Greetings and HELP!!! (Portsmouth, NH)

[uncfnp]

Also consider the West Palm Beach area. You can fly into WPB or Fort Lauderdale. Lots of great diving and dive ops all along the coast of South Florida boat and shore.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

You will get better, the more you dive. Getting some personal time with an instructor or DM to help tweak your form will get you further ahead than doing it alone. Pool time rocks for getting that form down. If you have a local shop with a pool, see if you can get some time in it.

 

[Silty Sam]

Did you get any cold-water gear for diving up here? A 7mm suit?

 

[Brad Herrick]

Before you spend all that money on a flight and accommodations. Try out Atlantic Aquasport in Rye. Stop in or give a call and talk with Donny. Spend an hour or so with him and you'll be happy you stopped in. Let him know your concerns and problems, and he can set you straight right then and there. It's the only shop I recommend in the area.

Cheers!

 

[DreadnoughtNH]

Did you get any cold-water gear for diving up here? A 7mm suit?

I bought one, but I don't I'll ever use it short of checking the pilings and mooring shackles at the dock. I'd rather head to warmer climes! Fair weather diver!

 

[DreadnoughtNH]

You will get better, the more you dive. Getting some personal time with an instructor or DM to help tweak your form will get you further ahead than doing it alone. Pool time rocks for getting that form down. If you have a local shop with a pool, see if you can get some time in it.

I thought about that. Too few pools deep enough.

 

[DreadnoughtNH]

Also consider the West Palm Beach area. You can fly into WPB or Fort Lauderdale. Lots of great diving and dive ops all along the coast of South Florida boat and shore.

Thanks for the idea! I have a friend in Fort Lauderdale. I wonder if he has a couch....

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

You'd be amazed how a 6-8 foot pool will help you streamline your trim and get your buoyancy under control. Play games under water, bring some weighted pool toys or some soft weights and see what happens when you pick up a 4 lb weight..

 

[Silty Sam]

Thanks for the idea! I have a friend in Fort Lauderdale. I wonder if he has a couch....

I too thought I had to go all the way to Key Largo when I started, and I did - 5 or 6 trips. Then I researched WPB and FLL and realized all the options a lot closer to the airport: wrecks, reef, sharks, the Blue Heron Bridge. I've made a couple of trips around there since.

 

[Compressor]

Hello everyone!! Greetings

So at the insistence of my gf, I got certified last winter, and did my quals in St. Martin with Octopus Diving. I then did what anyone would, and spent a ton of cash on top end equipment for myself (hooray, a new hobby/sport that I can throw money at!). I then did a weekend of diving in Key Largo over the summer, and frankly I was very frustrated.

I understand that diving skills only improve by going out and doing it more. However, I am also not opposed to taking long weekends, leaving my frozen home and going somewhere with the expressed purpose of skill building. For example, I am VERY poor at hovering in the water column (maintaining neutral buoyancy). I am a big guy, active and muscular, so I know I suck down air at a voracious rate, but would like to get better at conserving air.

So, question! Can anyone recommend outfitters in FL, Bahamas and the Caribbean in general that I can take weekends with and just learn basic but important skills. Frankly, I don't mind if I don't see anything interesting (that could be a good thing!) if I can perfect by abilities. The hope is that when I go somewhere interesting, I'm no longer the person going like a rocket to the surface or crashing down on coral heads .

Thanks!

S.

I would go to Florida and meet NetDoc. He's very knowledgeable.