Quarry swimming in April

[dogofwar]

We also snorkeled at Molokini (among other places)...and agree that diving would have been mindblowing.

The best part was that we brought Siena. She was only 2.5 but we outfitted her with a lifevest and a boogie board with handles and a clear window. One of us towed her around while she looked through the glass at all of the creatures below. We even saw some turtles!

Matt

We snorkeled there two years ago. It was amazing. I'm sure diving would have been far better.

We did hear humpbacks singing while we were snorkeling just off the beach in Maui, a few steps from our condo.

 

[Pat Kelly]

Yeah, we snorkeled several different islands when we were in Hawaii.
I loved seeing a school of yellow tangs swim by. Must have been 100 of them.

Snorkeled one time in St Thomas and was nothing compared to Hawaii.

 

[dlfn1]

dove once with my dad in the bahamas when i was in HS and not certified yet, not much to see. i remember a spider shrimp. maybe it just wasn't a good dive site, who knows.
saw a huge turtle about the size of a vw bug when driftdiving off of koko head crater. snorkeled at hanauma bay, want to dive there the next time i'm in oahu. dive companies charge a fortune to dive there though, but gotta do it at least once.

 

[Spine]

I did my regular PADI certification test in a quarry with a full wetsuit in August. It was hot and we had to put our gear on and then walk 50yards to the water.

Once I got in the water we did a safety check and dove below the thermocline(it was cold) We came back up and did our final safety stops before surfacing and I got the spins(vertigo) do to the warmer water temp .
My training had taught me to recognize what was happening and what to do so I didn't panic. This little misshap taught me a valuable lesson about good training and how things can go wrong if you aren't prepared.

I did my Open water certification in the Caribbean, that one was more fun. The local dive shop got a kick out of scaring new comers

They would tell you to test your gear out with a quick dive next to the shop and point to a ladder at the end of the dock. Once you get in the water this huge Murray eel that lives there comes rush up to you looking for food. They tell you he's old and harmless once you get back out..but only after they're done laughing.

 

[Avatar]

That's fun

Murray the Moray? I knew someone that used to charm them out of their lairs, big toothy ones as big around as your thigh at that - stunning to see a hulking and fearsome-looking 8 foot Moray draped all over a 90 lb/girl like they were best buddies.

 

[Spine]

Woops,bet you can't guess what brand of cookies I was snacking on when I posted this

 

[Avatar]

Well...

Woops,bet you can't guess what brand of cookies I was snacking on when I posted this

Enhanced brownies? Or maybe:

 

[Spine]

:wub:Ginger Snaps:wub:

 

[DiscusnAfricans]

:wub:Ginger Snaps:wub:

Harassing the local girl scouts again?

 

[mchambers]

My son and I just finished our open water certification dives yesterday, in Belize! Pretty darned great diving here. Saw amazing coral and fish: nurse sharks, rays, tarpon, jacks, permit, snappers, grouper, and an amazing array of smaller fish. Also saw two lionfish, an invasive species here. And all of this is in a large marine preserve 5 minutes from the dock.

Two more dives scheduled for tomorrow, if the weather cooperates. Did I mention that we are in Belize?

 

[DiscusnAfricans]

Belize is a great place for diving! It hosts the second largest coral reef in the world, second only to Australia's Great Barrier Reef. I went snorkeling there in 2002 and saw some really neat wildlife. Its like swimming in an exotic hottub. Congrats on the cert!

 

[thedavidzoo]

Awesome! I'm glad you are having a super time and getting to see some really neat critters!
Lots of people tend to shoot by coral reefs too fast, looking for the next big thing. When you put on the brakes and hang out in one spot, that's often when you see the coolest things.

 

[mchambers]

We're going out again tomorrow for two more dives, assuming this weather disturbance in the gulf keeps moving away from here. Definitely agree about going slowly through the coral -- you see some very cool and surprising things. On our first dive on Wednesday, I saw a 5 foot moray eel look closely at our instructor's as he went by. The instructor (who is excellent) never saw the eel.

My son now thinks he has a cool dad. (it's possible he thought that previously.)