How old were you?

[ECVdiver]

At 7 years old my dad got me a wet suit and took me to the ocean. I had always been a good swimmer and he was quite fond of ab diving. We also lived in the northeren part of sonoma county. That day in april I got in the water up to my neck and got my first limit of 4 ab's.needless to say I was hooked on the ocean but did not get SCUBA cert until I was 27.

 

[wylerbear]

48. And I now consider my first 47 years a waste!

 

[tlawler]

When I started this thread, I thought some would give me heat about putting a tank on an 8 year old. Glad to see I'm not the only one.

My 6 year old son regularly cleans the pool with my pony setup in a small school style backpack. with fins and mask, he's slightly neg buoyant. Of course I'm in there with him. His 4 year old sister also breathes off the reg, but stays mostly on the surface watching him on the bottom(5 ft.) Now if I can just convince him that mowing the lawn is as much fun!

 

[D1V3R]

I first dove at the age of 7 in the neihborhood pool
I was certified at 12 and have been non-stop diving ever since

 

[papps953]

I used to watch T.V. shows like Jacque Cousteau and knew I would like to dive. When I was about 33 I went on a cruise and rented some snorkel gear. It was great. There was an airplane frame in about 10 feet of water. I would take a breath and dive down to the bottom. I was only able to look for a few seconds and had to surface again. From then on I knew for sure I wanted to be certified.

The local dive shop charged $400+ to certify. While on a trip to Spain (I was 40) I found a dive shop that would do it for less than $300 U.S. I talked my wife into it and she, my two boys and I certified. Since then my wife hasn't dived, but my boys and I have. The boys and I really enjoy it. It's a good opportunity to have quality family time too. They're doing something they like to do, with me, and I can get them to open up easier.

Bill B.

 

[divecouple]

Snorkled for the first time at 30 in Hawaii, tried scuba the next day. I thought it was cool but very scary. Got certified a year later and went to Curacao for some really awesome diving. Cant wait to go back!

 

[aabond]

I was certified on my 12th birthday. The earliest age at which I could do it at the time. Now you can be 10. I've always snorkled before I was certified.

 

[nessum]

Got certified at 19.
Got hooked. Dropped out of college to become a dive instructor. Love the career, want to eventually take it someplace tropical. I am part of the core instructional staff at a hop I'm proud to be part of. And I'm going back to school (the parents are relieved).
It's been a crazy few years. I'm glad I discovered it when I did and went about things the way I did. Though it's given new meaning to starving student, I get to put myself through school with a job I love.

 

[Frank Kohler]

well i was about 12 years old or so sometime around there when i first seen my uncle richey diving and thoght man wouldent that be cool if i could do that (that was the time the nova show came out). well when i turned 16 I asked my parents to sign me up for scuba leasson and the rest is in the past ever since i have been hooked on the sport and love it.

 

[mislav]

Big Cousteau* fan over here. Despite this fascination I never snorkeled nor dove before until three years ago in Greece on Rhodes [Rodos]. I was 31 at the time.

Discovered I couldn't see a thing underwater without the prescription glasses mask and it almost ruined the experience for me. But, I got that mask last year which lead to my OW certification in Hurghada in September 2005.

Plans for this year: dive, dive and dive some more... Oh, yes - and get me a red cap*.