Internet Diving Dating???

[widebody50]

When my wife, Monse, and I completed our OW course I posted that here. I received a very prompt response from voop (Thomas Clausen). He told me that he would be in San Diego at the end of July and would like to go diving with us. Thomas lives in France. Long story short, yesterday my wife, myself, Thomas, and Thomas's friend Ryuji, from Japan, went diving at La Jolla Shores, just north of San Diego. What a great day! It was our first time diving since we were certified. And, Thomas and Ryuji made us feel VERY comfrotable and accepted. In fact, they insisted it was their honor to have accompanied us on our first "real" dives. I will post the details of the dives in the California Kelp Divers (SoCal) forum under dive reports. After diving we all went to dinner and laughed, and had an equally great time.

To me it was so strange that someone would want to go diving with raw newbies like us on one of the two days they had available. I am very grateful to have Thomas and Ryuji as our new friends and dive buddies. In fact we have standing invitations to come dive the southern islands in Japan, and also to go diving in the Med at Marseilles.

A great day of diving and good camaraderie. It really couldn't get any better than this could it?

 

[Quarrior]

Nope. Making friends and having good times is what diving is all about. Congratulations.

 

[voop]

Hey, I am still in San Diego, and on a not-too-fast connection. But I'd just like to say thanks to Rich and wife too form Ryuji and myself. We did have great fun with you guys, both above and below the surface. It was great to dive with you, and I'm looking foward to the next time....there will be a next time, right? It was great to see freshly certified divers who were careful, competent and comfortable in the water. SoCal divers take notice: you've got two great buddies around

 

[baitedstorm]

ScubaBoard......... aint it great!!!!! we've met several very wonderful people here as well.

 

[drbill]

Glad the four of you had such a good time together UW and topside. There are "weathered" divers out there who are more than willing to dive with newly certified divers, especially if they are honest about their experience level.

I normally dive solo or with regular buddies because my dives are "working" dives (UW video). However, I've dived occasionally with "pick-up" buddies at the Casino Dive Park. Those who are honest about their skills level and experience I am fine with, especially if they are comfortable in the water. Those who grossly overstate their abilities are the ones I have trouble with (like the lady who required that I hold her hand the entire dive- try doing that with a camera in your other hand- but refused to hold hands topside!).

Enjoy your new endeavor!

Dr. Bill

 

[widebody50]

ScubaBoard is quite the place. I've already spent dozens of hours reading posts about topics from computers to accidents to SoCal dive reports.

Thanks to everyone for the encouragement. And, Dr. Bill, if we see your white jeep this weekend we'll be sure to stop by and say Hi.

Thomas: yes, I do believe there will be a "next time". It will take some planning, considering you spend so much time traveling professionally, and my job is quite demanding, also. Maybe the next dive is not in France or the U.S. It may just happen that our schedules connect so that we meet somewhere quite unexpected. The future is an empty canvas...