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You'll see more life in 10 minutes underwater than you will 10 hours on land. Scuba rocks. And, if you're really lucky, you may see something like this! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yodeiI_IFRw
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Feb 19, 2012 06:27
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| # ¿ Apr 27, 2024 23:17 |
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You can get full body wetsuits, hoods, gloves, and boots. At most some parts of your face would show, but you could completely cover up if you wanted.
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Feb 19, 2012 07:27
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I would recommend at least diving in something lycra to protect your chest and arms. On the way to a dive site in the Maldives the captain spotted some mantas so all the divers quickly donned their snorkel gear to get some shots. 30 minutes later I step out of the water covered in plankton stings or something. That poo poo stung while I was in it but there was no loving way I was going to pass up that opportunity. Had I a t-shirt or something I would've been fine.
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Feb 20, 2012 12:44
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On my last trip two people lost their cameras despite REPEATED warnings about it. Even though I wasn't the one to lose a camera I still felt like poo poo. This thread needs more awesome pics and vids.   Pics taken in Palau. Click for giant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9MC8lnGag8 Vid taken in the Maldives.
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Feb 21, 2012 03:16
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Personally, I started with a mask / snorkel and fins. I then bought a cheapie 2 mm full body wetsuit used. After that I bought a used BCD and got a camera and housing for a gift. What I really want is a dive computer. Once you've used one of those babies you'll never look back. Regulator is on that list eventually. Prices vary but I recommend getting your own mask that you've tried yourself, which usually means going brick and mortar. A mask has a good seal if you can place it on your face (without the strap) while inhaling through the nose, and it doesn't fall. I use fins that require booties. Booties are an added layer of protection for your feet and heels during and between dives. Other pieces you can buy used online for pretty good deals. And for those nervous about buying used, just remember: You're using used gear when you rent anyway, and chances are the piece online has had less use than the one at a dive shop. From what I've gathered from more experienced divers, acquiring dive gear is a slow burn that takes years. Buy it all at once and you're looking at a pretty hefty bill. It ultimately depends on need and how much you're willing to haul all that poo poo around. e: I also recommend a BCD with dump valves. They're very useful and much faster than the hose.
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Feb 22, 2012 02:07
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As for booties, I recommend getting the thicker-soled variety. I have soft-soled and while they're very comfortable, they don't give much protection against rocks / coral.
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Feb 22, 2012 07:29
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ZoCrowes posted:That's great! Octopuses are some of my favorite animals. Mine too! I finally got to see a wild one last December. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXG8CFUZPGM
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Feb 23, 2012 06:40
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I just recently got a (very) nice email from my parents informing me that they'd be willing to buy me a dive computer for my birthday. The stipulation of course is that it doesn't cost them their retirement savings. Does anyone have any good recommendations for economic dive computers? I know the Suunto Mosquito is the often cited go-to piece. Any others?
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Mar 4, 2012 01:45
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$300 dollars seems like a fair price to shoot for. I don't want to make them pay much more, even if they're willing. The guilt would kill me. Thanks for the advice. The XP10 sounds good, especially since I have Nitrox Cert and would like a computer that encompasses that. I'll look around a bit more before making any decisions though. I had a pretty basic model the last time I went diving. It was big and bulky but damned it if wasn't the bee's knees. e: After thinking about it, I do believe it was the Zoop that I had used back in December. The only thing I really want function-wise is Nitrox and a backlight. Trivia fucked around with this message at 00:48 on Mar 5, 2012 |
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Mar 5, 2012 00:24
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ZoCrowes posted:One thing to keep in mind is that the Suunto and the XP10 are both pretty conservative dive computers. The uses XP10 uses a Buehlmann algorithm and the Suunto uses RGBM. That's not really a bad thing to me though. How conservative is conservative? If I exceed no-deco time and have to do a deco stop, will the computer refuse to allow me a second dive before a 24 hour time period has elapsed? Also, not too clear exactly on what the difference in algorithms is.
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Mar 7, 2012 00:22
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I guess envy doesn't really describe how I feel right now. Jerk.
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Mar 14, 2012 15:40
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I was thinking about taking Rescue Diver at some point. Can anyone give me more of a rundown on exactly wtf you're all talking about and what to expect?
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Mar 22, 2012 12:41
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Man, that course sounds crazy but oddly fun / rewarding. Hopefully I can get some free time (and money) to do a proper course. The only problem being that I could spend time doing that, or spend MORE time underwater in some idyllic sea-garden.
