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I went scuba diving with a guide at the great barrier reef and loved it, and so I'm considering taking the class to get certified when I go on my next vacation. The company I found on yelp (Maui Diving) charges different amounts based on the number of people in the class. Is it worth spending more to be in a class of 4 instead of 8?
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Jan 23, 2014 06:13
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Emasculatrix posted:I went scuba diving with a guide at the great barrier reef and loved it, and so I'm considering taking the class to get certified when I go on my next vacation. The company I found on yelp (Maui Diving) charges different amounts based on the number of people in the class. Is it worth spending more to be in a class of 4 instead of 8? Depends on how skint you are really. 4 is better than 8 because you'll spend less time waiting for others to do their thing, have more attention from the instructor, and maybe even get to do some more advanced stuff (like buoyancy drills) if you're all pretty good and get through the drills quickly. Also, part of the OW course is just diving for fun, and any diving, course or not, is better in a group of 4 than in a group of 8, especially if everyone's new and can't control their buoyancy and positioning very well.
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Jan 23, 2014 12:15
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A lot of guided dives limit group sizes to 4 patrons, 1 guide, 1 DM. If those are the standard group sizes for something as simple as taking people from A to B, then I'd be wary of instructional group sizes that are larger than 4, as instructing requires much more attention from those in charge.
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Jan 23, 2014 12:19
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Are there any freediving/apnoe resources you could recommend? I did my PADI OWD last year and would like to practice some freediving during the winter in the pool, until the weather is better to go diving outside again.
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Jan 23, 2014 13:31
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Gindack posted:Hyrdo Optix is also what my optometrist recommended as well. If you wear contacts you may be able to get away with just wearing them while in your mask (what I do for diving). Also you may want to go into your LDS and see if they think the insertable lenses will work for your prescription levels, may save you a few bucks. Yeah, that's what I used to do, too. But now that I'm older, my eyes are dryer, and they don't tolerate contacts as well as they used to. I'd rather get the lens built into the mask. BTW the way, how serious are they about dive certification at resorts in foreign countries? I'm going to the Guanacaste region of Cost Rica. I doubt my certification is still good, but 10-20 feet of warm, clear water seems like a pretty safe dive to me. I'm sure I'll be happy with snorkling, but if they are lax about certs a dive will be tempting.
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Jan 23, 2014 15:31
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Any goons use the Aeris Epic dive computer? Reviews are a bit limited online, but ebay has this right now, and seems a pretty good deal for dive computer and wireless transmitter (http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-in-the-...=item338a044ca9)
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Jan 23, 2014 18:32
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Squashy Nipples posted:Yeah, that's what I used to do, too. But now that I'm older, my eyes are dryer, and they don't tolerate contacts as well as they used to. I'd rather get the lens built into the mask. Your cert doesn't expire and some places are loving  about things anyway. I saw a just certified OW pair of divers get allowed on the blue hole and I don't even know what the gently caress, since AOW was supposed to be required. So yeah, if you have a card, I'm sure you will be fine from a DS standpoint. But you should probably do a refresher or something, although of you're only going to 20', that isn't really anything.
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Jan 24, 2014 04:05
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Post is not edit. I should do a refresher.
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Jan 24, 2014 04:06
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A lot of places I notice say that they want AOW certs, but will take OW people to deeper depths during guided dives (usually no more than 28-30m, and usually drift / reef). For dangerous dives like wrecks, they absolutely demand AOW, and may even turn you down if you don't have enough dives logged or don't show proficiency during the dive itself.
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Jan 24, 2014 06:00
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Trivia posted:A lot of places I notice say that they want AOW certs, but will take OW people to deeper depths during guided dives (usually no more than 28-30m, and usually drift / reef). For dangerous dives like wrecks, they absolutely demand AOW, and may even turn you down if you don't have enough dives logged or don't show proficiency during the dive itself. What's the big deal about the blue hole that aow would be needed? The depth? Wife and I are looking at it but were not all that stocked on getting aow.
