[Auzzie-Phoenix]

I have started my journey into my most expensive hobby yet... scuba diving. By my estimates, it should take me just about 3 years to purchase all of my equipment. As many know, scuba diving is VERY expensive. But at the same time, it is also quite enjoyable and relaxing. Given that it will take me several years to purchase everything, this gives me plenty of time to take refresher courses and find groups to go diving with. Fortunately a friend is a divemaster as his occupation, so I get to pick his brains about things, which will help out immensely.

Divers chime in! If there's enough of us, we can start a club. Discuss anything scuba related.

[Nass]

Enjoy, a very worthwhile hobby! Google UV night dives if you want to see something really cool.

-Nass

[p38arover]

I gave away my wet suit, mask, regs (octopus), buoyancy vest, dive computer, weight belt, etc. last year. I simply wasn't diving anymore. It was different when I lived near the sea (on Norfolk Island) and opposite the dive shop but now I'm 70km from the ocean, I simply can't be bothered.

[SuperSyx]

I dive and i do underwater photography, it is another world and another technique. The good thing with diving equipment is that it lasts a lifetime, take care of you gear and get to know it. When you know your gear by feel you will be more relaxed and do longer dives!

[ChrisPlatt]

Don't forget the Nikonos!

Chris

[RoxnDox]

I got certified and picked up the nece$$ary piece$ of $cuba gear when we moved out here back to saltwater, but diving has really slacked off since that first year or so. Some medical issues, some 'other stuff', but mostly just mental status and desire... I have found more benefit from being above the water on my kayak than beneath it.

I did get a chance to dive the tropical waters of Cozumel last month on a cruise, which was certainly fun. It was really really nice to dive with so little gear restricting motion and sight! I use a neoprene drysuit here locally, and between the restricted motion and the weight required to counteract its bouyancy, I can end up with a damned heavy load to walk down the rocks.

Crappy photos from that dive, my WB was way off and no strobes, but the reefs and fish were wonderful to see. We have many beautiful sites to dive here in Puget Sound, but no reefs quite like that.

Jim

[reeftool]

That's something I did in my youth when I lived in Florida. If I still lived there, I would probably still be doing it. It's way too cold up here to get me interested in picking it up again. I did a dive in one of our local lakes several years ago with my brother in law who dives often. It was kind of fun to do it again but even in August, the lake water was like ice and I had no desire to take it up again. As for costs, I think any sporting hobby can get expensive. My current downhill ski's and boots cost about what a new K1 body would. Add a season pass and other gear and it would cover a lens or two. I have a couple of grand invested in kayaks and fishing gear. I'll save the Harley for last. I could buy a 645Z and a couple of lenses for what I have into the bike.

You only live once so enjoy your scuba gear and post some pictures! I loved diving on the Florida reefs and wrecks back in the day.

[SuperSyx]

Hey Auzzie-phoenix, do you plan on doing underwater photography or just diving?

[p38arover]

RoxnDox, I understand about the mental status. I pretty much stopped diving while still living on Norfolk Island (it's halfway between New Zealand and New Caledonia and halfway between Fiji and Australia).

Even though I'd dived on the Great Barrier Reef which was fantastic, I found I just wasn't enjoying it anymore.

I aborted a couple of dives early because I just wasn't comfortable.

Re walking with all the gear, nearly all my dives were from a dive boat but, for the couple of dives I did off the beach in Norfolk, the feeling of heaviness walking back up the beach after an hour of weightlessness was pretty bad.

[RoxnDox]

Yep. It was fun, and I was seeing all kinds of beautiful critters, but the time underwater wasn't relaxing as much as I wanted. Add in a few spine and neck and shoulder problems that were mulitipled by the gear weight, and it just made it a good reason to drift away from it. I have done a couple of boat dives, and they were certainly easier! Most sites around here are shore dives, though. Still have all my stuff and I may use it now and again.

Jim

[Auzzie-Phoenix]

Hey Auzzie-phoenix, do you plan on doing underwater photography or just diving?

Maybe later on, but for safety reasons I will initially only be diving. An amateur diver should spend more time concentrating on their dive computer and surroundings, and limit distractions. Just like any driver shouldn't use their cellphone while driving. Also, unlike with the kayak, I will probably only be diving in groups. Running out of air in the bottom of an old quarry, alone, from something stupid that having full attention focused on it could have prevented (thus earning a darwin award) is not a preferred way to go.

I fully intend on:

1.) Taking classes
2.) Diving in groups
3.) Using a checklist every time, always
4.) Reducing distractions
5.) Following set dive plans with some allowance for minor deviations

---------- Post added 08-02-16 at 03:42 PM ----------

I just purchased my first piece of gear the other night (probably the only piece I can actually afford right now). A display pair of Tusa Solla SM diving fins for $60 from leisurepro. My dm friend clued me in to tusa when I asked what are decent but not super expensive. Now I'll need to order the boots to wear under them. After that, I'll keep researching the cheaper pieces to obtain and adding to equipment as budget allows.

[RoxnDox]

You have a sound plan... Adding a camera too early can *potentially* be a serious problem. Not for everyone, but for some of us.... It contributes to 'task overload' where you have too many things to keep track of. You have a camera in your hands, you're concentrating on getting that perfect shot, and next thing you know 20 minutes have gone by and you haven't checked your gauges. Uh-oh, you only have 500psi and you're at 80 feet. Or worse, you keep on shooting, don't check, and the first clue you have is taking a breath and oh crap you don't get any air... *THAT* is when you know why the buddy rule exists!

