New to Scubaboard

[Bottomair]

Hello divers, I'm brand new to this board. I have just completed my divemaster certification in Austin Texas and now will start working on my instructor certification. Not sure why at this point because I have a full time job that I love but being that I'm 45 years old I may someday want to retire to the islands somewhere and buy a dive shop. I figured I might as well get the certifications out of the way now. If I never do it, oh well, it was and still is fun teaching new divers and showing them the underwater world.

I actually went to Belize last September with five of my cousins on an all guy trip, logged 21 dives on that trip. I just won a trip to Maui from work and was able to log another 4 dives then my wife and I took our youngest son on a graduation trip with six other families to Cancun and logged four more. This October, the cousins will gather again except this time in Roatan Honduras for yet another week long underwater excursion, can't wait.

All the while in between these nice dives I've been assisting instructors with their open water courses here in a local lake so I get to dive almost every weekend, being that's it's been 104 degrees here in the summer, being in the water makes it tollerable.

I've been certified since 1979 but took about a 20 year rest (only went diving while on vacations once a year or so) while my boys were growing up, now that the youngest has graduated high school and earned a football scholarship, I've really attacked obtaining more certifications. This year alone I've obtained my EFR, Rescue and Divemaster certifications. I'm going to see if I can get my instructor certification before winter gets here.

 

[Hugh Jass]

Hey Bottomair. I'm an Austin diver myself. Just got certified a couple weeks ago. I did my dives at Lake Travis, and am assuming that is where you are taking students.

Welcome to the board. Lots of good people and good information here

 

[driftwood]

As an instructor in the area you will want go through the Diving for Science : Aquarena Center : Texas State University . Once you have done a couple OWC's in Travis during the winter, Spring Lake will seem like a gift from god.

 

[Bottomair]

You're correct, I actually did my Rescue Certification in Aquarena Springs, great place to dive as far as local diving goes.

 

[coalnewsletters]

I am new here as well. How are you all.. from Australia here

 

[Dr John]

Hello all, I'm also very new on this board and wanted to introduce myself, I live in Austin, Texas and Im an open water diver thru PADI, I have been since 1990.

I would love to go back and perhaps become a dive master or better yet an instructor. Convincing my wife to let this happen is the challenge.....between Flying and Scuba, she has had her fill of my "dangerous" activities!

With the draught we have going on, it has pretty much in my recent experience made Lake Travis undivable with the horrible visibility. I think I need to find a new dive spot till Travis improves and becomes a fun place to dive again.