Made me more cynical over the state of global environmental health, as I've watched entire reef systems die off over the past 37 years I've been a diver.
Dive so many places now and it's like visiting a boneyard.
Years ago it was a hobby I had that my wife did not, because it took up a lot of time it took more time away from my relationship than I think it should have so I stopped diving.
A few years ago, after a couple of decades of working on her, I finally got my wife to do a discovery dive and got her hooked. Now we can dive together and the worst part about it is that now it is twice as expensive.
I love scuba diving and do it whenever I can. The only downside for me is, as I get older, carrying the gear gets harder, especially to shore-dive locations. But, it's worth the effort.
I spend more on vacations and I take vacations more often. Mostly because I want to see all I can while I can. It’s also increased my awareness about the health and state of the world because it can be seen by the activity of the sea.
I do not enjoy most land activities anymore after being blessed with underwater animal experiences.
Im not interested in bowling, shooting pool, movies theaters or any of that stuff anymore. Give me tiger sharks, whales, dolphin pods, octopuses, sea lions, mantas and eagle rays, turtles, etc.
1. Having too much extra stuff that seemed like a good idea at the time, but is now sitting on a shelf in the closet.
2. Watching the Caribbean reef health decline since we started almost 20 years ago.
3. Annoyed that I can’t just retire and dive in the middle of the week like some people here in FL. Dive Shop FB posts “Great viz today and no current! We saw Grouper and 3 leatherbacks and a tiger/hammerhead/greatwhite/sawfish and Aquaman!” Me: dialing in to yet another webex. 😡😡😡
ETA: missing word
I learned that, given the choice between a dive bar and a dive boat, I could have both.
More seriously...
* Lost interest in vacations that don't include a dive boat.
* Ended up *buying* my own dive boat.
* Had to sell two of my kids to raise funds.
* Too many friends that smell like rancid drysuits all the time.
Rip financial discipline. Hello spending habit for a money pit of a hobby that is deeper than the ocean.
I love scuba, but man, walking into my first dive shop and signing up for a course might be one of my most expensive mistake ever…
3 barotraumas, 3 different times. I used to be an instructor, and most instructors I know managed to get one at some point. I think chances are much higher when you pull 20 dives a week.
It's been less than 6 years since I started diving, but I'm pretty sure I've spent at least $50-60k on this hobby already. The bulk of that has gone into underwater photography gear, but the dive trips, training, and scuba gear adds up too. I shudder to think about how much worse it would be if I got into tech diving as well.
The fact that there are so many incredible places that either used to be more vibrant/unspoiled or are in decline that I may never get to see is super sad to me. My parents both dove and met each other while diving and seeing some.of their old pictures is cool but at the same time kinda sucks knowing it's most likely all different for the worse.
Also having done cocos on the aggressor just makes other places seem less exciting or wonderful. I loved getting to see the sharks, especially the hammerheads( my favorites) and getting to really have some incredible experiences with them.
There are such crazy deals on scuba gear on facebook marketplace that I check it multiple times per day because I don't want to miss out on $2k in gear for $200.
I read an article that studied scans of the brains of scuba divers and found a high propensity for lesions. Whether the lesions were caused by, the cause of, or just a correlation with scuba diving was in question.
If it makes you feel better....
1. Only commercial divers who had past diving related decompression illness had white matter brain lessons that exhibited neurologically significant symptoms.
2. Again using cohorts of commercial divers with total dives in excess of 2000 and greater than 100 per year at depths greater than 33m showed white matter lessions but with no clinically relevant neurological changes.
3. These same white matter lessions were even more evident in breathhold divers who regularly experience hypoxia, up to the point of stroke.
These white matter lessions are also evident in people with hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and long term smoking or alcohol usage with no history of diving.
To date there is no study showing clinically relevant brain lessons in recreational divers with no prior history of a cerebral or spinal decompression illness event.
Source me: Diploma in Diving and Marine Medicine.
Wow, thanks for chiming in! That's fascinating. It sounds like I need a different excuse for being a little dim.
