Who or what or how did you get into diving??

[Magelk]

This is even more popular than I thought it was going to be.

Two things I left out that may be of interest.
1. One of the guys that I took my original open water with actually did go on to become a commercial diver on an oil rig. Found out about that maybe 5 years after I had last seen him.

2. I never really cared much for swimming or being in the water right up until I could breathe and see underwater. Especially being able to see. Now my son who is 9, is kind of the same way. Put him in a pool and he'll swim for a bit and quit. Hand him a mask and he'll stay in for the whole day.

[Appolion]

I grew up by a lake and went swimming all day every day during the summer. I have always had a passion for water and the underwater ecosystem. I used to ask for Audubon Society field guide books for my birthdays and Christmas. I got my first Audubon Society book when I was ten. It was the North American Fishes, Whales & Dolphins version. As soon as I got that I was free diving all the time to see how many different species of fish I could find in the lake. That was when I decided I wanted to be a Marine Biologist. Since I had most of the books on fish one of my relatives decided to get me a National Geographic video on the ocean world. That was when I first saw the SCUBA system. Since I planned on being a Marine Biologist, I knew that SCUBA was something I would have to pick up on the way. Now that I have enough money saved up, I can finally get my certification and enjoy getting to know the underwater world a lot more. I think that about sums it up. 

[freedivernd]

It's a long story... I'll keep it short.  spent all my youth weekends at the lake, and was almost certified in 82.. just never picked up my cert. card.  I was broke and figured most of what there was to see I could see with just a snorkel.  I got more serious about freediving after a trip to belize about 9 or 10 years ago and I started thinking more about getting scuba certified as most of the people that were that far under the water were scuba certified.  I went back to the dive shop about 4 years ago and they still had me on record.  I did several open water dives with the instructor and was deemed o.k. to get my cert card (when we did our out-of-air emergency ascent he said his students usually go to the surface much faster  ).  I'm a strong believer that freediving can really be a plus in conjunction with scuba.  (if you have an inkling to give freediving a go, please remember the rule: free dive before scuba)
Later,
Fred

[Kirk]

Traveling around mostly...

About 6 years ago, I was down in Zipolite, Mexico.  Rented a mask and snorkle, and hiked to a small cove.  Loved all the fish.

About 5 years ago, I was sitting in a bar in Antigua, Guatemala trying to figure out where to go next.  A swiss guy suggested Utila, Honduras to go get certified scuba.  I had nothing better to do, remembered the cool fish, and said ok. Thought it was great.

About 4 years ago, I was backpacking around the middle east, ended up staying in Dahab, Egypt on the Red Sea.  Dived a couple times a day for a couple weeks.  Great diving, did much the same in Aqaba, Jordan... ok now I'm hooked....

Came back to the States and started diving here.

[rcojr]

I must be a lot older than the rest of you .
I grew up watching Loyd Bridges on Sea Hunt and loved it.
An old friend of mine from South Dakota became a Scuba Instructor. He brought some gear up to my dad's lake and let me try it. I loved it right away.
I grapped a buddy of mine and got certified.
The fortunate thing was my Open Water Inst. and I hit it off right away and he became my best dive buddy for about 3 yrs. Talk about a learning experiance.

Bob

[javelindan]

Great stories...  I grew up in AZ and like all kids in the desert was on a swim team in the summers.  Between annual visits and snorkeling on the baja side of MX and being hooked to Jacques Cousteau specials, I was always intrigued by diving.

I fell into a diver's dream during my senior year in college in 1984-85.  I signed up for a 1 month "Winter Term" trip with 2 geology profs and 9 other students to study marine ecology and geology of the SE USA which would include a lot of diving.  All of the participants became YMCA certified under Larry Shipman, the author of the diving book we used.

Long story short, in Jan '85 we spent 2 1/2 weeks camped out on Big Pine Key, FL, diving every day.  We spent most of our time diving Looe Key but also dove off Key Largo, bug (lobster) hunting off West Summerland Key, and we did some spearfishing as well.  Perhaps the most unique dive was on our way to the Keys when we dove with the Manatees at Crystal River.  I LOVED it all.

I became PADI certified in '89 and with the exception of periodic "dry periods" due to our growing family, I've been diving ever since.  I became dry suit certified in '03 and after another delay (youngster in Sept '03) I'm looking forward to FINALLY doing some Lake Superior diving this year!

[Al]

One of my earliest memories was when in kindergarden and I was asked what I wanted to be when you grew up.  I loved Seahunt and drew a picture of a scuba diver!

I grew up swimmiing and boating but never diving until my dad wanted to get certified and asked us kids too (late 90's).  Then after 18 years of trying I got a college degree and a drysuit for a gradution gift and now try to dive at least once a month. 

The only hard part about getting started is that money thing...

[jasondbaker]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned this yet -- James Bond.  I became really interested in diving after watching all those James Bond movies as a kid.  Remember the underwater fight scenes in movies like Thunderball?  I remember thinking how cool those scooters were.  And of course there were all the dive babes

During the early dot-com days I got the opportunity to take a "corporate retreat" to Grand Cayman.  I signed up for classes two weeks before the trip.  In fact my last pool session was on the evening before my flight.  The next day I was on a boat off Grand Cayman doing my checkout dives.  I was hooked...

I regret not taking up diving at an earlier age.  I guess I was really active in other things during high school and college.  The lesson is when you are presented with an opportunity -- take it!

[DiverQueen]

Definitely the Jacques Cousteau T.V. series "The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau"  and occasional "Wild Kingdom" segments.  Did some snorkeling in the early '80s when my parents had an above-ground 21x15 oval pool in our yard.  The nearest lakes were seven and nine miles away.  Too far for a 13 year old on a bicycle to ride.  Tried to take SCUBA class in college but their pre-requisite was completion of "Water Safety Instructor" class...I couldn't beat the combative swimmer to pass the test, nor could I pick up the 10 lb. weight from the deep end with no mask or fins.  Moved to the Cities, got better snorkeling gear, took my son to Smith Diving's "Snorkel Tots" class.  Decided to "Try Scuba"....Within six months I did the full certification course and have been "Fully Hooked" ever since!  Yes, I have diving friends who joke about new products or stores, and how I will have to go check it out!!!!  Note: there is usually a "Fishhook through the mouth" hand gesture that goes with it!!!

[MAXFACTOR]

CCR DIVER....    you are in good company.  But as long as your gonna say Lloyd Bridge's in Seahunt,  why don't you mention  him by his diver name..  Mike Nelson.    lol...
 

I'm sure guys like    Deep Thought, Ron of GUDC    and Bill at  the Brainerd shop can relate to what were talking about.


as for Dairy Queen...  snorkeling in a round pool !   

maxfactor