New Diver in VA - headed to Kona for a while

[Barrod]

Hi everyone,

I'm from the eastern shore of MD and living in Northern VA. I've been swimming like a fish on the Chesapeake my whole life and just became financially able to pursue diving and certification. It's always been my dream to do this and I can't be more excited about it.

I got set up with fins/mask/snorkel/booties - and I just purchased an Oceanic OC1 dive computer (w/titanium band in blue)

The Dive Shop in Fairfax VA is doing my P.A.D.I. open water diver course - I'm all finished except for the checkouts - which I'll do on the last weekend in April at a quarry or something in Haymarket, VA. They say they'll also get me NITROX certified during the checkouts.

My company is sending me on a 4 day "business trip" to the Kohala coast and I made it into a 2 week thing! I'll be 2 nights at Waikiki in the Hiltons rainbow tower before heading to Kona on the 14th of May.

I don't know how many dives I'll get in but I'm hopeful I can log more than 10 dives while I'm there.

Thanks for having a large community site to visit and for having me ------

Barrod

 

[Lopez116]

Welcome to the site and to diving! Prepare yourself for the addiction

 

[U'vill Dive]

When in Kona you should drive to two "must" places....Go to a place known as "The Sanctuary" (Honaunau) for a fairly easy solo shore dive (park in the church's parking lot and leave a couple bucks in donation box--do it early or place will be filled up), and on your way there stop in at a dive deli known as "The Coffee Shack" for the BEST Macadamia nut pie (like pecan pie, but much more decadent).