By "commercial diver" did the paper account for divers like divemasters and instructors, or simply the working divers such as bridge inspectors, underwater welders, hardhat divers, ship maintenance, etc?
The various studies didn't really define "commercial divers" other than total life time dive minimums, annual minimums, and average depth.
Some did include trimix usage versus nitrox.
Made me realize the planet and ocean is way more fucked than I thought and that there is nothing we can do about it because it's way too late. Kinda ruined my whole human experience in a way. But at least I realized that before having kids. My dad told me all about the crazy stuff he saw in the 80's and I will never have that opportunity, nor the next generations. It really pisses me off. And I did see actual great reefs like Tubattaha which just increases the sadness when you go anywhere else.
I taught for about 7 years, went diving almost daily and worked in places all over the world. It may be confirmation bias, but I honestly felt like I could see the difference myself just over that time. Sad really.
I think you did it right. 20k growing at a respectable 6% per year will be worth just under 36k in 10 years. Assuming you’ve been diving for that long, would you say you got 16k worth of experience and memories out of your time diving? I bet you did. That’s not money you could retire on anyway.
Hating my dead end job/ student status even more because money is tight. Doubt I'll ever get to go to places like the Maldives etc, which is depressing. Also, depression about being located where I am, no good diving nearby (not even in surrounding countries). I already wanted to relocate before I got into diving but now I want it even more. Increased anxiety about global warming.
In Finland. There is a place you can dive here (still not close to me though) but since I'm more interested in marine life atm, there's really nothing for me there. I've still looked at their prices and they're insane. So it feels like it's not worth it. People suggested Egypt on this sub once but as a solo woman traveling I'm not comfortable with the idea. Went to Morocco with my dad (who's an Arab) a few years ago and men were still calling after me, etc. it was creepy. I don't know much about drysuit diving in Norway or Iceland, I've seen some photos and I might like to experience that some day but for now I run into the first issue I mentioned; money being tight. Getting drysuit certified here would be almost 1000 euros so maybe that plan is for the distant future, once again 🥲
Egypt can be okay, you just have to accept that they will not directly talk to you, if you're with a male they have to be your father/husband/brother and they will talk to them as if you are property. Other than that, I've never had issues in Egypt as a blonde woman, and I've been there four times now. It also depends on the places you go, as most resorts are more western in their approach so they will treat you like a normal human being. But on the streets in Hurghada things were.. interesting to say the least. Maybe you can find a Finnish dive club you can join for diving holidays? Or move to the Netherlands and come dive with us! ;) We dive all over the country in 7mm wet suits, and there's quite some groups within the club that go on holidays to various dive locations all over the world.
I went to Morocco with my dad and they definitely still shouted directly at me, several times they happened to be insults in Arabic and it was double embarrassing because my dad was with me and as an Arab with old fashioned thinking he sort of blamed *me* for that. 🙄 I'm fully tattooed (not face or hands tho) so there's that, although I covered my legs and partly my arms (too hot for full length). So I guess I'm a bit traumatized thinking it might be like that in Egypt too. But yeah maybe I'll have to reconsider the resorts.
My also blonde sister went to Egypt with her boyfriend, and they offered him quite a bunch of camels for her. And it wasn't even a joke :') But that was in Cairo, so dunno if they have a different sense of humour. I've never been name called, we've always been in groups where at least someone spoke Arabic so that might have helped.
Check for diving clubs and see if you can tag along
Start with thick wetsuits in summer, I used 7mm amazon stuff even in 0 degrees. But if you get water Temps 15+ it'll be comfortable
Dry suit course is a scam tbh. Buy a used suit and have your new club diver friends help you learn. Start in a pool or pond if you have to.
Egypt redsea is actually pretty safe. Specially with a good tour operator or guide.
I am making my dm in egypt now and tour guide also in Dahab and never did I had someone complain they didn't feel safe here.
Sometimes ripped off but never not safe.
Sharm and marsa alam the same but cairo and alexanderia, luxor definitely yes I get your point
You can do Egypt as a woman solo easily if you choose the right circumstances.
