What does the underwaterworld mean to you?

[DCBC]

DCBC- This is a great thread. It makes us all consider the impact and joy we get from diving. Should post the results in the "new divers or those considering diving" forum.

Thanks Chris. I wasn't sure where to put it. If a moderator thinks it would be better received in the other forum, I'd welcome any change. Good luck with Adventure-Ocean!

Wayne

---------- Post added November 15th, 2013 at 02:20 AM ----------

Last week I dived in a place called Silfra, Iceland. The water in this lake came from a glacier 50km away, and took 100 years to filter through the lava rocks and under a mountain before flowing into the crevice called Silfra...

I was there in the late 80's and stayed in Mosfellsbeer (about 40 km from the Park). It was the summer time and the water temp was 5 degrees. I was told that it stays around that temp all year. The crevice that separates North America and Europe was really cool to see. We dove a small cave there.

I hope that the purity of this environment hasn't declined over the years. It's truly a remarkable place.

​

 

[shoredivr]

The cave is off limits due to the possibility of earthquakes bringing down the rock walls. Metal stairs were added at the entry and exit points and a narrow pathway connects those two so people aren't wandering around over the Icelandic moss and wrecking it. Other than that there wasn't much visible change from older photos I was shown. The water purity remains dazzling. The parts of Iceland that I visited in the north and south are amazingly untouched, air quality was astounding and it seems like Icelanders want to keep it that way.

 

[Doomnova]

For me diving (which I started about 2 years) ago was a chance to see a part of the would I could not walk on. To see life so different it could be from another planet yet is is not. I grew up in plains of Alberta. I've seen boeral forest, I've seen mountains, I've seen foot hills, I've seen a desert. I have not seen a volcano nor tundra, the former eh from a very safe distance/when its dormant, the latter in the summer I would love to see. But the water world now that i have not seen much of and only the part on the west coast of BC and growing up studying paleontology I realized how important the ocean was to everything. All the major geochemical cycles end in the ocean, every other lung full of air you take in the oxygen comes from the ocean, the weather is caused mostly by water vapor from the ocean. Diving allows me for at least a time be part of that world that shapes land and to also see the massive diversity of life and the concentration of life (browning wall in port hardy comes to mind). I have many places I want to see in the under water world and some day when I have the money to go somewhere where the water is more than 7-8 degrees c year around and a drysuit is not for more a requirement.

Also for me it started the development of my social life meeting people who have similar passions and enjoyment of natural world that I have which has started letting me recover from the more than a decade of bullying I took in school while growing up and meeting others who have walked that same path and made me feel less alone in the world.

 

[teecup]

What a beautiful thread! I enjoyed reading the answers and hope that one day, I too can contribute a line or two. For now, I'm just a non-diver in the sidelines.

How has your underwater experience influenced you? Has diving changed the person you are, or want to be? What you want to do in the World, Where you want to live? How you see the World?

I'd be interested in your comments...

 

[Doomnova]

What a beautiful thread! I enjoyed reading the answers and hope that one day, I too can contribute a line or two. For now, I'm just a non-diver in the sidelines.

All things come in time if you work at them Teecup. I spented the better part of 15 years waiting because I didn't want to go diving in the lakes of Alberta where you can't even get me to go for a swim. Now well lets just say if I go for more thana few weeks without diving I start acting strange.

 

[poochpie]

I started diving at 40 and I now have what is being called terminal cancer at age 59. I've been diving to all the exotic places around the world (Bornea, Komodo, Papua New Guinea, the Galapagos, Cocos, Fiji, the Maldives, Raja Ampat, Archipelagos de Revillagegedos, French Polynesia, Eastern Fields to just name a few) and I lose myself when I'm in the water with the animals and coral. It's a passion to be able to come up close to a turtle, shark, sea lion or manta ray. I actually feel that I communicate with the animals. It brings me such joy and honestly if I don't die I will go right back to diving. I used to feel a bit guilty spending down all money. Kept thinking put it away for when you are older. Well I might not be getting any older and I have all these wonderful memories and feelings inside my body from all the diving.

 

[Carlos Danger]

How has your underwater experience influenced you? Has diving changed the person you are, or want to be? What you want to do in the World, Where you want to live? How you see the World?

Diving is many things to me. Obviously it is a great adventure, and satisfies my love of travel and meeting new people. Perhaps most of all it is feeling that embrace by the planet, that most personal connection to the natural world, that keeps me coming back for more. It grounds me, humbles me, and it fills me up. It has certainly had a profound impact on my world view and approach to life.

 

[Hickdive]

Although written about aviation, the first line of J G Magee's poem "High Flight" sums it up for me;

"Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth"

 

[KevWind]

I came to scuba late 'ish.. now it is one of those bucket lists come true things .. I have swam since age 5 and started snorkeling at about 12, watched Sea Hunt and always thought diving would be great. Always said I was going to do it, but with life, circumstance, logistics and procrastination wound up waiting until I turned 62 to get certified.Went on my first ocean dive last Feb in Roatan and boy oh boy I was fortunate enough to get this photo on my first dive trip.Needless to say I am now hooked sort of like this 10 ft female reef shark ( except mine is self inflicted ).. Going on a Stuart Cove shark dive in May whoo hoo