New diver in Marin

[poomero]

Hey Everyone,

I just got back from a trip to Mexico and I got my PADI cert there. I have a few questions for everyone. What fins would you guys recommend for diving in California and why do you recommend them? Also what shops do you like in the area and why? I am just starting out and there is a lot of info and products to look at and it is a little overwhelming so any info is greatly appreciated.

I hope to get to know some of you on here and get out as much as I can to dive.

Josh

 

[g1138]

Hey Josh, welcome to scubaboard.

First and foremost, you may want to take a small checkout session in the pool. Not a full refresher course but at least a mentoring session to get you prepared for CA diving. Heck even hiring a DM to give you a checkout in the ocean is fine. You can then go on a quick dive afterward w/o ever getting out of the water.
There are some unique differences between warm water/cold water diving, and some unique methods when diving in a kelp environment.

Some things right off the bat are
- wetsuit compression (requires you to tighten straps and weight belts on descent)
- kelp crawls
- breaking kelp (cutting devices, bending it, biting it)
- Surface diving in a load of kelp
- reading surf conditions
- surf entries

It'll be fun, don't feel intimidated. Just take your first few dives easy here.


In regards to fins, any scuba fin will do. Some people prefer flexible fins, some prefer stiff fins.

On the far sides of the spectrum you have split fins which are good for flutter kicking quickly with little strain; then you have jet-type fins which are very heavy and stiff. Jet fins are good for maneuverability and gliding on a very few number of kicks. But they require some leg power and a different slower kicking method (slower bigger flutter kicks followed by gliding periods).

Try running a google search, there are plenty of posts asking this same fin question:
type in:
site:scubaboard.com keywords
replacing keywords with your question

See if you can find a dive shop that will let you try out fins before you buy. Some of the popular choices I've seen are:

Flexible fins
Scubapro Twin Jets
Scubapro Novas
Scubapro Sport
Apollo Bio fins
Atomic Splits
Tusa Imprex
Tusa Zoom
Force Fins

Stiff fins
Scubapro Jet fins
OMS Slipstreams
Hollis F1
Mares Avanti Quattros
Aqualung Rocket Fins
Dive Rite EXP
Cressi Frog
Tusa Liberator

 

[fisheater]

Welcome!!!!

It's great that you're looking to dive locally. We have awesome diving here. But it's harder than the warm water diving you did in your OW class and you'll need to take that into account as you start your local diving "career."

I suggest that you join a local dive club that actually dives locally, so you can learn from fellow local divers, both in the manner of techniques and gear.

A good choice for a Marinite would the North Coast Divers. Check us out at www.northcoastdivers.org

Another thing, the vast majority our Local Dive Shops cater to the majority of divers in our area, which -- alas -- are warm water only divers. Most/many active local divers do not use the type of gear sold in our LDSs.

That's where having active local divers as mentors comes in handy.

Feel free to PM me with your phone number if you would like to discuss local diving.

Again, WELCOME!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[poomero]

Thanks for the welcoming to the world of diving guys. fisheater i will send over a pm right now with my contact info. I would love to talk about the does and dont of the local diving area.

 

[Peter_C]

Welcome!

I too would be willing to help out in anyway I can.

"The best way to save money on a wetsuit is to get a drysuit". 46 degree water is cold and sometimes what our dive temps can be. There is a huge list of money saving tips in my dive bag