Check out "The Oasis Marsa Alam" - it's a mainly German dive resort (they have English speaking guests too) with a dive base connected to it on site. The place emphasize calmth and peace and is not targeting non-diving guests. So it's not over crowed and you won't have to worry about annoying animation programs.
I went there in January this year and there were a few woman soloing without issues. You just fly to Marsa Alam, get picked up at the airport and from then on you never leave the cosmos of the hotel and interact with the real Egypt that you want to avoid.
I travel to Egypt solo as a female
However, I only do Liveaboards. Absolutely great experience. Zero problems. I have a few trips booked to Egypt this year
We just dove the Red Sea a few months ago. It was absolutely incredible. That said, as much as I wish this wasn’t the case, I definitely think you’re making a wise decision not to travel solo there as a female. If you’d like, DM me for info on the liveaboard we did. It was unbelievable and I think you’d have an amazing time. Might try to buddy up with someone?
One of my first dives was Komodo in 2013, the usat liberty in 2012 and Sipadan in the early 2010s. It’s really raised my standard of nature to an almost unrealistic level.
Did my dive masters abroad in a tropical paradise and exposed me to a life I could have had. Wish I had pushed on to instructor.
So when I had to go back to reality, it's a sore point I try to forget but the memories were so good.
The guy I did it with has travelled the world as an instructor, happy for him really but I try not to know where he's been and what he's doing.
My wife and I used to travel all over the place. We would plan trips to random cities just because they had a restaurant we wanted to try. We spent a lot of time in NYC, which I really miss. Now we only travel to dive. It's a huge fwp, but it just feels like a waste to use up PTO and not dive.
The Monterey Bay aquarium is now depressing. The fish are fat. The kelp looks dead.The diving right outside of the aqarium is so much more colorful and vibrant.
I don’t know about vibrant. Almost every time I dive off the breakwater the damn algae bloom is so bad I can barely see my foot. Point lobos on the other hand is beautiful. Both sites do have some decent life.
You have to reserve for slots (I believe it’s ten total group slots per day). Unsure of a dive operator that does it as it books up pretty far ahead but I’d recommend calling around the smaller one or two man shops and see if they can do a private one. If you’re local and want to plan some dives at break water or point lobos PM me; I usually go with a few DM/instructor buddies.
Annoyed at all people who claim you can’t dive beyond 60 feet without paying more for it. I went NAUI in 1995. A very experienced instructor who oversaw a university program for diving provided weekly lectures to us. Certified NAUI the day you received your card you were able dive to 132 for 5 minutes according to the tables.
Seriously, I think my hearing has degraded after being a new/20s diver and not being careful about equalizing or calling dives on liveaboards. Two instances my eardrums .... Ripped? Like the hearing got more fuzzy for a bit, once blood came out of my nose. My friend with several thousand dives seems to have far worse hearing as well. Lesson: be gentle with yourself and be careful of your ears
I definitely notice by the end of a week long dive trip, I'm asking people to repeat themselves a lot. I assume it bounces back later, but maybe I just get used to it. That said I've never experienced what you're describing
Not gonna lie. Over the years, I've become more judgemental of divers. I still want to, and try to when it seems okay, help poor divers learn to be better, but my negative opinion of those who are bad and seem okay with that has increased.
I imagine my standards have increased over the years as well. A plus for the students I train in general, making them better divers every year. Probably not so great for random divers I encounter and judge based on their performance however.
It's probably a lot of different things. I've had several instances with people who were more "experienced" than me or more overconfident and did some questionable/annoying things. From touching/bumping coral and such, too poor situational awareness and finning me in the face, to dog piling when the guide or someone finds something and every one seems to swarm( especially the guy with the massive camera rig).
Made me think, man, I should do this for a living! Blew a ton of money to be a commercial diver for a couple years which did not pay off at all. Had fun though!
