Kimgglenn
Registered
I'll be participating in the NorCal regional forum but want to respect the culture of ScubaBoard and introduce myself here. I've been diving for almost 10 years with the vast majority of my logged dives in Timor-Leste (East Timor) in Southeast Asia. I had a number of short and long-term assignments working there and took generous advantage of the excellent diving opportunities there. My wife, Linda (a Rescue Diver) and I also enjoyed some dive holidays in Grand Cayman, Key West and Key Largo, and Dominica.
My home base was in Vermont up until recently. Lake Champlain was cold and dark the two dives I did there, just for the experience. Some interesting wrecks to visit, and I believe there are a number of ice divers there, although I was not one of them. My wife and I moved here to San Jose in February looking for more sunshine in our lives, as well as more diving opportunities. We have, of course, found both, although my wife is not yet ready and may never be to plunge into the cold waters here.
I have been challenged, as have others, to cope with the cold water environment after all that warm water experience. After 20 dives in a 7 mm wetsuit, I have begun to enjoy myself and appreciate the kelp forests, playful sea lions cavorting with and around me, the shy harbor seals, and the many whales seen from the surface (none yet while diving). I'm sure a wet suit will remain in my equipment kit along with a gallon insulated jug that I fill with hot water to trickle down the suit between dives. However, I am looking forward to participating in the DUI demo day in June to get some experience leading up to investing in a dry suit.
I intend to work on my Dive Instructor certification soon. I love the way diving helps us focus our attention on things that really matter, to transcend the "petty pace from day to day" (thank you Shakespeare). While an introvert, I do enjoy diving with others and sharing that "aha" experience when we suspect the most important thing in diving maybe is also the most important in life: just to breathe. Everything else is secondary.
I'm looking forward to getting to know the dive community here in San Jose and the vicinity, as well as here in this virtual space. I have been educated and entertained by a number of threads I followed here and look forward to contributing as well as continuing to benefit from them in the future.
-Kim
My home base was in Vermont up until recently. Lake Champlain was cold and dark the two dives I did there, just for the experience. Some interesting wrecks to visit, and I believe there are a number of ice divers there, although I was not one of them. My wife and I moved here to San Jose in February looking for more sunshine in our lives, as well as more diving opportunities. We have, of course, found both, although my wife is not yet ready and may never be to plunge into the cold waters here.
I have been challenged, as have others, to cope with the cold water environment after all that warm water experience. After 20 dives in a 7 mm wetsuit, I have begun to enjoy myself and appreciate the kelp forests, playful sea lions cavorting with and around me, the shy harbor seals, and the many whales seen from the surface (none yet while diving). I'm sure a wet suit will remain in my equipment kit along with a gallon insulated jug that I fill with hot water to trickle down the suit between dives. However, I am looking forward to participating in the DUI demo day in June to get some experience leading up to investing in a dry suit.
I intend to work on my Dive Instructor certification soon. I love the way diving helps us focus our attention on things that really matter, to transcend the "petty pace from day to day" (thank you Shakespeare). While an introvert, I do enjoy diving with others and sharing that "aha" experience when we suspect the most important thing in diving maybe is also the most important in life: just to breathe. Everything else is secondary.
I'm looking forward to getting to know the dive community here in San Jose and the vicinity, as well as here in this virtual space. I have been educated and entertained by a number of threads I followed here and look forward to contributing as well as continuing to benefit from them in the future.
-Kim