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Jan 24, 2014 06:03
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xxEightxx posted:What's the big deal about the blue hole that aow would be needed? The depth? Wife and I are looking at it but were not all that stocked on getting aow. It isnt any single thing, but you have massive depth on the first dive and guaranteed deco on each of the three dives so you need to be competent to do it. The blue hole dive itself is short - you drop to 135 (or more, I hit 145) to see the stalactites, have 8 minutes, then do a controlled ascent. total dive time is like 35 minutes and we all had like a K of air left. The OWs hit the dangling reserve tanks during their 8 minute safety - nothing against them, look at my older posts in this thread and I would have been the same way. That's just dumb as hell when you don't have consumption control or deep experience. Next, you do a ~65 foot dive which puts you in deco again. So you have to control your ascent, and on this dive the DMs arent enforcing stops like they were in the hole. You then have a ~40 foot dive which probably sets you in deco one more time. Here's the thing, the shops that take you out there run this all the time and have it down to a science. However, you are leaving at 6AM Central, checking in between 5-5:30AM central and on a guaranteed multi-deco three tank dive that gets you back to the dock around 6PM - so thats a thing most rec divers aren't used to on top of everything else this day does. It isn't a massively challenging day, but you need to understand what is happening. You also really need some experience at depth - there is no bottom at the hole and even with good buoyancy, you can drop a lot looking at stalactites. All of that said? I'll do it again in a heartbeat.
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Jan 24, 2014 07:03
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xxEightxx posted:I have a tricky right ear, very difficult to deal with in planes and in scuba. I end up taking a little bit longer to descend, and will pressurize the best I can before I get into the water. I am pretty much guaranteed some sort of reverse block when I finish the dive (more pressure in the ear cavity than outside pressure, feels like water in the ear) and have taken some decongestants and anti-inflammatories to help it equalize in the days after the dive. If you are feeling any discomfort you have waited too long, and need to ascend to equalize before its an issue. I just did your post history in this thread, and I'm not trying to poo poo on you; I just want to put this in perspective. You really want to go to and ascend from 135ft / 41m if airplane pressure loss causes an issue for you? Without ever having tried 2/3 of that as a part of AOW certification? E: final point - the blue hole and its two other dives take a 2 and a half hour boat ride from Ambergris, which does have a hyperbaric chamber. There are no medical facilities reachable except there. Get DAN before you go if you don't already have it (you should) and you maybe have a chance with a helicopter, I guess. let it mellow fucked around with this message at 07:20 on Jan 24, 2014 |
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Jan 24, 2014 07:15
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jackyl posted:I just did your post history in this thread, and I'm not trying to poo poo on you; I just want to put this in perspective. We've already been to 100 feet with no issue, and strangely planes still give me more problems than scuba. I should have been more clear, I don't think I'm above aow or that it's superfluous; we have actually done all of the aow reading\dives that could get us certified, but since we didn't pay the fee we aren't certified. I get that we will have to bite the bullet and pony up to get our aow, we just aren't stoked on it.
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Jan 24, 2014 19:33
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grover posted:At $80 on amazon, the SJ1000 (go-pro knockoff) seems to be well-reviewed, and is cheaper than buying a case. Anyone have any experience with it? http://www.recordergear.com/video-recorders/sj1000-1080p-waterproof-mini-sport-action-camera-yellow/
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Jan 25, 2014 15:25
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grover posted:Ended up buying this; seems to work well enough, even underwater, though I haven't had it all that deep (too loving cold!). It gets really grainy in low-light conditions, but it self-adjusts so you can actually see that low-light stuff. The chargers seem like really poo poo quality, but it takes the same USB connector as my cell phones, so I've just been charging that way. Hopefully lasts through vacation. I too hope my electronics last long enough for me to use them more than once.
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Jan 25, 2014 18:49
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Crunkjuice posted:I too hope my electronics last long enough for me to use them more than once. grover fucked around with this message at 19:08 on Jan 25, 2014 |
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Jan 25, 2014 19:01
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All work and no diving makes Bishop a dull poster. All work and no diving makes Bishop a dull poster. All work and no diving makes Bishop a dull poster. All work and no diving makes Bishop a dull poster.
