OT: How many divers are there on this forum

[Swamp Donkey]

I am getting DIve lessons for christmas. I am looking forward to it.

 

[Racenrich]

So Puffer...
tell me why anyone would want to pay $80 to find out where there are places to dive in the world?
Probably one of the reasons i have never gone..yeah i know cheap skate..sorry but, I have a fish hobby to pay for!
Maybe i can save it for the AQ trade show in 2007....that's what; $125 to get in that?....geex, i need a better paying job!!

Have fun!

Can you grab double of everything for me? :lol: JK

 

[maxima k2]

Puffer, I was just being lazy. Being at work makes me that way.

 

[Pufferpunk]

There's way more to it that that. It's only $10 to go to the Exibit Hall. I have learned so much in their seminars & even won a free Digital Shootout to Bonaire for a weeks diving & digital instruction, from Jack & Sue Drayfal!

Here is a list of the seminars for the upcoming convention:
Shipwrecks & Uderwater Archeology
Dive the World
Diving Technology
Wonders of the Sea
Underwater Photography

See: http://www.ourworldunderwater.com/seminars.html
for presenters.

Then there are Film Festivals on Fri & Sat nights. Some of the best photography you will ever see in your life! I even had one of my pics up there!

Then there are the more expensive Workshops, where you get PADI credits for. http://www.ourworldunderwater.com/workshops.html

We usually just pay for 1 day of seminars & 1 night Film Festival. That gets us into the exibit hall for free.

 

[Pufferpunk]

Rich and anyone else here, that feels they have the knowledge & experience: Join me at WetWebMedia to answer questions as their Crew. Anything you know here, can be used there--fish, reef tanks, equipment, FW tanks, etc. I have been taken to dive in the Red Sea for FREE! We are planning another trip to Bonaire & Cozumel next year, for FREE! (You guys know how much i like FREE!) All you have to do is answer a couple of questions there a day, to be part of the Crew. I can get you in.

 

[Racenrich]

FREE...........Bonaire .............Cozumel ...............:dance::dance:

Sent PM!

 

[Pufferpunk]

Looks like there were no takers for Bonaire in April (that was a trip I was planning) but lots of the Crew are planning on going to Cozumel in June.

 

[fishgeeksrus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8589426#post8589426 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pufferpunk
Bob Fenner & a bunch of us from WetWebMedia will be going to Cozumel in June. You guys are more than welcome to meet us there!

You guys are suppose to be meeting us there.

 

[Pufferpunk]

Oh, are you going w/Justin? Cool!!!

 

[jun_celis]

I've been diving for the last 10 years!!! Sounds big, right? Naaahh. Just diving once a year on my every vacation. Total dive about 10. Sounds funny but I have dove on all kinds of reefs around the world. Mexico, about 6 times. Hawaii - 1 time. Carribean - 1 time. Philippines - 2x. It's been great!

 

[rickyb]

I just signed up for the class. January 19, 2007 - weekend class.

 

[Pufferpunk]

All in 1 weekend? Where? I had problems taking the 2-weekend "Rambo" class. It all went too fast for me & I quit. Had to go for a private extra class & almost drowned during the Open Water test. Be careful, your life is at stake here, take your time...

 

[rickyb]

Taking the course at Underseas Scuba Center in Villa Park.
Thanks for letting me know, I will keep that in mind and I will ask about it when I pickup my books this week.

 

[maxima k2]

Who is it through? PADI , NAUI? One weekend sounds about right for Basic scuba through PADI. Just make sure you get along with the instructor, mine was kind of rough and scared half of the class off in the first half hour. He actually laid it all out and said if you cannot commit the door is that way! It freaked me out a little and I was thinking "what did I get myself into". Well by the time I went through all the classes for Advanced diver I realized why he was so rough. He wanted only the people serious about diving to stick around.

 

[AuroraDave]

I missed most of this thread because we were diving in the Dominican Republic... Punta Cana (Atlantic) and La Romana (Caribbean). The diving is very different in these two areas.

Punta Cana is all 40-50' dives that are frequently beat up by the quantity and skill level (with lots of daily certifications) of the divers. Better for beginners. Corals are all brown, except fans and sponges. Although I really dug the heavy surges we had a few days. On the plus side, diving was free and they were small groups versus the cattle calls of many resorts. 4-6 divers + DM.

La Romana was fantastic. 100' visib and more variety of dive sites, including wall dives. There are a lot more fish and corals of all colors.
Fry everywhere and we saw more unusual fish/eels/shrimp than Punta Cana, which was mainly grunts, groupers and wrasses.

 

[Pufferpunk]

We're always looking for new dive spots. Where is La Romana?

 

[AuroraDave]

La Romana is on the south, Caribbean side of the DR. There are numerous dive sites near Isla Catalina and Isla Saona, including wall dives.

There is an airport in La Romana, & it is located in what I think they call Bayahibe region, just E of the capital Santo Domingo. You may have heard about Casa de Campo in the news lately. It is a wealthy area on the coast where Sammy Sosa built a home. Very exclusive.

The wall was similar to others we have dove in the Caribbean, with less current or drift than say Cozumel. Shallower 2nd site dives around 40-50' were full of life. Fish & colorful corals. Less divers than Punta Cana and better visib. Water was 82 @ depth.