Want to get back into diving regularly

[k374]

So, it's been several years since I was diving regularly. My last dive was in Mykonos when I was vacationing in Greece in early 2015, nothing fancy just 2 quick dives. I also did a dive refresher in 2015 but of course it's 2017 now and I have not dived at all since then.

Primary reasons are:
- my ears are **** and half the time I can't equalize properly, I have yet to find a good reliable solution to this.
- I can't find any reliable diving buddies and I don't want to sign up for a boat dive and intrude on a group, I hate disturbing and/or imposing on other people and messing up their plans, that's just my nature.

I would like to get back into diving but not sure how I should go about it or even if it's a good idea. My regulator and BCD have been sitting on the shelf for years. I clicked the guage on and looks like the battery is good..it turns on.

For the record, i've somehow done over 150 dives (some of them advanced wall dives etc. all over including the Galapagos) even with my non functional ears. Always loved diving and miss it. I have an AOW, was wanting to do Rescue..maybe one day.

Anyways, just ranting

 

[BoltSnap]

Why don't you find a dive center close to you that has active dive schedule and join them? Or find a dive club and also join them.

 

[Midwesterndvr]

I can relate, if you have a hectic work schedule or wife or girlfriend that doesn't either it is difficult to set up a time to go. I didn't have any dives in for all 2016 and most of 2015 so I consider myself semi retired. I've also found with having long time gaps between dives clearing ears becomes more difficult.

 

[KevinNM]

What have you tried to do to get your ears to clear reliably?

 

[Marie13]

Do a refresher. Find a dive club/dive shop with a lot of activities. Find buddies on SB - that's how I've found a couple!

 

[Midwesterndvr]

It's hard to do when you have a full work schedule and the only time you have off is the weekends. Which is usually the only time people have to spend time with family significant other etc.

 

[TMHeimer]

Some good ideas here. Maybe post that you're looking for a buddy on the sub forum(s). Maybe finding some place close to home for quick shore dives--I would assume that's not ideal in your area. I'm lucky in that there are a half dozen sites close to home, the furthest being 20 mins. away. Maybe up the coast a bit from where you are?

 

[Marie13]

It's hard to do when you have a full work schedule and the only time you have off is the weekends. Which is usually the only time people have to spend time with family significant other etc.

If you want to do something badly enough, you'll make the time. Believe me, I know this first hand.

 

[Midwesterndvr]

I was focused on doing solo but without enough dives it would take a looong time to get to the point where I wouldn't need to rely on others. Which isn't the way I like to do things either. I'm glad the diving community recognizes the need for solo certification. But in my case it's a catch 22, so that's why I say I'm semi retired I can still go but now I have the same story. Gear sitting around unused needing inspection service etc. Sorry I don't mean To high jack the thread I can relate to the original post.

 

[billt4sf]

So, it's been several years since I was diving regularly. My last dive was in Mykonos when I was vacationing in Greece in early 2015, nothing fancy just 2 quick dives. I also did a dive refresher in 2015 but of course it's 2017 now and I have not dived at all since then.

Primary reasons are:
- my ears are **** and half the time I can't equalize properly, I have yet to find a good reliable solution to this.
- I can't find any reliable diving buddies and I don't want to sign up for a boat dive and intrude on a group, I hate disturbing and/or imposing on other people and messing up their plans, that's just my nature.

I would like to get back into diving but not sure how I should go about it or even if it's a good idea. My regulator and BCD have been sitting on the shelf for years. I clicked the guage on and looks like the battery is good..it turns on.

For the record, i've somehow done over 150 dives (some of them advanced wall dives etc. all over including the Galapagos) even with my non functional ears. Always loved diving and miss it. I have an AOW, was wanting to do Rescue..maybe one day.

Anyways, just ranting

We felt that the transition from "once in a while diver" to "regular diver" was tricky to accomplish, but once we managed it we enjoyed diving much more.

Diving locally is a good thing to do. You should be able to dive at (for example) Catalina Island regularly without getting too far into the whole cold water gear problem.

We joined a dive club and that helped a LOT. Great new friends! We ended up with the Rainbow Divers club in our area (even though we are not gay) and have really enjoyed it. Divers love to help each other!

For a while we hired DMs to dive with us all the time so we wouldn't "mess up anyone else's dive". But actually that was not really necessary, just be honest about your limitations when you go with someone.

As for the ears: Realize that the more regularly you dive, the easier it will be on your ears. You might try simply pressurizing your ears a few times a day, every day, for a week before diving and see if that helps.

Figure out the kinds of dive sites / conditions that work for you. For us at that stage we needed low surface waves, low or no surge, and at least 15 feet viz. Having conditions that make you feel uncomfortable really sucks (and oh yeah, it's also dangerous).

This is one situation where Nike's motto is actually appropriate: Just Do It!

- Bill