What got you into diving?

[Sarah]

Thought it might be interesting to hear how you all first got into diving.

[lottie]

I had a bad experience - I think i mentioned it before in a previous post, but anyway. It was in cairns on the GBR, they hurried through how to use the equipment, didn't mention about equalising of ears and I can't remember much else about it (it was 4 years ago and my memory isn't what it used to be). sitting, well kneeling, on the back of the boat with most of my body under 1ft of water, i couldn't breathe properly and felt as though i was going to hyperventilate, so i didn't go.

Then in January, one of my friends came over (she's AOW) and ranted on that this dive shop was a really good setup and i should try diving again considering where I now live and shouldn't let one bad experience be the end of it...so a few months after that, i pluck up the courage and do the beginners course...as they say, the rest is history....

Okay, so that was really longwinded..but thats how i jumped in

[mermaid]

My first experience was great! Luckily I had a terrific instructor who took time to cover everything, and with much patience! The weekend I got certified I also did my AOW and first night dive. I've been "hooked" ever since. That was about 4 years ago.
Mermaid

[seasnake]

Wanted to do it ever since I was a kid, but finally work opportunities led me to actually take the course.

[bottlefish]

My first attempt was with a BSAC University Club way back when, before they had any real structure. Around 12 weeks of lectures, covering everything from deco theory to the types of things (i.e. bodies) that the Police Divers pulled out of the Thames (complete with pictures), followed by lord knows how many pool sessions where I would be lucky if I could get one of the instructors to let me use the funny bubbly thing attached to the big metal thing (I was generally limited to using a small plastic thing that worked better when attached to the surface). Finally an open water dive, where me and my two buddies were left beneath a peir for 20 minutes or so, about 2 -3 metres deep, 6 inches visability, holding hands so as we didn't get seperated by the surge, until finally an instructor came down and tapped us on the head to signal the end of the dive.

Seven years later, I decided to try again whilst on a holiday in Thailand. Thankfully the instruction provided was a little more relevant and far more attentive. That was in 1998, I haven't looked back since.. although I'msure my bank manager would have much rather I hadn't got so hooked!

[To any BSAC divers out there, no offence meant, it's the diver/instructor that determines the quality of the course, not the training agency xx]

[Chantelle]

I was in Venezuela about 19 years ago, and thought I would give it a try. I did a resort course there, which was actually quite an extensive course ~ 6 hours in the pool, then to the ocean. I did love it, but never really persued it, as I had absolutely no idea you could actually dive in Canada.

Soo... a few years ago, I went to Cuba and did a resort course, which was nowhere near as good as the one in Venezuela, but still fun. The following year, upon booking another trip to Cuba, I decided to go get certified. I had a bad experience on my 8th logged dive, down in Cuba, and wasn't sure if I would continue or not.

That fall, I realized.. holy crap!! There is diving in Canada!! Well.. from a warm water wussie, to a cold water diving freak, I have transformed!

Bring on the cold water and the good vis.!!

[rsh110]

A friend moved to big pine key florida a few years back and one day while visiting, I went snorkling. I saw some really cool fishes swimming around underneath me. That was it iwas hooked. I decided that I wanted to swim with the fishes and scuba was the best way to do it. After 3 years and many snorkling/kayaking adventures in the keys, I finally took the plunge this past fall when job and finances allowed me to get certified and buy my own equipment. Oh and did i mention my tub was too shallow!

[rubber chicken]

A couple of years ago, I sold my house and everything I owned to fund a trip around the world. I realised that I didn't want to see the GBR through a glass-bottomed boat so I visited my LDS - which, up until then, I was totally unaware of- who talked me into an OW course. 5 minutes into my first pool dive amongst the cornplasters and detritus of the local municipal swimming pool and I was hooked. The rest is history... etc,etc.

[Tigerbeach]

I watched Jacques, and Mike, and Flipper, of course.

I thought skin and scuba diving represented the coolest form of freedom possible.

[DrBill]

Of course watching the early Cousteau documentaries was an inspiration. Little did I know that years later I'd be doing some work for him, and his son Jean-Michel. I tried breathing off my first SCUBA tank in 1961 but lived in the Midwest so there wasn't a lot of diving to be done except during summer and most of what I did do was to vacuum the bottoms and deep diving wells in swimming pools. It wasn't until I moved here to Catalina in 1969 that I was able to merge my interests in marine ecology and diving