Putting my toe in the water

[WeRtheOcean]

I first posted this in Introductions:

"I am currently a snorkeler, trying to decide whether to get involved with diving. Adding a new hobby to an already full life requires careful consideration, especially if said hobby requires a sizable initial financial outlay. The main reason I would even consider diving is my interest in marine biology; if I went this route, I would ultimately pursue certification as a scientific diver. In the meantime, I have had some sublime snorkeling experiences -- especially Pohnpei -- without all the elaborate training and equipment that diving requires. I have to admit I do like that minimalist approach."

I would like thoughts from others who came from the snorkeling world, not what pushed you toward diving (I think I already know the answer to that), but whether you ever miss the simplicity of snorkeling, i.e. just you and the ocean, without all the complexities of air tanks, dive computers, and sundry paraphernalia.

 

[Keith.M]

I snorkeled all over the Caribbean and Hawaii for many years. I have no idea why it took me so long to take up diving.

It wasn't until I found myself free of anyone else's influence that I walked in to the LDS and pronounced, "I want to learn how to dive"

It was one of the best decisions I have made.

As far as the initial financial outlay. I would do that completely different than I did then.

You can bring your initial outlay down to well under $1000.

Figure out what gear you would like to have, try it as rentals if possible. But look online at eBay, Craigslist and here in the classifieds. I am sure other forums have classifieds as well, but this one seems to be the largest.

There are lots and lots of people who received certifications, bought all their new gear and than after letting it sit for a year or two or more, decided they really were not going to do it. You can find very good used gear at less than half the retail price. In fact if you stick to your plan, you can make sure you don't buy anything used for any more than 1/2 price.

You already know you like the underwater world. Diving just opens it up so much more than snorkeling.

 

[TMHeimer]

I certainly came from the snorkeling world as well. Probably snorkeled from ages 14-51 when I got my OW cert. No point doing scuba before that as we lived in Northern Manitoba 25 years. I almost never snorkel anymore. There's nothing much to see snorkeling/free diving down 10' here in NS. As a shell collector I obviously prefer diving, though in years past I did find some decent stuff snorkeling down South and in Long Island Sound (NY/CT). But no, I don't miss snorkeling.

Logic says that people with a lot of snorkeling experience do better in OW scuba class, especially with mask and airway skills.

 

[AdivingBel]

My wife and I snorkeled a lot in the Caribbean. I continued to snorkel with my wife until she took up diving. I dive a very simple streamlined configuration and once underwater the freedom to move in any direction, virtually weightless more than outweighs the complexities. You already have a mask and fins. Many (most) snorkeling and diving destinations have dive shops that can fully outfit you, so traveling can be as simple or complex as you choose to make it. Once you learn the basics, you can continue your training to whatever level of complexity you choose. Best of all, you can just GO DIVE. Good luck.

 

[Damselfish]

I was an avid snorkeler long before I learned to dive. I used to think the same thing, that all the gear for diving looked like way too much trouble. I only got certified because a friend was doing it and asked if we were interested - there was no specific desire to dive or grand plan, it was more of a "what the heck" thing. Turned out the gear is not really much trouble once you get used to things. And as said, it's possible to get set up without spending a fortune. It just takes more time and effort than plunking down a credit card for all the latest (and not necessarily greatest) toys.

Each has it's advantages, minimalism vs the ease of staying down and seeing a whole lot more. But keep in mind there's no reason to "miss" snorkeling once you take up diving. If I'm diving someplace there is good snorkeling, I will usually do some snorkeling too. I have done some very cool snorkeling in places I'd probably never have been if I wasn't there to dive.

 

[oldogre]

I snorkelled for years (was on medication which was a no-no for scuba), this stopped and I did a "discover scuba". It made. It so much easier to watch the fish, previously I had to go and look, now I go down, stay still and the fish wander past!

 

[DivemasterDennis]

As with the others, I snorkel plenty on dive trips. Between dives, after dives, whenever there is something to see. Diving is different in that you see a different part of the marine world, which changes as to plants and animals as you descend, just like the plants and animals change as you ascend a mountainside over thousands and thousands of feet elevation change. In the water the changes are evidence in just several meters of depth change. If you are truly interested in marine biology, you need to be a diver. You will also love it. And it is not so complex as you think, once you are familiar with the equipment and limit your self to recreational limits ( at least for a while). Go for it!
DivemasterDennis

 

[BackBite]

I would like thoughts from others who came from the snorkeling world, not what pushed you toward diving (I think I already know the answer to that), but whether you ever miss the simplicity of snorkeling, i.e. just you and the ocean, without all the complexities of air tanks, dive computers, and sundry paraphernalia.

I absolutely came from the snorkeling side and I don't think I really miss it at all. After snorkeling off of Oahu, I was motivated to take a Discover scuba class in a pool with my LDS. Once I learned that clearing my ears was no big deal, I was all in! I can always jump in the water with my snorkel (and have during a surface interval when we're offshore and viz is 100' vertically!) any time I want. Our upcoming trip to Oahu, I already have my 10 dives planned, but there will be extra time for snorkeling, especially on our last day on island! I use the same mask, snorkel, and fins that I use to dive, so there is no repetitive gear.

And I'm so excited with my new prescription mask, I need a wetsuit to pee in!!

 

[WeRtheOcean]

Wow, thanks for all the replies -- especially the ones about keeping the costs down. If I think about it: I already do a lot of camping, and I don't spend the huge sums of money some folks lay out for fancy camping gear, right? As I work my way up to migrating to warmer climes (winters are too depressing to me), I expect to spend much more time in and around water, so why not make the most of it?

 

[freewillie]

Think of scuba like snorkeling on steroids. It's a much more in depth and a completely different experience. The common threads are the ocean/water and the mask. Most divers tend not to dive with a snorkel. But the only time I use a snorkel now is to, well, snorkel.

I can't always dive every day on vacation so I do break out the mask and snorkel for those days with the non-diving members of my family. It is fun to float around looking at the fish from the surface. My 9 year old son still talks about the two moray eels he saw while snorkeling last summer. My 12 year old daughter loved the humuhumunukunkuapua'a while snorkeling on Maui. But my daughter and I love to dive together. So we did 3 days diving during the vacation. We met some nice people on one of the dive boats. One person in particular was talking about how she was trying to justify to herself that snorkeling was just as good as diving. She too has more non-diving members in her family. After one dive she sheepishly admitted that diving was way better than just snorkeling.

If you didn't want to commit a lot of money to the initial diving experience you can always do a single dive as a discover scuba class. If you like that then you will have a better idea of what it is like to scuba and a much better reference point to see if you want to pick up the sport. And you don't have to spend a whole lot of money to start. Most advise here about new divers buying gear is to get a few dives in first before you start looking at gear anyways. And while you are doing your scuba classes you can scour the internet for sales. After all once you start it can become an addiction.

I should know, that's how I started.