Some motivation needed.....

[lowviz]

.........I know it's a lot more work and can be a bit more expensive, .........

A LOT more expensive and a lot more work.

...........has it been worth it ?............

Very much so. Giving up direct access to the surface really focusses one on losing the BS and gaining skills.

My reason: to gain comfort, and proficiency, and bottom time at the extremes of recreational diving. It's all about local wrecks.

 

[ianr33]

All,
I guess I'm asking to find out what got you started. What was that one thing or things that made you decide that recreational diving was just no longer enough.

For me it was doing recreational Wall Dives in Cayman. 15 minutes at 100 feet was just not enough when there was this huge blue void falling away beneath me.
Got into caves as well. They are special places.

 

[ianr33]

and can be a bit more expensive,

Thats funny. Read this thread to get an idea http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/te...lties/133966-300-foot-dive-how-expensive.html

And if you need inspiration watch this: In the Realm of Fangorn Forest on Vimeo

 

[Triton]

Really appreciate all the input,

Sure sounds very appealing.

Now comes the hard part, how to tell the girlfriend about all the new expenses coming our way.

Wish me luck.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I took a little longer to gravitate toward technical diving, partly because I lived in the middle of the continent, but mostly because I had the opportunitiy to get involved in inland commercial diving and found working in zero viz doing search, recovery, inspection and repair work was a good cure to the general boredom that can occur after you master normal recreatioanl diving. But then the commercial stuff got a bit boring and repetitious, so technical classes became a means to breathe fun and challenge back into diving.

It was the reason for my mid life carreer change and moving here provided better access to wrecks. Cave trinaing came up as a means to improve wreck skills, but I found that cave diving totally blew wreck diving away and at this point I'd love to find a way to do what I do for a living in N FL.

So I'd add that beyond the hideous expense, there is also the real risk that it can result in a life style change where everything else you do gets framed in the context of how it impacts your technical diving.

My advice on the girlfreind thing is either get her involved in technical diving as well or find one that is involved in technical diving as it is a great activity to share with a significant other.

 

[DCBC]

For me so called "technical diving" came about by me entering the commercial field and the world of Heliox and saturation diving. At the time, the terminology "technical diving" wasn't used. The use of mixed gas and rebreathers for recreational diving is a giant leap forward. I certainly can see why divers today are excited by the possibilities they present. For me they've been tools to do a job, although I've utilized them in deep wreck and cave penetrations. It is however a drain on the pocket book, as others have attested. Good luck with your new adventure!

 

[lowviz]

.... So I'd add that beyond the hideous expense, there is also the real risk that it can result in a life style change where everything else you do gets framed in the context of how it impacts your technical diving.
....

This is even better than the classic "Don't Enter" cave warning sign.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I like wrecks. Period. And in the Great Lakes the best ones are deep. We were in Bonaire last year and if I could afford it and had the time we'd go back often. It was very relaxing, easy diving. But only one wreck that we could access! The other is off limits except by special permission and for that reason I would rather go to the keys, St Lawrence, Outer Banks, etc. I wanted to do the Doria at age 50. Ain't gonna happen. too many other obligations to get that level of training and experience along with the economy. Still working but have not seen any real OT in a long time and that was what paid for my drysuit, 3 sets of doubles, 8 regs now, can light, etc. Initially got into diving with the idea that when we went on vacation I;d dive. Until I took my first breath from a reg. Then it was wow gotta be more than vacation activity, then I got to do the St Lawrence, then the Speigel Grove as my first ocean dive and later that week as dive #100. AT that point everything changed in a fundamental way. Tooling around on reefs, in the local lakes, etc was boring. What makes it not boring now is the idea that every dive is a skills dive and all of those skills for me are geared towards diving wrecks.

Technical skills and equipment make those local lake dives at 30 feet interesting again when trying to stay 8 inches off the bottom looking at mussels while running a line and making sure what is behind me is as clear as what is in front. Had it not been for wrecks and technical diving I do not believe I would have been as motivated and as dedicated to swimming in perfect trim, knowing my gear blindfolded, diving the configuration I do now, or teaching OW students in the manner I do. I would still have wanted to be a good diver, but diving in places that require you to be just that much better to avoid getting killed pushed me to that next level and continues to push me.

I went for a dive last Monday night. max depth reached was 38 feet. I was in double 72's, 30 cu ft slung pony, can light, 2 backups, primary and safety reel, and alone. Bottom time was 1hour 15 minutes. I found a number of old bottles, sinkers, lures, and wicked iron bar that looks like rib from some large animal. But what I also found was peace, a new level of skill with the reel and tying it off, that even all that gear was no hindrance to my swimming, changing direction, or finding that place where there is no explaining to a once a year vacation diver the feeling of accomplishment in completing that kind of dive with that kind of gear.

And finally it looks cool as hell! Your girlfriend will think you are hotter and your love life will get better once you go BPW and longhose. Next to your poodle jacket setup it will be like comparing a VW to a Ferrari. Chicks dig Ferrari's! And the cost of tech is comparable as well (the one downside to all of it).