# Why did you start diving?



## 192 (Oct 1, 2007)

My grandparents neighbor had a stack of the old Jacques Cousteau books. I have fished since I was old enough to walk but after flipping through those I wanted to understand what it looked liked where we fished. Got certified in 86 and diving made my money through high school cleaning hulls and spearing fish until I joined the Navy (first real job). Dove around the world over the last 20 years and my favorite places are still the shallow reefs and wrecks off Tarpon Springs and Clearwater. I don't dive anymore, but why did you start diving and where are your favorite places to dive?


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## HisName (Nov 29, 2009)

watching Jacques Cousteau and Sea Hunt had a great effect.
circling the globe on Navy vessels to and From Vietnam and looking at the different sea's had an effect. watching sea snakes in the Indian ocean and seeing flying fish at sea didn't go without notice. snorkeling off grande island Philippines only made me want to go deeper and not have to keep coming up for air so when I got back to CONUS I decided to give it a go.
got serious with diving and spear fishing with Ray Manual on his boat in the 70's but with a family I soon found myself going to Alabama point bridge when the tide came in and diving out to the middle columns , letting the air out of my BC and standing up against the column waiting on fish to swim by to ambush. [ the air bubbles went up the column and they didn't see me till I had a shot ]
one day a Lady snagged me in the wet suit with a trivial hook and pulled up and everyone was gathered round when I surfaced to see what she had caught and she freaked out LOL
did the cave diving thing at Morrison's springs before the stop sign was put it. [very dangerous]

I am too old now but did so much when I was young I just smile all the time and find new things


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

1953 on the Sugar barge off of Anna Maria Island. Haven't dried out yet. Went yesterday. Damn left my wetsuit outside to dry and it's stiff as a board frozen.


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## bcahn (Jan 10, 2013)

Did a tour to Okinawa, JP. If you weren't diving, you were watching the kids snorkeling. So off to dive school for me! Don't dive much here, but it's in my blood and I still have my gear!


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## ul412al (Oct 2, 2007)

To get back all the lead I lost on the bridge rubble


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## daniel9829 (Jan 31, 2009)

Became PADI certified in 1973. Instructor certified in 1977. Haven't dove since 86 but looking to get recertified. Don't know if I have to but would rather be safe than sorry.


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## OWS (Jul 10, 2014)

*Could not hold my breath long enough!*

Was swimming down and shot a 40lb cobia, after that fight to the top, I said I would have a tank on my back next time,. That was 30years ago have not slowed down yet!


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## SaltAddict (Jan 6, 2010)

Saw a mermaid in 1987. Certified in 1988. Been looking ever since.


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

I was the Jacques Cousteau junkie- I remember putting together a model of his flagship- Calypso. Snorkeling for years- mostly the keys. I was always extremely interested in the new world down there. Met my wife and took her, then decided we'd get certified. Was great! It took our "Keys" trips to a whole new "level"- lol.


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## AndyS (Nov 22, 2011)

daniel9829 said:


> Became PADI certified in 1973. Instructor certified in 1977. Haven't dove since 86 but looking to get recertified. Don't know if I have to but would rather be safe than sorry.


You don't have to get recertified .... but not a bad idea if one has been out of diving quite a few years. I did a re-certfication because my daughter was getting certified and I had been out of the water for 10 years.

You will need your cert card for air fills and to board most dive charters. If you can't find it PADI will issue you a replacement card .... but expect to pay a pretty penny for it.

If you're gonna re-certify .... you might want to consider trying a different agency like NAUI or SSI.


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## jim t (Sep 30, 2007)

I was in Bermuda a couple years ago and decided to go on a couple dives.

Had forgotten my PADI card issued in 1978. No worries, the dive shop found it on line at the PADI website. I was impressed.

Jim


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## max h1 (Nov 19, 2007)

Snorkeled along the Gulf Coast, S. California Coast, and the East Coast of Australia as a kid. Finally got certified in 1980 in high school in Huntington Beach. Worked my way up to being an instructor and joined the Navy after the teaching diving really didn't pay the bills on the west coast. I got into water survival training while in the Navy, so after I retired I had a couple of jobs diving at water survival facilities out of town. With some of slow down in the oil industry my position went away with a contract turnover.


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## cuzmondo (Oct 1, 2007)

Grew up watching Sea Hunt as a kid and later Jacques Cousteau. Always wanted to dive and did lots of snorkeling over the years, but never had the wherewithal and time to get certified until I was 31 y/o in 1991. Dove like a mad man for about 15 - 16 yrs. nearly every weekend from April thru Nov. from our own boat, then life got in the way and though I still love diving, I regret that I just can't get out as much as I used too.


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## captaindye251 (Oct 12, 2014)

Grew up watching WW2 documentaries and saw all the stuff on the bottom. Figured it would be a neat place to play. Then I bought a speargun. Best decision ever. Certified in 2005 but haven't dove since '08 due to life getting in the way. Still have all my equipment but gained a lot of weight since then. Dove Destin jetties while a hurricane or tropical storm was coming in. Came too close to the surface, got sucked up by a wave and dropped on top of the east jetty next to a guy fishing with his kid. It was an awkward moment. We stared at each other for second, said hi, then another wave washed me off the jetty hitting every rock on the way down. Glad it was a rental tank lol. Sucked at the time especially when I had to gather the equipment that got knocked off before I lost it but it makes for a funny memory now.


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## H2OMARK (Oct 2, 2007)

My oldest son wanted to try it. He was 10 at the time. Checked around and found that MBT offered SSI and you could certify at that age. I think PADI and NAUI were 12? Anyway, I figured as long as he wanted to, I'd do it as well. Fritz had a retired navy diver working at the time (Kevin) who to me was super to work with. It's been a great adventure.


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## Bluediemond (Apr 28, 2009)

Because snorkeling just doesn't give enough bottom time... 

=)


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