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Get a roll up snorkel and shove it in a pocket of your BCD. Use open foot fins with real dive boots because Bonaire will hurt your feet otherwise. This is my advice and it's good advice! E: also consoles own and lots of Caribbean divers have them, not real sure what that one dude was talking about
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Jul 31, 2017 05:38
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Get thick soled booties if you go that route.
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Jul 31, 2017 05:45
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let it mellow posted:E: also consoles own and lots of Caribbean divers have them, not real sure what that one dude was talking about A lot of this is personal preference. I find it much easier to have my depth and time on my wrist, since I check them far more regularly than my SPG, so I don't care for console computers. I also don't like the watch bands that are common though, so I use a bungie mount for my computer and compass. That probably matters less if you're just diving in warm water without gloves. DeadlyMuffin fucked around with this message at 00:29 on Aug 1, 2017 |
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Jul 31, 2017 16:22
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Hi Goons, I went diving for the 2nd time since I got my OW. The place was a pretty cool aquarium /pool at an old mine. https://www.todi.be/nl/   They even had an empty bar at the bottom and lots of different sweet water fish around. You could really tell the difference in bouancy from salt water to sweet water. Me and the mrs have now booked 3 weeks in Thailand at Khao Lak for October/ November and we hear that the Simian islands are nice to visit and dive at. We are both thining of doing our AOW at the same time. Any recomendations or can't miss places around there?
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Aug 1, 2017 11:48
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I'm looking for a grip + light for my Gopro. Anyone have any suggestions? I don't want a double armed videography set-up, just something that I can use as a primary light + gopro mount. A guy on a recent dive had one that was basically grip-gopro-light vertically stacked.
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Aug 2, 2017 01:31
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At the dive club meeting the other night, it was announced that another diver has died on the Andrea Doria. Globe article has some details: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2...F4PL/story.html Also, and old diver (almost 70) took a hit on a scallop dive. Outside of his age, it was un-earned, and he spent a week in the deco chamber. let it mellow posted:E: also consoles own and lots of Caribbean divers have them, not real sure what that one dude was talking about In my experience, Caribbean divers who have all their own gear usually have wrist computers, and the rental gear usually comes with a console. Granted, I haven't been everywhere.
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Aug 3, 2017 17:18
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Squashy Nipples posted:At the dive club meeting the other night, it was announced that another diver has died on the Andrea Doria. Globe article has some details: I dunno man, we have been all over the place (e: meaning Caribbean) and all rentals are analog consoles of course. But I don't see that many wireless wrist computers. I see wrist computers with rental SPGs, sure. Anyone integrated though... all of us are console. E: to be fair, we usually pick expensive shops with small max divers so there might be a selection bias let it mellow fucked around with this message at 04:07 on Aug 4, 2017 |
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Aug 4, 2017 04:01
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let it mellow posted:I dunno man, we have been all over the place (e: meaning Caribbean) and all rentals are analog consoles of course. But I don't see that many wireless wrist computers. I see wrist computers with rental SPGs, sure. Anyone integrated though... all of us are console. By integrated do you mean air integrated? At the risk of sounding like an old fart, I'm not sure it's necessary to steer someone towards an air integrated computer. It seems to add a lot of expense without a whole lot of value.
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Aug 4, 2017 05:22
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Plus if it's a Suunto it might explode. I haven't seen a console mounted computer for quite a while, in the UK market I don't think I've seen one for sale in a shop in almost a decade, on the web for 3 or 4 years. Definitely that's a location thing. I guess if you're lobstering there's a reason not to but I'd always want wrist mounted. If nothing else it means I can do deco stops looking at my depth and time at all times without holding my console up.
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Aug 4, 2017 17:42
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Yeah, I wasn't talking about air integrated at all. Granted, all of the AI computers I've seen have been wrist mounted, but you should still always have a mechanical gauge as backup, even without the full Christmas tree. And I prefer wrist computers for the reasons stated above, so I'm going to try to catch all my lobsters with my right hand. Tangentially related, I use my compass a LOT more in cold water. In the Caribbean, I do most of my navigation by the position of the sun.
