New diver from Arizona

[donblume]

I am new to the forum and to diving. I did my first "Discover" dive in Bora Bora in 1999 and one in April 2005 in Grand Cayman.
Then I decided to get certification, just before leaving for Tahiti on this past June 13th. I had one tank dives at Raitea, Bora Bora and Moorea. They were all great, but in Moorea we had the company of a dozen Black Tiipped Reef Sharks between 30 and 60 feet and as close as 6 feet. What a Rush, then all the recent shark attacks in Florida. Glad that I had'nt heard about them, even though they say, "not to worry".

I was told to buy a Reef Hook to take with, by an online salesperson. I had suspicions if it was proper, so I left it at home. No one there used one. Any comments on this?

Don, in Arizona

 

[scubajoe]

Welcome to the board!
Proper use of a reef hook is ok. nListen to the dive briefing and do as you are told.
Ya know, you are one lucky person to dive the places you have as a new diver.

Joe

 

[alijtaylor]

Hi and welcome, I did a first intro dive about 8 years before I finally certified so you got there quicker.
Cheers
Alison

 

[DandyDon]

Sounds like a wonderful experience. I hope you can still enjoy the California kelp beds in a 7 mil and a beanie.

Hope you enjoy the forums here. PM me if I can help you find your way around here...

don :biggrinba

 

[dlndavid]

Hi Don, welcome to SB, from a former resident of the beautiful state of Arizona here.
Ever dive lake powell or Lake Mead? Could be interesting.
David

 

[donblume]

Welcome to the board!
Proper use of a reef hook is ok. nListen to the dive briefing and do as you are told.
Ya know, you are one lucky person to dive the places you have as a new diver.

Joe

Yes, I am fortunate to have great places for my first dives. Being retired, I can afford to go many places, others cannot. On the bitter side my years available to continue diving is somewhat limited. I plan to use it to the utmost.


Don

 

[donblume]

Hi Don, welcome to SB, from a former resident of the beautiful state of Arizona here.
Ever dive lake powell or Lake Mead? Could be interesting.
David

David, No, on Powell or Mead, I have had only 3 dives since OW cert. We had a boat docked at Lake Powell for 3 years and it is an awsome place. I often wondered what it was like to dive there. Sometimes the water had 8 to 12 foot visibility. Odly enough, then (1999) at the slip, the water under our boat was 150 feet deep. Some docks were 250 feet deep. All this, before the lake levels dropped 150 feet. In other lakes (mountain) the visibility is very poor. In my first open water dives for cert. the visibility was at best 2 1/2 feet. I am looking forward to more warm and clear waters to dive.

 

[Dive-aholic]

For a local dive, Lake Pleasant isn't too bad - 10-20 feet of viz and warm this time of year. Try Desert Tortoise Rd. There's a wall there that you can dive along. Not much to see other than an occasional fish and maybe some lost wallets, etc. It gets you time in the water, though. If you don't mind the drive, Lake Mohave has the best diving in AZ. 30 feet of viz pretty much year round. You can also find some "wrecks" off Cabinsite Point. I was just there last week and the temp was 67 at 70+ feet.

 

[tx.lakerats]

welcome to the boards!!

 

[donblume]

Rob,

I was'nt aware that Lake Pleasant was that good for visibility. I may try lake Pleasant or Lake Mohave some time, problem is I do not have a dive buddy. I would like to do Arizona dives once in awhile, just to keep from getting too rusty.
By the way, I looked at some of your photos and they are very good. What UW equipment do you use and where is Disorder, Arizona?

Don