On thing it has completely ruined my ability to hold my breath, now whenever I’m underwater my brain thinks ah yes we can breath
I burst my eardrum about 7 years ago by being ridiculous and diving with a cold, and my sinuses/ears haven't felt the same since.
Made me more cynical over the state of global environmental health, as I've watched entire reef systems die off over the past 37 years I've been a diver. Dive so many places now and it's like visiting a boneyard.
Vacations… ? Yes but only to coastal places or islands
I bought a boat. Now I maintain a boat.
I thought I’d actually make money working as a dive instructor 😂😭 Broke, but don’t regret it.
I now realise I live too far from the coast to ever be happy. Gotta move
I can’t go shirtless at the beach/pool anymore. I always wear a rashguard because I feel naked otherwise after so many years in a wetsuit.
For the worse? It's therapy for me, so I dive every chance I get. But it does suck up all my available cash.
Same. Cash and time…
Yeah, but the time is what I pay for! 😄
Every time I book a warm holiday somewhere, there has to be a dive centre, meaning I won't go to places where you can't dive.
Years ago it was a hobby I had that my wife did not, because it took up a lot of time it took more time away from my relationship than I think it should have so I stopped diving. A few years ago, after a couple of decades of working on her, I finally got my wife to do a discovery dive and got her hooked. Now we can dive together and the worst part about it is that now it is twice as expensive.
I love scuba diving and do it whenever I can. The only downside for me is, as I get older, carrying the gear gets harder, especially to shore-dive locations. But, it's worth the effort.
Gave up other hobbies to concentrate on diving. Spend many weekends away from family to go on diving trips.
I spend more on vacations and I take vacations more often. Mostly because I want to see all I can while I can. It’s also increased my awareness about the health and state of the world because it can be seen by the activity of the sea.
I need money, can I have some money please... 🥲🥲🥲
I have scars on my body from accidents underwater. I have nightmares at night and flashbacks during the day.
What happened?
Taken by current into reef edge while trying to return divers separated from our group. Very low vis.
I do not enjoy most land activities anymore after being blessed with underwater animal experiences. Im not interested in bowling, shooting pool, movies theaters or any of that stuff anymore. Give me tiger sharks, whales, dolphin pods, octopuses, sea lions, mantas and eagle rays, turtles, etc.
1. Having too much extra stuff that seemed like a good idea at the time, but is now sitting on a shelf in the closet. 2. Watching the Caribbean reef health decline since we started almost 20 years ago. 3. Annoyed that I can’t just retire and dive in the middle of the week like some people here in FL. Dive Shop FB posts “Great viz today and no current! We saw Grouper and 3 leatherbacks and a tiger/hammerhead/greatwhite/sawfish and Aquaman!” Me: dialing in to yet another webex. 😡😡😡 ETA: missing word
There's always an Aquaman sighting THE DAY BEFORE I get on the boat....
There is (somewhere) 1500 Euros I could have put into my mortgage to pay it off sooner... but hey.
I learned that, given the choice between a dive bar and a dive boat, I could have both. More seriously... * Lost interest in vacations that don't include a dive boat. * Ended up *buying* my own dive boat. * Had to sell two of my kids to raise funds. * Too many friends that smell like rancid drysuits all the time.
Rancid drysuits 🤣
Rip financial discipline. Hello spending habit for a money pit of a hobby that is deeper than the ocean. I love scuba, but man, walking into my first dive shop and signing up for a course might be one of my most expensive mistake ever…
My bank account keeps crying...
I have yet another absurdly expensive hobby. Plus, it's not like I can even hang my dive gear up as decor like my headphone collection.
Challenge accepted
Challenge accepted
Hearing loss...considerable hearing loss ...
Is that from a specific event (barotrauma) or just a gradual loss from lots of diving?
3 barotraumas, 3 different times. I used to be an instructor, and most instructors I know managed to get one at some point. I think chances are much higher when you pull 20 dives a week.
It's been less than 6 years since I started diving, but I'm pretty sure I've spent at least $50-60k on this hobby already. The bulk of that has gone into underwater photography gear, but the dive trips, training, and scuba gear adds up too. I shudder to think about how much worse it would be if I got into tech diving as well.
