Question How old are you and how long certified? Poll- please take part!

[Scott G. Bonser]

Hi @drrich2

Exactly, that's me.

I grew up in So California, certified at age 16 and dived actively for 10 years, mostly shore diving, some trips to Catalina.

Then, I finished medical school, got married, moved up to Portand OR for residency and fellowship. Backpacking, skiing, fishing replaced diving. We had our first chlld. Then we moved to Philadelphia for good jobs, had our second child.

Skip a little ahead, when my son was 11, we took a week vacation to Grand Cayman, watched all the divers. I was recertified with my son when he turned 12. My wife got certified with my daughter when she turned 12 in 2001. We finally had the time and money to afford diving.

We have dived as a family ever since, harder and harder to get our children to join us though dived with my son in 2019 and with my daughter in 2019 and 2022. So, it's now 2257 dives for me, 413 for my wife, 303 for my son, and 79 for my daughter. Working to increase those numbers for all of us

Yes, you ‘Rock’ as well. Keep it up my soggy friend. Adventure Awaits!!
giantfroginthepool
Scott G. Bonser, Harrellsville, NC

 

[scubadada]

Norine Rouse Scuba Club of the Palm Beaches ‘Rocks’ .a few drift dives but this charter was the absolute Best of the Best. …hope the club still does these trips. Norine was in her 80s back in the early 80s I am sure she has long passed. …she left a great legacy. Great vacay memories!!!
giantfroginthepool
Scott G. Bonser, Harrellsville, NC

Norine Rouse died on Dec 27, 2005, a few years before I started diving in SE FL in 2009.

See the many, many comments made on her obituary https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/palmbeachpost/name/norine-rouse-obituary?pid=16138604

 

[VThokieChE]

42, 18 months certified 54 dives

 

[adurso]

Started diving in 60s with zero instruction.

Bought a card in 82; guy I dove with became an instructor, and people started asking for certification for fills.

Wife and kids got certified in early 2000s, I went through the advanced classes with them to get the cards.

 

[scubadada]

Started diving in 60s with zero instruction.

Bought a card in 82; guy I dove with became an instructor, and people started asking for certification for fills.

Wife and kids got certified in early 2000s, I went through the advanced classes with them to get the cards.

Nice, rare appearance above ground. Kind of like me posting in Puppies

 

[BoltSnap]

Started diving in 60s with zero instruction.

Bought a card in 82; guy I dove with became an instructor, and people started asking for certification for fills.

Wife and kids got certified in early 2000s, I went through the advanced classes with them to get the cards.

Somebody left the door open and you snuck upstairs? Wow

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

My response… get access to a pool environment YOU can control. Next, purchase a ‘nice‘ speargun, I have some nice pneumatic and spring powered ones and some blunt rubber archery points. Remove fishing Point and fashion a bushing for the point-end and add the blunt point. …keeps pools from getting holes or concrete chips. Then make a nice target from a weight, line and a partially air-filled milk jug…which can be replaced easily after you trash it good and it no longer floats mid-water. Swim around or plant yourself on the bottom after loading and just ‘nail’ your target and stress away. You’ll stay in diving practice and get good at catching ‘choice’ fish for dinner. Even if you don’t want to kill the fish, it’s a ‘Cool’ skill to have. & You‘ll be ready for that next vacay resort dive on a nice reef.View attachment 773636
giantfroginthepool
Scott G. Bonser

 

[SleepySlipper]

30, 12 years of diving.

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

My response… get access to a pool environment YOU can control. Next, purchase a ‘nice‘ speargun, I have some nice pneumatic and spring powered ones and some blunt rubber archery points. Remove fishing Point and fashion a bushing for the point-end and add the blunt point. …keeps pools from getting holes or concrete chips. Then make a nice target from a weight, line and a partially air-filled milk jug…which can be replaced easily after you trash it good and it no longer floats mid-water. Swim around or plant yourself on the bottom after loading and just ‘nail’ your target and stress away. You’ll stay in diving practice and get good at catching ‘choice’ fish for dinner. Even if you don’t want to kill the fish, it’s a ‘Cool’ skill to have. & You‘ll be ready for that next vacay resort dive on a nice reef.View attachment 773636
giantfroginthepool
Scott G. Bonser

 

[Green Frog]

73 Yrs old, diving certified for 30, but I took a NAUI course over 50 years ago at college, however we never had our open water after all the classes and pool time (a whole semester!) Finally got certified by PADI so I could dive in the Bahamas.