Greetings All,
I lurked here a bit in December after our XO (NEDU) started up an account for our unit. I am a bit reluctant to post under the NEDU moniker as some may take what is said to be an official communication. I have been a regular reader, but infrequent poster on The Deco Stop, and the Cavers Forum for years.
I started off my diving in 88 in the balmy Northern waters off the Maine and New Hampshire coast (driving down from Canada), and continued to dive mostly in the St Lawrence river. I ended up getting my dive master cert to help out with classes.
While at school, I was able to get a work term for the Canadian Experimental Diving Unit and the hook for diving research was set. I never knew studying bubbles could be so much fun.
In 98 I got the opportunity to move to Panama City, Florida. I was soon bit by the cave diving bug, and got my extended range and cave certs. Living so close to Jackson Blue that it is possible to dive after work has had an amazing effect on my disposition
.
I spent the first few years in PC crewing a 60ft dive boat (The Prince of Tides), and getting my Instructor card. Becoming an Instructor was probably the biggest mistake I have made as working a boat on weekends has been some of the most enjoyable time I have spent on the water, but I do enjoy introducing the sport to others. I also started taking technician training classes after my first reg overhaul where it was returned to me with the mouthpiece glued on
Since my family lives in Canada, I have spent most of my vacation time diving in Canada; I cannot go a week without a dive, so climbing over snow banks in 6F weather to go diving was a necessity. It is amazing the vis you can get on the Gaskin in 32F water. I also had to prove that I had not turned into a warm water wimp.
A couple of years ago I was denied a normoxic trimix fill (Brockville) that got me to go back and take more training. I decided to try the GUE route, and took Fundamentals and Tech 1 last year (Tech 2 is on the schedule for this spring).
Cheers,
Keith
I lurked here a bit in December after our XO (NEDU) started up an account for our unit. I am a bit reluctant to post under the NEDU moniker as some may take what is said to be an official communication. I have been a regular reader, but infrequent poster on The Deco Stop, and the Cavers Forum for years.
I started off my diving in 88 in the balmy Northern waters off the Maine and New Hampshire coast (driving down from Canada), and continued to dive mostly in the St Lawrence river. I ended up getting my dive master cert to help out with classes.
While at school, I was able to get a work term for the Canadian Experimental Diving Unit and the hook for diving research was set. I never knew studying bubbles could be so much fun.
In 98 I got the opportunity to move to Panama City, Florida. I was soon bit by the cave diving bug, and got my extended range and cave certs. Living so close to Jackson Blue that it is possible to dive after work has had an amazing effect on my disposition
.I spent the first few years in PC crewing a 60ft dive boat (The Prince of Tides), and getting my Instructor card. Becoming an Instructor was probably the biggest mistake I have made as working a boat on weekends has been some of the most enjoyable time I have spent on the water, but I do enjoy introducing the sport to others. I also started taking technician training classes after my first reg overhaul where it was returned to me with the mouthpiece glued on
Since my family lives in Canada, I have spent most of my vacation time diving in Canada; I cannot go a week without a dive, so climbing over snow banks in 6F weather to go diving was a necessity. It is amazing the vis you can get on the Gaskin in 32F water. I also had to prove that I had not turned into a warm water wimp.
A couple of years ago I was denied a normoxic trimix fill (Brockville) that got me to go back and take more training. I decided to try the GUE route, and took Fundamentals and Tech 1 last year (Tech 2 is on the schedule for this spring).
Cheers,
Keith
