Thank you for the welcoming messages! I will relay any interesting dive stories that come along. Not much to talk about so far.
Prior to becoming certified I made a few dives, in July '01 there were two beach dives in Maui (swimming with turtles is always an experience, held an octopus - kodak moment, and saw many moreys). The purchase of a relatively inexpensive Canon Elph Sport camera has proven to be a good investment. Though only rated for a depth of 16 feet or so, I've taken it to 45+ feet and it's worked fine. Granted the photos aren't superb (the flash is inadequate to restore natural colors at depth), but the memory is captured for posterity.
More recently in October '01 I made two boat dives in Los Cabos, off of the Arches. One at Neptune's Finger to a depth of 110 feet and the other at the point (65 feet or so). The tidal surge in the channel between the arch and the point rock is quite strong. I dive/snorkel with Scubapro Twin Jet fins and was able to swim against the current relatively easily, while the dive master that I was with was pulling himself along the rock wall to get out of the tidal surge.
Visibility was reduced to a murky 20 feet or so because of a recent hurricane that had gone through the area. The storm took well over 30 feet of sand off of the bottom in some areas, and flooding from the hillsides had deposited quite a bit of mud and debris within the bay. But I did see some incredible marine life (sea lions, moreys, lobster, and many types of fish that I am unable to identify just yet).
The dives for the Open Water Ceritification weren't anything like the previous experiences. But the goal there was merely to demonstrate an understanding of the required skills. Now that that is done... time to explore and experience new things!
:fishy:
