mound Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 I am thinking of taking a certification class. "You look hopefully for an idea and then you're humble when you find it and you wish your skills were better. To have even a half-baked touch of creativity is an honor." -- Ernie Stires, composer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouizel Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 Back during Desert Shield/Storm, I spent 8 months on the island of Guam, where I learned to dive. It's awesome. Salt water diving is great. Fresh water is cool, but the visibility generally stinks in fresh water. Do it!! I highly recommend scuba diving. **Standard Disclaimer** Ya gotta watch da Ouizel, as he often posts complete and utter BS. In this case however, He just might be right. Eagles may soar, but Ouizels don't get sucked into jet engines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mound Posted July 16, 2004 Author Share Posted July 16, 2004 I took an intro class last night, it was full gear, in a pool, learning the very basics. seems like tons of fun! pricey though, but gear will last I guess. "You look hopefully for an idea and then you're humble when you find it and you wish your skills were better. To have even a half-baked touch of creativity is an honor." -- Ernie Stires, composer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ani Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 I signed up to take a scuba certification course here in Kansas City several years ago, but the class was cancelled due to a lack adequate participation. I've not seen any courses offered since, of course, I've not looked since I started a family. I've done some basic snorkeling, but I would LOVE to deep sea dive. Word of caution though, scuba diving is rated in the top three most dangerous sports around. The top three were Scuba diving, Parachuting, and Bungy Jumping. I believe at the time Scuba was at the top of the list for tragic death statistics. Pay close attention to the instruction and don't go out alone for quite some time until you have got your feet thoroughly wet with experienced divers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bryce Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 Originally posted by mound: I am thinking of taking a certification class.I'm a PADI certified diver. dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bbach1 Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 Originally posted by Ani: I signed up to take a scuba certification course here in Kansas City several years ago, but the class was cancelled due to a lack adequate participation. I've not seen any courses offered since, of course, I've not looked since I started a family. I've done some basic snorkeling, but I would LOVE to deep sea dive. Word of caution though, scuba diving is rated in the top three most dangerous sports around. The top three were Scuba diving, Parachuting, and Bungy Jumping. I believe at the time Scuba was at the top of the list for tragic death statistics. Pay close attention to the instruction and don't go out alone for quite some time until you have got your feet thoroughly wet with experienced divers.Ani, there's got to be just a bunch of scuba trainers in your area. Even little Bismarck, ND has three full timers. Full certification costs a mere $300, but you would have to add in a trip to the ocean for final certification. Ouizel: Salt water reef diving is the best, but don't sell fresh water diving short. There are some extremely clear fresh water places in this country alone. You don't get to look at all the incredible colored salt water fish, but some interesting things are out there. One unique place is in Branson, MO, just south of Springfield and not too far from Rams country. (Ani must know of this place). Branson resides by a fresh water lake that is clear and fun. There are some underwater cliffs to dive down and explore. Cool stuff. bbach Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ani Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 One unique place is in Branson, MO, just south of Springfield and not too far from Rams country. (Ani must know of this place). Branson resides by a fresh water lake that is clear and fun. TABLEROCK YEOWZA!!! Beautiful lake, and plus I have an open invitation to go there any time I want. I have a friend that owns a home down there, and a REAL NICE speed boat, jet skis, water tubes, skis, and the whole nine yards. He invites me every single summer to go down... it's great, he even volunteers to entertain my kids jet skiing or tubing while I get some serious swimming in. I've dove off of some of those cliffs from about 100' to 150' above water level..... the scope on the boat was measuring the depth of the water at over 100' deep. It's like WOW..... really cool place. I never thought about scuba diving there. I know that they say there are fish big enough to eat a man down in the Bennett Springs area, which has PURE CRYSTAL CLEAR water that you can see clear to the bottom of the springs. I wonder if Tablerock would have the same threat. I don't know if I'll check into the courses now, with kids and their activities the overall price might get overwhelming..... because my kids would want to participate TOO!!! I know the wetsuits and the tanks were not cheap back when... I would not want to rent the gear, but rather buy it and keep it on hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeon Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 SCUBA diving is very much associated with hearing damage and loss, and because of this, I have never considered doing it...though I am sure it is