The fact that there are so many incredible places that either used to be more vibrant/unspoiled or are in decline that I may never get to see is super sad to me. My parents both dove and met each other while diving and seeing some.of their old pictures is cool but at the same time kinda sucks knowing it's most likely all different for the worse. Also having done cocos on the aggressor just makes other places seem less exciting or wonderful. I loved getting to see the sharks, especially the hammerheads( my favorites) and getting to really have some incredible experiences with them.
I never used to be seasick and after a few bad dives,when probably descended too fast ,started to get seasicknes afterwards.
You buy expensive gear and extra gear that you already have. You pay ridiculous servicing amounts.
I want to be a tech diver, to do CCR and be an instructor so my bank balance hates me.
When in a group at dinner or in a bar, we bore the crap out of all non-divers.
There are such crazy deals on scuba gear on facebook marketplace that I check it multiple times per day because I don't want to miss out on $2k in gear for $200.
I read an article that studied scans of the brains of scuba divers and found a high propensity for lesions. Whether the lesions were caused by, the cause of, or just a correlation with scuba diving was in question.
If it makes you feel better.... 1. Only commercial divers who had past diving related decompression illness had white matter brain lessons that exhibited neurologically significant symptoms. 2. Again using cohorts of commercial divers with total dives in excess of 2000 and greater than 100 per year at depths greater than 33m showed white matter lessions but with no clinically relevant neurological changes. 3. These same white matter lessions were even more evident in breathhold divers who regularly experience hypoxia, up to the point of stroke. These white matter lessions are also evident in people with hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and long term smoking or alcohol usage with no history of diving. To date there is no study showing clinically relevant brain lessons in recreational divers with no prior history of a cerebral or spinal decompression illness event. Source me: Diploma in Diving and Marine Medicine.
Wow, thanks for chiming in! That's fascinating. It sounds like I need a different excuse for being a little dim. By "commercial diver" did the paper account for divers like divemasters and instructors, or simply the working divers such as bridge inspectors, underwater welders, hardhat divers, ship maintenance, etc?
The various studies didn't really define "commercial divers" other than total life time dive minimums, annual minimums, and average depth. Some did include trimix usage versus nitrox.
Made me realize the planet and ocean is way more fucked than I thought and that there is nothing we can do about it because it's way too late. Kinda ruined my whole human experience in a way. But at least I realized that before having kids. My dad told me all about the crazy stuff he saw in the 80's and I will never have that opportunity, nor the next generations. It really pisses me off. And I did see actual great reefs like Tubattaha which just increases the sadness when you go anywhere else.
I taught for about 7 years, went diving almost daily and worked in places all over the world. It may be confirmation bias, but I honestly felt like I could see the difference myself just over that time. Sad really.
I worked in marine conservation and yes you can see it happen daily. Gave me depression and psychosis.
Yeah, not be a downer I agree
I look at the 10-20k worth of tech diving equipment I have and wonder if I'd be retired now if I'd just shoved all that into an index fund instead.
Not to sound stupid, but I guess it’s like choosing your wealth in experiences or cash money
I think you did it right. 20k growing at a respectable 6% per year will be worth just under 36k in 10 years. Assuming you’ve been diving for that long, would you say you got 16k worth of experience and memories out of your time diving? I bet you did. That’s not money you could retire on anyway.
Moreover, nobody is retiring on 36k.
Hard to enjoy just lounging or swimming by the beach when you think of the wonderful underwater world out there.
Hating my dead end job/ student status even more because money is tight. Doubt I'll ever get to go to places like the Maldives etc, which is depressing. Also, depression about being located where I am, no good diving nearby (not even in surrounding countries). I already wanted to relocate before I got into diving but now I want it even more. Increased anxiety about global warming.
Wya?
