Scuba Diving

Peter Carter6 said:Jack froze on you? What, you planning on wearing diapers once you hit fifty?

Look, I wasn't out there long. Maybe ten minutes in the ocean. But I definitely need to pick up a new suit once spring rolls around.

Winter gear is pretty cheap right now, but if you're looking for summer stuff, maybe check for some 5mm wetsuits on sale. Or honestly, just scour Craigslist—you can find some killer suits for next to nothing. Just heads up, prices for the summer gear are gonna spike once spring hits.

Peter Carter6 said:Right now, winter gear is on sale, though summer stuff might be hit or miss—you might find some deals if you hunt around the $50 range. Or just check the local classifieds; you can snag some killer suits for next to nothing. Once spring hits, those summer prices are going to skyrocket.

I'll probably head over to Chicago in a couple of weeks to scope things out.

That's a smart move, honestly. Things can get pretty wild over there sometimes.

Robert Gomez55 said:...back when I was diving in Thailand...

😲 👍
I am not entirely certain, but I suppose this might just be envy. 🤔 🤣

Nancy Brooks62 said:😲 👍
I don't know, man, but it totally feels like pure jealousy to me. 🤔 🤣

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's just straight-up envy on my end!😁

Peter Carter6 said:Yeah, I'm definitely feeling some envy here!😁

It seemed more like you were suggesting I was just jealous of your diving trip to Thailand. 👏

Nancy Brooks62 said:It felt more like you were just trying to make me feel jealous about your diving trip to Thailand. 👏

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, though I’m definitely not the lucky one out there diving in Thailand... 🤣@Detroit is.👍

Peter Carter6 said:I was thinking along those same lines. Though, I'm certainly not one of the lucky ones getting to go diving in Thailand... 🤣It’s Detroit.👍

Now you’re just an ordinary person, much like myself, I suppose. 🤣 🙂

Let's stir this thread up a bit; it’s gone completely dead.

The age-old debate: which of the big two do you actually prefer, and why? Or perhaps you have a different favorite altogether? SSI or PADI—make your case.

Based on my own experience—roughly 50 dives under my belt—I personally prefer the World Underwater Federation curriculum, which is what I used for my first level. I just wrapped up SSI's Advanced Adventurer course in Thailand, since we’re on the subject. 😁I have no intention of anything other than finishing my PADI Divemaster.

The reason I favor the World Underwater Federation is simple: they take this seriously. They aren't like PADI, which strikes me as nothing more than a blatant, commercialized American "pay-to-play" scheme. With PADI, you never actually see anyone preparing their own gear; instead, there’s always some Divemaster hovering over you, micromanaging everything. To me, that is completely unacceptable. That said, I recognize the trade-off: finding freelance work through the World Underwater Federation is virtually non-existent once you move past the instructor level, whereas PADI and SSI offer much more flexibility in that regard.
I’m somewhere in the middle when it comes to SSI, but they strike me as far more serious than PADI. Their technical courses are impressive, and once you move past the Instructor level, I think their curriculum is top-tier.

I guess I’ll chime in, though I’m not really giving you a straight answer here.
I don't really have a favorite since I haven't actually tried any of them. To be honest, I’m just an underwater spear fisherman who’s totally self-taught—no certifications or courses needed, and honestly, it works just fine for me.

I’ve been browsing some gear because I’m thinking about signing up for a diving course. Hopefully, it isn't too late to start—I'm 28. I heard the training doesn't take forever... maybe two weeks to wrap up both the theory and the pool or open water sessions

I have a few questions regarding the actual dive school and the course itself. Has anyone here gone through it? What’s the vibe like? Any specific experiences to share...

Also, regarding that women's wetsuit in the link above—is it just some "one size fits all" situation since there aren't any specific details listed????

Here's something... 😁

Carol Sullivan said:I'm looking at some gear because I'm interested in starting a diving course (hopefully I'm not too old—I'm 28)—I heard it doesn't take forever, maybe two weeks to wrap up all the theory and the pool/open water sessions?

So I have a few questions about the actual dive school/course—has anyone here done one? What’s the deal? What were your experiences like?

And regarding that women's wetsuit in the link above—is it just "one size fits all" since there aren't any specific details listed?

That suit is way too thin for our waters. The one in your link is a 0.5mm one-piece; you'd need at least a 5mm two-piece to actually be comfortable in the US during the season from May through November.
As for sizing, obviously different brands use different systems. Some use XS, S, M, L... others use numbers from 1 to 7, where 1 is the smallest and 7 is the largest. You absolutely have to try a suit on first. It has to fit perfectly. If it's too big, water will flush inside and you'll freeze. If it's too tight, it'll be a nightmare to get on and it'll just be uncomfortable. These neoprene wetsuits work on a semi-permeable principle: a tiny bit of water gets in, gets warmed by your body heat, and stays there to keep you warm.

Regarding the dive school, it's entirely a matter of personal preference, regardless of what people say. The quality of your training depends solely on your instructor. The physics of diving are universal; one school can't teach it differently than another. That's just how it is. There might be minor variations between schools, but it really doesn't matter. Your best bet is to head to a local dive club to ask more detailed questions. I definitely recommend getting certified through a club rather than those seaside tourist centers; they'll charge you an arm and a leg for the exact same result—being able to dive to about 65 feet with a Divemaster present, depending on which agency you go with. Also, regarding certifications, you aren't locked into one path. If you get your first level through World Underwater Federation, you don't have to stick with them. You could do your second through SSI, your third through PADI, and your instructor rating through NAUI. Any combination works.😁.

Hey everyone! I'm getting ready to take my very first diving course, and I'm starting to get really excited about it. I was thinking it might be nice to find a smaller, more laid-back spot somewhere along the coast—maybe somewhere like Key West or a similar quiet coastal town—rather than a huge tourist hub. Ideally, I'd love to find a dive school that offers some budget-friendly accommodation options as part of their training package. Does anyone have any personal recommendations? Besides just scrolling through Google, is there anyone specific I should reach out to or any particular schools you've had great experiences with?
thanks!

I hope you've managed to find something by now. If not, a few years back, someone suggested Key West to me. I can't be of much help, though, since I didn't end up going there myself, but I do recall the accommodations being quite affordable. I'm sure you'll turn something up. 🙂

Hey there,
Just wanted to jump into this thread and see if any of you seasoned pros might have some advice for me.. I’m currently taking an Advanced Adventurer course, something I’ve been dreaming about doing for years but never pulled the trigger on because my ears are absolute nightmares when it comes to equalization. The classic Valsalva maneuver is basically useless for me—I feel like my eyes are going to pop out of my head before my ears actually click over.. I did find a little glimmer of hope when I realized that swallowing while pinching my nose (the Toynbee method) actually helps a decent amount. Otherwise,
I am incredibly sensitive to pressure; I start feeling pain at just 3 feet, and by 6 feet, it’s straight-up unbearable. So, I finally signed up for the course, and I’ve already done three pool sessions with full gear, and here is the breakdown:

Day 1 - Valsalva was a total zero for me. Swallowing was the only thing providing even a tiny bit of relief, though trying to swallow with a bone-dry mouth is a struggle! After about two minutes of frantic swallowing, pushing air with my tongue, wiggling my jaw, blowing through my nose, and basically doing every weird trick in the book, I finally manage to equalize. Once I get it, the pain vanishes and I'm fine at the bottom of the pool (I have to stay ahead of the pressure from the second I start the descent). The real nightmare happens during ascent—it's the exact same pain but in reverse. I have to keep repeating the maneuver, it usually fails, and I end up surfacing with intense pressure in my ears. I felt the consequences all night long—that dull ache and popping sensation. Day 2 was actually okay.

Day 2 in the pool, which was two days after the first session—pretty much the same story, just slightly better. I equalized a bit faster and actually managed to do it during the ascent, so I didn't deal with any fallout that night. About half an hour before diving, I
tried a little hack—I used some Afrin 😁 in my nose to completely clear out my sinuses. I deal with chronic sinus issues; one side of my nose is almost always blocked. I've got constant drainage and sneeze quite a bit, so it's possible
I'm dealing with some kind of allergy. Plus, I've got a deviated septum from an injury about ten years ago (I'm 32 now).

Day 3 in the pool, everything was the same but without the Afrin—total disaster. I spent about 90% of my time, energy, and mental focus underwater just trying to equalize. I noticed the problem is specifically with my right ear—my left one clears perfectly fine.
Ascending is even worse. Since I'm such a newbie, I struggle with controlling my ascent rate, so I often end up rising before I can equalize. I get this sharp, stabbing pain in my right ear, and then for the rest of the night and the next day, I'm stuck with tension and a lingering ache in that ear, where every single swallow is accompanied by a loud pop. I'm planning to go see my doctor soon to have them take a look.

So, here’s the big question: what do I do now? Is it even worth the struggle to keep trying, or should I just throw in the towel? With how much of a hard time I'm having just equalizing, there is absolutely no way I could dive deeper than 10 feet and keep up with the rest of the group; I'd just be a liability to my dive buddy. Has anyone else dealt with something similar, and how did you fix it? As it stands, if I decide to stick with diving, even with the Afrin, all the crazy exercises, and a whole lot of luck, I'd say I have maybe a 50/50 shot at equalizing at greater depths—which also means a 50/50 shot at rupturing my eardrums. 😢

Does anyone actually know where I can track down a Technisub Luna mask? I’ve been looking everywhere—I even tried ordering online, but eBay doesn't have this specific model listed. Any leads? Thanks

Edward Thompson77 said:So, I suppose the question now is what comes next... is it worth continuing to struggle through this, or should I just walk away from it all? With the difficulties I'm having equalizing, there’s probably no realistic chance for me to dive deeper than 10 feet and keep up with the group without putting my buddy at risk. Has anyone else dealt with similar issues, and if so, how did you manage them? As it stands, even if I decide to go down, using Otovins and every exercise imaginable, I feel like I have maybe a 50/50 shot at equalizing at depth—which also means a 50/50 shot at rupturing my eardrums. 😢

Is it always this easy for you to give up?
I probably won't be much help here, but since you've been waiting quite a while for a response, this is my two cents. I hope someone with more experience can weigh in soon.