fascinating. cheers, aeon Go tell someone you love that you love them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouizel Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 Hmmm. I never knew that about the hearing loss. Of course, the reason is pressure, and you run the same risk if you have high cholesterol, or fly a lot. cwfno: I'm not selling freshwater diving short, I was making a generalization. Of course, I'd generally rather dive than not (even though it's been a while now), and freshwater diving can be interesting, even with poor visibility. It's just not as colorful as saltwater diving, generally. I've been freshwater diving in Michigan, in a few inland lakes, and in Lake Huron. Interesting experiences, all, and I wouldn't trade them for anything, but when I compare them to the salt diving off of Guam, in the Pacific Ocean and the Phillipine Sea, it just doesn't hold up. I guess that I was really blessed. **Standard Disclaimer** Ya gotta watch da Ouizel, as he often posts complete and utter BS. In this case however, He just might be right. Eagles may soar, but Ouizels don't get sucked into jet engines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daddyelmis Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 PADI certified in 92 and did a bunch of diving on the South Florida reef from West Palm to the Keys. 80 degree water, 100+ foot visibility, and great reef and ocean life. All of this within a mile of shore. It was like a Cousteau movie. Got spoiled and haven't hit the water since moving north (in NC its an hour and 1/2 boat ride to dive cold murky water for wrecks -- deep dive = no bottom time). www.ruleradio.com "Fame is like death: We will never know what it looks like until we've reached the other side. Then it will be impossible to describe and no one will believe you if you try." - Sloane Crosley, Village Voice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bbach1 Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 Originally posted by aeon: SCUBA diving is very much associated with hearing damage and loss, and because of this, I have never considered doing it...though I am sure it is fascinating. cheers, aeonwhat? bbach Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouizel Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 **Standard Disclaimer** Ya gotta watch da Ouizel, as he often posts complete and utter BS. In this case however, He just might be right. Eagles may soar, but Ouizels don't get sucked into jet engines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanThomas Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 Originally posted by aeon: SCUBA diving is very much associated with hearing damage and loss, and because of this, I have never considered doing it...though I am sure it is fascinating. cheers, aeonWhere, exactly are you getting this information? While it's certainly possible to injure your ear while scuba diving the odds are pretty low, especially if you follow correct procedure and technique. Your more likely to injure your ears by cleaning them with a Q-Tip or driving around with your windows rolled down. I've been a PADI certified diver for almost 15 years, and have logged well over 100 dives in all kinds of conditions and have never experienced any kind of diving related injury. I'd say that if you're really interested in scuba diving, you should go for it. But do pay attention during your classes and take the training seriously and most importantly, put it into practice. Scuba diving is perfectly safe but is maybe a bit less forgiving of complacency than some activities. Thanks to the certification organizations like PADI, NAUI, and especially the divers themselves (who voluntarily comply with suggested regulations & procedures), scuba diving is entirely self-policing and has an incredibly good safety record. Signatures can appear at the bottom of your posts. This option may be disabled by the message board administrators at any time, however. You may use UBB Code in your signature, but not HTML. UBB Code Images are permitted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bryce Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 Originally posted by AlanThomas: Originally posted by aeon: SCUBA diving is very much associated with hearing damage and loss, and because of this, I have never considered doing it...though I am sure it is fascinating. cheers, aeonWhere, exactly are you getting this information? While it's certainly possible to injure your ear while scuba diving the odds are pretty low, especially if you follow correct procedure and technique. Your more likely to injure your ears by cleaning them with a Q-Tip or driving around with your windows rolled down.Yeah, I'm curious about this too, Aeon... I don't have as many dives logged as Alan, but I've done my share and haven't had any problems either (and I get my hearing checked pretty regularly). I'll check with my brother as well - he's a certified scuba instructor. dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Doe Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 As a diver of 20 some years I can wholeheartedly say "go for it". Posts about diving related hearing loss are not based on medical facts. It is possible to rupture an outer eardrum in extreme and rare cases, but like everything else on your body, they heal up in a few weeks. BTW, diving up here in Puget Sound while more rigorous than in tropical climes is totally kick a$$. I've dove all over the world but the diving up here is incredible. BTW, nothing will screw up your hearing as much a playing in a R&R band .... No signature required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouizel Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 