Dive! Dive! Dive!

[Honu]

hehehehe not sure but one can say diving can be addictive as much as 4x4 stuff

hope he is at some places trying out BCDs

 

[Navman]

but where you dive ? on Maui I used a 2/3mil in summer a 3/4 or thicker in winter

Last fall in Maui I was the only one on the boats not wearing any rubber, and I was toasty. Of course, I surf and dive in 50 degree water year round so Maui felt like a bath.

In the Monterey area a lot of people like Zeagle Ranger BCs. I also just picked up a new 8-7-6-5 mil XCEL wetsuit SUPER cheap. I was ready to go the dry route but couldn't pass up the deal.

 

[RMP&O]

Since Belize was mentioned by the OP I am going to give a shameless plug for my favorite dive resort in Belize.

http://www.offthewallbelize.com/

I speak very highly of Jim & Kendra who run Off the Wall. They run a very nice yet small place on the Glovers Reef Atoll. It is an Eco-Lodge though so don't expect hot showers or flush toilets.

Also in off the west coast of Panama is Isla Coiba. I have been diving in Belize, Mexico, Australia and Panama. Isla Coiba is by far the best place I have seen for diving. Very good dive shops ran out of Santa Catalina, Panama.

http://santacatalinabeach.com/scuba.html

 

[ccarm]

I'm just an open water diver, but love the experience and what diving offers you. I was trained in Jamaica, and loved every second of my dives. I have been throwing around the idea of a sailing trip combined with diving (my dad and I). Anyone ever done this or heard of someone who has?

On a mildly different note, has anyone ever tried their hand at freediving/spearfishing? It's an incredibly freeing and beautiful way to experience everything underwater.

 

[Honu]

I used to free dive every day

used to poke over 100 feet so was pretty good at it
breath hold at 40 feet about 4 minutes ?
when I lived on Lanai we fished pretty much every day and on Maui at least 2-3 x a week pretty common for Hawaii people to do this much fishing though

also got into blue water fishing fun stuff but just free diving for fun was FUN hehehehe the freedom you have etc..

I used to work for Trilogy when I was in my late 20s early 30s I am 47 now so not sailing trips but did them
had a lot of buds who did some sailing trips though

I know when I met my wife I was starting to plan to move back to the Caribbean and start up a sailing dive/freedive liveaboard but plans got on detour which is fine as I am happy now some 10+ years later

 

[Mamontof]

On the spare mask thing, I should say that I do carry an extra mask strap. And extra fin straps.
.

Have one of that type http://www.scubastore.com/scuba-diving/poseidon-neoprene-mask-strap/4845/p
Comfort LLC Scuba Diving Comfort Mask Strap With Secure Buckle
and you newer need extra strap

My strap serve me for 6 years , no need extra

Extra mask one for two all the time nice to have , a especially if you dive in wreck / cave

 

[ccarm]

I used to free dive every day

used to poke over 100 feet so was pretty good at it
breath hold at 40 feet about 4 minutes ?
when I lived on Lanai we fished pretty much every day and on Maui at least 2-3 x a week pretty common for Hawaii people to do this much fishing though

also got into blue water fishing fun stuff but just free diving for fun was FUN hehehehe the freedom you have etc..

I used to work for Trilogy when I was in my late 20s early 30s I am 47 now so not sailing trips but did them
had a lot of buds who did some sailing trips though

I know when I met my wife I was starting to plan to move back to the Caribbean and start up a sailing dive/freedive liveaboard but plans got on detour which is fine as I am happy now some 10+ years later

Did you learn by just practicing over and over again, breath hold exercises, and such? I've been SCUBA Diving for a while, but want something easier to carry around in the jeep/on the plane (like freedive gear) but that still allows me to see some amazing stuff. Any recommendations/ways to start freediving myself?

 

[Mamontof]

Did Any body Using pro http://www.powerlung.com/

To have better performance when you in dive trip ?[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAfAWitDF9c"]YouTube - PowerLung User Guide Part 1 - Introduction[/ame]

Very VERY Help full :wings:

 

[Honu]

Did Any body Using pro http://www.powerlung.com/

To have better performance when you in dive trip ?YouTube - PowerLung User Guide Part 1 - Introduction

Very VERY Help full :wings:

??? not sure about that but if it helped you then cool

 

[Honu]

Did you learn by just practicing over and over again, breath hold exercises, and such? I've been SCUBA Diving for a while, but want something easier to carry around in the jeep/on the plane (like freedive gear) but that still allows me to see some amazing stuff. Any recommendations/ways to start freediving myself?