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Aug 4, 2017 19:38
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Yes, I meant air integrated. And maybe I also misunderstood about the wrist computers being integrated.
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Aug 5, 2017 04:39
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Kit does vary a lot depending on the type of diving though, which is interesting. Diving styles too. In the UK DSMBs are very common, in most clubs I've been in they're mandatory. It's actually common to have a flag as a back up as well because in open seas with a bit of wind you can get pretty high swells that make a regular SMB not so effective. French divers generally don't bother with that, they'll have a small DSMB with about 6m of line and a fishing weight just to let boats know to expect a diver coming up.
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Aug 5, 2017 14:28
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Questions: Why do free divers wear rubber weight belts? What is the advantage/difference from traditional webbed belts? Second, anyone else use Sea Pearls weight bags? I bought a set, and I've got 6 dives on them now. Yesterday, when I was dunking my weight harness into the bucket to rinse it off, when I pulled it out, a bunch of cloudy whiteish poo poo washed out. What was that? I'd hate to think that I just contaminated my back yard with a bunch of lead dust.
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Aug 6, 2017 15:12
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Squashy Nipples posted:Questions: It's the buckle and rubber belt combo. You can ditch the rubber belt instantly. Simply pull away and let go and it falls right off. The webbed belts with the traditional buckle are dangerous and take way longer to take off, which can get you killed freediving where every second counts.
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Aug 8, 2017 17:52
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Squashy Nipples posted:What was that? I'd hate to think that I just contaminated my back yard with a bunch of lead dust. Probably lead oxide.
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Aug 8, 2017 18:50
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tesilential posted:It's the buckle and rubber belt combo. You can ditch the rubber belt instantly. Simply pull away and let go and it falls right off. The webbed belts with the traditional buckle are dangerous and take way longer to take off, which can get you killed freediving where every second counts. I've always wondered this about free diving and especially the record setters. What happens to the weights after they get dumped? You just buy new ones every time and leave the originals to make coral or what?
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Aug 9, 2017 04:36
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tesilential posted:It's the buckle and rubber belt combo. You can ditch the rubber belt instantly. Simply pull away and let go and it falls right off. The webbed belts with the traditional buckle are dangerous and take way longer to take off, which can get you killed freediving where every second counts. Can you explain this more? Surely a traditional belt buckle and rubber belt will take longer to remove than a normal weight belt with a quick release? I figured they were rubber so they don't move around as much as free divers move much more than scuba.
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Aug 9, 2017 05:29
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I was always told that the rubber belts are to keep them snug. Edit: I guess it also makes sense since wetsuits compress at depth. plester1 fucked around with this message at 06:17 on Aug 9, 2017 |
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Aug 9, 2017 06:15
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Anyone every done Lembeh strait or any other parts of North Sulawesi? I am thinking about going there this winter and would love to hear about peoples' experiences there. Any information at all would be welcome.
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Aug 9, 2017 17:35
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let it mellow posted:I've always wondered this about free diving and especially the record setters. What happens to the weights after they get dumped? You just buy new ones every time and leave the originals to make coral or what? I'm not a "freediver", just a guy who spearfishes without scuba tanks. I've never had to ditch my belt but if it comes to it, retrieval is not at all a consideration. If you dump it in 30 feet, it's trivial to collect it later. If you're bluewater hunting in 500 feet, obviously that belt is history. Red_Fred posted:Can you explain this more? Surely a traditional belt buckle and rubber belt will take longer to remove than a normal weight belt with a quick release? plester1 posted:I was always told that the rubber belts are to keep them snug. The rubber does help with fit since it can expand or contract as needed. I'm not too familiar with quick release nylon belts, but you can check out YouTube for videos of why rubber belts are the Only belts recommended for free diving. Weight vests are Strongly discouraged also unless you are doing comps with safety divers. With the rubber belt you don't fiddle with buckle at all, you simp yank the excess belt away from you and let go and it falls off. It's easily done with either hand without looking, I'm not sure if the nylon releases as easily or if the belt itself falls away as quickly without the tension from the rubber releasing.
