How did you get into wreck?

[TBURKE]

My first check out dive was on a wreck at 85ft off of Beach Haven NJ. The year was 1983. There were no specialty courses.
We learned that every dive is a deco dive, that you don't dive without a redundant air supply. (pony bottle)
We only dove wrecks because that's what we did on the Jersey Shore. First you peeked in then you went into the first room, then the next and so on. We didn't have reels. We practiced progressive penetration.
So I taught myself with the help of friends but I never took a course.

 

[SCUBA482]

How did I get into wreck?

-I saw hole in wreck

-I swam into hole..




Just kidding, sort of. I started diving in order to go see shipwrecks- it's what I wanted to do in the first place. I've been focused on it from day 1. I've never taken a formal "wreck penetration" class, and at this point, I don't know if I ever will- I'm doing everything I really want to right now. But if I start doing stuff with extensive penetration involved, I might consider it....

I haven't taken a course yet and only looked at a couple shallow wrecks during my OW. Very cheesy and not sure I'd qualify them really, but I'd like to just dive around them to check them out, then take a course for formality reasons, and then make gradual penetration. Since I don't have too many dive buddies yet, I have to rely on courses for my training.

 

[captndale]

I started diving in 1973. Lake Michigan has always been at my doorstep.
Here, scuba diving = wreck diving.

 

[phillybob]

Like a few others, I dive New Jersey, ergo, I dive wrecks. That's what we do.

 

[Atomic_Diver]

I went about a confusing way.. I Read a TDI Adv. Wreck Manual, and an IANTD Adv. Wreck Manual, also a Manual Written by an Instructor friend of mine, Using the reel came naturally to me (because everyone in my family is heavily involved with fishing??), only bird nest 2x!!, then after I did the above I enrolled into a "Intro Wreck" Course that taught "Recreational" Penetration., Wreck Mapping, Survey, Hazards etc.. And then went from there..

 

[Sas]

There are heaps of wrecks locally and it was always something I was interested in, and what most people who dive a lot end up diving... I've learned mostly off experienced friends. Though I have had training lately that taught linework and other things that relate to overhead environments (but caves not wrecks), but I had already been taught by friends.

I don't know if I will take any formal wreck course... none of them locally seem to offer anything more than I have already learned and am doing. But maybe an 'Advanced Wreck' course might do, but would have to check out what is around and what it involves.

 

[Joseph Ferris]

Hi everyone - my first post!

I made a weeks worth of recreational dives on the wrecks in Coron, Philippines a few years back, in which I was blown away by the experience at the time. But this last year I have had the luck to be posted for work in Chuuk Lagoon; working all week on the Typhoon Maysak response effort, and diving every weekend.

Early on in Chuuk I started out surveying the wrecks, not pushing penetrations beyond natural light, and getting familiar with my co-worker dive buddy. I got my PADI Enriched Air Diver cert in Chuuk, started spending money on getting a proper kit together (having stuff shipped to Chuuk), and got comfortable working with the local guides on more challenging penetrations, and exploring the open holds on the deeper wrecks. I returned home to the Philippines for a Christmas break where I finished putting together my tec kit and took the PADI rescue diver, TDI into to Tec, and Advanced Nitrox classes, and on my return to Chuuk took the PADI tec 40 and 45.

I have recently been reassigned to Yap and refuse to spend my money diving here - its either diving on wrecks in Chuuk, or saving up for more training in the Philippines! My favorite Chuuk dive is the Haian Maru. I have spent a lot of time exploring her and am proud to have been able to teach the dive masters and local guides a few new rooms and passageways they had yet to find. I lived in a long term apartment at Truk Stop, with those guys being like family to me now. If anyone wants to know more about what is currently going on in Chuuk, please feel free to message me and I will try to give the best honest opinion I can.

 

[Oldbear]

I did a few wreck dives in various locations worldwide, but I really got into wreck diving living next to a lagoon with over 100 WWII wrecks in it.