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Jan 26, 2014 21:07
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Just got my Suunto D4i, with the wireless thingy to attach to the tank! I know it's not a pimp computer but I can't wait to read my air on it! By the way, the president of the diving club is about to turn 50 and we want to give him something nice to celebrate. He's pretty fond of his Ipad and I thought of buying him a diving case for it. I saw a few and they are affordable if I split the purchase with a few friends. However... Is it useful at all? While taking your Ipad underwater sounds intriguing, it doesn't seem like you can do much besides taking pictures, and I guess playing angry birds? Advice and opinions are welcome, both for and against. Other pieces of equipment are out of question, he's been diving for 35 years and he has literally everything.
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Feb 5, 2014 01:56
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If he can listen to music underwater with it, I guess that could be cool.
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Feb 5, 2014 08:01
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I'm looking at purchasing my first regulator as I slowly assemble dive gear. Leisurepro has the Aqualung Titan, which I think I've settled on, for $225. Does anyone here dive this reg and have thoughts on it? http://www.leisurepro.com/p-udrtrn/aqua-lung-titan-regulator
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Feb 5, 2014 20:45
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Luceo posted:I'm looking at purchasing my first regulator as I slowly assemble dive gear. Leisurepro has the Aqualung Titan, which I think I've settled on, for $225. Does anyone here dive this reg and have thoughts on it? Titans are solid. Ive spent a lot of time on them and Ive got no complaints.
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Feb 5, 2014 21:25
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Crunkjuice posted:Titans are solid. Ive spent a lot of time on them and Ive got no complaints. Much appreciated, thank you!
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Feb 5, 2014 22:19
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+1 for titan. Aqualung makes solid regulators. In fact, many of the 1st stage internal parts have not been changed since the 1960s. That's how solid they are.
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Feb 5, 2014 22:43
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I have the Titan LX, it's a fine reg. Haven't dived on it in nearly 2 years though. Ugh I need to get to Tobermory this summer.
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Feb 6, 2014 01:46
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I just found out my brother is going to be in Pasacogula, Mississippi (right on the Gulf and near Alabama) for about 5 months starting in May. We're always up for some diving and I was curious if you had any recommended dive sites or shops/charters along the greater Florida panhandle/Alabama/Mississippi Gulf area. I've got plenty of time for research just figured I'd check in with you guys first. You usually know your stuff. We're just Naui Open Water certified so nothing that's going to require fancy gasses or anything please.
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Feb 6, 2014 18:10
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My wife and I will be on a liveaboard at Socorro for the second half of March  . She's got a decent photo rig (Olympus PEN + ext strobe) but wants a new focus light; I'm pretty close to saying "Sola Photo 800" for price / performance. I'm a little concerned about 65 minute life on full blast + multiple dives; anyone have experience with these lights on multi-dive days in ~warm (21-23 degree C) water?
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Feb 16, 2014 13:41
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQITWbAaDx0 Saw this randomly and thought I'd pass it along.
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Feb 18, 2014 12:45
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I'm on a trip to Ginnie Springs, FL and Key Largo to go diving in 2 weeks, and once the trip is done I'll have all the necessary dives for my advanced open water course to be complete!
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Feb 18, 2014 17:54
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Have masks gotten smaller over time? So, I went to all three of the big dive shops in the area, and I couldn't find a mask wide enough to fit my face (I have an enormous pumpkin head). I found a few that would hold a seal on my face, but my eyebrows were still under the silicon. Any advice?
