What a board!!!!!

[Purofino]

Hi all,
I am doing my OW cert this weekend and have been surfing the net for weeks now since my appetite for diving information was whet. There is a ton of information out there, but this board is most definatley a one-stop-shop to get informative and honest opinions about anything dealing with diving.
I have gained valuable insight from this board already. I am amazed how so many topics here have related exactly to the things I was feeling and experiencing during my confined water dives.
I can't wait to get in the open water for the experience I know it will be, but now I am eager to do it so I can come back here and nibble at all the value everyone here has to offer.

Thanks,
Purofino

 

[shellbird]

Good luck and welcome to "the boards"! I share your sentiments! This board has already taught me a ton of information as well and made new friends in the process!

 

[brendanrtw]

Best of luck this weekend ...... and welcome to the boards. Let us know how it went.

 

[Dee]

Welcome to the Boards. I'll look forward to your dive reports!

 

[Purofino]

Thanks all,
Amazingly enough I have something somewhat in common with each of you replying to my introduction post.
First Dee, I was originally going to start my diving life in Roatan. I was living in Honduras for a little over a year and had booked to get certified in Roatan. I was told the Bay Islands were a great dive location. Unfortunately, I intended to start in Nov. 1998. Hurricane Mitch decided to camp out over night on the Bay Islands in October and put a damper on the diving for a while as well as many other aspects of life in that region.
Next Brendan...thanks for the Irish welcome. My family names a generation back are Kelley and Corcoran. Apparently I have many long lost relatives from counties Cork and Galway.
And Shell, I was born in Massachusetts, went to school in Rhode Island and also loved New England while I lived there. I haven't been back for quite some time though...lots of world to explore.

Thanks again for the welcome,
Purofino

 

[Rooster1]

welcome to the board, you can usually find the info and advice you need here.

 

[Purofino]

Hi all,
I just completed my first two OW dives. I was an experience...not a great experience as far as exploring the new world beneath is concerned but a good experience anyhow.
Earlier in the week, my DS called and asked if I wanted to postpone because the conditions were poor. I was hesitant to postpone because I had re-arrnged some other things to be able to dive. I also figured that I was going to demonstrate the skills I had learned and wasn't planning on exploring much. The other thought that entered my mind was that although I would prefer all my dives to be in warm, clear water, I know that won't be the case. If I am going to dive in less than favorable conditions, what better time to be introduced to it than when I have an instructor next to me.
Well, the conditions were pretty poor viz wise. We could see about a foot and it was so murky, you couldn't see anything clearly unless you got your nose on it. The instructor took two of us down and we performed our skills. There was a little current also which made it interesting performing. You would get instructions on what to do or when to start and as you were performing, you would look up and the other two people would be disappearing. So, it was interesting.
The atmosphere sucked because you couldn't enjoy the time and look around, but I do think it was a good experience to see how bad it can get. I know it can get worse, but I think that was enough for me. I wouldn't dive if it was like that all the time.
So, I completed my first two OW dives, did my swimming and treading tests and afterwards took my final written exam. Tomorrow I will do my 3rd and 4th OW cert dives and figure out what to do and where to go next...clearer water I hope.

Cheers,
Purofino

 

[WisGal]

Welcome to the Board! I agree a great wealth of information here!

Enjoy the rest of your class!


Happy Diving :wave:

 

[carbon]

Hi,

Welcome to my favorite website/discussion board. Like you , I searched the web for some friendly scuba folks. By far, scubaboard wins the prize!

The information is great, and the people are fantastic. Have fun, and welcome!

Carbon

 

[gregavolt]

I only got certified last weekend, so I know exactly what you are going thru! I thought it was bad on my OW dives when the viz on the first day was 4'!!! My guess is you were right doing it that way, as viz can probably never get much worse (except maybe at night), and having the instructor right there and NOT needing them must have made you feel good. If you could handle those conditions, things will probably only get better!

As I was going thru my classes, I found this board to be of great help in answering all my questions and concerns, so I think you found the right place. Good luck in your last OW's, and have fun "beneath the waves!"