What are the "who knew"s of scuba?

[Poi]

The amount of crazy people you would meet (in both senses of the word)
How much quicker you get through your air when you go deeper.
The amount of variation between dive shops and instructors/divemasters

 

[BenjaminF]

Who knew that we would spend that kind of money for the stuff.

You forgot to say that it is done willingly, if not eagerly

 

[Poi]

You forgot to say that it is done willingly, if not eagerly

Very true, I've never spent so much time on Ebay...

 

[eponym]

How strikingly beautiful a clear blue sky looks after an hour underwater navigating through gray-green soup.

 

[diverrex]

...The amount of variation between dive shops and instructors/divemasters

Yeah I should have known this no different than restaurants are good and bad and everything in between but I guess not knowing much about scuba in the beginning but knowing that various agencies existed I guess I thought things would be more standard. I learned vary quickly I don't like diving on a boat of 14+ divers. Luckily I also learned quickly how to do the research to find a 6 pack op I like and have been satisfied with them all since.

 

[Poi]

Yeah I should have known this no different than restaurants are good and bad and everything in between but I guess not knowing much about scuba in the beginning but knowing that various agencies existed I guess I thought things would be more standard. I learned vary quickly I don't like diving on a boat of 14+ divers. Luckily I also learned quickly how to do the research to find a 6 pack op I like and have been satisfied with them all since.

Yeah, research is very important. Like you say, with the agencies I thought things would be more standard.

Paying a few extra pennies for somewhere with a decent rep and reviews is well worth it. Also just talking to the people there makes a huge difference. If you don't like the people you're never going to have fun.

 

[coldwaterdufus]

--who knew that your instructor wouldn't even do a proper weight check for your 4 open water dives in a drysuit, learn by experience I guess, hold onto the kelp he said
--who knew the way your LDS told you to fold your brand new drysuit wasn't the proper way and you'd be replacing the zipper because of it
--who knew that not all insta-buddies are created equal, above and below the water
--who knew that one of your insta-buddies would swim away from you on purpose, leaving you wondering and searching
--who knew to carry a spare dive light on a retractor, not in your drysuit pocket, when your primary dies at 60ft in 5 ft viz, you can't get to it
--who knew not to buy a dive light that dies instantly instead of one that fades away as the batteries die
--who knew after 130 dives, I'd still be practising my buoyancy
--who knew that, the more I dive, the more I want to dive

 

[Tessunderwater]

Who knew that when you get yourself tangled by your fin straps in monofilament that the fish would stop and look at you as if to say "see not so much fun huh"

Who knew that beer provides for great off gassing.

 

[diverrex]

Who knew that some of the most heavily advertised and well known dive ops would actually be too big to enjoy the diving and the small little shop that's sometimes hard to find provides the best overall dive experience.

 

[drbill]

I knew everything that I would experience on SCUBA even before my first dive... I was born in the water!