Hello from Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands...

Hi all,

Just wanted to say 'hi', and introduce myself a bit. I'm a civilian firefighter out here at the U.S. Army base at Kwajalein Atoll, and I've been here just over 2 1/2 years. I started diving two years ago, which was a dream of many, many years come true.

I do a lot of wreck diving, and I'm also into underwater photography. But I like diving period- whether I'm diving a wreck, the reef, a coralhead, or whatever. I've been a firefighter for 21 1/2 years, and I'm contemplating a change of career. Guess what I want to do next! :-)

My current u/w camera is a SeaLife Reefmaster DC600, with the SL960D digital strobe and wide-angle lens. However, just a week ago, I ordered a new underwater photography system that consists of the following-

Nikon D300 camera
Sea & Sea housing
Tokina 10-17 wide angle lens
fish eye dome port
two Sea & Sea YS-250 strobes
Ikelite arm system

Those are the major components, and of course there's the cables and other misc. items. I've written a few articles on some of the wrecks out here, and I'm being asked to shoot u/w wreck photos for a couple of different aviation magazines, plus write accompanying articles. So, I decided it was time to get a pro system.

Other dive certs I want to get are Divemaster, Dive Instructor, Nitrox, Tech Diver, Master Diver, and anything else I can get. I'm starting my Divemaster course soon. Here at Kwajalein, we are only allowed to dive with single tanks with regular compressed air.

I'm looking forward to talking with others here about diving, u/w photography, and maybe getting some tips on being a better diver, and where I can go to pick up new certs. I love to travel, so I can easlily see myself going places like Thailand to take another dive course. And I love talking about diving in general. When I'm not actually in the water, I'm thinking about being in the water. :-)

Looking forward to having fun here. See you on the boards, and maybe in the water too.

Cheers all,

Dan

Hi Dan, welcome to the SMN Community...That was a great intro! :)

Dan, that D300 setup you are getting is awesome!

Thanks iDiveChick (that's an awesome name!) and The Publisher.

I ordered my system from Fred Dion over at Underwater Photo-Tech. As soon as he gets the various parts in, he'll assemble the system and test everything, then ship the package. I figure about 2 or 3 weeks before it's here on Kwajalein.

By the way, for anyone reading this thread- I forgot to mention something. I have profiles on Myspace.com and Facebook.com. Feel free to look me up using my email addy, flyingsmokeeater2003@yahoo.com. Then we can check out each others dive pics on there too.

Cheers all,

Dan

Welcome to the gang, you'll find there is no shortage of opinions, advice and help from this crowd.;)

To start your diving on Kwajalein Atoll, not bad at all!

We spent a week on Kosrae, Micronesia a couple of years ago and the diving there was absolutely spectacular, can't wait to get back to that part of the world.

If you're looking for some further training a little nearer to home, you could contact Bruce and Kat at Kosrae Village Resort. www.kosraevillage.com

They certainly do Tech Diving and have Nitrox, but I don't believe they have Trimix capability yet. They are a PADI 5 Star resort and can do Advanced, Nitrox and Tech training. They are also great people.

Of course, if you'd prefer to fly to Texas and do your training in one of the lakes here, I'm sure we can help out! :D

Hi shinek,

Glad you had a great time in Kosrae. Everyone I know who's gone there to dive have all said the same thing you did. I've been told to go see Bruce and Kat as well.

I was supposed to go to Bikini Atoll back in June to dive the "nuclear fleet". I had my reservations and everything, but the operation shut down two weeks before I was scheduled to fly there. :( I also want to dive Chuuk while I'm out this way.

As far as lake diving- don't be surprised if I actually show up to do just that sometime. Here's the thing- my only diving has been here at Kwaj like I mentioned earlier. Although I have about 250 dives logged, I'm still a "newbie" to diving. I say that because I haven't done anything else other than single-tank compressed air. Heck, I don't even own a wetsuit yet! (No need for it here- at 130 feet, the water temp is typically 84 degrees)

So- I want to get more certs like I mentioned earlier, plus do some dry suit and high-altitude diving, get rebreather trained, do some freshwater diving, etc.

Thanks for the link to the Kosrae Village, I'd not seen that yet!

See you on the boards here, and maybe in a Texas lake sometime, and thanks again for the reply. :)

Dan

I understand your desire to expand your diving horizons, it makes perfect sense. We often tell people that training in tougher conditions, like they find in some of our lakes, will make them a better diver when they then get out to the clear blue tropical water.

You're welcome to come dive with us here any time, give us a shout if its likely and we'll see what's going on.

Funny to think of someone out there in what we would consider a diver's paradise even thinking about diving here, but those of us who love diving are willing to get wet just about anywhere. :D