Hello from Okinawa!

[RocketFish17]

Hello ScubaBoard!

I am a longtime lurker of the forum and have decided to join, finally, because of a classifieds post lol.

Currently U.S. military stationed in Okinawa, Japan, where myself and tons of people get certified and dive the wonders of the reefs here. It's truly a diver's paradise, and I highly recommend it if you're looking for a fun diving spot. The Keramas islands, Zanpa Cape, the USS Emmons wreck, and for the more experienced (currently planning on hitting these sites sometime soon), Ishigaki (manta dive!) and Yonaguni (hammerheads and the Yonaguni "pyramids"), all are incredible.

I've been blessed to be able to dive quite frequently, and for having been certified (AOW/Deep/Nitrox) a few months ago, have racked up about 50 dives at this point. While its not a ton of diving, I am thoroughly obsessed at this point and can't wait to learn more and grow.

My short term goal is to get to 100 dives within a year, something I now see is quite attainable. Through the next year I plan on doing a drysuit course and purchasing one for winter diving locally and abroad, GUE fundies a little later on, and some awesome dive vacations.

I am very big into UW photography and have a rather cheap rig I am looking to upgrade. Once I set up my dive-specific instagram I'll link it in my sig.

Excited to be a part of the forum finally! Hope we can dive together someday.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Welcome and thank you for your service. I guess get as many dives in as you can untill that really big country in Asia decides Japan belongs to them, too.

 

[RocketFish17]

Haha, indeed. So much of diving feels like "see it all before corals completely die off and fish populations disappear." Adding geopolitics to the mix makes it seem all the more pressing to enjoy this world to the fullest while we still can. Still, diving is such a universal activity, the idealist in me hopes that we'll always have a shared appreciation of the underwater world regardless of borders.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Haha, indeed. So much of diving feels like "see it all before corals completely die off and fish populations disappear." Adding geopolitics to the mix makes it seem all the more pressing to enjoy this world to the fullest while we still can. Still, diving is such a universal activity, the idealist in me hopes that we'll always have a shared appreciation of the underwater world regardless of borders.

Insh'Allah

 

[John C. Ratliff]

If diving off Okinawa is anything like it was in 1968, you've got a wonderful place to dive. I look forward to seeing your photos. Here's one looking down on one of our divers a long time ago.

SeaRat

 

[Sensorone]

Did some dives out at the Kadena AFB beach in 1993 while there with the US Navy. Great beach dive with tons of diversity. Top 5 in my 32 years of diving. You're lucky to be there, take full advantage of it. I was only there for a couple weeks at a time as a Naval Aircrewman and finding enough time between flights for scuba was tough.

 

[BigGixx]

Nice to meet you. I’m here on Okinawa as well. Maybe we can link up sometime and dive?

 

[BigGixx]

Nice to meet you. I’m here on Okinawa as well. Maybe we can link up sometime and dive?

 

[DetectiveShrek]

Welcome to the island! I’m out here active duty as well. I’ll be doing the Yonaguni shark dives this February, pretty stoked about it.

If you plan on doing fundies out here, definitely make another post… its been something I’ve been eyeballing for a while.

 

[divingdayz]

Welcome, there is nice diving around you. Take advantage of your posting and get to see every diving spot on offer.