butlersl
Registered
Just got back from Myrtle Beach where I had my first "real" open water dive in the Atlantic! I was nervous about what to expect and how things would go, even after reading posts on the Board, talking with my LDS, etc. Would I get lost, would I have weighting issues, what about getting my equipment on, etc etc.
It went great! We (my dive buddy, who has about 50 dives under his belt) and I went with Coastal Scuba and they were a great outfit. We did two tank dives on two separate days with no problems. We went about 8 miles offshore to some manmade sites (sunken APC's, barges, etc) and the seas cooperated nicely. The crew was great at explaining things, helping setup equipment, assisting with entry/exit, they were super.
The only bad thing was the visibility - it stunk. We were around the 60 ft. mark and couldn't see 10 feet. However, the thrill of the first ocean dive was memorable. On our ascent, we were hanging out at the safety stop for about 15 minutes because the vis there was MUCH better, and saw about 6 barracuda swimming 15 feet away - awesome. Even though some divers chose not to participate in the second dives, we did just for the experience of it.
Funny parts - my first "giant stride" was more like a hop; a wave came up just as I was entering and it was, lets just say, less than graceful. The other dives I went over backwards with no problems, except I lost my snorkel. Didn't even realize it till I came to the surface, and there was no way it was going to be found in the murk. So much for the "snorkel keeper". Lesson learned.
All in all, a load of fun. We both watched our computers almost constantly, and made sure we stayed well within ND limits, air reserves, etc. It was a great vacation and can't wait to do it again.
Steven
It went great! We (my dive buddy, who has about 50 dives under his belt) and I went with Coastal Scuba and they were a great outfit. We did two tank dives on two separate days with no problems. We went about 8 miles offshore to some manmade sites (sunken APC's, barges, etc) and the seas cooperated nicely. The crew was great at explaining things, helping setup equipment, assisting with entry/exit, they were super.
The only bad thing was the visibility - it stunk. We were around the 60 ft. mark and couldn't see 10 feet. However, the thrill of the first ocean dive was memorable. On our ascent, we were hanging out at the safety stop for about 15 minutes because the vis there was MUCH better, and saw about 6 barracuda swimming 15 feet away - awesome. Even though some divers chose not to participate in the second dives, we did just for the experience of it.
Funny parts - my first "giant stride" was more like a hop; a wave came up just as I was entering and it was, lets just say, less than graceful. The other dives I went over backwards with no problems, except I lost my snorkel. Didn't even realize it till I came to the surface, and there was no way it was going to be found in the murk. So much for the "snorkel keeper". Lesson learned.
All in all, a load of fun. We both watched our computers almost constantly, and made sure we stayed well within ND limits, air reserves, etc. It was a great vacation and can't wait to do it again.
Steven
