Moving to Portland from Australia

[Ox302B]

Hello,

I'm a 27 year old male and currently live in Australia. I'll be moving to Portland, Oregon (well Camas to be exact) in February '08. I've visited Portland a few times but have never actually lived or spent much time there. Thus my knowledge of Portland and the Pacific Northwest is very limited.

I been certified since 2000 but have next to nothing for logged dives. I've still VERY new to diving. I'm hoping to find a few dive buddies in Portland to go diving with and change that. I tend to stick to shore/lake dives as I generally don't go to well out on the ocean in small boats. I went for a dive off Rottnest Island here in Western Australia twice. One was a two dive trip; I got one dive in and the other was spent with my head over the side. The second one was a three dive trip, for me it was zero dives. .

I'm really looking forward to diving in the lakes and rivers the Pacific Northwest has to offer.

 

[tc]

Welcome aboard!

 

[almitywife]

you are LEAVING!!!!!!

i gotta warn you... those yanks have no idea how to talk real good unlike us aussies

plus they wear their thongs on their butts, they drive on the wrong side of the road AND they dont have tim tams

i personally wouldnt risk it but if you must go.... have a great time :multi:

oh, and welcome to :sblogo:

 

[DiverMike10]

Welcome to the Pacific Northwest! I actually live in Camas. You will love the diving here. Lakes and rivers? There is that. But the real fun is a few hours north in salt water. There is plenty of shore diving, and the boat diving in Puget Sound is fantastic with low risk of seasickness. Then head a bit further north to the San Juan Islands, and across the border to visit our friends in Canada. We will get you introduced properly. Bring your cold water gear!

 

[Ox302B]

i gotta warn you... those yanks have no idea how to talk real good unlike us aussies

LOL, I am one of those Yanks, but thanks for classing me as an Aussie . I've been here nearly 3 years now, before that 4 years in Japan. Its time to head back home to the motherland

DiverMike,
Sounds great! Good to hear there is a fellow diver in close proximity.

 

[DiverMike10]

You will want to check out our regional forum here at ScubaBoard, the Pacific Northwest Orca Bait group: ScubaBoard - Pacific Northwest Orca Bait

PM me some time and we can get a group together for a dive day. Viz is best in the winter, so February is perfect.

 

[almitywife]

LOL, I am one of those Yanks, but thanks for classing me as an Aussie . I've been here nearly 3 years now,.....

:11: well fine, come here, drink our wine and eat our food and then leave! fine, dont let the door hit you on the way out, we dont need you johnny-come-latelys..... and can i have your tanks :mooner:

heheheheeh

sorry - hijack off

 

[Ox302B]

...check out..Pacific Northwest Orca Bait group

PM me some time.... Viz is best in the winter, so February is perfect.

Thanks for the link to the NW group. Will definitely keep an eye on posts in that area. Will PM you for sure when my feet are back on US soil. Will have to pick up a new wet suit, had to get rid of the one I bought here in 2000--got too bloody small!

:11: well fine, come here, drink our wine and eat our food and then leave!

Drink your wine and eat your food? Nah, I came for the beer and women!

 

[wadivediva]

Sorry, but a wetsuit just won't cut it. Drysuit is the way to go in PNW. There is some great diving in Puget Sound (about 2hours depending who is diving), Hood Canal (2 1/2 hours). We dive year round in everything from warm to cold. Vancouver Island has some GREAT diving (Browning Wall Pass, Three Tree Island). Welcome to some great adventures!

 

[DiverMike10]

Sorry, but a wetsuit just won't cut it. Drysuit is the way to go in PNW. There is some great diving in Puget Sound (about 2hours depending who is diving), Hood Canal (2 1/2 hours). We dive year round in everything from warm to cold. Vancouver Island has some GREAT diving (Browning Wall Pass, Three Tree Island). Welcome to some great adventures!

Wadivediva is correct that most everyone dives dry around here. Still, there are a few brave souls (including myself until this month) that do it old-school. My buddy and I have been diving year-round in wet suits, but then we do get some funny looks. It's not the dives, but the &^%$ surface intervals in January that get me. If you decide to go that route, use nothing less than a 7mm (preferrably a farmer john/jacket combo, with a good hood and gloves), and bring hot water to pour into the suit. Better yet, get a drysuit .