Youths Unite!

[KyDodenhoff]

Well I'm 24...so I guess I fall into the "young" diver category (I hope). I live in Virginia...although I'm in the process of trying to relocate to Fort Lauderdale. I got certified July 2007 and have about 30 dives (about half of which are ocean dives). I envy your 100 dives in one year.

Thanks, but that first year all I did was eat live and breath diving! When I wasnt working at the dive shop I was diving any rock quarry or "mud hole" I could find! I think during the winter it we were diving in 35 degree water so it was combat diving for sure! FT.Laud would be amazing! How did you like Cozumel?

 

[DivingPrincessE]

Thanks, but that first year all I did was eat live and breath diving! When I wasnt working at the dive shop I was diving any rock quarry or "mud hole" I could find! I think during the winter it we were diving in 35 degree water so it was combat diving for sure! FT.Laud would be amazing! How did you like Cozumel?

Cozumel was "ok"...nothing great, but we had a really crappy dive op. They were running late and also (I'm assuming) didn't feel like spending money on gas, so we dove basically right next to their shop. This would have been fine...except for the fact that over 1/2 of both dives were over sand...exciting! (*sarcastic*)

Fort Lauderdale was great, and it was my first ocean dive in Sept 2007. I was just there again last month and even though the vis wasn't great that time...it was still much better than I'm used to and a lot of fun! Plus I saw my first shark while i was there. I think Key Largo will be awesome when (if) I go next month.

Belize has been my favorite so far though.

 

[sandmanz32]

what dive op are you going to go through in largo? I would reccommend silent world if you havent already chosen. I dove with with them last year. first class operation all the way. uncrowded boats, knowledgeable staff, and just an all over pleasant experience. Oh, and when diving in largo, dont touch the christ of the abyss.....COVERED in fire coral. I learned that the hard way. swam a little to close and the surge knocked me into him.

Cozumel was "ok"...nothing great, but we had a really crappy dive op. They were running late and also (I'm assuming) didn't feel like spending money on gas, so we dove basically right next to their shop. This would have been fine...except for the fact that over 1/2 of both dives were over sand...exciting! (*sarcastic*)

Fort Lauderdale was great, and it was my first ocean dive in Sept 2007. I was just there again last month and even though the vis wasn't great that time...it was still much better than I'm used to and a lot of fun! Plus I saw my first shark while i was there. I think Key Largo will be awesome when (if) I go next month.

Belize has been my favorite so far though.

 

[DivingPrincessE]

what dive op are you going to go through in largo? I would reccommend silent world if you havent already chosen. I dove with with them last year. first class operation all the way. uncrowded boats, knowledgeable staff, and just an all over pleasant experience. Oh, and when diving in largo, dont touch the christ of the abyss.....COVERED in fire coral. I learned that the hard way. swam a little to close and the surge knocked me into him.

I'm going during ScubaBoard's Invade the Keys so all the dive ops have already been chosen.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/invade-keys-2008/225429-book-your-dives-invade-keys-2008-a.html

They are expencting over 100 SBers, so I'm guessing all the boats will be crowded.

Thanks for the tip on the Christ of the abyss, I'll remember that if I dive it.

 

[Z-D-Strong]

im very new to diving myself. I have been reading and going to lds for over a year but didnt get certified till later. i will be heading to university of hawaii at manoa this fall and studying marine bio. This summer i will be heading to france. while there i will do some diving in the south. i plan on diving quite a bit in hawaii, hopefully get a job at a dive store. nice to meet you all

 

[CLSbrunette]

Hi. I realize I'm being Mr. Grumps tonight (my 3-week old son is taking a toll), but it should be easy to find other young people on SB--just look for the run-on sentences and poor grammar.

On a more positive note, it's great to see young people excited about diving. I've worked with people who lived on the shores of Puget Sound (and literally had to step off their back yard for great diving) but were too consumed with playing their X-box and Wii to want to do anything remotely interesting outdoors. When I told one he should learn to dive, he responded, "I would, but I don't know when I'd find the time, between work and playing video games."

C'est la vie. So grab it by the balls, and enjoy.

I'm working as an SEO specialist but I always find time to be outdoors too. I guess like everything else, it's good to strike a balance whether you're near Puget Sound or elsewhere. :blinking: