22 replies to this topic

[Leevers]

For the past 2 years a friend of mine who is currently a dive master has been pushing me to get my open water....
Last tuesday i made the leap and got my dive medical and managed to book in my dive course last weekend (fri,sat,sun).
All i can say is that it is probably the best decision i have made to date, and i recommend those of you who haven't done it, get out there and do it!

I did mine through Perth Scuba in canningvale(couple of shops down from Aquotix) and their service was second to none.
Our boat dives yesterday had expectations and nerves at the same time. I put my BCD on and all my gear and i made the leap into 18m deep waters and slowly decended with my dive buddy. Rottnest has a world below that words cannot describe, with caves and caverns reaching 26m in depth with walls litered in marine life. 20mins at 18m and noticed 2 sharks swim overhead. as they moved pretty darn quick, it is very difficult to make out what type of shark they were but none the less the feeling was surreal! On land you couldn't imagine yourself swimming with sharks nor would you want to be in that position, but when your down below it is the most incredible feeling!

I'm going to take a few more boat dives with the Perth Scuba crew to build confidence a little, and then am going to do my Advanced open water of which allows you to go to a depth of 30m, after which i'd like to do deep diving with nitrox at 40m.

18m just isn't enough!!!

Hope i can inspire some of you to get out there and get it done, because i can guarentee you that life in the ocean is a world no picture or video can put perspective on. It is the best decision you'll ever make.

[Gonzo]

I totally agree with you leevers, it's a totally different world down there.

I done my open water divers nearly 2 years ago and it is amazing, when our down there its like nothing else matters.
its just you and nature.

i dont do as many dives as i would like to

I have done the shark dive at AQUA, that was amazing
your mind just totally forgets that they are sharks and you just want to be as close as possible to them.


If there are any more divers on here, we sould organise a boat dive at Rotto or something similar

Regards
Gonzo

[slink]

Thats good to hear more people are getting into diving it's an intense course lots to learn. I have my deep sea ticket for about 1 year now but I have found I rearly go past 30m things just begin to loose colour and beauty. The best dive I ever had were at 15m the coulor was insane. The experience of diving deep is the main excitment specially when diving on the nitrox that can be a game of its own. I would recommend everyone that hasn't done it as well give it a go best $500 ever.

Slink

[Blakey]

i dont scuba i freedive.. for expense reason and fitness reasons. but in understand where your coming from under the water is a new world and when your only holding your breathe it is that extra bit special. I base alot of my diving around garden island and carnac and try stick to caves. Wouldnt recommend it to anyone but as i have been stuck a few times and without a tank... your risking your life. Biggest swim through save i found was about 15 megters in 6-8m of water. A good minute plus under... absolutly incredible. A tank would be great but i cant afford that kind of gear. I heard hiring it out is fairly affordable?

[ado]

hiring gear is not that pricey...but you do have to have show a dive license before they will give out the gear.

I agree with Slink, some of the best dives I've done are around 14-20m. And to add another dimension to your dive, try dive your favourite site at night.
Awesome!! Heaps of life comes out that you don't see during the day.

As Gonzo said, maybe we have to organise a dive trip!

ado

[cobby]

In the River Blackwallreach at night get yourself a nice feed of king prawns and crabs

[Flossie]

i free dive (if swimming at seal island and rotto is classified as that seeing all of the rays its just a amazing felling)

[DR14GoNF14SH]

ive only ever been snorkelling...i dunno, something about not being able to see my legs (or whats coming to eat my legs) makes me nervous! i found myself whipping around every 2 minutes expecting there to be a monster shark gunnin at me...

do any of the dive masks come with rear view mirrors?? might make me feel more comfortable!

i would have to say that open water diving, along with heights, are my two main fears....gives me butterflies just thinking about it...

[Leevers]

ive only ever been snorkelling...i dunno, something about not being able to see my legs (or whats coming to eat my legs) makes me nervous! i found myself whipping around every 2 minutes expecting there to be a monster shark gunnin at me...

do any of the dive masks come with rear view mirrors?? might make me feel more comfortable!

i would have to say that open water diving, along with heights, are my two main fears....gives me butterflies just thinking about it...

i'm sure you can modify your mask to accomodate this haha.
To be honest, i had a fear of open water at one stage due to close encounters to near drownings. Going into my course i was a little concerned, but as i said. words can't describe how different it is under water, your mind clears and everything is just bliss!!
you'd love it if you gave it a chance

[DR14GoNF14SH]

"words can't describe how different it is under water, your mind clears and everything is just bliss!!...."

...and then a big hungry shark comes up and bites my leg off!! hehe...

[4x4xfar]

I got my dive ticket about 11 years ago, and yeah I totally agree, the world is a better place down there! my deepest was 27 meters. Although I sold my gear about 4 years ago because over time I found that I was sticking to the surface alot more anyway 1 - 10 meters, as thats where all the colour is and I found the gear too restrictive! I much prefer Free Diving these days.

