Author Topic: Anyone here Scuba Dive? (Read 3362 times)

White Israelite · « **on:** March 03, 2008, 05:44:37 PM »

Does anyone here do scuba diving?

I did it when I was 12 (10 years ago) with my dad in Hawaii, took some 2 week course. This was only a temporary certification. I tried to get my certification in Illinois through a PADI instructor and things didn't work out, I was in middle school at the time and my diving classes were on a Sunday night so that didn't work out well. I actually dropped out of the class because I panicked during a exercise which the instructor turned off the tank and we were required to turn it back on and I was unsuccessful in doing so. I swam to the surface too fast and could have been fatal due to ascending too quickly with compressed air in the lungs without exhaling. Dumb mistake on my half. Now that i'm older, I am looking to get back involved.

Theres a local dive shop here and they want $250.00 for the courses, it sounds like a good price and they include everything including the certification and the first dive. Anyone here have experience scuba diving and what the tests are like nowadays or if anythings changed? I guess the turning off tanks is no longer done according to the person I spoke with.

Vito · « **Reply #1 on:** March 03, 2008, 05:51:14 PM »

Nope, I'm a mountain man.. snowboard, deer hunt

But I would like to try it..

Sparky · « **Reply #2 on:** March 03, 2008, 06:53:21 PM »

I am PADI certified. I haven't done that much diving. The best diving I did was in Palau. I'd like to do some shark diving sometime. It's a great hobby and would recommend it to anyone.

Tina Greco - Melbourne · « **Reply #3 on:** March 03, 2008, 06:54:56 PM »

I used too a few years back. Its great

White Israelite · « **Reply #4 on:** March 03, 2008, 08:01:52 PM »

Quote from: Sparky on March 03, 2008, 06:53:21 PM

I am PADI certified. I haven't done that much diving. The best diving I did was in Palau. I'd like to do some shark diving sometime. It's a great hobby and would recommend it to anyone.

Ah wow, what were the classes like? I remember when I took them, a lot of it was in a class room taking tests and talking about buoyancy, etc. Then we had the classes in the pool. I don't know how much has changed in 10 years but living off the ocean, I figure i'm missing a lot. My father and I got involved in it originally, shame I never completed it.

Sparky · « **Reply #5 on:** March 03, 2008, 09:18:29 PM »

I was certified years ago but I imagine getting certified today hasn't changed that much. There were classroom sessions, pool sessions, and an ocean check-out dive at the end. The only part I had trouble with was taking off my mask while breathing with the regulator underwater. The first time I panicked and took in a bunch of water through my nose. I did, however, eventually get used to it.

Go ahead and get certified.

takebackourtemple · « **Reply #6 on:** March 03, 2008, 11:25:09 PM »

It sure is a natural reaction to panic when things go wrong underwater, but you just can't or you may die. I remember when I was getting my basic, they did buddy breathing. I was sharing a regulator with this girl the was also getting checked out and when I handed her regulator back to her, I couldn't find mine. I then had to buddy breath for real and we both went into a panic as we surfaced.
Last time I went diving, I had cheap rental gear and found it very difficult to breath through my primary, so I thought I would switch to my reserve. The problem is that the reserve did not work and I had to switch back to my primary. In the process, my BCD(which gets modified by the language filter if you don't use the D) somehow filled up with air and I ascended about 50 feet before I was able to get my buoyancy under control. I was able to continue my dive, but had to make an additional safety stop as a result.

takebackourtemple · « **Reply #7 on:** March 03, 2008, 11:42:10 PM »

Oh yeah. Then there were the times when I got vertigo. All three times happened when I was diving in cold water with low visibility up north. Even though I was not spinning around in circles, it felt like I was being sucked into a whorl pool. To get the the surface safely, I had to focus only on my instruments and ascend at a safe rate. The vertigo doesn't go away until you reach the air and then disappears instantly. What is interesting is that when you do your fifteen foot safety stop, the fish don't appear to spin. I was in a quarry where the fish like to congregate around people, so I had a bunch of fish staring at me.

