Get yourself some UK diving in. Despite the rumours it isn't all poor vis and cold water (ok I lied about the cold water), there are actually some great sights to see with plenty of wrecks (Scapa Flow etc) and quite a bit of marine life around. Also makes the trips abroad more special.Aged 42, in 2011. I had always thought of Scuba as 'something other people did' & the thought of diving in UK waters wasn't that appealing. I started skiing as a kid & absolutely love it, so that was my main expensive holiday hobby.
My wife, who I met in 2005, had always wanted to take up Scuba so she, and having snorkelled a few times and enjoyed it, inspired mebut it took a few years before we finally got our arses into gear & booked an OW course (Bubbles Dive Resort, Perhentian Besar, Malaysia), and have never looked back since!! It's one of the best decisions of my life!
To my shame I still haven't dived in the UK (and I live on the coast!) but maybe this is the year - although I think I'll wait till Aug/Sept when we may expect water temps up to 18 degrees C
Btw, it nice to see a few of us having taken up the hobby a little later in life, but I too wish I'd started a bit younger! Just have to make up for it as much as possible now eh!?
Learning to scuba dive
- Thread starter Jessica Anderson
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Chavodel8en
Contributor
As I kid, I always liked seeing underwater documentaries, like Costeau and the like. Always fascinated me.
But I had zero exposure to scuba diving otherwise. I knew no scuba divers. And growing up in a working class family, we didn't take vacations anywhere.
Once I got out of school and clear of school loans a bit, me & my then wife took a vacation - she arranged it and randomly selected Cancun & Cozumel.
We snorkeled Chakannab and I was hooked. I love looking at fish & marine life -- asif I was Costeau. That was in my mid-twenties. It took a while for me to get there financially, but I finally certified at about 36 years old.
Its been lots of fun since.
But I had zero exposure to scuba diving otherwise. I knew no scuba divers. And growing up in a working class family, we didn't take vacations anywhere.
Once I got out of school and clear of school loans a bit, me & my then wife took a vacation - she arranged it and randomly selected Cancun & Cozumel.
We snorkeled Chakannab and I was hooked. I love looking at fish & marine life -- asif I was Costeau. That was in my mid-twenties. It took a while for me to get there financially, but I finally certified at about 36 years old.
Its been lots of fun since.
Chavodel8en
Contributor
I note that several folks from across the globe have mentioned that their first interest was sparked by watching Costeau. Those docus had a huge impact.
IBjones
Registered
- Messages
- 66
- Reaction score
- 46
I've been a water bug all my life. My folks had a cottage at the beach although we lived in the country on a farm. We'd go to the beach cottage every Friday evening and come back home on Sunday night. When I was 8 years old or so I'd fill my pockets with rocks and tie a piece of garden hose to the dock with a string, and go sit on the bottom at the end of the dock with my little cheap swimming mask on, breathing thru the garden hose stuck in my mouth and watching the fish swim around all day long. Everyone who knew my folks thought I was a nut. Wasn't more than about 8 feet of water but I thought it was something.
Then I went in the Army when I got old enough so I didn't ever learn to dive. I finally got certified in 2004 after I returned home from the Army and finished college.
Been diving ever since.
Then I went in the Army when I got old enough so I didn't ever learn to dive. I finally got certified in 2004 after I returned home from the Army and finished college.
Been diving ever since.
Twelve years ago. I was taking my 14 yr old son on a cruise and we were stopping in Coz. I was tasked with trying to find things that a 14 yr old would be willing to do with his dad. "Discover Scuba" seemed like it fit the bill.
Our instructor ran us through the basics, took us out on a boat and literally pushed us (backward roll) into the water. During the dive all I could think was "I hope the kid is having a good time". At the end of the dive we hit the surface and the first thing out of his mouth (besides his regulator) was "Dad, that was awesome! We have to get certified!"
Which of course we did. We did all of our courses together, all the way through our IDC five years ago. It's been tremendous fun, but a few months from now the Coast Guard is taking him away from me. I'm just hoping they send him somewhere like Hawaii or the Caribbean so I can visit.
Our instructor ran us through the basics, took us out on a boat and literally pushed us (backward roll) into the water. During the dive all I could think was "I hope the kid is having a good time". At the end of the dive we hit the surface and the first thing out of his mouth (besides his regulator) was "Dad, that was awesome! We have to get certified!"
Which of course we did. We did all of our courses together, all the way through our IDC five years ago. It's been tremendous fun, but a few months from now the Coast Guard is taking him away from me. I'm just hoping they send him somewhere like Hawaii or the Caribbean so I can visit.
Similar threads
