My S.C.U.B.A. Diving pages.
S.C.U.B.A. (SELF-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus)
On the weekend of July 7, 2003 I started my PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) Open Water Diver course. We did two days of Classroom work and Pool dives. The following weekend, (July 14) we did our Ocean Dives at a place called Sandy Cove. I now have my PADI Open Water Diver Certification.
What does that mean? Well I am certified to dive to a depth of 60ft in any location that allows me to ascend straight to the surface. (No Cave dives or Wreak Penetrations!)
What made me want to get into diving in this cold climate? Well my brother Travis Cline, and one of my best friends, Shawn Poirier, took their Open Water course in 1999. They wanted me to take the course at that time, but I had a lack of time and money at that point! Besides, I wanted to see if they stuck with it!
This past Christmas my family went to CUBA for a vacation, and of course my brother couldn't pass up doing a dive in those warm waters!!! So Me, my step brother and my step father took one of those resort S.C.U.B.A. courses that allow you to dive with a group, and off we went to dive!!! The pool was pretty boring, and I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy it, but we got to the dive site and it was hot! I belive the location was Playa Larga. We suited up and went for the first Dive. My brother, being more advanced, went with a more advanced group out to a coral reef wall that was like 300 feet deep. He is also only certified for 60 feet, but the dive leaders took them down to 100 feet. The dive I went on was about 20 -30 feet and not all the way to the wall. I loved it!!! So we did our surface interval, and got ready for a second dive. This time my brother came with my group. The group was Me, Travis, my step brother and step father, another guy that wasn't certified (like me) and our dive leader. This time the instructors said that because we did well on the first dive we could go out to the wall! So off we went. We had to stop halfway there as my step brother couldn't equalize his ears. Him and my step father turned back and headed for shore, and the rest of us went on. It was the most amazing thing I have ever done. We went down to 80 feet and and swam along the wall. It was unreal! I loved it! I decided at that point that I was getting my certification. So there I am, now a certified diver to 60 feet. When I get my advanced, I will be able to dive to 130 feet, but I am happy with 60 feet for now!!
I am by far no expert on diving, but as I have now dove in a warm climate (Cuba), and a not so warm climate (Nova Scotia) I will tell you the differences that I have noticed so far. Well, first off the gear. In Cuba, the bottom temp. was as warm as the air temp. we get here. Just to give you an idea, I dove last weekend and the bottom temp. was 43 degrees Farenheight at 25 feet. In Cuba the bottom temp was above 80 degrees and we were at 80 feet. Why am I talking about temp. and gear, well, we didn't have to use hoods, gloves, or 7mm wet suits. (We used 3mm wetsuits, but I don't even think we needed them as they were not full length suits.) The next thing that was noticeable was the visibility, in the warm climate, it was about 80 to 100 feet. Here I am told that 50 feet is extremely clear.
So this will be the start of my S.C.U.B.A. pages. I will add pictures and experiances as I have them. I am also going to add in links that may be usefull to other divers about the area!
Pictures (From my Brothers Web Site)