MassuhDGoodName · « **Reply #8 on:** March 03, 2008, 11:54:14 PM »

I studied it with Lloyd Bridges.

Ari · « **Reply #9 on:** March 04, 2008, 01:34:14 AM »

I have a couple of times. Spent the whole time with the Jaws theme music in my head.

Tina Greco - Melbourne · « **Reply #10 on:** March 04, 2008, 03:53:14 AM »

Quote from: Ari on March 04, 2008, 01:34:14 AM

I have a couple of times. Spent the whole time with the Jaws theme music in my head.

Its more the two legged sharks you need to worry about.

mord · « **Reply #11 on:** March 04, 2008, 07:04:29 AM »

Yes my brother was an instructor in the navy

White Israelite · « **Reply #12 on:** March 04, 2008, 12:22:44 PM »

This Russian Israeli apparently died in diving accident in "the blue hole" does anyone know more about this?

Vito · « **Reply #13 on:** March 04, 2008, 12:26:01 PM »

Quote from: Cohen on March 04, 2008, 12:22:44 PM

This Russian Israeli apparently died in diving accident in "the blue hole" does anyone know more about this?

Yep I saw that video a while ago, it says over 100 divers died in the "blue hole".. they are still trying to figure out why that happened..

White Israelite · « **Reply #14 on:** March 04, 2008, 12:28:45 PM »

Quote from: Vito on March 04, 2008, 12:26:01 PM

Quote from: Cohen on March 04, 2008, 12:22:44 PM
This Russian Israeli apparently died in diving accident in "the blue hole" does anyone know more about this?

Yep I saw that video a while ago, it says over 100 divers died in the "blue hole".. they are still trying to figure out why that happened..

I heard he died of nitrogen narcosis. He fell something like 91 meters. What a horrible way to die. Very sad.

What is the "blue hole" ?

Rubystars · « **Reply #15 on:** March 04, 2008, 01:49:46 PM »

I couldn't watch the whole thing. It was too upsetting. No one should have to die like that.

White Israelite · « **Reply #16 on:** March 04, 2008, 01:56:39 PM »

Quote from: Rubystars on March 04, 2008, 01:49:46 PM

I couldn't watch the whole thing. It was too upsetting. No one should have to die like that.

I agree. I been doing more research on it, doesn't make sense that he was just diving and then descended at such a fast level to 91 meters. I don't understand why he did not remove BCD or the weight belt. I know the deeper you go, the higher pressure. Over 100 people have died at this "blue hole" whatever it is.

I can only guess he had a heart attack or some people mentioned perhaps even a shark attack?

They mention he was overweight, I don't know if they meant physically or if he had too much weight on him? Other documentary of his body recovery (if it is really of this specific diver) show him laying at the bottom of the ocean with his BCD partially removed and his mask and regulator laying in the sand. My guess is he was struggling.

I would like to know more about this accident so I can learn from it.

Diving should be a pleasurable experience, and I want to make sure I take all factors into effect so I never end up panicking or in a similar situation.

White Israelite · « **Reply #17 on:** March 04, 2008, 07:36:33 PM »

I found another video, this guy dived 850 some feet to get the body of another dead diver, wonder what went wrong here?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mF4iFJ-G74o

Anyways, any recommendations on equipment and what I should buy once I get certified? What am I looking at cost wise?

White Israelite · « **Reply #18 on:** March 04, 2008, 10:19:44 PM »

Speaking of underwater. I thought some people might find this interesting.

Like-A-Fish Technologies is an Israeli business, founded by Alan Bodner in 2001, that is developing a human artificial gill system; they have developed a prototype.[2] Like-A-Fish's technology uses a centrifuge causing lower pressure at the center, where dissolved air comes out of the water.[3]

The key issue remaining is battery life. Currently a one kilo battery would only last for one hour,[2] whereas a regular scuba tank can last longer (depending on depth). The biggest possibilities lie in underwater habitats, which have access to electricity, but need constant refilling of air tanks. Additional possible uses include systems for scuba divers and submarines, among others.

