What would you do differently ...

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

if you were starting out in diving all over again?

Personally I have purchased a whole lot of junk gear and taken a whole lot of nonsensical courses but I would like to hear about everyone elses experience.

 

[sea_otter]

I would have taken up cold water diving a long, long time ago. So many missed opportunities while waiting on a trip to the tropics.

 

[Dish]

I would have kept diving periodically and not gone into a long hiatus. Travelling all over the world on someone else's dime... I really missed out diving some fantastic sites over those years.

Great question, BTW.

 

[Damselfish]

I would have done a liveaboard sooner. Wasn't sure I would like it, now it's our preferred way to dive.

 

[CuzzA]

Got certified at 10 yrs. old.

 

[Resqdivemedic]

I would have dove a lot more after my initial cert. I dove sporadically throughout the 90's. Should have been more consistent.

 

[Mike126]

Ditto^

I got certified in the mid 80s and stopped diving in the mid 90s. Started a family in the late 90s and did not get back in the water until 2007 or so.

I would have introduced my kids sooner to diving. I would have taken family vacations to the Caribbean or Keys earlier. And I would have picked the $500mil MegaMillions!

 

[ycc]

I wish I could get my dive cert before my marriage cert

 

[SeaHorse81]

I would have gotten a lot more aggressive about thermal protection a lot sooner. I've always gotten cold easily, and continually underestimated what it would take to deal with it. Started with a 3/2 suit, then added a hood, eventually went to a 7 mil custom suit, and far too much later, chucked all the neoprene for a dry suit.

All for diving in the Caribbean, by the way.

I wasted money on inadequate protection because I always thought "just a little more" would fix it when, in reality, it was always going to take a lot more. I spent way too many dives uncomfortably cold before I finally got into the right gear. Years of diving could have been a lot more enjoyable if I'd dealt with it more effectively and sooner.

 

[TMHeimer]

I, too would've gotten certified in my teens (not at 10....another topic) instead of age 51. But that would've meant not having a teaching career in Northern Manitoba (I had no desire to lake dive up there, and never gave a thought to being a "vacation" diver....I wouldn't have felt safe diving once/twice yearly, refresher course or not). So, I guess that leaves nothing I would change in the last 11+ years of diving.