Hello from VA Beach

[chappy]

Hi all,
I'm new to both this board and scuba diving. Just received my OW a few months ago. I can't believe I waited so long to take the 'plunge' so to speak. Since getting me OW, I've been diving locally in Va, both in the ocean and in lakes. I'm having a blast. My girlfriend and I just returned from a Blackbeards liveaboard two weeks ago. What a treat! Can't say enough about that operation. Except, that trip has ruined the diving for us back home.

Take care,
Chappy

 

[lisa4516]

Welcome
I would love to know where you have been diving in Va Beach! We dove last summer with Lynnhaven Dive Center. It was our first dive after O.W. We went out to the light tower.We come down to Sandbridge most summers and would love to get some good ideas for diving!

 

[chappy]

Hi Lisa,
My girlfriend and I use Lynnhaven Dive Shop for all of our ocean dives. Very professional. (I really like that they put your fins on before you jump off the boat.) The tower is really just a check out dive. Only 40', but if you can do that, and don't mind the limited viz, they offer some other cool wreck dives. Check out the Gulf Hustler. Next time you are out here, check out Lake Rawlings - www.lakerawlings.com - It's about a two hour drive from VA Bch, but well worth it.

-Chappy

 

[O-ring]

You went on a Blackbeard's (Bahamas, right?) and that ruined VA Beach diving for you? Maybe you aren't diving the right sites in VB then..

 

[lisa4516]

The day that we dove the light tower, the ocean was pretty rough! Every other day that week it had been really calm. Quite a few people were seasick.The staff was pretty supportive with us as new divers. The one thing which I did not like about the dive shop was that they gave us a hard time about renting weights. They said that they preferred people to buy their own. We have weights but do not travel with them.
We are limited to shallower dives (30-50) feet,, possibly 60 due to some health concerns. If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them. We will not be down this summer but hopefully next summer

 

[chappy]

Hi O-ring,
Yeah, I know Va Bch has some great wreck diving, I'm just not to excited to wear my hooded vest and 7mm. You have to admit, the water is still pretty cold this time of year. But hey, I'm going out tomorrow.

Lisa - I bet that was a long boat ride to the tower, huh? FYI, the dive boats keep a 5 gallon bucket of misc. lead weights.

Thanks for the introductions,

- chappy

 

[Zellet]

Welcome to the SCUBABOARD it is a great place with lots of nice friendly helpful people.

 

[lisa4516]

Chappy
The ride out to the light tower was not too bad but the wait while they set everything up and the surface interval were rough. It did not help that I was really nervous about the whole thing, this being our first dive after OW in a quarry.Actually, I wasn't just nervous, I was scared!Fortunately, my brother in law who is AOW took me down the second dive and really calmed me down. (his wife was too sick to make the second dive and his daughter dove with my husband)
We spent the rest of the summer and early fall practicing at White Star Quarry in Ohio/ In March, we spent a week in Grand Cayman and in May, we dove a very low vis dive in The May river in Hilton Head, S.C.
We got our new 7 mil wetsuits this week and hope to be back quarry diving in a week or so, Our 3 mils were a bit thin for this time of year although we used them all last year.I think we are hooked and it still amazes me that we are doing it!