Where was your first OW dive?

[fisheater]

Just this weekend at The Breakwater in Monterey, CA.

Weather was atrocious and the water was excellent. Had to walk around the Coast Guard filling sand bags because of the storm to get to the shoreline, but my instructor and I (everyone else appears to have wimped out due to the weather) had the place virtually to ourselves.

 

[Natasha]

Just this weekend at The Breakwater in Monterey, CA.

Weather was atrocious and the water was excellent. Had to walk around the Coast Guard filling sand bags because of the storm to get to the shoreline, but my instructor and I (everyone else appears to have wimped out due to the weather) had the place virtually to ourselves.

Congrats! Sounds nice.

 

[Kamchatka]

Oro Verde, Grand Cayman, 20+ years ago

 

[maxguru]

Philippines, Boracay Island. Can't remember the specific site name.

m

 

[Sniperx]

A little over a week ago, Laguna Beach, CA Shaws Cove. About as bad diving as you could ever expect. My instructor said.....if you felt you could handle that....you can handle anything. 2ft visibility, hard surge, 50 some odd degree water, swell, and rocks. Not bad for OW cert first timer.

The reason for the ****ty dive? I live in Japan and was only in the US for 10 days having my parents meet my fiancee. Our first OW attempt could best be described as..."diving in a washing machine". We called it quits that day. Nearing the end of my trip...I said...hell or high water I'm getting this cert while I'm hear. I've been snorkeling in Laguna...I know what Garibaldi look like...I just want my card so I can play in JP with my fiancee. So yeah..braved the soup like waters and went away with my card.

 

[Natasha]

A little over a week ago, Laguna Beach, CA Shaws Cove. About as bad diving as you could ever expect. My instructor said.....if you felt you could handle that....you can handle anything. 2ft visibility, hard surge, 50 some odd degree water, swell, and rocks. Not bad for OW cert first timer.

The reason for the ****ty dive? I live in Japan and was only in the US for 10 days having my parents meet my fiancee. Our first OW attempt could best be described as..."diving in a washing machine". We called it quits that day. Nearing the end of my trip...I said...hell or high water I'm getting this cert while I'm hear. I've been snorkeling in Laguna...I know what Garibaldi look like...I just want my card so I can play in JP with my fiancee. So yeah..braved the soup like waters and went away with my card.

Wow great story. Welcome to Scuba and ScubaBoard!

 

[myrtlebeachbums]

Beautiful Lake George. 30 feet of... mud.

Lake George... I remember having the time of my life there every summer as a kid. (I grew up in Ogdensburg, NY.) Now when I see the weather report for NY I remember why I moved to South Carolina.

My open water certification dives were in a coquina pit around Conway, SC, but I have to say that my first "REAL" dives were in West Palm Beach, FL off of the Splashdown the day after Christmas '07.

It'll be really hard to keep me away from there next time I'm in Florida.

 

[drschrick]

Just this weekend at The Breakwater in Monterey, CA.

Weather was atrocious and the water was excellent. Had to walk around the Coast Guard filling sand bags because of the storm to get to the shoreline, but my instructor and I (everyone else appears to have wimped out due to the weather) had the place virtually to ourselves.

about 4 years ago I did my first OW dive at Breakwater in Monterey, CA as well. Just amazing! Diving in Monterey is not easy but is great fun!

 

[Noboundaries]

Monterey Breakwater, September 2004. Rain. Surge. Waves. Mis-weighted (too light). 2-4 foot visibility. 51 degree water (I was actually sweating in the 7 mil, titanium lined Farmer John rental). MAJOR claustrophobia. My body was just one big cramp the whole weekend. Hated the first three dives, but drew on mental discipline I learned in another line of work. Enjoyed the last dive, but just barely. Set diving aside for almost three years. I really didn't see the appeal until we dove the Yucatan, then I understood.

The tropics are beautiful, like flying VFR (clear weather). California North Coast is challenging, like flying IFR (clouds and instruments). We only have 8 dives there so far, but 10 foot vis is the best I've seen. I keep hearing stories of 40-60 foot visibility. I think that must be about as common as bigfoot sightings and just as difficult to find. Time will tell.

 

[Bspurr13]

La Jolla shores..... Then last year, about 15 years after my OW class, I watched both my kids do theirs at the same place.