What did you try this year that was "new" in your diving?

[dwellerbottom]

Here is some of our bounty.

 

[ps444mike]

Well lets see .. founds a awesome dive shop got some good training. open water and a few other specialty's an working on my dive master / dive con. an a few other ratings. ext. range an hopefully more..

 

[MelasLithos]

Since I got certified at the end of 2015, there were a lot of firsts for me this year (and basically, I still get a "first" on every trip I take), but here are a few memorable ones:

- a long list of first sighting of different marine animals
- first night dive
- first lion fish speared
- first fresh water dive
- first wreck
- first time laying a line and diving with technical divers
- first near zero visibility dive (not a good idea to go diving after a storm...)
- first halocline & thermocline

And if my plans for next year work out, there's probably going to be a few other "first" coming.

 

[Wingy]

Shore diving.

 

[Neilwood]

2016 was an amazing year for diving for me as it was almost all new as I did my OW last year.

Highlights this year:
1) Doing AOW including first boat dive, and first deep dive
2) Live on board trip to Red Sea
3) First tropical dive with tons of life to see (on LOB)
4) First drift dive (on LOB)
4) First night dive (on LOB)
5) First wreck dive (on LOB)
6) first night wreck dive (on LOB)

2017 might hold a few more new experiences as I plan to move to either BSAC or SCOTSAC (from diving with PADI) so that changes a few parameters on dives and I plan on getting a drysuit.

 

[Kharon]

Got and used a soft backpack & harness instead of a BC on my trip to Bonaire. Far easier to pack, far easier to get into and out of, no problem with buoyancy. A very nice surprise.

 

[fstbttms]

Cleaning a Saber 28's hull; the one that I crew on during the summer racing season. No suction cup, though; I either grab the keel/rudder/etc, or just fin to stay in place. Burn lots of air for only being 6' down ;-)

I began training a new hull cleaner a few weeks ago (he is an experienced free/SCUBA diver) and on his first boat, he burned 1500# during his half of the Santana 22 we were cleaning. Needless to say, he has since decided to work with a hookah.

 

[DMDavid]

Started using Facebook and other online resources to find local dive-buddies and I also discovered that it has its advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages are obvious, you get to meet many new friends and divers that help you to dive at locations that don't allow solo-diving and you get to create a larger network of future dive-buddies.

The disadvantages are that you just don't know who will show up and with what skill level they'll come equipped with.

Overall I have to say it's been a very pleasant experience meeting divers of all skill levels and even more fun when it's their first time diving at a location that you've done a million times because you get to witness that first time grin from ear to ear all over again.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

First trip to the Philippines

First experience with hammerheads (Red Sea)

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Searcaigh]

Added two new countries to my list of dive destinations

Australia - Great Barrier Reef - rather underwhelming
SS Yongala - awesome

USA - 2 hr 40 min dive at Blue Heron Bridge with Scuba Jenny

100th dive with my daughter when I visited her in Australia
My 1,500th dive when in Australia

Saw my first whale shark (in Oman)