I just learned it the old fashion way I guess by doing it all the time

I always had a dive buddy in the ocean and on Maui we had a few people die from shallow water blackout that have done it alone
I had a very very close call to shallow water black out where I was out for a very short time only a few seconds no buddy I would have drown

OK I am 47 dont do this anymore moved to the mainland 5 years ago I started free diving in my teens quit in my 40s

but when I got more into it and was in shape through my twenties and thirties I would practice every day at the pool ! now what I did was dangerous alone you want someone their
go into pool hold breathe for starting point say 2 minutes then go 2:30 then go 3:00 then go 3:30 then go 4:00 then 4:30 if you can then go for max
if your max is 3:10 you can ever do then 3:00 will be your top time then go for max


when I first get in the water I took hear rate and learned to drop it with control meaning I could drop mine about 20 BPM pretty easy by just relaxing and meditating
on land I did yoga 30 minutes every morning road a bike 25 miles at least and swam at least a mile day in the ocean with my fins just underwater along with working full time as a scuba instructor
and the pool time was usually at the resort I worked at waiting to give refreshers in the pool

their are some good courses now that teach it so that might be a option
but when working on boats a lot of the instructors used to set or clear the tie off lines with no gear and usually try to go down and grab some sand at the anchor blocks

its also about having buddies that do this and in the islands its easy to find others and compete against each other and learn things and stuff so find a good free diving group maybe ?


the other fun thing used to be riding the anchor down and then get down to like 100 feet or so and have time to play around OH I miss that life I am really homesick now hehehehee


but dont free dive alone !!!!!! please dont I never did any serious free diving alone !!!
I used to poke 60 feet like it was nothing so would do this but going over 100 I would not do without a buddy


also the biggest thing is mental !!! so its about not freaking out and remaining calm

try this go in a pool hold the edge and just time yourself with a friend their doing the timing so you just relax and put yourself doing something like lying on the beach and forgetting about time and see how you do and do this a lot
the biggest thing is mental and read about shallow water blackout and understand it ! if you exceed your limits you will black out on surfacing so knowing your limits comes with time and practice

really learning to control your mind and heart rate and being in killer shape helps a lot to
I am in lousy shape these days hehehehe

the other thing for getting in shape if you dont do yoga etc.. again you dont have to be a yoga person its not for everyone

google Hawaii rock running this is a HUGE thing we used to do especially surfers but this will get you in underwater shape for sure and learning underwater shape to me is different then being cardio fit
I bet a lot of surfers can out do pro athletes when it comes to rock running or breath holding

 

[ccarm]

I just learned it the old fashion way I guess by doing it all the time

Great info. I have done a little bit of this, but also being mainland right now, have few places to actually work up for. Great information about being in shape, and relaxing. Yoga is the best!! You build super flexibility, and really get to know your body well. As always, I'd never ever ever dive without a buddy. That's just suicide.

Again, thanks for the motivation and good stories.

 

[Mamontof]

??? not sure about that but if it helped you then cool

I am okay have what i left 2 have , only some people even in Navy Seals steel using regulatory in a day routine

 

[Stumpalump]

I dove for many years but gave up after 3 major close calls. All I'll say about that is check and recheck then have a buddy check your gear. Carry a backup knife in case you drop your primarry when cutting free from fishing line and don't where neopreen gloves because you can't feel a thing in an emergency. One more...Do you know why diving is such a safe sport? Because the majority of deaths are reported as drownings and not dive accidents. Never forget the risk when prepairing for a dive. I'm spooked for life and thats too bad because it is awsome to dive.
All modern gear is good or they would not sell it. Don't get cought up in the latest gizmo or color scheems. Just use bright colors so you can retrieve droped gear. Scuba equipment is a good bang for the buck in the used market and almost all of it can be serviced and tested to be good.
The last thing is what they won't teach you in school and that is breathing. They say beath normal but that wastes a lot of air because so much goes in and out of your throat that does not get used. Concentrate on medium to large breaths and hold them a few seconds. Of course never take a huge breath but the breath and hold tecnique will allow 20 minuts or longer on shallow dives. I'm not saying to strech the dive tables but even if you don't have a problem running out of air it's good insurance to have plenty left over or just all the extra time on shallow dives.

 

[Honu]

I carried a pair of emt shears more often than a knife they can cut through netting way better and metal braided leader material and other things knives are terrible dive tools better to carry a small pry bar if you are doing wrecks and emt shears than a knife IMHO

I used to teach people how to breathe or try as I used to say if you can walk and chew gum you should be OK to dive
one trick when learning is to sip the air rather than suck it in ? think of drinking water out of a fountain that way if water is ever in their you dont suck it up
breathing normal wont waste air a bit deeper longer steady with a small pause is good ?
really you cant teach anyone ? one has to become comfortable and try not to breathe in a abnormal way

almost sounds like you are describing skip breathing will get you a wicked headache though !! and cause Hypercapnia which makes you want to breathe more and is dangerous ! so not sure what a few seconds are ??? but skip breathing is not good at all and a beginners mistake they think works ? beginner to me is anyone with less than a thousand dives so not trying to be mean or harsh but I used to see/hear it way to often

but relaxing and breathing normal in a sense is key to make tanks last like most instructors who taught for a living for years you can get a lot of time out of a tank if you want and no skip breathing