For you scubadivers out there

[mattleycrue76]

I know alot of you are scuba divers and I've recently decided that I want to look into learning. I've bee told that the puget sound is actually a really great place to dive and of course I'd like to someday like to take a trip to a real reef. My question is wether there is any website or forum that has alot about local diving and where and how the best place to learn would be. I'm in Marysville so I need something on the north end.

Thanks

Matt

 

[TauntingTony]

http://www.seattlescuba.com/ this is the only diving school i have hurd of that is a great place to start.

 

[reedman]

My wife and I took lessons with Underwater sports in seattle. I know they have a store in Everett which should offer lessons. They were great to learn from. They kept telling us that the NW is one of the best places to learn because of the challenges that the cold water offers. We didn't fully appreciate this until we went to the Caribbean to dive....it was sooooo easy to dive down there. Almost no weight and no wet/dry suit. It was awesome. Diving here is great....if you have a dry suit. Diving with a wet suit is doable here, but I wouldn't want to do that long term....it's so much nicer to get out of the water and just hop in the car and go home or stand around talking while being dry....worth every penny (and it was a lot of them) for me.

 

[RockyHeap]

www.scubaboard.com is a GREAT all inclusive website....

Mukiteo is a fun dive, plus some of the best crabbing in the local area. Dive for food, gotta love it.

If you want to wait till end of July, every year Underwater sports has a Divers fair down at their northgate aurora store, I HIGHLY recommend going to this. Certification course is only $89-99.

I also have a bunch of used gear that is like new, or is new, so if you're interested I'll make you a sweat deal on masks, gloves, hood, and wetsuits.

Shoot me a email at [email protected], and see my sig line for the adventures the world holds.

 

[mattleycrue76]

Rocky I just might take you up on that. Right now I'm still in the stage of looking and trying to find out more. Also I've spent a BUTTLOAD of $$ on this saltwater addiction in the last few months so my bank account needs a little breather.

 

[reedman]

don't take up diving then. if you thought the reef tank was expensive you aint seen nothing yet.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

For anyone looking to take up diving on a budget, PM me for gear.
I am now a lazy warm water only diver dude with too much gear sitting around.

 

[star rider]

Puget Sound actually has some very good dive spots. if you include Hoodscanal even more.
of course there is always the San Juans..

 

[BobinCovington]

Diving is a great thing to learn, just take a class from a good instructor and have fun, be smart about currents, boats, etc. when you dive. I have dove (dived? doven?) all around puget sound, hoodsport, the san juans, hood canal, hawaii, mexico, california, etc and was even a commercial diver doing diving bells, underwater inspection, welding and I still have fun in puget sound. Nothing beats going diving for crab and hanging out with friends around puget sound. You get used to the cold water and low visibility and the people you meet diving are usually great people.

The problem I have diving in the tropical water is I can't help seeing the fish and thinking..."that little tang is $50 or that rock would fit perfect in my tank or I wonder if I could bring that on the plane?"
Enjoy it.

 

[NC2WA]

Bob,

Looks like dived or dove are acceptable forms.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=dive

Kirk

 

[SeaMonster]

how expensive is it? I wouldnt dare say new hobby infront of my gf but is it really expensive if i were to buy everything used?

 

[morgan]

how much is a course there u can do a course here for about $295 and u get 4 boat dive the course is a week long and its pretty good plus the diving u get to do is really good have the chance to see zoas, poccilys, table acros quiet a few other stonys huge stingrays crayfish nudis and heaps of inverts and sponges
and it is a padi cousrse make sure its padi certificate because u will be able to dive anywhere in the world

 

[BobinCovington]

to be honest I sold my tank, wetsuit and BC and I just rent them when I go. I just have a good mask, good fins, dive watch and a regulator. Its much easier (and cheaper) to travel light and rent for the few times I go diving each year nowadays. Besides, now that I getting older, for some reason my wetsuit seemed to shrink each year. Its a mystery...??

 

[reedman]

how expensive is it? I wouldnt dare say new hobby infront of my gf but is it really expensive if i were to buy everything used?

Seamonster, It's much like reefkeeping....you can save big on used gear if you verify the gear is good. I bought all new because my life depends on the gear. I wanted solid gear that I know works every time I use it. It's also largely true that you get what you pay for....so be careful trying to save a buck in dive gear. Renting gear is fine if you don't dive often. We were diving every week or two because it was so fun and relaxing so renting just didn't make sense. If you are going to dive once a month or so renting isn't bad. I still rent the tanks since they aren't that expensive to rent. If you are going to travel and dive look into how big the gear is and how heavy. You will end up checking one bag of dive gear (check your insurance to make sure you are covered for the loss of that bag). I tend to carry my regulator in my carry-on bag....makes it interesting in the security check...they always stop me, but then let me through once they see what it is.

 

[mattleycrue76]

Damn! Why do I always have to choose the most expensive hobbies? (Getting a private pilots license is also on my list). I guess I'm just gonna have to start with a course and let nature do its thing. At this rate I'll probably retire when I'm about 95

 

[RockyHeap]

Nah, it can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be, just like reefkeeping.

Bare bone entrance fee though, is about $250-300 once you get your $100 certification course, and $150-200 in mask/fins/gloves/boots.

But yeah, if you want your own regulator (highly suggested) that'll be $300-400+, dive computer $250+, BCD $350+.

We own all our own gear and even travel with it too for familiarity with the equipment.

Think of it this way, you're an astronaut in a foreign environment and want to be comphortable in your LIFE SUPPORT equipment......

Don't even get me started on underwater photography, I've got over $2000 in gear right there.