Life gets in the way

[Randy43068]

When I was certified way back when ('03) I had big plans of diving the world. I wanted to dive the Caribbean, dive Australia and even Alaska not to mention the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Fast forward to now. I find myself being a lake diver, not as often as I'd like, and a Saint Lawrence River diver (my favorite so far).

Life gets in the the way of scuba diving. Family, job, other finical commitments all conspire against my diving addiction. I wouldn't trade diving for much of what gets in the way, but it's frustrating sometimes. As an example this June I was going to do some dredging out on the Atlantic but another family commitment prevents that. It's a family pleasure I wouldn't want to miss, however, the timing of it could have been better.

So for me, diving Gilboa, White Star or Portage is fun. I'm trained for deco and even a Divemaster yet I still have a blast diving Gilboa, swimming around the helo for the umpteenth time, swimming in and around the airplane, playing in the shallow end and spending a day outside with friends, being close to water.

Also, I cherish the comradere I'm developing with the guys I dive with, and really look forward to spending a day with these guys. They look after me, I look out for them while on a dive. It feels good.

Where am I going with all this?

Just saying that it's nice to have some fairly local quarries to dive, even if they aren't full of interesting fish and pretty coral, they are full of cool and interesting PEOPLE.

I really am enjoying diving our local quarries.

 

[Mark Derail]

Thermoclines...

I too like the divers during the summer months around the various sites of Montreal & the St-Lawrence. Instant camaraderie.

Just when I think I'll be free of family obligations for a while, my son going on 20 who's a DM with a LDS, I find out I'm going to be a Grand-Pah.
what can you do

Just grin and bear with it - family first !

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I hear you Randy. I love diving in the Caribbean, Florida, California and off NC, but I've only been diving there a few times in the 6+ years I've been a diver. Balance is important and there are other things important to me that I wouldn't trade to be able to dive more. I choose to find joy and relaxation in local diving instead. I love diving enough that I'll dive where I can, and for now, that's quarries in IN/OH/IL, 2-3 trips a summer to the Great Lakes, and a trip to warm water every few years.

I too am grateful for all of the diving options within a 3-4 hr drive ... Gilboa, Haigh, White Star, Hidden Paradise, Blue Springs, Natural Springs, France Park, Lake Michigan (Chicago & Waukegan) ... and a few others I don't dive regularly enough to mention ... and especially all of the friends I've made diving those sites!

Nice thread Randy!

 

[Barracuda2]

When I was certified way back when ('03) I had big plans of diving the world. I wanted to dive the Caribbean, dive Australia and even Alaska not to mention the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Fast forward to now. I find myself being a lake diver, not as often as I'd like, and a Saint Lawrence River diver (my favorite so far).

Life gets in the the way of scuba diving.

Randy, take it from me, your day is on the horizon. In my early days (60's, 70's 80's) I did much quarry, inland lakes, Great Lakes, Florida Keys and springs. My first exotic trip was to the Bahamas, but not until 1980. When the nest became empty, and my career came to an end, that's when the REAL fun started. Fortunately, I made a few good decisions in life and had the means and time to expand to the outer parts of the underwater world, plus I have been blessed with the health to keep going. Be patient; Palau, Fiji, Truk, and many Caribbean destinations are in your future. Aside from that, I too really enjoy the company of local divers and local dive holes. You guys and gals keep me young and keep me challenged. I love our Meet & Greets and Great Lakes dive trips. I still have things to put into my bucket, one being a week-long live-a-board to some exotic destination with members of the "Crew" being the only guest on board. Now wouldn't THAT be a real gig?

 

[BoneCrusher]

Randy,

Great thread! I have been fortunate to be able to do a lot of diving recently. However, I also have yet to do an "exotic" vacation. I have yet to dive salt water. However, I would not have changed a thing. I have been able to go after my goals for technical diving in the Great Lakes and recently have been able to indulge my desire to cave dive.

Most of all, I enjoy the friends I have made along the way. I enjoy our times at Gilboa and the other quarries. I have made some really great friends through scuba diving. Scuba diving isn't just a hobby for me, it is now part of me and a way of life for me.

Thank you to all my scuba diving friends!

 

[Barracuda2]

Randy,

However, I also have yet to do an "exotic" vacation. I have yet to dive salt water.

Mike, I hope somehow I can be with you on your first salt water dive on some great reef or wall; I love the reaction of first-timers in that life-filled environment. Put off buying that rebreather and let's do a live-a-board.

 

[ScubaSteve]

While I am on the other side of the lakes, I can relate to everybody's posts here...(except to diving in the 60's, 70's and 80's ). I certified about 9 years ago and was in love instantly. The first 2 years I picked up slowly but by year 3-4 I was doing ~ 100 divers per year. Then I met a woman that dove but not cold water. That meant more non-diving time but I still got out for 50-60 per year. Then we had a son and I am averaging 20 or so a year. I also travel a fair bit for work so the weekends that I am home are spent with my family rather than diving.

I used to watch short videos of my dives all the time and love it. Now I watch short videos of my son and love it. Priorities change (some for the better, some not), obligations change, financial means change......we have a hundred things fighting our ability to get out and get our fill of compressed gases. I for one am happy with what life has thrown at me but really wish I could get out more. I know it will come, just that today is not that day.

Having said all that, I have been fortunate enough to be able to dive cold waters as well as places like Thailand, Cozumel, Bonaire, Turks & Caicos, California among other enjoyable places.

Excellent thread Randy.

 

[AevnsGrandpa]

Yes good thread. I also got certified in '03 and had big ideas and hopes. Have had the opportunity to dive Florida, California and Hawaii but still enjoy my time at Haigh Quarry. Feels like home when I get there and I have tried to make a yearly habit of making my first dive of the year there.

Also also truely understand the whole "life" thing too. Memorial Day in '10 I popped a bicept tendon, shot that year. Last year there always seemed to be something so I only ending up wet in a pool helping with a OW dive class. Now here I am in '12 and I just had ACL surgery in February. But I have determined I am going to dive in May when Haigh gets warm enough for a wet suit!!

Jeff

 

[rhwestfall]

Family was the reason for an 8 year absence from diving.... Quarries look promising.....

 

[Hank49]

It's all relative. I've only done a couple dive trips in the last 12 years to the Philippines and some free diving in Hawaii.

Every week I dive here...mostly free diving but I spend about 5-6 hours per week in the water. It's pretty much the same thing every week. But, I love it. It's about being in, on and around water and being with friends and family who love it too.