When you start your descent, I think it's best to begin equalizing immediately, before you actually feel the urge, which might prevent problems. If you find it too difficult to equalize, I suppose you shouldn't force it and should just stop diving for the day. It seems better to miss one day than to give up on diving for life. 🙂

Edward Thompson77 said:Hey guys,
I wanted to jump in here and see if any veterans could give me some pointers... I’m currently taking an entry-level scuba course that I’ve been wanting to do for years, but I held off because I have a really hard time equalizing my ears. A standard valsa maneuver just doesn't work for me—it feels like my eyes might pop out before my ears actually click. I finally felt a bit more hopeful after realizing that swallowing with a stuffed nose (the Toynbee method) actually helps quite a bit. Usually
I'm super sensitive to pressure; I feel pain at just 3 feet deep, and by 6 feet, it’s totally unbearable. So, I signed up for the class, and I've already done three training sessions in the pool with full gear, and here’s how it went:

Day 1 - Valsalva was a total zero for me. Swallowing helped somewhat, though it's tough to swallow when your mouth is dry, but after about two minutes of constant swallowing, using my tongue to push air, moving my jaw, blowing through my nose, and basically doing everything under the sun, I finally managed to equalize. Once I did, the pain vanished and I was fine on the bottom (I manage to equalize right from the start of the descent). My issues happen during the ascent—the exact same pain but in reverse. I have to keep trying to equalize, but usually, it fails and I end up surfacing with pressure trapped in my ears. I feel the consequences all night—aching and popping in my ears. Day two was okay.

Day 2 in the pool, which was two days after the first—pretty much the same scenario, just slightly better. I'm equalizing faster and can actually manage it during the ascent, so I didn't have any issues that night. About half an hour before diving, I
tried a little trick—I used some Afrin 😁 in my nose and completely cleared my sinuses. Normally, I deal with constant sinus issues; one nostril is almost always blocked. I have chronic drainage and sneeze a lot, so it's possible
I've got some kind of allergy going on. I also have a deviated septum from an injury about ten years ago (I'm 32 now).

Day 3 in the pool, everything was the same but without the Afrin—it was a disaster. I spent about 90% of my time, energy, and focus underwater just trying to equalize, and I noticed I only have trouble with my right ear—the left one clears just fine.
The ascent is even worse. Since I'm still a beginner, I struggle to control my ascent speed, so I often surface before I can equalize. I get this sharp, sudden pain in my right ear, and then I feel tension and a dull ache in that ear all night and the next day. Every time I swallow, there's a popping sound in that ear. I'm planning to see my doctor soon to get it checked out.

So, what's the move? Is it worth pushing through this, or should I just call it quits? With how much I'm struggling to equalize, there's zero chance I'll be able to dive deeper than 10 feet and keep up with the group; I'd just be a liability to my dive buddy. Has anyone dealt with something similar, and how did you fix it? As it stands, if I decide to keep diving, even with the Afrin and every trick in the book, I'd say I have a 50/50 shot of equalizing at greater depths—which also means a 50% shot of rupturing my eardrums. 😢

What you're describing sounds like some major sinus problems. I'm no doctor, and I haven't even taken a certification course myself, but I've got 20 years of experience in spearfishing and have heard countless stories from people at a much higher level than me (guys doing 115-foot, even 130+ foot dives on breath-hold, obviously), so I know they know what they're talking about.
Basically, if you can't clear your ears properly, things can go south fast—we're talking a ruptured eardrum. If that happens while you're out in the ocean, you could lose all sense of direction and start heading straight for the bottom instead of the surface. I won't even get into the rest of what happens next. Usually, when people dive with tanks, they're in a buddy system so someone can grab you, but if you're spearfishing solo, you're basically playing chicken with the deep blue.
My best advice? Find a doctor, but don't just pick anyone off the street—you need someone who actually specializes in diving medicine. I'm not sure where you're based, but if you were in a place like Miami, you'd find plenty of specialists there. Just hit up Google and look for experts in hyperbaric or diving medicine.
And hey, don't take everything you read on internet forums too seriously. People mean well, but some of this advice can be straight-up lethal.