Like-A-Fish currently holds patents in Europe for its system.[4][5]

Ari · « **Reply #19 on:** March 04, 2008, 10:30:09 PM »

Those videos are terrible. Like a Fish is a great name idea.

dibblah · « **Reply #20 on:** March 04, 2008, 10:54:26 PM »

The Blue Hole is in Dahab is in Egypt on the Red Sea side.

It is a death trap for inexperienced divers because it is an enticing deep hole that you can travel 40 -60 m down (120-180 ft) to clear through a pass between the rocks and exit from the other side...Very freaky and not worth doing unless you're a very experienced diver, a Jaques Cousteau lookalike or a dolphin.

I learned to dive in 1986 before they had BCD's (Bouyancy Control Devices- infltable life vests) and it was difficult then, but I was young and fearless, -(read stupid) and a good swimmer.

I am now training to be a divemaster after having logged 60 dives+, and completed the PADI rescue diver course. However I am still learning huge amounts on every dive...I do this for a hobby and although I've done a few cold-water dives in dry-suits I much prefer to dive in tropical climates. Saying that though my last 30 dives have been in the Maldives and some adverse currents here can make these dives quite problematic.

Take up diving as soon as you feel ready (and only if you like it). Enjoy...it is one of the best "buzzes" on Earth still left for you to enjoy at a low cost.

VBR,

White Israelite · « **Reply #21 on:** March 05, 2008, 12:31:06 PM »

Quote from: dibblah on March 04, 2008, 10:54:26 PM

The Blue Hole is in Dahab is in Egypt on the Red Sea side.

It is a death trap for inexperienced divers because it is an enticing deep hole that you can travel 40 -60 m down (120-180 ft) to clear through a pass between the rocks and exit from the other side...Very freaky and not worth doing unless you're a very experienced diver, a Jaques Cousteau lookalike or a dolphin.

I learned to dive in 1986 before they had BCD's (Bouyancy Control Devices- infltable life vests) and it was difficult then, but I was young and fearless, -(read stupid) and a good swimmer.

I am now training to be a divemaster after having logged 60 dives+, and completed the PADI rescue diver course. However I am still learning huge amounts on every dive...I do this for a hobby and although I've done a few cold-water dives in dry-suits I much prefer to dive in tropical climates. Saying that though my last 30 dives have been in the Maldives and some adverse currents here can make these dives quite problematic.

Take up diving as soon as you feel ready (and only if you like it). Enjoy...it is one of the best "buzzes" on Earth still left for you to enjoy at a low cost.

VBR,

Thanks for your post, very interesting about this blue hole.

Do you have any recommendations for equipment? I've looked at some of the computers they sell for diving, look very expensive. One of them was going well over 1000 dollars on ebay. Is there anything I should know about diving? I know that there are certainly risks if you are not doing what you are supposed to. Decompression sickness I believe is common for people who ascend to quickly or before their supposed to? Are these computers pretty accurate?

dibblah · « **Reply #22 on:** March 06, 2008, 03:31:53 PM »

Hi,

In general the dive computers are good and you are accompanied by instrutors all the time. Ascending too quickly can be a problem, so can currents and getting seperated from the dive group and/or boat. These problems are very infrequent and you are introduced to dving at an easy individual rate.

I wouldn't bother buying any kit yet until you've established if you like it or not and want to continue. Kit can be expensive! If you do like it the first thing I would buy would be a regulator- your main support system

I would advise getting trained at a PADI certified school. Have fun it really can be very blissful and rewarding.

White Israelite · « **Reply #23 on:** March 21, 2008, 04:38:05 PM »

I found a documentary on the Discovery Channel about 2 divers who were scuba diving in the solomon islands, they got swept away from their boat and literally stuck in the water for 26 hours, they swam 20 miles. Pretty crazy.

Here is documentary

Part 1

http://youtube.com/watch?v=JlxyOM_CQtU&feature=related

Part 2

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ruK8mp7ckko&feature=related

Part 3

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xMyrkYT9HSQ&feature=related

Part 4

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8uKLj2JJ3Ko&feature=related

Part 5

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WEDBEwRRPwY&feature=related