wobicat:
Do I need a wetsuit/dry suit for Florida? I will be in Sarasota.
If so, what kind? Thickness etc? Female.
Any advice for a good inexpensive basic dive computer?
Any good refresher courses out there?
Any other beginners/advanced divers out there looking for a dive partner?
Does anyone out there belong to the Sarasota dive club?
What sort of thermal protection you need really depends on your tolerance of cold. Many people in Florida dive in wetsuits. OTOH, I know of one very small, slender woman who always dives in a drysuit because she is consistently comfortable in it, whereas she gets cold very quickly on the second dive when wearing a wetsuit. If you have enough of a track record from your previous 30 dives or so to make a determination, I'd recommend going with what you're familiar with. Drysuits add certain task loading initially, and if you're just getting back into diving perhaps additional task loading is not something you need right now. Keep in mind that rental wetsuits, while often ill-fitting, can offer you an opportunity to try out different thicknesses, styles, etc. [There are many threads in the archives relating to women and wetsuits, including several about a firm that custom cuts wetsuits to women's figures with great success. Spend some time with the 'Search' feature to read these threads.]
I would argue that if you are just getting back into diving it would be preferable to learn how to use the tables before buying a computer, particularly if you have not been diving for three years. While nearly all recreational divers use computers, the number of divers who are utterly clueless when their computers malfunction is staggering. After you understand and are able to use the tables well, THEN consider a computer. There are many manufacturers, some of the more popular models are made by Uwatec, Suunto, and Oceanic (similar Pelagic models are also sold under other brand names). Purchase a computer that straps to your wrist. IMO, you want to avoid the heavy console brands that tend to dangle off your SPG hose and can catch on the gunnel of a diveboat as you enter the water.
A refresher course would be an excellent idea. If you have 30 dives, however, and recall the basics regarding physiology, perhaps you need not start over entirely from the beginning. A course similar to PADI or NAUI 'Advanced Open Water' is often designed to pick up where open water training left off. The word "Advanced" is a misnomer. Such courses essentially offer newer divers 4 or 5 supervised dives in different environments to acquaint them with different skills - navigation, considerations for deeper dives, reduced light or night dives, etc. Alternately, combining a "open water review" period with a Nitrox course, if you have not taken one previously, might put you back into a position where you feel comfortable in the water.
There are many, many divers on this board who would be located in the vicinity of where you're going. One of the benefits of a board such as this is locating those divers before you arrive in your new area, and making arrangements to meet up with them after your arrival. Check the Florida Conch Divers forum on Scuba Board for contacts.
Best of luck. Take it easy.
Doc