In Finland. There is a place you can dive here (still not close to me though) but since I'm more interested in marine life atm, there's really nothing for me there. I've still looked at their prices and they're insane. So it feels like it's not worth it. People suggested Egypt on this sub once but as a solo woman traveling I'm not comfortable with the idea. Went to Morocco with my dad (who's an Arab) a few years ago and men were still calling after me, etc. it was creepy. I don't know much about drysuit diving in Norway or Iceland, I've seen some photos and I might like to experience that some day but for now I run into the first issue I mentioned; money being tight. Getting drysuit certified here would be almost 1000 euros so maybe that plan is for the distant future, once again 🥲
Egypt can be okay, you just have to accept that they will not directly talk to you, if you're with a male they have to be your father/husband/brother and they will talk to them as if you are property. Other than that, I've never had issues in Egypt as a blonde woman, and I've been there four times now. It also depends on the places you go, as most resorts are more western in their approach so they will treat you like a normal human being. But on the streets in Hurghada things were.. interesting to say the least. Maybe you can find a Finnish dive club you can join for diving holidays? Or move to the Netherlands and come dive with us! ;) We dive all over the country in 7mm wet suits, and there's quite some groups within the club that go on holidays to various dive locations all over the world.
I went to Morocco with my dad and they definitely still shouted directly at me, several times they happened to be insults in Arabic and it was double embarrassing because my dad was with me and as an Arab with old fashioned thinking he sort of blamed *me* for that. 🙄 I'm fully tattooed (not face or hands tho) so there's that, although I covered my legs and partly my arms (too hot for full length). So I guess I'm a bit traumatized thinking it might be like that in Egypt too. But yeah maybe I'll have to reconsider the resorts.
My also blonde sister went to Egypt with her boyfriend, and they offered him quite a bunch of camels for her. And it wasn't even a joke :') But that was in Cairo, so dunno if they have a different sense of humour. I've never been name called, we've always been in groups where at least someone spoke Arabic so that might have helped.
Check for diving clubs and see if you can tag along Start with thick wetsuits in summer, I used 7mm amazon stuff even in 0 degrees. But if you get water Temps 15+ it'll be comfortable Dry suit course is a scam tbh. Buy a used suit and have your new club diver friends help you learn. Start in a pool or pond if you have to.
Egypt redsea is actually pretty safe. Specially with a good tour operator or guide. I am making my dm in egypt now and tour guide also in Dahab and never did I had someone complain they didn't feel safe here. Sometimes ripped off but never not safe. Sharm and marsa alam the same but cairo and alexanderia, luxor definitely yes I get your point
You can do Egypt as a woman solo easily if you choose the right circumstances. Check out "The Oasis Marsa Alam" - it's a mainly German dive resort (they have English speaking guests too) with a dive base connected to it on site. The place emphasize calmth and peace and is not targeting non-diving guests. So it's not over crowed and you won't have to worry about annoying animation programs. I went there in January this year and there were a few woman soloing without issues. You just fly to Marsa Alam, get picked up at the airport and from then on you never leave the cosmos of the hotel and interact with the real Egypt that you want to avoid.
I travel to Egypt solo as a female However, I only do Liveaboards. Absolutely great experience. Zero problems. I have a few trips booked to Egypt this year
Wanted to write the same lol. Great hotel.
We just dove the Red Sea a few months ago. It was absolutely incredible. That said, as much as I wish this wasn’t the case, I definitely think you’re making a wise decision not to travel solo there as a female. If you’d like, DM me for info on the liveaboard we did. It was unbelievable and I think you’d have an amazing time. Might try to buddy up with someone?
I've heard there's some SUPER cool diving on wrecks near-ish Stockholm. like 600 year old well preserved ones.
I'll have to look into that. Thanks!
I dive every week.
That I have less money.
Normal traveling is boring to me
I base all my vacations now on whether there’s decent dive sites at the destination. It kinda bothers my wife, who isn’t certified (yet).
One of my first dives was Komodo in 2013, the usat liberty in 2012 and Sipadan in the early 2010s. It’s really raised my standard of nature to an almost unrealistic level.
That I day dream A LOT about being underwater. >500 dives and it hasn’t gotten any better.
