How Were You Introduced To Diving?

[J.R.]

For me it was "Sea Hunt". Used to watch it all the time as a kid. Major fantasy. Later, when I was going through "A" school with the Navy back in 1970, I had the opportunity to hit an LDS (Skipper's Dive Shop in Pennsacola, FL) and actually do it...

 

[h2odragon1]

2002 Boracay Philippines. My wife let me take a discovery dive, that led to my completing the course that week. when we came back home, we looked around for a dive shop for her to learn, I picked up some equiptment. we found a shop that worked very well with her,( she is a nervous student). She finnally got her classes done and we went back to the Philippines and she did her open water cert. dives in Puerto Galera.
We dive locally in quarries one weekend a month for the summer and are making plans for the Philippines next Feb.
Yes it's addictive, thankfully there are no recovery programs.

 

[TheRedHead]

Yes it's addictive, thankfully there are no recovery programs.

No, but there is VISA/MC/AMEX.

 

[firefighter-scuba]

The Assitant Chief of my fire dept keeps recruiting us fire fighters in HOPES of starting a dive team, so far there are 10 of us certified ( 1 dive master, 2 rescue divers, 2 advanced open water, and 5 open water).

 

[RiverRat]

I was looking for shore tours on a cruise. I remember looking at "2 tank dives" and thinking wow I can do a dive on "doubles" but then found the discover scuba deal in St. Maartin What a dork I was. That was about 30K ago in training, gear and travel.

 

[Desa]

1976 moved to Florida at age 16. First person I met was another 16 year who dove. I thought it would be neat. Two weeks later he borrowed his older brothers gear, took me to a stripper pit, placed wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy to much weight on me, told me not to hold my breath and pushed me off the edge. (straight down 25 feet to the bottom. He actually had to come down and help me back to the surface so we could take some weight off. Two years later the dive shops started demanding you be certified to get air so I got certified. As they say, the rest is history....

 

[MikeFerrara]

The Assitant Chief of my fire dept keeps recruiting us fire fighters in HOPES of starting a dive team, so far there are 10 of us certified ( 1 dive master, 2 rescue divers, 2 advanced open water, and 5 open water).

If they don't have the budget for the right equipment and real PSD training RUN! Go have a chat with GaryD over on our PSD forum.

 

[STOGEY]

I started diving about 30 years ago before padi even existed. But when I was about to get certified I had a problem with clearing my mask and I had a little nervy. So instead of giving me a little extra time to get more comfortable I didn't dive for 30 years.

However my significant other and I went to PDC and we stayed at a AI that had free introductory divign classes. So I took one, and I decided that hell if I can do it here in the pool. I should be able to do the same in the ocean. I took one of their discovery dives and three months later I was certified. Been diving ever since.

I hate to be a quitter at anything and it was always in the back of my mind to try it again.

Now I can't get enough diving through the year.

 

[diverrick]

I started out as a cadet firefighter (known as "F troop") in my Local home town FD. They were part of a three city dive rescue program/group. Me and my buddy got into the dive group by going on training dives and snorkeling while they dove, maning lines etc. Man! I remember the fist time I saw a car underwater! My buddy and I both shot up to the top, scared to death. Heck.. We even knew it was at the end of the rope, but when you see it for the first time, you can't really know how you'll react. The old guys laughed thier heads off.. Said we looked like twin polaris missles coming out of the water.
We signed up for evening YMCA dive courses, 45 miles away, and what I call "the Marine dive training" That was in 1975-76 era. The rest is history

 

[MikeFerrara]

I started diving about 30 years ago before padi even existed.

Not to be picky but PADI was founded 41 years ago in 1966.