it through the water (also being stiffer I find they work better for back finning). Mares Avanti fins were the standard when I was looking for my own but that was a few years ago and there may be better options. I'd also say that in terms of gear, fins and BCs are probably the best candidates for buying second hand and it's worth checking eBay, etc.
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Jan 4, 2019 15:04
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Icon Of Sin posted:If you’re lucky and diving warm waters all of the time, you could probably get away with full-foot fins. Gonna be honest, even if I didn't live in a frozen hellhole, I'd still wear booties because my feet and sharp rocks do not get along well if I'm shore diving. Regarding masks, I'll add to the pile and say that fit and comfort are the big things. It's probably the most finicky piece of gear in a way, because you can't change the basic structure of a mask, and if it doesn't fit well, then welp. A regulator you can change the mouthpiece and you're fine, a BC usually has enough adjustable straps that you can get it to be reasonably comfortable regardless, and so on. Wetsuits can kinda suck, but even then they at least stretch.
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Jan 4, 2019 16:41
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Fins are probably ok for second-hand (you may just need some fin straps), but I wouldn’t get a secondhand BC unless I knew the previous owner and their diving habits (namely how well they clean things post-dive/how many dives they had taken it on). Same for regs, except you also need to take it somewhere to see how corroded it is on the inside or whether anyone can buy parts kits/even service the drat thing. Why yes I’ve got 2 Beuchat regs floating around somewhere that haven’t been serviced/used in years, why do you ask  e: Deep Dish Fuckfest posted:Gonna be honest, even if I didn't live in a frozen hellhole, I'd still wear booties because my feet and sharp rocks do not get along well if I'm shore diving. Solid point, that’s not something I had considered since I have to wear (at least) 5mil booties year-round and shore diving isn’t really a thing here 
Icon Of Sin fucked around with this message at 16:47 on Jan 4, 2019 |
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Jan 4, 2019 16:44
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Well drat... hate hearing that the mask fit can be fussy because I look at something like https://www.amazon.com/TUSA-Sport-Tri-Ex-Snorkel-Yellow/dp/B077TWZYXL/ at $50 for a well-rated Tusa mask & dry snorkel, then have a hard time convincing myself I should spend $80 for a Tusa mask and $45 for a snorkel at the store.
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Jan 4, 2019 17:30
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I have had good luck with dive gear express for ordering gear online. https://www.divegearexpress.com/masks
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Jan 4, 2019 18:26
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Definitely do not buy a BCD, reg or computer right off the bat. Mask, wetsuit and fins if you want to have a lot of your own stuff, or if you want a minimal investment until you know you are sticking with it, I’d actually recommend wetsuit first before fins, but that’s just because you have no idea how much  is in the rental wetsuit.
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Jan 4, 2019 19:42
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Ropes4u posted:I have had good luck with dive gear express for ordering gear online. This one seems popular, and a pair would save us $100 over buying in-store: https://www.divegearexpress.com/dgx-ultra-view-single-lens-frameless-mask We'll probably just get fins in the store though, since we were able to try them on for fit there. Maybe snorkels too because the savings would be less vs. masks.
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Jan 4, 2019 22:17
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let it mellow posted:Definitely do not buy a BCD, reg or computer right off the bat. Mask, wetsuit and fins if you want to have a lot of your own stuff, or if you want a minimal investment until you know you are sticking with it, I’d actually recommend wetsuit first before fins, but that’s just because you have no idea how much Those items have the advantage of being useful even if you realise diving isn't for you but I feel that if you're at all confident you'll be doing diving for a while, even basic holiday diving once or twice a year, then a computer and mask are the two first bus of kit to buy. Mask because a lovely mask can ruin a dive and the computer is easy to bring when on holiday, good for any diving and makes the dive itself longer and easier than diving on tables. Entry level computers aren't that expensive and mine have so far all been bought second hand (lost one, another had a pressure sensor failure but I think that's more Oceanic build quality). Renting computers is also stupidly expensive and a week or twos worth of diving will recoup that investment. Fins and wetsuit are both items that are a bit bulky to travel with, rental options are generally usable (as long as you don't mind the piss too much).
