Any SCUBA Divers in our midst?

Rbeckett

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Any divers in among us? Been beached for a while since I got sick, but my vascular surgeon has cleard me to 60 feet. I made it as far as rescue and first responder with Nitrox certs. Took all of my training in Thailand at a really great place called Scuba Cat. The British lady who owns it has gone out of her way to make sure I had a memorable trip everytime I went out on a boat. I miss diving the Similans Islands but hope to get some diving on the aircraft carrier they sunk in South Florida soon. Hope every one has a great diving year and manatee season too.
Bob
 
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I am. Been diving about 20 years. Finally got around to getting my AOW card a few years back... You're a lucky man living where you do. I found Pennekamp to be sublime.

Around here, all I see (when I can actually see more than 5 feet) is green water, rocks, sand, hermit crabs, spider crabs (ugly suckers!), small groupers, and the occasional lobster. a 5-8 mil suit is de rigeur for most, even in the summer, although I usually wear a 3. There are a few notable shipwrecks, but most are trashed, very deep, or have fast currents. The San Diego comes to mind as a notable death trap having claimned numerous divers.

Recently I've discovered that boaters and jet skiers ignore dive flags. Last dive, we were unable to surface because of someone on a jet ski racing around our flag area doing donuts. Luckily it was in only 12 feet of water, and I still had 1500+ psi of air.

John
 
Used to do it pretty regular but now that I'm in SW Mt. it has come to a halt. Last dive was probably in 2000 and that was in So. Ca. around the channel Isl. One of the last best places to sport dive then There's a lot of restrictions now so don't know if it would be as good. Charter boat to San Nicolas Isl. and Cortez banks were the greatest for bugs but that was a while ago. Anyway can't remember a better time than underwater !
dickr
 
Yup, scuba is the most fun you can have with your clothes on. I miss the variety of the reef in Thailand. My job took me out of the country to Iraq so I went on vacation every 4 months to Thailand and lived on a live aboard cruising the Similan Islands. Beauty in every dive and the water had viz for a hundred meters or better most of the time. Got to swim with a school of Giant Mantas and a few Whale Shark on my last trip. Hopefully I will get recovered enough to get back some day, but even diving here with the manatees would be fun too. Have fun and get back in if you can.
Bob
 
HI Bob
The wife and I just love it, we got our tickets in 1999 whilst wintering in Tonga a wonderful diving spot. Still keep our kit including compreser on the boat ready to go. Living in the Med its nice just to drop in for a poke about, or to keep the hull clean.
Regards Brian.
 
Well I had to stop lookin cause I was gettin the keyboard all wet droolin. Beautiful pics. That's something you can't get enough of. Never came back from a dive unhappy. They are never the same. Spent all my time underwater in the Channel isl. off So. Cal. and along the coast. But that started in 1954 with a double hose regulator. Thanx for the pics, I really enjoyed them
dickr
 
HI Bob
The wife and I just love it, we got our tickets in 1999 whilst wintering in Tonga a wonderful diving spot. Still keep our kit including compreser on the boat ready to go. Living in the Med its nice just to drop in for a poke about, or to keep the hull clean.
Regards Brian.

Sounds like the life to me. I had originally planned to retire after I got done in Iraq and just dive and tinker in my metal fab shop. Then I got sick and God changed all my plans. If you want to hear God laugh, just make a plan and you will hear the giggling pretty quick. I learned in Thailand on a whim and could not get enough either. I was going for my instructor rating and made it to EFR/First responder and rescue diver. I also too advanced open water and NITROX. Nitrox is fun, but takes some of the spontaniety out of a dive when you have to calculate bottom time and O2 Max partial pressures. I didnt make it to the compressor but got everthing else in doubles and triples with spare straps for anything that uses them. Post up some pic of the Chanell Island and I will try to find my Similans Islands Marine Park pics too.
Bob
 
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