What is scuba diving's orange shovel?

[MXGratefulDiver]

They're marketed as "you too can be like your instructor, isn't he (or she) Keen? Why settle for a knife when you can have a KNIFE?..."

(that will be $59.99 at the counter, you n00b.)

---
Ken

Ah ... from the Dave Barry scuba school ...

The highlight of the clasroom training, for me, was when we learned about the equipment (or, as we SCUBA veterans say, the "gear"). Your basic diving outfit is a mask and flippers, plus the breathing apparatus, which you can rent. But there are all kinds of other neat gear objects you can get, the neatest one, as far as I'm concerned, being: a knife. All my life I've wanted an excuse to wear a knife, and here I have found a sport where it is actually encouraged. "Diving knives are practical tools," states the PADI course manual, "providing you with a means to measure, pry, dig, cut and pound under water..." But the REAL advantage, which the manual fails to note, is that you can wear your knife strapped to your leg.

There's something about striding around with a knife strapped to your leg that makes you feel exceedingly James Bondlike. If you can keep a little secret, I will confess to you that right at this very moment, as I write these words, I have my knife strapped on. Just in case somebody comes along and, for example, tries to cut my word processor cord. As Ray Lang put it, during one of his colorful diving anecdotes: "You never can tell when the inevitable is gonna happen."

Bmoogle ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Teamcasa]

Ah ... from the Dave Barry scuba school ...

Quote:
The highlight of the clasroom training, for me, was when we learned about the equipment (or, as we SCUBA veterans say, the "gear"). Your basic diving outfit is a mask and flippers, plus the breathing apparatus, which you can rent. But there are all kinds of other neat gear objects you can get, the neatest one, as far as I'm concerned, being: a knife. All my life I've wanted an excuse to wear a knife, and here I have found a sport where it is actually encouraged. "Diving knives are practical tools," states the PADI course manual, "providing you with a means to measure, pry, dig, cut and pound under water..." But the REAL advantage, which the manual fails to note, is that you can wear your knife strapped to your leg.

There's something about striding around with a knife strapped to your leg that makes you feel exceedingly James Bondlike. If you can keep a little secret, I will confess to you that right at this very moment, as I write these words, I have my knife strapped on. Just in case somebody comes along and, for example, tries to cut my word processor cord. As Ray Lang put it, during one of his colorful diving anecdotes: "You never can tell when the inevitable is gonna happen."

Bmoogle ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Jim Bowie is smiling!

Dave

 

[LIVES4SHARKS]

This thread seems to have gotten way off track, my intention was to find out what gear I don't need, therby saving money for gear that I do. I was hoping for some clear answers as to the frivilous stuff so that I can avoid getting it in my gear bag in the first place, and that way have more of my budget left for things that are useful and needed.

Here is a link to explain gear and some different choices you have. http://www.gue.com/Equipment/Config/index.html

What you will find, is that there are a bunch of different opinions and basically gear should be set up for the type of diving you are doing. Some LDS's will sell you alot of stuff that sounds good but actually underwater are not necessary or become very cumbersome. The more crap attatched to your BC can become a tangle hazzard later on. Plus the more "danglies" the greater chance you can hurt coral etc. What I am finding is to keep things simple and out of my way. I just need the basics on my dive, which do include a whistle, mirror, light, safety sausage, and small knife. I hope that helps and "HAPPY DIVING"!

--Carolyn

 

[namabiru]

Dude

Get the pink hose wraps and you're just a loser.

Get the pink hose wraps WITH the matching pink hose protecters and you're Mack Daddy rollin' VIP

Get the pink hose wraps WITH the matching pink hose protecters WITH the matching AL80 pink plastic tank protector, and you're divin' pimp mofo number one.

Toss in the pink tank boot and you will be one Pepto divin', night drivin', tummy thrivin' color strivin' local.

And we'll all laugh at you and you'll... well, you know the rest.

---
Ken

I'm a Barbie gir--rr--l, in a Barbie wor--rr--ld

You can comb my hair, and take me everywhere

Come on Barbie, let's go party, ah ah ah yeah!

That was the first thing I thought of.

Do they make Scuba Diver Barbie?

They make the Librarian action figure, you know. Shushing action and all. I've got the deluxe edition myself.

 

[plot]

I bet very few male divers put their wetsuit on the right way the first time...

 

[ReefHound]

Two words: Pig Sticker :14:

-J.-

What's wrong with a pig sticker?

 

[clem]

ANY "snorkeling" snorkel with the monster "dry valve"on top. What is up with that and WHY do dive shop stores sell it?

 

[427Dave]

What's wrong with a pig sticker?

Now what is wrong with a pig sticker, made by ScubaPro Everyone had to have one in the early 70's. Now it rests in the closet and never gets wet anymore. I found out it was the weight from the knife that made me swim in circles So now to be more correct I have a pair of pink shears.:14: in my BC pocket.

 

[ReefHound]

But, we do all start somewhere, and clutter gets sorted out in a hurry. (Why the hell am I carrying this snorkel anyway? Do I really need 8 dive lights? Why can't I find my gauges? I only have 6 other things on this D-ring...)

That's what a lot of people here are saying, they had all these items at some point and then sorted them out.

Aren't we doing a bit of a disservice to new divers by saying "if you wear this piece of gear, we'll all know you're new and laugh at you"?

This reminds me of another Orange Shovel - when a diver learns some particular item is considered a sign of a noob and immediately quits wearing it even though he liked it.

 

[ReefHound]

Well I'll make sure when I get certified this year that I have none of this equipment, and gosh darnit, I'll try to make sure to go out of my way to make sure none of my equipment matches in color too!!! Cant have something that almost looks like a set of something.

But that's an Orange Shovel all unto itself - a person with obviously little dive experience but possessing tech gear with no Orange Shovels at all.