The best of 2006

[wardric]

The Empress of Ireland. For many years I wanted to dive it and when the dream came true, I wasn't disapointed. A fantastic experience.

 

[jvevea]

My best dive of the year was visiting a familiar site (Monastery beach in Carmel) for the first time with my new prescription mask. It's amazing how much difference it makes if you can really see the reef.

 

[spankey]

passed my Naui Master Divers and got cert in the following

Naui Master Diver
Naui Rescue Diver
Naui Advanced Rescue
DAN 02 provider
DAN marine life injuries
ASHI first aid
Naui Deep Diver
Naui Night Diver
Naui Search & Recover
Small Boat handling
Nitrox

and BTW 90% of all our dives are done at alt (over 1460m), so in Padi's terms I would also have the ALT diver cert.

...now time to do some casual dives and relax before Dive Masters

 

[CheddarChick]

Our 3rd dive in Curacao...a turtle swam right next to me as I struggled to get the cheap 35m underwater camera to work in 60' of water. Which it wouldn't. placing my hand underneath the turtle's belly and scooting him up 10' to have the camera actually take a shot of him looking at me with such a wise and patient look.

 

[ShoalDiverSA]

My highlight has to be the dive I completed two hours ago(!) on Castle Reef off Scottburgh. I dived with upward of 20 Blacktip Reef Sharks and the coup de grace was a 3+ metre Tiger Shark (complete with 4 remoras)! Awesome.

And that all on a work day...

Cheers,

Andrew

 

[shoredivr]

Getting my advanced nitrox and deco training this spring in the St Lawrence river, doing a 140' deco dive on the wall off the Lillie Parsons wreck with all the stress of new task loading; then doing the same dive site later in the season and flying along the wall in the current, feeling relaxed with a competent buddy and realizing what a blast current diving can be.
Also, seeing a big school of salmon off the Niagara 2 in Tobermory. They were off in the blue, and most people were looking at the wreck. I caught a glimpse of movement off in the blue, silver flashing in the sunlight. Too cool.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

It's a toss up between my first ocean dive being to 115 ft in the well deck of the Spiegel Grove and my 100th dive 4 days later on her again and dropping down on one of her decks and coming face to face with the Goliath Grouper that completely filled one of the main doors. It slowly backed up into the passage and one guy estimated it at upwards of 350lbs. All I know is that I think could have swam into it's mouth if it opened all the way and never touched the sides. Diving with Amy Slate on a private trip with just my fiance, her and one of the resorts instructors was cool also. We did the Duane, saw two BIG turtles and then the second dive of that trip was a dive not normally done in the keys. A drift dive where the boat followed us ( when the owner says the boat will follow it follows) and even though she went up early, Phil the instructor, and I continued for another 20 minutes to Spanish Anchor where we ascended and just laid back looking at the sky and passing the time of day while waiting for the boat to come pick us up instead of having to swim to it. Can't wait to go back in May.

 

[Buoyant1]

My best most memorable dive of the year was on the Benwood off Key Largo back in January! The coolest thing I saw was the Scorpionfish on it! (picture in my gallery)

 

[DudleyNMU]

mine would be the stern of the forest city in tobermory...150'...70' viz and 41 degree water....

 

[CDNScubaMoose]

July 30th, dive #199 and #200 on the Wexford wreck in Lake Huron. Vis was over 60' and my buddy and I were diving on 34% Nitrox so our bottom time was extended compared to the rest of the people on the boat and with that kind of vis, it was amazing. But a close second was the same as Dudley with the stern of the Forest City in 50' of vis at the end of September.