Hello everyone, my Name is Mark Dittrich and I just recently joined this forum. Gary saw one of my posts and invited me to introduce myself.
I live in Coventry, Connecticut which is just east of Hartford near the University of Connecticut. I am a member of the Coventry Volunteer Fire Association I am also licensed paramedic although our service is only BLS. I am an active diver on the Tolland County Dive Team (I also webmaster both of these sites thus the links). I have been diving since freshman year (1989) in college at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy when I earned my PADI Open Water certification. Once joining the team I earned my PADI Advanced open water. I have been diving with the team since joining in 2000. Since then I have tried to make every training session, usually once a month. I also enjoy diving outside the dive team but I have so many hobbies in addition to being the father to two girls age 7 and 2 as you can guess I am pretty busy. I am also a two way radio hobbyist focusing on public safety communications. It is safe to say my girls; my life revolves around public safety activities.
I joined this forum to get some information primarily about gear for PS divers. In the short time I have been looking around it is obvious there is much more here than just info on gear. I look forward to learning and interacting with everyone here.
My overall philosophy about diving and in particular PS diving is there are no absolutes. What works for one may not work for someone else but always try to keep and open mind. Every diver will have there own proverbial line in the sand as to comfort level. I have had the opportunity to interact with divers of all types and back ground. I have taken diving concepts and techniques, gear configuration and even mental perspectives and tried ones that I thought would work for me. Some I kept others I did not and some I morphed into my own little ideas. I will try to share anything I can to try and help anyone. I will offer what has worked for me and what has not only as useful information and never as and absolute.
Thanks for your time and I look forward to talking with you.
Mark
I live in Coventry, Connecticut which is just east of Hartford near the University of Connecticut. I am a member of the Coventry Volunteer Fire Association I am also licensed paramedic although our service is only BLS. I am an active diver on the Tolland County Dive Team (I also webmaster both of these sites thus the links). I have been diving since freshman year (1989) in college at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy when I earned my PADI Open Water certification. Once joining the team I earned my PADI Advanced open water. I have been diving with the team since joining in 2000. Since then I have tried to make every training session, usually once a month. I also enjoy diving outside the dive team but I have so many hobbies in addition to being the father to two girls age 7 and 2 as you can guess I am pretty busy. I am also a two way radio hobbyist focusing on public safety communications. It is safe to say my girls; my life revolves around public safety activities.
I joined this forum to get some information primarily about gear for PS divers. In the short time I have been looking around it is obvious there is much more here than just info on gear. I look forward to learning and interacting with everyone here.
My overall philosophy about diving and in particular PS diving is there are no absolutes. What works for one may not work for someone else but always try to keep and open mind. Every diver will have there own proverbial line in the sand as to comfort level. I have had the opportunity to interact with divers of all types and back ground. I have taken diving concepts and techniques, gear configuration and even mental perspectives and tried ones that I thought would work for me. Some I kept others I did not and some I morphed into my own little ideas. I will try to share anything I can to try and help anyone. I will offer what has worked for me and what has not only as useful information and never as and absolute.
Thanks for your time and I look forward to talking with you.
Mark
