Why did you start Scuba Diving, and what makes you continue it?

[rhwestfall]

As a child, there was a Saturday morning show in the late '60's/early '70's called "West Wind" that was an action/adventure show involving lots of diving. The next influence was all the Cousteau adventures on TV. Spent my youth with fins/mask/snorkel each year in Florida when visiting my grandparents. Folks wanted me to learn, but the money wasn't there. Flash forward to me going to college. Found out I could take scuba for a PE class, and all it cost was a whopping $20 lab fee!!!! I got certified in 1989, and went to the Bahamas for a week right after certification. Wall diving was just amazing! Didn't dive much after that, mostly due to not having time (school), and not having buddies to dive with.

Got out of school, got a job, and ended up living along Lake Erie. Met up with a co-worker who was a diver. Spent a bunch of time diving the Wrecks of Erie and drift diving the Niagara River. Did a bunch of diving for a number of years. Got married, wife became a diver, and kept on keeping on (honeymoon in Bonaire). Dove Erie and the St. Lawrence a bunch.

Life changes (daughter) happened, and 8 years of a surface interval became reality. This winter I caught the bug again, and got back in the water.

Oh to see the fish & wrecks again!!!!! Blowing bubbles is just HEAVENLY!!!!!!

Adding to the fun was watching my 9 year old in the pool with gear on yesterday for the first time! The next decade of diving looks GOOD!

 

[Cixelsyd]

I started because I didn't want to be left out!

My wife and I went sailing for a week last year in the BVIs with two other couples. Both of the other couples were certified divers. While this wasn't a "dive trip," there would be diving and I didn't want to be stuck on deck or stuck snorkeling while the others were below having fun. Luckily, the captain of our boat was a certified DM and his wife, the chef/first mate, was a certified instructor. I talked to them about diving and the instructor offered a discover diving course so I could try it out and dive with her for the week while I was there without spending the entire vacation doing class work for the full cert. I agreed and did my first dive in a shallow, protected bay. After that, I spent the week diving with my instructor whenever the conditions and depth of the sites was appropriate for my limits. We also worked on a number of additional skills during the dives that really helped me improve my technique throughout the week.

My first ever "real" dive was the RMS Rhone. The instructor and I stayed on the shallow stern portion, while the DM took the certified divers to the bow and worked back up toward the stern to meet us at the end of the dive. Needless to say I was absolutely hooked. Conditions were perfect and visibility was even better. I was almost overwhelmed by what I was seeing. The closest thing I could think of to describe it afterwards was the submarine ride at Disneyland. I couldn't believe that much life could be in one place. It was so unbelievable to me that it almost looked fake, like diving an aquarium or something.

We did a number of other dives over the week and at the end of the vacation, my instructor encouraged me to continue with full certification becasue she could see I enjoyed it so much and I was so comfortable doing it. Her encouragement was completely unnecessary, because I was fully intending to continue. Thanks to her wonderful instruction and guidance early on, OW class was a breeze and I got certified this April.

 

[pjhansman]

Looked like I might someday have enough money to retire, so I needed a hobby that would ensure that would never happen......

Seriously though, I'm a non-water person from the Great White North who accidently discovered snorkeling in Maui at 54 years old, and figured if snorkeling was that good....diving might be better. It was. I can't begin to describe the rush I get every time I dive. Hope the feeling never goes away.

 

[raftingtigger]

Fell in love with S.C.U.B.A. watching Sea Hunt at the ripe old age of 3. My mother promised me I could take lessons when I was 14 - knowing that a 3 year-old won't remember and will also lose interest. Not so - I LIVED for that promise. They even wouldn't let me learn a year early when we took a trip to Florida. So for my 14th birthday I got lessons.

I've been diving on and off since depending on buddy availability and life circumstances (pregnancy and kids). Recently I've become a DM to bring the sport to my (and other) youth group(s). I love passing on fun.

Why do I keep braving the cold water here in California? No matter what the hassle getting gear on, going through the surf, etc - once underwater it is sooooo.... peaceful and relaxing.

 

[justadyver]

Like a few others in my age group,sitting on the living room floor 7 years old watching Sea Hunt got me hooked. took lessons at 16. I do it because its fun..

 

[RonFrank]

I wanted to dive when I was in my early 20's, but that was the early 80's and it was too expensive. A reg cost $500 and a new car cost $5000....

I was in FL snorkeling (west coast) years later and my Cuz asked why don't you try diving. So that year I took a certification class, and the rest is history.

BTW, I've been diving with my Cuz many times over the years....

 

[CuNanoTube]

My parents dove when they first met "as something to do", Their honeymoon was 3 weeks on Grand Turk diving. They both took a break when we (myself and sisters) were born (3 at once, so money was tight). My father said to me after I finished Grade 12 that my graduation present was scuba lessons. My Open Water was 1 year ago yesterday. I too enjoy adventure and spent most of my childhood in the outdoors and involved with the scouts. So, the adventure aspect is another hook. My father and I also dive together, so it is also good "bonding" time.

Anyways, that is my diving "habit" in too many words.

 

[Rhone Man]

I started because my Dad made me.

Hard to express exactly why I kept doing it. I just find a kind of serenity and peace when I dive that I don't find anywhere else. Down there the world makes sense.

 

[highdesert]

Earth is called the "water planet" for good reason ... if you were in space and looked down at it from a certain point above the mid-Pacific, you would see almost no land! It also turns out that about 80% of life on Earth (until humans kill it all off, anyway) is under the surface of the water (check out my sig line). Diving turns out to be the means to leave the dry, hard part of Earth and visit the rich life of the real water planet, and it's so rich, varied, and beautiful that seeing it can be just very addictive to some. Count me and my wife among them.

 

[jupitermermaid]

Living in Florida, I was always interested, but seemed to get an ear infection anytime I seriously thought about getting certified. Years later, I ended up dating a guy who eventually pushed me into finally getting certified. Got hooked instantly, dumped the guy, and have been addicted to diving ever since. Diving is my love, my passion, and my life. I could lose my house and not care, as long as I can continue to dive. Diving is a life style, not just a sport, hobby, or pasttime.