Plan the dive, Dive the plan!

I know a number of divers who go solo regularly, but they're guys with hundreds of dives under their belts. For newbies (and I am still one of them) absolutely not a plan compatible with long life.

Jim

[Auzzie-Phoenix]

That's something I did in my youth when I lived in Florida. If I still lived there, I would probably still be doing it. It's way too cold up here to get me interested in picking it up again. I did a dive in one of our local lakes several years ago with my brother in law who dives often. It was kind of fun to do it again but even in August, the lake water was like ice and I had no desire to take it up again. As for costs, I think any sporting hobby can get expensive. My current downhill ski's and boots cost about what a new K1 body would. Add a season pass and other gear and it would cover a lens or two. I have a couple of grand invested in kayaks and fishing gear. I'll save the Harley for last. I could buy a 645Z and a couple of lenses for what I have into the bike.

You only live once so enjoy your scuba gear and post some pictures! I loved diving on the Florida reefs and wrecks back in the day.

And that is why you shop for skis and bindings in the off season for clearance at local shops, and drive down to PA to ski. Our nearest resort is Blue Knob and it's about $20 for a midweek lift ticket for all day. The season pass last I checked was about $400. If you can ski blue knob, you can ski anywhere. It's all packed granular most of the time, other times its the wet stuff that's like skiing on mashed potatoes and saps all your energy from your legs. Gets powder occasionally, and last time I went, they had snow fog. Go down the hill, and the foggy haze was freezing to the lens of your mask. I don't ski often these days ever since I got too fat to buckle my ski boots. Real shame too, since the time I went before last time I had bought a nice pair of Dalbello Aerro 55's to replace my old boots which were apparently shot after sitting in the closet since 2001. I do also need to have my skis sharpened and waxed. Haven't had that done since '98 when I was in the HS ski club. But given the amt. of times I've gone skiing since HS can be done on one hand, I'm pretty sure they're doing ok. Bought my last set of skis clearance for $195 back around '94 and just had my salomon 777's from my first set transferred. Got the original run set of Head shaped skis, the Flex F9's. First set were much older 80's model head skis. Considering I got that set for $35 at play it again sports, and they were loaded with the 777's, I really lucked out. I do so miss it.
--------------------------------

Unrelated to response about skiing:

Just purchased my 2nd piece of equipment tonight. A pair of SEAC 6mm hardsole dive boots. The Tusa Solla fins arrived yesterday. Apparently, adorama owns leisurepro, the site I ordered the fins from.

[reeftool]

And that is why you shop for skis and bindings in the off season for clearance at local shops, and drive down to PA to ski. Our nearest resort is Blue Knob and it's about $20 for a midweek lift ticket for all day. The season pass last I checked was about $400. If you can ski blue knob, you can ski anywhere. It's all packed granular most of the time, other times its the wet stuff that's like skiing on mashed potatoes and saps all your energy from your legs. Gets powder occasionally, and last time I went, they had snow fog. Go down the hill, and the foggy haze was freezing to the lens of your mask. I don't ski often these days ever since I got too fat to buckle my ski boots. Real shame too, since the time I went before last time I had bought a nice pair of Dalbello Aerro 55's to replace my old boots which were apparently shot after sitting in the closet since 2001. I do also need to have my skis sharpened and waxed. Haven't had that done since '98 when I was in the HS ski club. But given the amt. of times I've gone skiing since HS can be done on one hand, I'm pretty sure they're doing ok. Bought my last set of skis clearance for $195 back around '94 and just had my salomon 777's from my first set transferred. Got the original run set of Head shaped skis, the Flex F9's. First set were much older 80's model head skis. Considering I got that set for $35 at play it again sports, and they were loaded with the 777's, I really lucked out. I do so miss it.
--------------------------------

Unrelated to response about skiing:

Just purchased my 2nd piece of equipment tonight. A pair of SEAC 6mm hardsole dive boots. The Tusa Solla fins arrived yesterday. Apparently, adorama owns leisurepro, the site I ordered the fins from.

Oh, I do purchase my ski gear in the off season. However, due to some orthopedic issues, I need some special boots that don't come cheap ($600 on sale). Still, my last skis were $450 (with the bindings) in August, marked down from $900. Due to the steepness of the terrain and conditions and the way I ski, I can't get by with cheap entry level skis and certainly not old bindings. But I do ski a lot, averaging 2-3 days a week in the winter. I can get a season pass for $399 but I'm passing it up this year because I'm having foot surgery in a few weeks. I will opt for the frequent skier card which will cost me about the same for 15 days of skiing, after which the pass works out cheaper. I may not be ready to ski until later in the season.

I never pay full price for anything if I can help it. I'm semi-retired and have to stretch my budget but that held true even when I was still in the work force. That includes cameras and lenses as well as sporting goods

[Auzzie-Phoenix]

Update: New gear added- Sherwood Adventura snorkel, Tusa Imprex 3d mask. Waiting on SEAC weight belt, and 4x 2lb. weight pouches, as well as a Kraken Aquatics XL mesh gear bag. Next purchase may very well be a dive skin, seeing as how I got myself a wonderful sunburn testing gear out on Tuesday.