Hello :)

[Paul & Leila]

Hey everyone and thanks to everyone that contributes to this board - there's loads of information for newbies like my wife and myself.

I have always had a passion for marine life and wanted to be certified since I was 13 years old and living in Fiji. But the parents would not allow me and money was the main factor in not getting certified in the ensuing years. Even now I can not really afford it, but I am giving up a long-time hobby (and selling parts of it) to afford it this time - I'm not backing out this time!

My wife almost got certified a few years back but didn't complete it for various reasons. We're excited to jump into this sport together - it'll be the first hobby that we started together and we're looking forward to it.

A few questions. I've read some posts regarding ENT's recommended by DAN ... who (what?) is DAN? I think it would be wise for my wife and I to go through a physical before starting on this journey.

Thanks again for all the wonderful input that is already on this board - we hope we can contribute shortly!

Paul & Leila

 

[jbd]

DAN is an acronym for Divers Alert Network. They provide tons of information related to diving medical issues and diving safety.

Hope to see you underwater someday!!

jbd

 

[JessicaDodge]

Hi and welcome.


Jessica

 

[art.chick]

Divers Alert Netwok is a group that offers insurance to divers (most policies thru our jobs don't cover hypervbaric medicine.) It also collects data related to diver safety & publishes a great magazine. I was covered by DAN when I was in OW. When I finished, I had the option to purchase a plan. I did.

Yes, you are required to be medically cleared by a doctor before your instructor will let you do the check-out dives. The instructor will provide a form for your physician to check off on. It is nice that you are doing this as a couple. My husband & I did it together, too. (Although we dive with separate buddies now.) Keep us posted on how things go!

 

[Paul & Leila]

Thanks for welcome and description of DAN - its great that there are such resources out there. We look forward to interaction with all of you guys and also (possibly) diving with some of you

 

[gemma]

Welcome to the board from Spain.

My husband and me have the same hobby and it's wonderfully to can make underwater photography alltogether. If you want to see our photos they are in www.josepclotas.com

Have nice dives

Josep & gemma

:hi: :hi:

 

[Rooster1]

welcme to the board, I pray you and your wife will finally get your certification. Diving is a blast

 

[Paul & Leila]

Thanks everyone!

gemma - love the pictures!! We can't wait to see those things in person

We're going with a friend tomorrow to some dive shops to check out masks, snorkels, fins, etc. so we're very excited!

Paul & Leila

 

[dolphin blue]

Hi and welcome from Australia

I hope you really enjoy your journey into the deep blue and good luck in your course . I will warn you that once you start for most of us it becames addictive.
It is really good to have an interest that you both really enjoy, i too have a husband that dives, although it wasn't until he meet me that his interest was sparked.Its also good to know that you have a trusted buddy to dive with although so of our dives are done with different buddies due to our other commitments.
The other advantage of learning to dive is that it makes holidaying that much better not only do you get to see new places, you get to see a totally different side of where you are at.
Also if you are like us when we travel overseas it is usually to places that we would not have chosen to visit if we didn't dive.

Wishing you all the best in your new venture .

hope to see you on the bottom sometime

Sherry

 

[Paul & Leila]

Thanks again ... we visited several dive shops this weekend and we've narrowed it down to Scuba Schools of America and Wiley's in Riverside. Both came to us highly recommended from a trusted friend that has been diving for a while. Wiley's is a great place BTW ... a great bunch of folks and they are very active in the diving community. Tony Wiley is well-known from my understanding and an excellent instructor.

We're getting more excited ...!!