jhstuckey:
Yes so today I decided to sign up for a diving class that the University is offering here. I do not know anything at all about diving... They tell me that they give you the stuff you need while you're in the class but I think I'd like to buy my own. Can someone make a good recommendation as to what I should buy, brand names, etc. ?
Thanks!
js
You have a pretty good local dive shop there in Tuscaloosa, atleast as far as I can tell from the single time I was in there. Friendly DM working it at the time, don't remember his name offhand though. One of my best friends took the course through UofA, course, he already had his C-card, but he said it was just as good as the course he took through the shop local to me. He still lives up there if you end up like this whole SCUBA thing and need a dive buddy.
bpage08:
Do you go to UA? I live in Hoover and go to jeffstate currently but considering transferring to UA, if not then UAB next semester. As far as gear get your mask and fins for the class and then decide what gear would be best for you after you're certified. Will you be doing your openwater dives at bluewater? I'm there just about every weekend.
The course through UofA will run through the certification course, up until the checkout dives. I believe the students have to complete that part on their own due to insurance liabilities or something - atleast I believe thats what my friend told me, course, my memory sucks.
I have a best friend living in T-town, I've been trying to get him to go to ABWA one weekend I'm up visiting. Its only like an hour away eh?
jhstuckey:
Cool--
Okay so I think I may go ahead a buy my suit also-- Someone have anything to say about suits?
Another thing: I do not like the idea of putting my mouth where someone else's has been... What part do I buy besides the whole BC if I want something that's mine to use instead of the part that everyone else has used to breath though?
Thanks!
js
Everyone is a bit different on what they can stand as far as water temperatures, but the closest diving holes to Tuscaloosa are quarries. Temps in the 80sF ontop during the summer and 50sF at depth in the deeper ones, pretty much year round. If you stay within the top 50'ish, you'd probably do pretty well with a 3mm full suit with a hoodvest or something in the winter - assuming you're atleast somewhat tolerable to the colder waters.
Goto the diveshop and buy a mouthpiece or three. Thats the part on the regulators that you will be putting your mouth on, sometimes the inflator on the BC will have one as well for oral inflation.
Yeah... and War Eagle!