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  1. Derek S

    Wife will not let me dive without a dive master..

    What about trying logic? More people are injured, per capita, going bowling than scuba diving.... That said, I'll echo what some others have said: I've been married to my wife for 14 years this years. It's a partnership. Neither one of us would ever retain complete veto power over another. If...
  2. Derek S

    So who is the better diver?

    Quoted for emphasis (and truth).
  3. Derek S

    New diver help--I can't stop floating to the surface!

    As others have stated, make sure you aren't holding your breath. Weight yourself for the end of the dive, not the beginning. When you're at the surface and ready to descend, make sure you breathe out in a continuous stream as you go down. Once you get to depth, it'll be much easier to become...
  4. Derek S

    Tattoo in drysuit

    Since you didn't say if the dive was going to be local or vacation-type, it's a little difficult to ascertain certain things. That said, why not wait until the tat is fully healed to dive, or better yet, why not wait until after the dive is over to get the tat? I've been diving dry for quite a...
  5. Derek S

    So who is the better diver?

    Asking this question under the auspices of "who is the better diver" is a bit of a misnomer. I think a more helpful, and accurate question would be, "what is an ideal diver?" An ideal diver is one who has experience commensurate with their dive log. An ideal diver is always seeking knowledge...
  6. Derek S

    Advanced training questions

    Just wanted to highlight what are some excellent points by Dennis: - A certification does not automatically give the diver an ironclad knowledge of particular dives, etc. Like Dennis said, PADI AOW only gives you ONE dive in a particular kind. Some LDS/OPs even combine dives - doing a HUGE...
  7. Derek S

    Advanced training questions

    I'm going to buck the trend here and offer that GUE Fundamentals would be the best next step for you. Rescue, deep, and those other classes/specialties are great things that should be learned, but Fundies is an invaluable class that will give you a chance to hone skills that will serve you well...
  8. Derek S

    Advice on buying a BCD

    Sorry if my post came off sounding like that, I didn't mean it to. I've dove Dive Rite and DSS rigs. They make quality stuff as well. What I was trying to get at is the point of compromising what a diver wants because of cost. I myself would never buy a used BCD/BPW or regulator. I'm not saying...
  9. Derek S

    New "Advanced Diver" sea sick the whole time!

    I rarely get seasick, but I have noticed on the few times I've felt a little queasy during rough seas/lake water was to look at the shoreline or out to sea where the sky meets the water. It's not foolproof, but it will help by focusing on a stationary object. First and foremost though, is to...
  10. Derek S

    Advice on buying a BCD

    As others have said, you really can't go wrong with a Halcyon. I've been using one since right after AOW, and I won't consider anything else at this point. I'm a bit crazy about my gear, and cost really doesn't come into the equation for me. This is gear that could potentially save your life, so...
  11. Derek S

    Starting/buying a Dive business - help?

    Since others have really covered most of the bases, the number one piece of advice I can give is this - Customer service is your #1 product, bar none. Everything else are just details. Even to the snotty customers who have unrealistic expectations and tip poorly. In this Internet age, word of...
  12. Derek S

    Clueless Beginner on Open Heel Fins with Wetsuit Question

    As someone who also lives in a cold climate, open-heeled fins are the way to go. If you're not using a drysuit (hint - you should), you will be using boots of some sort. And I've been called a blast-furnace by more people than I care to admit, but a 45-60+ min bottom time at 50*F gets real cold...
  13. Derek S

    Aquarium Diving

    I've dove the Epcot Living Seas exhibit and while it's expensive, it's worth it, IMHO. You're already there, and the look on other guest's faces (especially the kids :D) is priceless. Plus, you get to see myriad marine life in one spot that you won't elsewhere. It's pretty cool. No, I wouldn't...
  14. Derek S

    Boot on top of a wetsuit or a wetsuit on top of the boot?

    Usually wear a drysuit, but when I do go with a wetsuit, wetsuit definitely over boots.
  15. Derek S

    Is it worth it?

    As others have said, you will get out of the training what you and the instructor put into it. If the instructor is good and you like working with them, I see no harm in taking more classes. These classes are a good opportunity to try new things under the umbrella of training with an instructor...
  16. Derek S

    What to do with an inexperienced instabuddy?

    I've not posted in quite some time, and I didn't read much beyond your initial post, AM, but I'll throw my .02PSI into the ring. As some others have stated, when paired with an instabuddy, it's always good to have a pre-dive briefing to kinda set the ground rules. That said, some divers aren't...
  17. Derek S

    How old were you when you started diving?

    I was 32, getting ready to be 38 in a week. :depressed: Part of me wishes I'd done it at least a decade earlier, but a larger part of me knows that I wouldn't have had the money or been able to appreciate it the way I do now. Hoping to move to a warmer climate so I can appreciate it whole lot...
  18. Derek S

    So what should have happened?

    I apologize if my posting misled a little. What I meant to say is that instead of the OP's Suunto computer making him do a normal safety stop, it likely put him into deco, and forced him to do a decompression stop instead of the garden variety safety stop. At the end of the day, I hope the OP...
  19. Derek S

    I drank the GUE Fundies Kool-Aid and survived!!

    Sam, glad to hear you enjoyed Fundies and learned a lot. I took it with Bob Sherwood and Ed Hayes a few years back, and you'll be hard-pressed to find two more knowledgeable, encouraging and just generally nice guys. The class definitely was not easy, but I sure felt like I learned a lot myself...
  20. Derek S

    So what should have happened?

    Markrodg, I'm not going to further beat what the others have said to death ad nauseam, but to just point out that it is your right to call a dive at any time, even if it is before you get in the water. The 25 minute SI would have been more than enough for me to question the professionalism and...
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