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Jan 4, 2019 22:47
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Also seconding that mask and computer are good first buys. When it comes to renting equip from a shop, computer, bcd, and regs are the most expensive and add up quickly. I'd like to add though that good easy to transport and not too expensive gear buys should also include a speedo (for dudes) and a rashie top.
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Jan 5, 2019 02:13
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I use speedo jammer shorts. Gets you fewer sidelong glances on the cramped dive boat. edit - yay autocrorrect GORDON fucked around with this message at 02:39 on Jan 9, 2019 |
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Jan 5, 2019 04:07
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Budgie smuggler or gtfo
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Jan 5, 2019 04:30
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Huh, is a computer really a first buy now? I know tables aren’t taught anymore, but if someone isn’t sure if they are sticking with diving, they should buy a mask and computer? Let’s go back to what started this. Pham Nuwen posted:My wife & I just signed up for an open water course here in town. Of course they wanted to outfit boots, fins, mask, and snorkel in-store too, but they had only one brand of masks (Tusa, I think it was) and snorkels, and if I'm going to pay $80 for a mask I'm going to at least run it past goons first... so we just bought our boots and figured we'd get the rest after looking around. Is $80 what I should expect to pay for an acceptable starter mask? Similarly $80 for a set of fins? My wife's not as comfortable in the water so I guess we're probably going to do a dry snorkel for her, while I'm considering a semi-dry myself--recommendations? let it mellow fucked around with this message at 05:19 on Jan 5, 2019 |
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Jan 5, 2019 05:17
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If they're not sure about diving, then they shouldn't be buying anything really, just rent. At most get a rashie and speedo. If you ARE sure you're going to dive, then mask is #1, usually followed by a computer. Computers can be relatively cheap (~$100), and are some of the most expensive items to rent. You can however just follow your guide, though that's not really good diving practice. Booties that fit aren't a bad idea, since rentals tend to be in p rough shape and, like a mask, having something you know will fit goes a long way.
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Jan 5, 2019 11:08
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I would also argue that what you buy depends the amount of disposable cash you have to blow on a hobby. In my experience diving isn't cheap, maybe for the coastal goons, but I live in Colorado so every single dive involves vacation time, flights, food, and hotels.
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Jan 5, 2019 15:36
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Precisely. Diving is probably one of the most expensive hobbies you can have, especially if you don't live near places with worthwhile diving. As such, it's good to mitigate costs where possible. Personal gear can at times pay for itself within one overseas trip. It's a long-term benefit, and ROI may not be evident until years down the line.
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Jan 5, 2019 16:45
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Yeah, I'm not a typical use case being in the UK where rentals are expensive/difficult and the coast is everywhere. That said, computers will pay for themselves very quickly versus renting and, as good diving practice, I think everyone should be diving with computers now. Masks for comfort and anything else is totally based on disposable income and how certain you are you'll be diving regularly. I think there are definitely non financial benefits to using your own kit but most items I wouldn't recommend getting until you're more certain you'll continue and until you've had a chance to try a few different items and know what you like. I'm also still a fan of buying second hand if you have access to a pool to test stuff. The only exception is regs and cylinders that definitely need to be tested before use.
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Jan 5, 2019 19:55
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| # ? Jun 12, 2024 17:41 |
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let it mellow posted:Huh, is a computer really a first buy now? I know tables aren’t taught anymore, but if someone isn’t sure if they are sticking with diving, they should buy a mask and computer? Once you've decided it's something you want to do at least semi regularly, add your own fins, gloves, boots, computer, wet suit and so on. Also I really dislike the idea of "I don't need to know tables, I have a computer.". You should at least know between thumb and finger what's reasonable NDL/deco values given your previous dives so you can spot if the computer is giving you odd values.
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Jan 8, 2019 11:24
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