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Feb 19, 2014 13:42
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Last time I posted in here I asked for suggestions on liveaboards and other options for the Great Barrier Reef, and I've got my trip for this summer all set now. Despite the fact that I've been diving for 15 years and have ~150ish dives, I somehow don't have any gear of my own. After years as a grad student I've finally got some good money coming in, and I'm thinking of picking some stuff up (reg, octo, computer, bc). I'd love to hear some recommendations for solid, high-value items. The vast majority of my diving is tropical stuff, although I occasionally dive in cold water (California coast, Ontario lakes). Nothing technical though. Thanks once again for all of your help! As payment, here's a picture of a mantis shrimp from my most recent trip (Borneo):  And here's an ornate ghost pipefish: 
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Feb 19, 2014 20:53
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Just got back from a weekend at Lake Rawlings, VA. Water was a balmy 7C at about 9m. The benefit was that it got me my diving fix so I don't sit around twitching wanting to get back in a body of water that isn't the pool though.Oakland Martini posted:After years as a grad student I've finally got some good money coming in, and I'm thinking of picking some stuff up (reg, octo, computer, bc). I'd love to hear some recommendations for solid, high-value items. The vast majority of my diving is tropical stuff, although I occasionally dive in cold water (California coast, Ontario lakes). Nothing technical though. Thanks once again for all of your help! I have an Aqualung setup for travel that I quite like: -Legend reg with ABS octo -Suunto Cobra 3 -Zuma BCD (had it for a year and put about 150 dives on it before I moved out of the warm water regions of the Caribbean and it was awesome as a warm water travel BCD and I never had any issues with it, since you say you might dive some colder water it may not be a good option to look at) I also have a ScubaPro MK25 reg with an Oceanic Pro plus2 computer that I also have no complaints with. Most important part with regulators is to follow the servicing plans(at an authorized service center) or the warranty is going to go right out the window. I have been looking at the new Hollis 2nd stage that is the servo assisted model. Has anyone had experience with servo regs? Is it just a gimmick, or will it actually be a noticeable difference between it and traditional valves? Buying dive toys is addicting and I need to stop looking at them before I buy again.
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Feb 24, 2014 15:37
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On short notice, this coming week I am going to be in the Philippines. I would like to take the opportunity to learn to dive! I have no prior experience (except for being able to swim). I'm assuming this is feasible, right? Does anyone have a recommendation of where in the Philippines to do it, and possibly, any specific companies?
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Feb 25, 2014 20:48
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Where in the Philippines? Don't go to Manila. 
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Feb 25, 2014 23:41
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Trivia posted:Where in the Philippines? I'm flying into Manila and can go wherever I want from there
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Feb 25, 2014 23:54
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Nifty posted:I'm flying into Manila and can go wherever I want from there Yo Trivia, hope you got to enjoy the tonnes of threshers and rays in Malapascua like me! Way more action than pre-typhoon. I only got one day of wreck diving in Coron but got to enjoy all the top side stuff.
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Feb 26, 2014 14:57
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Coron had some fun topside stuff for sure. Rented a motorbike and farted around for a day; that was pretty fun. Malapascua had poo poo weather; all grey and overcast. I did see threshers and some other pretty amazing things. I won't spoil the surprise. Unlike previous dive trips, I took video for a majority of it, instead of pictures. I've gotta learn new editing techniques and how to compose the whole thing, which is why it's taking forever to post. I've been looking into After Effects in order to stabilize a shaky shot. Anyone have any good tutorial vids up their sleeves? Most of the youtube ones I've found show how to stabilize a shot where the shooter isn't moving, nor is the subject. This is entirely unlike taking video underwater.
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Feb 26, 2014 22:39
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Squashy Nipples posted:Have masks gotten smaller over time? Try the Tusa Visulator, I've seen quite a few people with bigger faces use that mask before with minimal problems.
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Feb 27, 2014 09:21
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I've got a big fat face myself and I found that Tusa masks in general (except the ones marketed toward women or children) fit better on me.
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Feb 27, 2014 11:19
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Anyone have thoughts on Honduras places and recommendations on Utila, Anthony's Key or Roatan? I'm going to do my Rescue Diver there, but we're also going to dive a bunch. My wife really wants to see whale sharks, which makes Utila attractive, but we're not sure if it's the best choice.
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Mar 6, 2014 01:01
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Yay! I'm now certified for open water dives...goodbye discretionary income!
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Mar 6, 2014 01:14
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