[Jezza]

I got my open water 4 years ago, and adv. open water and nitrox soon after
deepest dive so far is 34.6m
i recon the best dives are at night - get to see things you'd otherwise miss, like 2cm cuttlefish and 1cm crabs

heres some of my fav photos i've taken:

at rotto

me holding a port jackson shark at Robb's jetty

port jackson under woodmans point jetty at night

HMAS Swan

under the HMAS Swan (32m)

macro of plate coral (rotto)

Busselton jetty



Jeremy

[Ado1968]

Hey Jeremy

Great pics I must admit I've always wanted to go diving but never really had the time.
might have to make the time.
Any recomendations on who to contact?

cheers Adrian

[Jezza]

Any recomendations on who to contact?

i went thru Bell Scuba in rockingham, they were good.
lately i use Perth Scuba in Canningvale for air fills (closest shop to me) - i have heard from others that went thru Perth Scuba and they were happy with them also.

I'd say look up a few places, but don't go for the cheapest - expect to pay about $450 - $500 for the course.

[Leevers]

Hey Jeremy

Great pics I must admit I've always wanted to go diving but never really had the time.
might have to make the time.
Any recomendations on who to contact?

cheers Adrian

Yep i agree with Jezza, Perth Scuba in Canningvale. Their prices on equipment are second to none. Major discounts when purchasing while on a course. The service and general atmosphere with perth scuba is something i'm happy to applaud them with.

On saturday i went and bought all my equipment which set me back $3k and has skint me for the rest of the week, but it had to be done, and their tanks and air fill prices are better than the majority in town.

If you see Lee or Nat and tell them Chrissy Leevers sent ya, they'll look after you.

Doing my Advanced in 2 weeks which will be good, but can't see myself going any further than that as i just don't see the need for it. I could do my deep diver course, but at 40m the light doesn't get any brighter and in my opinion, i couldn't understand how much more you'll see at 40m that you couldn't at 18-30m, that being said; I haven't dived that deep to have a valid opinion.

My and 4 mates went diving around garden island and karnac on the weekend and you wouldn't believe what happened. Upon getting ready on the boat, we noticed a school of approx 4 dolphins swimming close by. I swished my hand in the water and a Dolphin at around 5.5foot came up to the boat and let me rub it's chin. Best random close encounter i've had with a marine creature of that size. I could only assume that it was once an "AQUA" dolphin due to the way it presented itself toward the boat, but it was incredible none the less

[viid]

yer ive had mine for 3 years or so now and its absolutely brilliant. over the years though you understand why divers complain that mandurah to yanchep is overfished. Some areas are completely barren except for a school of buff brim. Rottnest is still very nice and the 5 fathom bank still has the occasional dhufish protecting his rock cluster. We (my dad and I) have found that our 4.9m boat is alright to carnac sort of area but to go further we joined a dive club. I'm sure theyre are others for u northies but for SOTR the UEC (Underwater explorers club) based out of the swan yacht club is pretty good. They go out 1-3 times a week. If you go during week you get as few as 6 people which is very comfortable for a 43' boat but hot weekends u get upto 20. If you have the time and money i suggest Hamelin bay for fish/crustaceans, Ningaloo (outside reef not inside) for fishies/whale sharks and rolly shoals for actual sharks. Best investment in recreation you'll ever make!!

[slink]

How much is Perth scuba for refills?? I have been in the shop a couple of times they had a great range prices are good as well. Anybody have divemaster?? I would recommend doing this its great fun as well as Advanced. There are alot of great places just the main thing is to get into a PADI course most known around the world (not many anymore which arent PADI) your game Leevers too cold for me this time of year LOL

[Leevers]

How much is Perth scuba for refills?? I have been in the shop a couple of times they had a great range prices are good as well. Anybody have divemaster?? I would recommend doing this its great fun as well as Advanced. There are alot of great places just the main thing is to get into a PADI course most known around the world (not many anymore which arent PADI) your game Leevers too cold for me this time of year LOL

haha yeah well all good. perth scuba charge $5 for refills. place on stirling highway charges $2, but to support local business and a great bunch of people, I'll only be refilling at perth scuba. Atleast i know it's quality air and have well maintained filters

[slink]

haha yeah well all good. perth scuba charge $5 for refills. place on stirling highway charges $2, but to support local business and a great bunch of people, I'll only be refilling at perth scuba. Atleast i know it's quality air and have well maintained filters

Well you would hope they have clean filters LOL

[Jezza]

Well you would hope they have clean filters LOL

thats one reason why i have my tanks nitrox ready - they use a different fill station which has extra filters, so it is cleaner than clean...