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Stranger things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of...

I'm scared of heights, but I'm even more scared of *depths* - deep water really gives me the heebie-jeebies. And my breathing problems would make scuba diving tricky. Pity, 'cos actually I'd like to try it.

I've got a bit blase about BBC natural history documentaries, but the most recent - Planet Earth - just blew me away. It is absolutely STUNNING. If you haven't seen it, do so ASAP (Discovery Channel is showing it ATM in the US, and it keeps popping up over here). Fact is far more amazing than fiction.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/planetearth/
 
Funny - I also have a massive fear of heights, but no fear at all in the water. I swim in the ocean at night (with friends, alone is too risky), etc., and while you don't know what's down there in the blackness, I seem to put my fears in a little compartment. Heights, however, leave me paralyzed - the last time I tried to walk across the GWB bridge I wound up in near-panic.

However, PLEASE know that SCUBA is often considered the safest of water sports... the core of SCUBA prowess is good breathing - like a kind of aqua-yoga
If you are diligent, plan your dives and follow all the safety procedures you are taught, there's rarely any risk beyond the effects of pressure (which are admittedly quite severe and unyielding). You learn to handle being de-masked, how to vomit thru a regulator if needed, how to share a regulator if yours goes out, a language of hand signals, etc.

If you've ever interested in pursuing SCUBA, let me know - I'll be glad to pass along some resources, tips, good dive sites and the like. It's an immensely rewarding experience, especially for would-be star travellers


Another great anecdote - three summers back there was a bioluminescent bloom in the Northern Atlantic. During the nights, we'd go out to swim in the black night and the crest of each frothing waves glowed visibly. Disturbing the water with your hand or kicking caused a flurry of greenish-white luminance.. and squeezing the little creatures (never found out if it was algae or animal) would release a smear of glowing liquid that we painted our bodies and faces with. Another wonderful moment.
 
Originally posted by mickazoid:
-clip- There's rarely any risk beyond the effects of pressure (which are admittedly quite severe and unyielding). You learn to handle being de-masked, how to vomit thru a regulator if needed, how to share a regulator if yours goes out, a language of hand signals, etc.
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Hopefully 2 and 3 are not in that order. ;)

If you've ever interested in pursuing SCUBA, let me know - I'll be glad to pass along some resources, tips, good dive sites and the like. It's an immensely rewarding experience, especially for would-be star travellers
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If that's open to all, any advice you can pass on would be appreciated. I was PADI certified many years ago and would like to convince my son (14) to get involved with it. Particular interest is anything off the Florida panhandle that's not crowded.
 
Originally posted by SGB - Steve B:
If that's open to all, any advice you can pass on would be appreciated. I was PADI certified many years ago and would like to convince my son (14) to get involved with it. Particular interest is anything off the Florida panhandle that's not crowded.
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Of course, the best diving off Florida is generally in and around Key Largo's Pennekamp State Park, Good site listing here (it's the only remaining coral reef in the contiguous U.S.). Great sites include "Christ In the Abyss", "Molasses Reef", and the cutters "Duane" and "Bibb" (the Bibb is the ship that sank on its' side that I mentioned earlier). Most dive shops honor PADI and NAUI (I'm a NAUI diver and I've found their rankings are more conservative (you have to know more to advance thru the levels).
 
Originally posted by mickazoid:

If you've ever interested in pursuing SCUBA, let me know - I'll be glad to pass along some resources, tips, good dive sites and the like. It's an immensely rewarding experience, especially for would-be star travellers


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Not trying to derail the thread here, but if mickazoid would be willing, could you start a thread about what the experience of using SCUBA equipment is like? I think that relating the experience would benefit people, since it would provide insight into using assisted breathing equipment for characters in a game.
 
Originally posted by Jeff M. Hopper:
Not trying to derail the thread here, but if mickazoid would be willing, could you start a thread about what the experience of using SCUBA equipment is like? I think that relating the experience would benefit people, since it would provide insight into using assisted breathing equipment for characters in a game.
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That's a great idea. I'll give it some thought and draft something soon.
 
Hey! Naked mole rats are coooool! Have you seen "Kim Possible"? Rufus is the real star! :D

I think (in the Real World) they were the "in" (odd) pet for a while even.
 
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