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Aug 9, 2017 18:07
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Oakland Martini posted:Anyone every done Lembeh strait or any other parts of North Sulawesi? I am thinking about going there this winter and would love to hear about peoples' experiences there. Any information at all would be welcome. I've heard nearby(ish) Raja Ampat is pretty loving awesome, so you may be in for a trip of a lifetime. (I demand pics)
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Aug 9, 2017 21:11
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Oakland Martini posted:Anyone every done Lembeh strait or any other parts of North Sulawesi? I am thinking about going there this winter and would love to hear about peoples' experiences there. Any information at all would be welcome. Dive buddies of mine own NAD Lembeh: https://www.facebook.com/NadLembehResort/?fref=ts I highly recommend them, especially if you're a photographer. If you love macro and muck diving, not many places beat the Lembeh strait. When I went over a decade ago it was a very sleepy place, but I've heard Bitung has built up quite a bit. e: I also remember there being a lot of flotsam when surfacing from the muck dives but apparently it's gotten better over the years due to the increase in tourism. The diving was fantastic for the macro. Bangkero fucked around with this message at 15:24 on Aug 10, 2017 |
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Aug 10, 2017 15:19
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Trivia posted:I've heard nearby(ish) Raja Ampat is pretty loving awesome, so you may be in for a trip of a lifetime. I want to do a liveaboard in Raja Ampat really badly but I don't think we will have time this trip. All the liveaboards I've found there are 7 days at least, and it's not too easy to get to. It's going to happen someday, though. Bangkero posted:Dive buddies of mine own NAD Lembeh: https://www.facebook.com/NadLembehResort/?fref=ts Thanks a lot for the recommendation! I was thinking about going to Bunaken as well but it sounds pretty gross (lots of trash, etc.) Another place I am thinking about is Timor Leste but I am guessing noone has been there... I have a friend who lived there for a few years and raves about it. Oakland Martini fucked around with this message at 16:31 on Aug 10, 2017 |
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Aug 10, 2017 16:25
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tesilential posted:I'm not a "freediver", just a guy who spearfishes without scuba tanks. I've never had to ditch my belt but if it comes to it, retrieval is not at all a consideration. If you dump it in 30 feet, it's trivial to collect it later. If you're bluewater hunting in 500 feet, obviously that belt is history. Yeah, I get the shallow bottom scenario. I am mostly curious about the ones that go deep.
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Aug 11, 2017 00:29
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let it mellow posted:Yeah, I get the shallow bottom scenario. I am mostly curious about the ones that go deep. The kiss of death in free diving is shallow water blackout. If a dude ditches his belt, it's because he literally thinks he will die if he doesn't. The belt itself should be thought of as disposable kit. Too many guys are found at the bottom of the ocean with a weight belt on. Simply ditching it makes anybody with a suit on positively buoyant and at least gives you a chance when you lose motor control.
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Aug 11, 2017 01:07
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Is there such thing as a low-volume freediving mask for wide faces? I really need a low volume mask for underwater rugby, but the reviews of all of the popular ones on Amazon generally say something like "fits medium/small faces".
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Aug 11, 2017 16:25
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Squashy Nipples posted:Is there such thing as a low-volume freediving mask for wide faces? Have you gone to your LDS? Go try on a mask and support them and buy there. Yes you pay more, but you will find one that fits your face.
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Aug 11, 2017 17:57
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lord1234 posted:Have you gone to your LDS? Go try on a mask and support them and buy there. Yes you pay more, but you will find one that fits your face. I love my LDS, and I try to shop there as much as possible, but their mask selection is poo poo. Anyway, you don't really know until you've used it in a pool. I bought all my lobstering gear at South Shore Divers, and I could have easily saved 10-15% buying on Amazon.
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Aug 11, 2017 18:41
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I have a first stage/second stage/octopus all from XS Scuba that need servicing after not being used for a couple years. They are ten years old. There is no local retailer that services on site. Should I have them sent out for servicing or just buy a new set that can actually be serviced locally?