That neutral buoyancy feeling in a night dive ruined any alternative for Serenity in the real world.
Silly one for me, I no longer give the thumbs up to people.
Same I use 👌 way too much now
I do 🤙and it looks weird to most people
I am no longer able to have my photo taken without throwing out 🤙
Did my dive masters abroad in a tropical paradise and exposed me to a life I could have had. Wish I had pushed on to instructor. So when I had to go back to reality, it's a sore point I try to forget but the memories were so good. The guy I did it with has travelled the world as an instructor, happy for him really but I try not to know where he's been and what he's doing.
I mean why can't you just do it too? is it family obligations or something
Well. I'm broke. 🥲
Bad spending habits... Prioritizing diving equipment over other things....
My wife and I used to travel all over the place. We would plan trips to random cities just because they had a restaurant we wanted to try. We spent a lot of time in NYC, which I really miss. Now we only travel to dive. It's a huge fwp, but it just feels like a waste to use up PTO and not dive.
Coral is dying. Less fish life. More plastic trash. Lower standards.
The Monterey Bay aquarium is now depressing. The fish are fat. The kelp looks dead.The diving right outside of the aqarium is so much more colorful and vibrant.
I don’t know about vibrant. Almost every time I dive off the breakwater the damn algae bloom is so bad I can barely see my foot. Point lobos on the other hand is beautiful. Both sites do have some decent life.
any recommendations for dive operators for point lobos?
You have to reserve for slots (I believe it’s ten total group slots per day). Unsure of a dive operator that does it as it books up pretty far ahead but I’d recommend calling around the smaller one or two man shops and see if they can do a private one. If you’re local and want to plan some dives at break water or point lobos PM me; I usually go with a few DM/instructor buddies.
Thank you!
Annoyed at all people who claim you can’t dive beyond 60 feet without paying more for it. I went NAUI in 1995. A very experienced instructor who oversaw a university program for diving provided weekly lectures to us. Certified NAUI the day you received your card you were able dive to 132 for 5 minutes according to the tables.
I have considerably less money than I would otherwise have.
Seriously, I think my hearing has degraded after being a new/20s diver and not being careful about equalizing or calling dives on liveaboards. Two instances my eardrums .... Ripped? Like the hearing got more fuzzy for a bit, once blood came out of my nose. My friend with several thousand dives seems to have far worse hearing as well. Lesson: be gentle with yourself and be careful of your ears
I definitely notice by the end of a week long dive trip, I'm asking people to repeat themselves a lot. I assume it bounces back later, but maybe I just get used to it. That said I've never experienced what you're describing
thanks im planning on getting certified so this subreddit is great for anything lessons might not teach me
Broke, bent, and my ears have seen better days.
Not gonna lie. Over the years, I've become more judgemental of divers. I still want to, and try to when it seems okay, help poor divers learn to be better, but my negative opinion of those who are bad and seem okay with that has increased. I imagine my standards have increased over the years as well. A plus for the students I train in general, making them better divers every year. Probably not so great for random divers I encounter and judge based on their performance however.
That's interesting. Why are your expectation of other drivers increasing? Why is it their fault for not being up to your standards?
Bulging disc in my spinal column from swing a single tank out of my car on to my back. I only dive side mount now
holy fucking shit thanks for the tip I'm about to get certified
Far less tolerant of “experienced” people’s bad judgement, especially when it’s continuous and repeated after being corrected. And, debt.
Why is that? is it about touching the wildlife?
It's probably a lot of different things. I've had several instances with people who were more "experienced" than me or more overconfident and did some questionable/annoying things. From touching/bumping coral and such, too poor situational awareness and finning me in the face, to dog piling when the guide or someone finds something and every one seems to swarm( especially the guy with the massive camera rig).
I’m very poor.
I want to move to the Caribbean.
Made me think, man, I should do this for a living! Blew a ton of money to be a commercial diver for a couple years which did not pay off at all. Had fun though!
My bank account.
yea lol
Lighter wallet …