Blue Sparkle
Contributor
Hello everyone,
I'm a new diver, and have just joined. Thanks for having such a great forum!
I grew up swimming and "goofing around" in the Great Lakes area. I've always loved being in or on the water. Rowing, sailing, swimming... and now, diving!
I did my first "real" snorkeling starting in 2000, when I was lucky enough to be cruising on a friend's sailboat. Jumped into the water in Panama (first real time swimming in the ocean - kind of scary compared to the inland lakes, where the biggest fear is a leech :cool2:
But wow, how amazing! Right away, there was a head of coral and a Blue Tang not three feet from my face. Totally, instantly hooked (but still looking over my shoulder for sharks).
I can't believe this now, but the second day we went snorkeling I was off (somewhat) by myself and saw an Eagle Ray "flying" toward me. At that stage of the game I had no idea whether or not they were dangerous, and I think I levitated about three feet out of the water, screaming "There's a big... something here. Help!" Heh.
That started a happy period of months of snorkeling in Panama and Belize, where I could just jump off the boat and go whenever I felt like it. Ah, those were great days.
I decided to get dive certified in spring of 2005 (58º lake water in spring. :cold
, and did two dives in the Keys that August. Not a great experience due to a boat driver who literally was pushing me into the water on a really bouncy, wavy day (I had waited to be last to go in, and had explained that I was a beginner before booking the dive). Not that I hated diving after that, but it wasn't great.
Then in January of 2008 I went back to the Keys. I spent some time driving from dive shop to dive shop to get a feel for them, and ultimately chose Abyss Diving in Marathon. We only got to do two dives due to time and weather, but it was a completely different experience. Great folks! The one negative was the rental equipment. Hard to get stuff that fits.
(I have two posts now in the exposure suits sub-forum to try to get advice on a custom wetsuit because I'm planning a dive trip to the Keys this winter.)
Nice to meet you all, and thanks again for such a great forum
B.
I'm a new diver, and have just joined. Thanks for having such a great forum!
I grew up swimming and "goofing around" in the Great Lakes area. I've always loved being in or on the water. Rowing, sailing, swimming... and now, diving!
I did my first "real" snorkeling starting in 2000, when I was lucky enough to be cruising on a friend's sailboat. Jumped into the water in Panama (first real time swimming in the ocean - kind of scary compared to the inland lakes, where the biggest fear is a leech :cool2:
But wow, how amazing! Right away, there was a head of coral and a Blue Tang not three feet from my face. Totally, instantly hooked (but still looking over my shoulder for sharks).
I can't believe this now, but the second day we went snorkeling I was off (somewhat) by myself and saw an Eagle Ray "flying" toward me. At that stage of the game I had no idea whether or not they were dangerous, and I think I levitated about three feet out of the water, screaming "There's a big... something here. Help!" Heh.
That started a happy period of months of snorkeling in Panama and Belize, where I could just jump off the boat and go whenever I felt like it. Ah, those were great days.
I decided to get dive certified in spring of 2005 (58º lake water in spring. :cold
, and did two dives in the Keys that August. Not a great experience due to a boat driver who literally was pushing me into the water on a really bouncy, wavy day (I had waited to be last to go in, and had explained that I was a beginner before booking the dive). Not that I hated diving after that, but it wasn't great.Then in January of 2008 I went back to the Keys. I spent some time driving from dive shop to dive shop to get a feel for them, and ultimately chose Abyss Diving in Marathon. We only got to do two dives due to time and weather, but it was a completely different experience. Great folks! The one negative was the rental equipment. Hard to get stuff that fits.
(I have two posts now in the exposure suits sub-forum to try to get advice on a custom wetsuit because I'm planning a dive trip to the Keys this winter.)
Nice to meet you all, and thanks again for such a great forum
B.
