What inspired you to start diving?

[TSandM]

Yes, my diving career rests on a solid foundation of Pinot Noir . . . and KoolAid!

 

[pidgiepoo]

While my husband and I were snorkeling, we saw a group of divers pointing to things under the ledges that we couldn't see.We decided we wanted to see all those critters too, so we got certified ( I was 56 at the time). Have never regreted that decision.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

My first wife grew up in the Nevada desert. She watched Sea Hunt as a kid and always wanted to dive, but it was a male-dominated sport back then and the lack of money held her back. When we had been together for a couple of years she told me she always wanted to dive. I'd never even snorkelled but wanted to share activities with her. The first few times I tried I couldn't get over the gurglling water coming down the snorkel to drown me. I could hear death approaching every time I tried to plant my face in the water. Reluctantly, I told her she would have to find someone else to snorkel with. The disappointment in her face said it all.
One day while she was at work I went down to the beach and forced myself to keep my face in the water. After a few attempts I finally got it. Although the visibility was zero, I managed to swim a quarter mile without lifting my head. The next weekend we began snorkelling around Palos Verdes. I saw so many critters on the bottom that eventually I began free diving, grabbing rocks and kelp to hold myself down as long as I could hold my breath. One day we were at Christmas Tree Cove and I spotted a batray and leopard shark. I didn't know what they were, other than a killer shark and stingray. I went to the library and leaned that they are harmless. I suddenly had the urge to spend more than a minute or so underwater.
We signed up for OW class in August, but the class didn't begin until October. We memorized the book and even bought two sets of used gear, which sat in the garage for six weeks. We finally gave into temptation and took our unused gear to Lake Tahoe to try scuba in four feet of water. She had a tiny stream of bubbles coming from her first stage. Not knowing if that was bad or not, she got out of the water. I remained at four feet for three minutes! My first scuba dive was solo.
After getting certified we couldn't stay out of the water. We used to backpack and camp at least twice a month. We went hiking only once again in the next twelve years.

 

[Diver0001]

My uncle was a marine biologist and when I went to do my undergrad studies at the university he was at, he basically nagged me into doing it.

R..

 

[noreastDIVER84]

I had a few things that got me to want to do it. The first was that my grandfather had actually sunk some of the "artificial reefs" along the east coast. I had been on some of them before they were sunk, and he had gone down to see them after they were sunk. So the first part of my equipment collection was his tank, bc, and regulator. I have and use the tank and regulator, but the bc was no longer useable. The second thing that got me wanting to do it was the fact that I have grown up basically on the beach. I had always been around the water, but would not swim in much of it because I did not know what was there. I had figured this may be an issue, but ofter my first experience underwater with marine life, I had been hooked.

 

[Diver0001]

Yes, my diving career rests on a solid foundation of Pinot Noir . . . and KoolAid!

LOL

LOOOOL

This is SO funny but at the same time, sadly, so true ... It begs the question. When are you going give yourself a break and just go *diving*? I doubt there is anyone more deserving of a break from the mental pressure of your diving philosophy than you are.

At some point, all diving is about having fun. When will you allow yourself to take your turn?

R..

 

[InTheDrink]

I dislike mentioning this but it's probably worthwhile.

I did a DSD in Thailand and loved it. My wife then bought me a referral OW course for my birthday. It was a bit of a last gasp for her to find something to maybe help with my heroin addiction. I did my classwork here in the UK and referral in Brazil. It took a little bit of time but the habit got kicked. I found something in life that 'fitted' me. I'm a gregarious person that finds human contact confusing and often difficult. I love being under the water where I can't speak and vice versa. My true love is diving and all my addictions, little by little, bit by bit, are falling off me the deeper I fall in love with my true love.

If I hadn't found diving I'd either be dead or in jail. A retrospective inspiration if you like.

 

[mdb]

InThe DrinK:

Your heartfelt post is the very best post I have ever seen on this board.

Diving can and has changed many a life. The calm ocean, the silence, the beauty,
being weightless under the waves, it all makes for an experience that, IMHO, is
unequaled.

Glad to know you are a fellow diver and doing well.

 

[InTheDrink]

InThe DrinK:

Your heartfelt post is the very best post I have ever seen on this board.

Diving can and has changed many a life. The calm ocean, the silence, the beauty,
being weightless under the waves, it all makes for an experience that, IMHO, is
unequaled.

Glad to know you are a fellow diver and doing well.

Thanks. It's nice to swap worthlessness for weightlessness. Tho they both have too many letters.

 

[kathydee]

I dislike mentioning this but it's probably worthwhile.

I did a DSD in Thailand and loved it. My wife then bought me a referral OW course for my birthday. It was a bit of a last gasp for her to find something to maybe help with my heroin addiction. I did my classwork here in the UK and referral in Brazil. It took a little bit of time but the habit got kicked. I found something in life that 'fitted' me. I'm a gregarious person that finds human contact confusing and often difficult. I love being under the water where I can't speak and vice versa. My true love is diving and all my addictions, little by little, bit by bit, are falling off me the deeper I fall in love with my true love.

If I hadn't found diving I'd either be dead or in jail. A retrospective inspiration if you like.

Congratulations! Kicking that addiction is a huge accomplishment!

Now be careful of the addiction to the narc .