NYC Diver

[Rich5711]

Hey,

New to the forum, been diving 12 years now. Started out in Okinawa Japan while in the Marines in my off time went from OW-Rescue in about 6 months. Dove nearly every day for the better part of the year. Best diving I have ever done personally (seemingly infinite vis, water felt like a warm bath down to 100', fish, reefs, and wrecks galore).

Got back stateside and due to being a broke Lance Corporal in the middle of the Mojave desert and 150 miles from the water, I fell out of diving for a while. Did hit LaJolla twice but was discouraged by the temps. Between 2002 and 2010 I only dove a handfull of times, mostly with friends who were just getting certified. Finally got back in fairly regularly in 2011 when I got my gf certified. Mostly down in Key Largo, a few dives in Dutch Springs, PA. (got a drysuit cert just for that)

Working on my Divemaster cert now, then instructor as soon as I can after that. Ive been hanging around the LDS a lot just to wrap my head around all the new gear and soaking up everything I can.

Every search I've done on anything scuba related lately winds up linking here so I figured I'd sign up, learn what I can, and hopefully pass on any good info I have to offer.


-Rich

 

[Wolfie]

Ck out dny forum. There are a few members having sushi Tuesday.
btw welcome to the board.

 

[sbtag]

Welcome Rich.

I've heard great things about diving in Japan. I'm curious whether you, as someone who started diving 12 years ago in a place like Okinawa with lots of reef and fish, think about the state of today's ocean environments, especially the reefs.

I went snorkelling both in the keys and in the Fort Lauderdale area back in 2008 and saw lots of southern stingrays, spotted eagle rays, moray eels, nurse sharks, and lots of colorful reef fish, and the people I was with kept telling me "oh this is nothing, you should've seen it ten years ago." When I returned more recently as a diver I was surprised to see how much the fauna had depleted just since '08. It's a disturbing trend. I'd be interested to hear what your impression of the state of the reefs are today as compared to when you started diving.

Anyway, I bounce back and forth between the NYC and Atlanta metro areas regularly and have been hoping to check out the meager diving opportunities available in the metro NYC area if I get a chance before the weather gets too cold. Didn't even know about Dutch Springs until yesterday, but I've been curious about diving off the coast of Jersey for a while now. I don't expect much of it, given the cold temperatures and poor viz but the next time I'm in the area and the weather is agreeable I want to check it out. Supposedly there are some decent wreck diving opportunities and some decent shore entry dive spots in central Jersey, near Manalapan and Long Branch. I'm skeptical but curious. Any info you may have would be appreciated.

 

[ErikNYC]

Welcome aboard!

I'm from the Bronx as well. I learned to dive this summer at the YMCA in the Bronx. If you interested in joining some fellow Bronx divers please visit our Facebook page. We are also planning a few trips, especially the one I'm anxiously awaiting, to the Philippines next summer.

http://www.facebook.com/bronx.scuba