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Mar 23, 2012 00:51
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I dive with contacts and it's never been a problem. The only obvious advice I can give is to make sure you bring an extra pair of fresh ones with you when you dive, as well as a case and some solution.
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Apr 9, 2012 01:35
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Has anyone here dived in Okinawa? Any recommendations for sites? I may be going mid September for a short stint, and I want to make the most of me time there.
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Apr 16, 2012 01:48
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With some very basic Photoshop skills you can turn a drab photo into a semi-decent one. If you have one with a lot of color, you can make it really pop by upping saturation levels as well. I did this in less than 3 minutes using nothing more than the levels slider and the "auto color" option.
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May 31, 2012 03:35
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Goddamn, that would have been pretty boss. I've heard about diving at aquariums, but it's usually super expensive and I imagine not that great considering liabilities and all.
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Jun 11, 2012 11:29
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This is the scuba diving thread. 
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Jul 12, 2012 12:59
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Last night I bought tickets to Malaysia. The plan is to go with the girlfriend and dive Sipadan. Unfortunately I have to wait nearly 4 months before I can go. 
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Aug 16, 2012 01:44
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BiggerJ posted:I'm impressed by all the traveling you guys do. Is traveling to third-world/developing countries risky or dangerous at all? I've gone to Thailand, Palau, Philippines, and the Maldives (to dive). I've never felt to be in danger and always have had a wonderful time. In Thailand and Maldives I was on a liveaboard, so there's little to worry about there. In Palau people are really friendly and nice. I should have been more outgoing because it was only the last day that I found out everyone had pot on them and weren't hesitant about selling / giving to the tourists. In short, people in general are pretty nice the world over, don't let your fear of the unknown prevent you from doing something amazing!  That's not me in the pic, I was actually behind it taking video.
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Sep 6, 2012 07:45
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MA-Horus posted:What is it with Japanese tourists and ruining things? Was back out at Sail Rock again with the bull sharks, but the seas were so rough the Japanese couldn't get back into the boat. So we left after one dive. I'll hop on the generalization train and say that JP divers are either really good (dive masters) or horrible (tourists). In Palau I'd see them sitting on the loving reef and I'd just about have an aneurysm. I am almost certain it's because their licensing organizations are poo poo. In a similar anecdote, back in 2009 my then JP girlfriend and I decided to go to the Philippines to get our advanced open-water. I've had mine since I was 13, but she still need to get her basic. She did so, and we jaunted to Cebu. It was in the pool that I realized just how ill-prepared she was. She didn't know how to attain neutral buoyancy, how don equipment, or other basic skills. I was baffled and asked her if she did any skills training, to which she said no. Her advanced course was essentially a basics course as well. One day we were doing some skills tests and she was complaining about splitting migraines afterwards, saying she might have to quit diving. The dive master and I were pretty perplexed until I asked "Have you been clearing your mask?" The answer was of course "no." Cue the furtive exchange of nervous glances. Hell, she didn't even know what decompression sickness was. Trivia fucked around with this message at 02:02 on Sep 7, 2012 |
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Sep 7, 2012 01:59
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I can't believe people don't take scuba more seriously, especially considering these are save-your-life skills in an inherently dangerous activity.
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Sep 7, 2012 11:11
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I picked up a camera and housing for 200 each. I think it did a fairly decent job underwater, and above water it's great too. I looked into gopros, but you'll need to buy additional accessories if you want a display, etc. You may also have to buy a special housing for underwater photography, as there is some distortion last I checked.
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Sep 11, 2012 11:57
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Thailand's Similans was kind of my diving renaissance, after which I've been to a couple of other world-class destinations. I will say this: Palau is incredible and if you love diving you owe it to yourself to go. There are flights to Koror from both Japan (Narita Airport, Delta) and the Philippines. DO IT.
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Sep 11, 2012 15:51
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The answer is and always will be Palau. In fact, I have plans to go back this March! edit: I should add that resorts often do package deals during off-season. I got my advanced license from a resort in Cebu, Philippines. Roundtrip airfare, hotel, dinner, and dive lessons for about $600. Flights were from Japan, but still, drat good deal. Trivia fucked around with this message at 01:38 on Nov 13, 2012 |
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Nov 13, 2012 01:31
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I would just do a rando search for resorts in the Philippines / destination and see if they offer any package or discount rates. I've also done a Thailand liveaboard to the Similans and had a great time.
