Looking for recommendations

[Stephanie Harmon]

My partner and I are interested in doing more activities together. We have gained interest in learning scuba diving. Can you share some movie ideas that can teach us more about it? We'd love to learn more. We believe that scuba can help us become closer to one another.

 

[diversteve]

Most movies take license with what really happens to keep you interested.

Padi.com is the largest US dive certification agency - they have a lot of information on their website - video clips of actual dives/locations also..

One thing you both might enjoy is a Discover Dive - either locally or next time you're on a trip. It takes a morning, there's a little classroom instruction, pool familairization with the gear and then you get to do a dive carefully monitored by your instructor. Depending on where you do it, most are well under $100 - in popular locations 1/2 that. Generally includes all needed gear as well.

It's probably the best way to see if it's for you.

There's also some excellent DVD;s shot by divers - one I like is the Worlds Best Dive Destinations - shot by divers in HD, Amazon sells it.

A lot of divers produce videos of their dives. You can find them on Youtube or Vimeo. All free.

 

[EvaFin]

I don't know whether it teaches you much about scuba, in fact it is mainly focused on free diving, but Le Grand Bleu is one of the most beautiful films in the world, especially if you love water. Can't recommend it enough.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

I'm with Wookie. If you truly think you might be interested in scuba, go to a local dive shop (LDS) and inquire about a discover scuba class. I think my LDS charges around $50 and then if you decide to enroll in the open water course (first level of scuba instruction) they apply that to the total cost of the class. The instructor will basically get you set up in the proper gear, show you a couple of things you need to know, get you underwater in the shallows, probably on your knees, and have you breathe through a regulator for a few minutes to get you acclimated to it. Then you'll get to swim around, maybe learn a couple of skills, etc. and see what you think. If scuba is something you really think you'd enjoy and it interests you, that's going to be the best way for you to decide whether or not you want to pursue it. You can watch every movie/film/documentary under the sun about it, but you're not really going to know if you want to dive unless you try it once.

And just to show you what you can expect....here's an uncut, unedited video I shot last year during a dive on the C-53 wreck in Cozumel. Bottom depth of 72 ft and visibility of about 150 ft in any direction. I started shooting video about 10-12 ft below the surface during my descent.

 

[Bec Dumaguete Divers]

Hello please check out www.dumaguetedivers.com for more information
about diving courses and more. Thanks!!

 

[JamesBon92007]

Personally, what I think are the probably the most realistic things you can view are the videos and photos posted here on SB. Many are taken in places where you might actually go diving and can give you a good idea what it's like, and many are truly excellent. Lots of people have seen my videos of such places as Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, Puerto Vallarta, Hawai'i, and California and were amazed. And my videos aren't particularly great or anything, just pictures of what's down there. It doesn't say where you are located but you can probably do a search here and find some local photos and videos by other members.

One of my all-time, favorite diving movies is Dive to Danger, directed by Bruno Vallati. It covers a very broad spectrum and dispels some of the myths and also exaggerates some of the dangers. I also think the old Sea Hunt series with Lloyd Bridges can be very educational, however it is rather outdated. Many episodes are available on YouTube. Some might find it very entertaining, and others might be bored to death. You can also find amateur videos on YouTube covering just about any dive-related subject you might be interested in. I wouldn't take anything too seriously that I saw in any modern movies, One interesting note about Sea Hunt: the type of diving they/we did back then has regained a lot of interest, for many reasons.

 

[MrVegas]

I just watched the "Hitler's Lost Sub" documentary on Youtube (originally NOVA). Fantastic documentary, both for the history and the diving. (It's the story of the discovery and identification of U-869, which, I believe, is the "Shadow Divers" story that is discussed quite often here on these forums.)