New to scuba and the board

[Saltyhawg]

My wife gave me lessons (for both of us) last Christmas and we completed our PADI Open Water certifcation at Vortex Springs Florida last March. We took a trip to Cozumel last August (I know probably not the best place for newbies) and had a wonderful trip. 17 dives in 6 days. Did some night dives in Lake Ouachita (Arkansas) last summer/fall. We are both addicted to diving. Our only regret is waiting so late in life to start (I'm 58, she's 53). Look forward to learning a lot on here as we continue our training and have many new adventures in the future.

We leave for Belize in 3 weeks!

 

[drrich2]

Hi:

Better late than never. I think a number of us wish we'd started sooner. Enjoy Belize; I'm hoping to hit it by live-aboard later. Where do you plan to stay there? People might have some tips.

Richard.

 

[Saltyhawg]

Thanks Richard. We're already booked at Sunbreeze Hotel and are diving with Hugh Parkey's dive connection. My wife did most of the research and went through a travel agent we've used for years. They did us well on the Cozumel trip (Cozumel Palace / Dive Paradise). I hope no one comes up with bad things to say about our hotel/dive shop!

 

[drrich2]

From what I read Cozumel Palace is fairly upscale by Coz. standards, so evidently you guys are willing to invest in a good trip. I imagine your Belize trip will be good, too. On a cruise stop in Belize, we did a tour by boat up New River (where we saw crocodiles, and some bats on a tree) to Lamanai (means submerged crocodile) and did a walking rainforest tour visiting 3 Mayan ruins (Mask Temple, Tall Temple, Jaguar Temple), the 1st 2 of which we climbed atop. Got some sweet photos. If you have some topside time to kill, it's nice.

 

[TSandM]

I was 51 and my husband was 57 when we certified together. That was 9 1/2 years ago, and we're still going strong (well, maybe not strong, but steady : ). Welcome to a wonderful activity and a new world.

 

[RJP]

Welcome to Scubaboard!

Ray