Originally posted by Jon Doe: Posts about diving related hearing loss are not based on medical facts. Uh, I beg to differ, slightly. Clonk When I first saw the claim on this thread I agreed with you, but it just isn't true. That article explains why. Now, the risk is slight, granted, being on a par with flying, and high cholesterol, but it's still there. I do think I'll take my chances, though. Diving's awesome!! **Standard Disclaimer** Ya gotta watch da Ouizel, as he often posts complete and utter BS. In this case however, He just might be right. Eagles may soar, but Ouizels don't get sucked into jet engines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Doe Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 Originally posted by Ouizel: Originally posted by Jon Doe: Posts about diving related hearing loss are not based on medical facts. Uh, I beg to differ, slightly. Clonk When I first saw the claim on this thread I agreed with you, but it just isn't true. That article explains why. Now, the risk is slight, granted, being on a par with flying, and high cholesterol, but it's still there. I do think I'll take my chances, though. Diving's awesome!! Like i said, it heals in a couple of weeks though. I think it's important to consult with physicians who are qualified to speak on diving issues. Very few are "Dive Doctors". No signature required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouizel Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 Ok, good point. I'm still not going to let it stop me from diving. It's waaaaay too fun. **Standard Disclaimer** Ya gotta watch da Ouizel, as he often posts complete and utter BS. In this case however, He just might be right. Eagles may soar, but Ouizels don't get sucked into jet engines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ani Posted July 17, 2004 Share Posted July 17, 2004 There are a LOT more serious conditions than just hearing loss. Right off the top of my head, I thought of hypothermia, unconsciousness, malfunction of air tanks and other things... SHARKS..... I'll run a quick search and bring up some links with medical facts reporting on scuba diving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ani Posted July 17, 2004 Share Posted July 17, 2004 Arterial Gas Embolism Scuba Diving Safety Christopher Paul on SCUBA Diving HUH..... this link below won't let you access the facts relative to the nature of the danger, but it does list the names of several conditions that result from scuba diving.... Diving Health/Safety Index Below are just some scuba related sites... Web sites: DAN: http://www.diversalertnetwork.org Scubamed, sponsored by Underwater Medicine Associates: http://www.scubamed.com Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society: http://www.uhms.org Association of Commercial Diving Educators: http://www.diveweb.com/acde/ National Association of Underwater Instructors: http://www.naui.org PADI: http://www.padi.com Scuba Schools International: http://www.ssiusa.com http://www.healthscout.com/news/1/510387/main.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boosh Posted July 17, 2004 Share Posted July 17, 2004 Originally posted by Ouizel: Back during Desert Shield/Storm, I spent 8 months on the island of Guam, where I learned to dive. It's awesome. Salt water diving is great. Fresh water is cool, but the visibility generally stinks in fresh water. Do it!! I highly recommend scuba diving.Does this mean that "to make trouble water clear,just add salt?" Fan, nu pissar jag taggtråd igen. Jag skulle inte satt på räpan. http://www.bushcollectors.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big K Posted July 18, 2004 Share Posted July 18, 2004 I used to dive(in fact I was the yongest advanced certifided diver in my city.) yea, its fun, but in the ned was too much money. I have taken up kayaking though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ani Posted July 18, 2004 Share Posted July 18, 2004 kayaking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FoxTick Posted July 18, 2004 Share Posted July 18, 2004 Originally posted by AlanThomas: I'd say that if you're really interested in scuba diving, you should go for it. But do pay attention during your classes and take the training seriously and most importantly, put it into practice. Scuba diving is perfectly safe but is maybe a bit less forgiving of complacency than some activities. Thanks to the certification organizations like PADI, NAUI, and especially the divers themselves (who voluntarily comply with suggested regulations & procedures), scuba diving is entirely self-policing and has an incredibly good safety record.Well said I'm PADI certified. Damage to the ears can occur if you continue your descent without equalizing the pressure in your sinuses. Otherwise your eardrums will rupture. Same goes with ascending (going up), you can have what is called a "reverse block" where the pressure in your sinuses hasn't released as the surrounding pressure decreases. equalization and compression take on whole new meanings when you enter the dive world. I haven't noticed any problems with my hearing since I started diving, granted I've only been doing it for a couple years now. You have to 'equalize' every chance you get as you're going down (or up) but once you get down there, it's very majestic. Swimming through kelp forrests, seeing the unusual creatures that live down there, it's worth every penny I've spent IMO. I can see it now...MusicPlayer SCUBA Trip!!!! 0096 2251 2110 8105 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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