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Aug 11, 2017 19:33
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Squashy Nipples posted:I love my LDS, and I try to shop there as much as possible, but their mask selection is poo poo. Anyway, you don't really know until you've used it in a pool. Visit East Coast Divers, they have a pool on site and have a huge selection.
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Aug 11, 2017 21:14
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lord1234 posted:Visit East Coast Divers, they have a pool on site and have a huge selection. Been there once, but I didn't know that they had a pool. Thanks! Do you know of any decent lobstering spots on the South Shore? Gunrock beach is OK, but the parking is brutal. I'm getting sick of driving all the way up to Cape Ann.
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Aug 12, 2017 19:04
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Squashy Nipples posted:Been there once, but I didn't know that they had a pool. Thanks! South Shore I don't know well. I always did all my diving off of Cape Ann. I live in TX now, so tough to tell you whats good now, but I always enjoyed Cathedral Ledge. Also, check out Cathedral Ledge if you have the legs of a mountain goat, but its beautiful. That being said, how about hitting up Ft. Wetherill?
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Aug 12, 2017 20:18
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So, someone here scheduled a dive during the eclipse, which we got to watch ~18 miles offshore. It began during our second dive, and was noticeably darker at 60ft down by the time we had to ascend (~20 min left to totality, which gave us 97% coverage  )This is up by the bow, right behind the forward hatch that descends down to the lower decks.  This just looked cool to me as I was going through the video. Looking through a porthole, back into the midships area.  Smile for the camera!  The spadefish are schooling, in the (vain) hopes that the sand tigers don't kill them.  Looking past the bow, back up to the surface.  Spotfin butterflyfish! I'd never seen them on this wreck before.  I'm a sucker for 2 things underwater, and they're both right here:  
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Aug 24, 2017 13:57
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Is that a whale shark E: that's a bucket list for my wife and we've chased them for a few years
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Aug 25, 2017 07:44
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Also I don't see a seahorse in that first pic -what coral is that?
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Aug 25, 2017 07:51
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Any Monterey goons have recommendations on dive spots? I did my checkout dives at Metridium Fields but this site mentions a dozen other ones.
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Aug 25, 2017 19:25
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let it mellow posted:Is that a whale shark It's a sand tiger shark! They do the most  thing I've ever heard: intrauterine cannibalism. Several embryos are fertilized in each uterine horn of the mother, but only one will be born out of each. That one is the survivor of what's effectively a cage-match fight to the death between embryos, with the losers getting killed/eaten until only one is left. The Hyde is the most popular site for them, but they show up on almost every wreck here. Also, I have exactly no clue what type of corals/sponges are growing on that gear. It looks like some flavor of Lophelia, but those are typically what lives on the deep reefs here and the wrecks are a bit shallow for them.
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Aug 25, 2017 22:23
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Kuvo posted:Any Monterey goons have recommendations on dive spots? I did my checkout dives at Metridium Fields but this site mentions a dozen other ones. I think I'm the only goon diving regularly in Monterey. Montestary is a beautiful dive, but should only be done when the conditions are crazy flat. The beach is very steep and it can be *extremely* dangerous since waves break over such a short distance. Don't do it with someone who hasn't done it before. Butterfly House is my favorite shore dive, but a bit of a hike. Metridium Fields is nice, there's always fun stuff on the pipe and I once saw a huge mola coming back from there. Point Lobos is a wonderful dive too, but you need a reservation. Coral street and Macabee are both really long surface swims to get much depth. Plus there are boats! If you know how to put your gear together yourself I'd be happy to do any of those with you. Just shoot me a PM. DeadlyMuffin fucked around with this message at 00:31 on Aug 26, 2017 |
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Aug 25, 2017 22:53
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Icon Of Sin posted:. Also, I have exactly no clue what type of corals/sponges are growing on that gear. It looks like some flavor of Lophelia, but those are typically what lives on the deep reefs here and the wrecks are a bit shallow for them. The purple coral looks like some kind of gorgonian.
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Aug 25, 2017 22:54
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I'm heading to Costa Rica in January, can anyone recommend some good spots to dive, or more importantly, a good dive shop?
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Sep 3, 2017 21:19
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