hi from a newbie.

[Acquatic]

Hi All,

I am very very very new to diving and i have never done it in my life. I am interested in getting into the adventure world and was wondering from where to start with?

So far i have done some research on scuba lessons where they teach you basic skills and you earn a PADI diver certificate.

What do you guys suggest ? also is scuba diving only a summer sport ? I am in Seattle so our winters are not fun.. so does that mean i can dive only in summar when the weather is hot ?

Thanks in advance.

 

[dwaters]

Welcome to the 'board!!!
And hopefully to the underwater world. SCUBA diving in the PNW can be an all year round fun.
Check out your local forum here: Pacific Northwest Orca Bait - ScubaBoard
Start your seach for training here:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ne...ng/287780-how-find-excellent-scuba-class.html and
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ne.../166469-what-consider-new-student-diving.html

 

[k ellis]

Heck no Scuba is not a summer only sport. Though most divers are warm water nuts there are a few who are plain old crazy when it comes to cold water diving As you get into your courses you will first and foremost learn diving in the comfort of a pool so chances are it will either be heated, indoors (Preferably both) or in the summer time.

There is equipment that is designed for virtualy every aspect of diving to keep you warm in cold water, keep you on the edge in deeper waters the rec diving and the list goes on and on.

Contrary to popular belief diving is not simply jump in and swim around. Its a lifestyle that for the scuba hearted is Extremely addictive!

On a side note though and a serious one just be sure to check out a dive shop further then just asking if they are a dive instructor. There are shady fellas out there and a few crooks do make it into our fun sport from time to time.

Have fun and be sure to keep us up to date!

 

[TSandM]

Welcome to :sblogo:, acquatic!

The first year I learned to dive, my plan was to continue diving "until the weather changed". What I found out was that, in the winter, it's more comfortable to get into your dry suit (because you don't get all sweaty), the water is clearer, and there MORE PARKING! Scuba in Seattle is DEFINITELY a year-round activity, and even the storms we get will often leave some sites as perfectly available for diving.

The one thing I will say is that your experience of your class, and your enjoyment of the subsequent diving, will vary according to the shop and instructor you select. A good class will have a lot of pool time (four to six session) and split the open water dives up so you don't do them all in one or two days. Such classes will typically be a bit more expensive than the cheapest ones out there, but scuba is a lot like skiing -- it's not terribly fun if you're really bad at it. And it takes time to learn the skills that make you comfortable and confident in the water. It just can't be rushed.

If you are interested in some recommendations for good instruction in the Seattle area, please feel free to PM me.

 

[j yaeger]

welcome aboard
no one mentioned the dark side of the sport...
it's very addicting....
once youre hooked,you want to get your freinds hooked...
so ya got more buddies to dive with..
who get addicted...
vicious cycle indeed
it all starts with a discover scuba class
watch yourself
have fun
yaeg

 

[doug2fst4u]

Hi Doug here ! I'm ready to dive in cold water also. I've been diving in Guam (80 degree water). from what I hear the water is the same temperature all year , and the best time to dive is winter due to algae blooms in warm weather.

 

[TSandM]

Well, the water isn't QUITE the same temperature year-round. It gets up to the mid 50's in the summertime, and down to the mid 40's in winter, and believe it or not, that ten degree change makes a BIG difference! I'm good for over an hour in summer diving, but only about 45 minutes in midwinter.

Late spring and early summer are the major times of the big algae blooms, and we'll go through a period of a week or so when the viz is pretty poor. But then there will be windows of excellent visibility, and it's exciting, because summer has a lot of algae growth (kelp and sea lettuce, not crud) and therefore a LOT of marine life. I call winter the time "when the viz is great, and there's not much to see in it", and tend to use winter dives a lot for skills practice

 

[kathydee]

Welcome to scubaboard and to diving! Glad you posted to say hi ;-). Good luck with your class and if you have not picked and instructor...

If you are interested in some recommendations for good instruction in the Seattle area, please feel free to PM me.

I'd go with Lynne's recommendation !!