Dollars and sense of scuba...

[Kim]

Well I suppose it depends where you live in Japan! For me it's a 40 min drive to Shikanoshima - two tank beach dive - ok not too deep about 15 meters max - and then 2000 yen (about $18) for tank refills on the way home. To enjoy myself in Japan - that's great value!!
(Of course going to the Keramas works out a bit more!!!)

 

[NINman]

Ok the cost vs bt isn't the greatest:

Seeing your buddy spit out his reg because of laughter = PRICELESS!!!!
Having a fish (Bass) attack your buddy's finger repeatly = PRICELESS!!!
Seeing that Wreck for the first time = PRICELESS!!!
Etc...

Get the point!! =)

 

[billseamon]

Agree with Brad, Got certified in Chicago, dove in Wisconsin anywhere from 1 to 3 hour drive one way. Still it was worth it. Now live in California and actually had a great dive with Otter last night after work and was home by 9:00. Puttting a price on hobbies is wrong, for a hobby all you need is to be able to afford it, not justify the price, then it becomes a business. Now if I could only get my wife to understand this concept.

 

[garyfotodiver]

One hour underwater is worth the months of stress I have in order to go to dive. Yes, I only dive half a dozen days per year, but it is always worth the wait.

The relaxation I receive during a dive is priceless.

BTW, I think this is my 100th post. Yeah me!

 

[Quarrior]

For me, diving is therapy. It relaxes me so much my Wife, Dr and Boss have all commented on the change in me since I started diving. Wife even doesn't complain about how many weekends I'm gone or how much I spend on gear. Great woman. My job is high stress. I used to bite people's heads off all the time just because of the stress. Now I am semi human. lol

So is it worth the cost, to me, that's a sure bet.

 

[Mortlock]

God! Jag, make sure you never decide to live in Nagano. Great Mountains, terrible diving availability (I don't enjoy diving in a freezing cold, black water lake and even then I don't think I can get tanks filled for less than 3000yen per tank around here! ). Only 6 weeks until I move to Thailand though!

 

[The Kraken]

Kim,
Have you had a chance to dive on the monoliths at Yonaguni (???) yet?
You know, the place that some archaeologists think is an ancient site off the coast of Japan.

 

[theskull]

Dudes, some of you are really missing the "experience". The bottom time is the cream of course, but I get great satisfaction from the planning as well. Often during the week before the dive I envision the dives I will be making, mentally rehearsing what will be done and where we will dive and what we will see. I can spend hours (enjoyable hours) selecting which components of my equipment I will use and why, and then enjoy assembling the gear and carefully packing it up--the cleanup, drying, and storing of the gear post-dive is not quite as fun but gives me pleasure as well since I know I am taking care of my life-support equipment so it will continue to serve me well.

Then there are the surface intervals between dives, which includes discussing all that went well and could have been better, trading diving tips and gear opinions -- AND -- relaxing in the aquatic environment and enjoying each others company and some leisurely meals.

And of course getting the film developed and enjoying the photos and critiquing the photographers' techniques and results.

AND some of my best friends and coolest acquaintances have been made at dive sites and on dive trips.

Diving RULES!

theskull

 

[El Orans]

Seeing that Wreck for the first time = PRICELESS!!!

How true. On our first dive after certification we literally stumbled onto a wreck in our training lake. It was awesome. These days, it's a nice pastime to look at when coming back from a deep dive.

 

[RIDIVER501]

yes I am a Geek. I alway look at things from a cost benefit/ return on investment thing.
After a recent dive trip with Finace I was bored, obvioulsy, so I was looking over my dive log and for giggles, god i need a life, I decided to recalulate my dives as if I had done them old school, watch depth gage and tables. I even put them in an excel spread sheet for comparison, how pathetic, and now when a student asks me why diving a computer is better I tell them....
"You see, Timmy...." and whip the handy dandy spread sheet up onto my laptop and show them how I had between 2-3 time more bottom time with the computer versus non computer.
Bottom line is a dive computer is going to maximize your time in the water and give you more bang for your buck on those exotic dive trips.


and yes if you'd like to see the spread sheet to confirm how completely sad my life can be at times I can send it to you