From Naples, Florida USA

[rfulton]

Welcome to the board, and that's a nice web site!

Next time you're on the East coast, post a note in the Florida Conch Divers forum, and you'll have a few instant dive buddies.

Again, welcome,
Grier

Grier -

Thank you for the suggestion. I was for my first time freediving for conch last month in Bimini. That's a lot of work, isn't it . . . . . ?

Robert

 

[rfulton]

Naples, Florida?

ciao, Marco

Hi, Neighbor!

(I believe my earlier message may not be visible to you - here it is again) -

My wife works on Marco. I am faculty at the Edison College campus off SR 951.

Small world,

Robert

 

[GrierHPharmD]

Not diving for conch, diving with the Florida Conchs...

Conch are protected here. The Conchs I'm referring to are the local divers. We dive nice, easy beach and wreck dives for the most part, although on occasion a group gets together for some deep, wreck, cavern/cave or otherwise more challenging dives. We tend to get together almost every weekend, sort of a pickup game of shorediving, if you will.

The dives are typically shallow (~25 fsw on average), to the reef lines just off shore. You can get some great bottom times and get to share from our group's knowledge base, which is worth the effort in itself. And the surface intervals are fantastic!

Anyway, we'll keep an eye out for you. Hope to cross paths underwater some time,
Grier

 

[DandyDon]

Howdy & Welcome to SB...!

Looks like you've already figured out my usual suggestions.

Know how you feel about being the first guy to surface, as that used to be me. I'm still not the best, but not the worse, either.

Your Profile does not say how new or experienced you are, how many dives you logged? That would affect this discussion a lot.

thanks, don

 

[biggsy]

Grier -

Thank you for the suggestion. I was for my first time freediving for conch last month in Bimini. That's a lot of work, isn't it . . . . . ?

Robert

You should get 3 dives out a tank that size in those depths. Increased fitness will increase your SAC rate. Getting larger tanks is not always the answer, especially being above 100'

BTW...Welcome to the board, lots of great info here!

 

[rfulton]

Not diving for conch, diving with the Florida Conchs...

Conch are protected here. The Conchs I'm referring to are the local divers. We dive nice, easy beach and wreck dives for the most part, although on occasion a group gets together for some deep, wreck, cavern/cave or otherwise more challenging dives. We tend to get together almost every weekend, sort of a pickup game of shorediving, if you will.

The dives are typically shallow (~25 fsw on average), to the reef lines just off shore. You can get some great bottom times and get to share from our group's knowledge base, which is worth the effort in itself. And the surface intervals are fantastic!

Anyway, we'll keep an eye out for you. Hope to cross paths underwater some time,
Grier

Grier -

I posted your reply twice. Read the next one for what I intended to say only once.

Robert

 

[rfulton]

Not diving for conch, diving with the Florida Conchs...

Conch are protected here. The Conchs I'm referring to are the local divers. We dive nice, easy beach and wreck dives for the most part, although on occasion a group gets together for some deep, wreck, cavern/cave or otherwise more challenging dives. We tend to get together almost every weekend, sort of a pickup game of shorediving, if you will.

The dives are typically shallow (~25 fsw on average), to the reef lines just off shore. You can get some great bottom times and get to share from our group's knowledge base, which is worth the effort in itself. And the surface intervals are fantastic!

Anyway, we'll keep an eye out for you. Hope to cross paths underwater some time,
Grier

Grier -

Thanks for clearing up that "conch" talking past each other. Looking back at what I said, it seems silly now. I never thought of diving for conch locally (or in the keys), and the Bimini trip was the first time I did that. You have an interesting name for a dive group. I am sure there is a story that goes with it.

I drive across the alley two to three times a month to go out of Pt. Everglades in a small private boat, or trailer from Ft. Lauderdale to Key Biscayne or Haulover in Miami.

Shore dives can be fun, too. How big is your group and how early do you start?

Robert

 

[rfulton]

Howdy & Welcome to SB...!

Looks like you've already figured out my usual suggestions.

Know how you feel about being the first guy to surface, as that used to be me. I'm still not the best, but not the worse, either.

Your Profile does not say how new or experienced you are, how many dives you logged? That would affect this discussion a lot.

thanks, don

Don -

I have Rescue Diver certification and about 150 dives on my Suunto Cobra air-integrated computer. I bought that about six months after I got my initial open water certification. I have over 50 dives in the past year.

I got the Rescue Diver certification and nitrox specialty at about the same time, two years ago.

Virtually all of my diving for the past two years has been with a small dive club group off members' own private boats. They are all experienced divers with high standards for group membership. We do reef and wreck dives (no penetration), and lobster and speargun dives.

I am a safe diver and am careful about my limits. I even carry a "spare air" for some of the deeper dives to 100 feet or more. My deepest dive is 125 feet. I dive mostly with nitrox.

Is there additional information that you would be interested in knowing?

Robert

 

[DandyDon]

Cool, thanks. I didn't think you were a newbie, but wasn't sure. Maybe I didn't read your Profile close enough?

I have known at least one Rescue certified diver I didn't want to dive with, so anything's possible. But I take it that you are one of a bunch of very good divers who probably has a good air consumption rate, just not as good as some of your buddies.

So get the big tank. 120 cf tanks are pretty easy to find. I'd own one if I could check it as luggage for my trips. Or maybe twins...?

This is not directly comparative to you, but I have seen newbies so stress that they couldn't get much time out of a 80 that when they switch to a 100, they relaxed enough to increase their time a lot more than just the 20 cf would explain.

Look forward to comparing with you around the board, and learning. You guys are tighter than I am, I'm sure.

 

[baitedstorm]

heya Robert, welcome to the Board!!!