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Nov 13, 2012 23:14
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There was also a diver memorial by the Blue Holes in Palau. As non cave-certified divers, my group was forbidden from going in. Another diver at the bar said he went in as he had cert, and saw a bunch of turtle skeletons as well. Cave diving sounds thrilling but goddamn does it also sound scary.
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Nov 19, 2012 02:45
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As a lover of things like Steam I can agree that online course materials for life is a big draw. Save for one slight flaw: Many of the places you (may) go to will have little or no Internet access!
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Nov 20, 2012 01:26
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Frogmanv2 posted:I thought a large part of the point was that you could do the learning portion before you left for your destination. I will certainly concede that point. I'm talking those instances where you want to refresh your memory before a dive, whether it be at your locale or on the plane there. I got nitrox cert'ed two years ago but I'll be damned if I can remember all the nuances of oxygen partial pressures, for example. What I'm saying is tht both have advantages/disadvantages (obviously).
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Nov 21, 2012 09:09
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pupdive posted:Well the biggest point to remember about diving in the modern era is that we simply learn/teach theory to justify dive behavior, and then we can simply forget the theory. As an instructor, I cannot do that. But students should, because there is nothing about the theory that really matters, except in the way it justifies in-water behavior. I used a dive computer in the Maldives and I will never look back. That thing was so damned useful that going back to tables would be like swimming without fins. As for the forgetting theory part, I'll have to disagree. It seems that if you forget the theory as to the WHY, then you're more likely to gradually slip in behavior. Considering that diving is technically an extreme sport with a very real chance at death, I'd want to make sure anyone who dives realizes that and does their utmost to understand now just the how, but the why as well. This is usually why I review the books before I go on a dive trip. Nothing like complacency to get you dead.
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Nov 23, 2012 03:11
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rockcity posted:They're very easy on the ankles though. The one thing that helped me the most with ankle soreness and chafing was switching to a frog kick. I'll never go back.
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Dec 6, 2012 23:24
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After you've achieved neutral buoyancy, it also helps to play around with your breath sizes so you know how much air you need in your lungs to rise / fall. This helps you to maintain depth without a point of reference, or if you're busy dicking around with your equipment or taking photos. It all became much more manageable and intuitive after I started using my lungs for buoyancy, rather than my BCD.
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Dec 15, 2012 17:18
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Does anyone have any opinion on diver's insurance? I'm going to be leaving on a diving trip soon as am playing around with the idea of getting some, especially since I have another diving trip planned for March of next year. I only dive recreationally and rarely if ever go below 31-32 meters. Anyone use DAN?
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Dec 19, 2012 05:55
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Does coverage begin as soon as you sign up, or is there a long period where medical / whatever background checks are necessary?
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Dec 19, 2012 06:25
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Leaving tomorrow for Singapore and Malaysia. Going to dive Sipadan. Look upon my vacation and despair. I'll be sure to post pics!
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Dec 21, 2012 17:02
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On Christmas I saw a 5ft banded seasnake. Today I got within inches of a Green / Hawksbill turtle. Truly a good Xmas / Boxing day.
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Dec 26, 2012 11:43
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Well ladies and gents, I got back from my trip last Sunday, and now finally got settled back down to start going through the hundreds of shots I took. I typically fix 'em up in Photoshop before I post them online. Here are a few teasers to whet your appetite: (apologies for odd color balance, some of us can't afford 12,000 lumen light rigs)  Nudibranch. They're my favorite subjects; they're colorful, unique, and loving SIT STILL.  Sleepy Turtle says hi.  Yours truly. I guess my next goal is to get a flash for my cheapie digicam. Something to tame all that blue.
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Jan 8, 2013 06:02
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For those that don't know, a good method of putting on a (dry/wet) wetsuit is to put your hand and forearm in a plastic shopping bag, then slipping it through. Makes it much less of a pain in the rear end.
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Jan 9, 2013 07:56
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That's a bit of a scary thought, being on nitrox and having a hard limit and then seeing your charge go below that, knowing you risk death by chasing him.
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Jan 21, 2013 03:05
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| # ¿ Apr 27, 2024 23:17 |
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Crunkjuice posted:You don't chase him below your max depth. Signal, make noise, do whatever you can to get his attention, but you should never risk your health for someone else. Well of course you wouldn't. I'm saying that other than signals and noise, that's your only real option for reigning someone like that in. And by that I mean it's a non-option.
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Jan 21, 2013 07:13
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