what kind of diver are you?

[Jay Adams]

Certified in 1989, I was a free diver before trying scuba. I have a little over 2500 dives, with the majority being in cold water. I have several dozen warm water dives, but haven't really enjoyed any of them. I'm sure I'll find somewhere warm that I like someday. In the meantime, my favorite dives are California and British Columbia. I have two freshwater dives. Both were boring. I prefer to see marine life.

For several years I made mostly tech dives, but most of my dives these days are shallower than 100 feet with a single tank. I carry a Nikon D850 on every dive to document as many animals as I can.

if not for the drive of >2 hours (2:15) to nubble lighthouse to the coast I too would prefer the salt water of the northest cost. to our blah green lakes, however there's lot's of life in lakes, just have to look for it.

 

[Jay Adams]

I dive year round up in the Great Lakes although during the winter we switch from wreck diving to diving local lakes once the big lakes get too bad. At least once a year I take my wife warm water diving which I also like to do but wrecks are my bread and butter. I got my technical certifications and rebreather because most of the wrecks I like are between 150 and 250 feet down so some years I spend a lot of time doing deco. Been diving since ‘78 and not planning on giving it up as long as I stay healthy!

I too like to go dive the "Drinking water" as I have heard it called, but realistically all I can muster is a couple days of diving every couple years. so for me it is dive the cold green or don't dive at all. I have a diving problem I do it a lot. when I can any way

 

[Centrals]

Vacation diver and last dived in local water must be 15yrs ago.
It is dirt cheap to fly to Philippines my favourite diving destination.

 

[RogueClimber]

what kind of diver are you?

The lucky kind

Moved to Hawaii after not diving for years. RogueWife fell in love with diving and I lucked into crewing on a dive boat. With no COVID restrictions I'd be getting 4-6 dives a week while building my sea days for my Captain's license.

 

[Aviyes]

Vacation diver. Try to go on 2x week long dive trips a year.

Ohh and own all my gear, minus tanks

 

[jonhall]

I'm the poster child for recreational warm water 1000 ft viz and tequila drinking divers everywhere

I'm with you except it's rum!

I consider myself a vacation diver - not the type who plans a vacation to only dive, but who plans a vacation where there's diving. Was certified in 1998 so I could dive on my first vacation out of the country (Grand Cayman.) Didn't dive again until 7 years later. On a one week vacation (always spring break being a teacher), I would normally do 6-8 dives. Retired now and fortunate to be able to spend 2 weeks, a couple of times a year, wherever we go (mostly Caribbean, Hawaii) and usually get in 10-14 dives each trip.

 

[TMHeimer]

Local diver mostly, though quite a few years snowbirding on the FL panhandle, SC, AL, MS, TX. One tropical "vacation" trip to Portabelo, Panama. 7 weeks each summer in NYC area (except 2020, of course).
Lived my working life in Northern Manitoba, Canada and only got OW certified in '05 at age 51 when we moved to the Nova Scotia coast. Being a "vacation" diver never interested me. After gaining experience, I then knew why-- not the safest thing to do.

 

[oly5050user]

I'm a full time diver, being from Key Largo, I have been diving in beautiful waters down here from the reefs to the wrecks since I was 15. I feel very lucky to be down here most of the year, it's location and I can dive the best reefs in the United States day and night. This is why people from around the world come down here for the diving, it's amazing location.

When in the NYC area we go diving in Long Island Sound, big difference then Key Largo with 10ft visibility, but if your lucky you can now see whales and dolphins. Sometimes we go to the south shore of Long Island and do some shore dives or wrecks dives in the summer time.

10’ visibility in LI sound is a good day, can be 1 or 2’ or great at 15’

 

[drrich2]

Vacation diver with around 450 dives. Aim for 2 trips per year, 10 - 30 dives/trip, some solo 'just to dive' trips, some 'dive trips disguised as family vacations' as my wife calls them.

Own all my own gear, but use provided tanks and weights when I travel.

Diving provides an activity framework to research, travel to, experience and 'connect with' exotic (to me) places, wildlife and experiences. I prefer high viz., warm water oceanic diving with negligible current, but am willing to compromise to gain special experiences (e.g.: kelp diving, California sea lions and harbor seals amidst the Channel Islands out of California; schooling hammerheads, pods of dolphins and a manta in the Galapagos).

I prefer 'low risk' diving - I don't mess with caves, rebreathers or such - but I'm willing to fin outside my comfort zone sometimes for very enriching experiences (e.g.: diving with tiger sharks with Emerald Charters out of Jupiter, Florida).

There are different kinds of vacation divers. Some do a 2-tank boat trip once in awhile when on a Caribbean cruise. Some drop over 8 grand specifically to go dive the Galapagos. Some do both...

 

[100days-a-year]

Was at first a snorkeler as a kid, became an occasional diver and then when my DW got certified we became hardcore local divers.
On a good year we'd hit 400 recreational ocean dives with 100 in August alone for our annual Keys trip.
Became a part time and then full time commercial spearfisherman doing 400 a year from the Daytona to NC.
For now I am dry for a while after a boating accident left me sketchy of the water.