Just A Diver Here!

[vivalascuba]

Just an average guy who loves everything related to scuba diving. I am generally optimistic and live a very happy life both above and under the water. Scuba diving is what I feel I was born to do. I live and dive in the Florida area but have many aspirations of diving in many exotic underwater locations worldwide. Luck On Your Diving Adventures!

[diverdon]

Welcome Vivalascuba! You'll find many here who share your feelings towards diving. Most prefer vintage but many like myself enjoy diving regardless of the equipment used.

Don

[nikeajax]

"I am generally optimistic and live a very happy life both above and under the water."

Firstly, welcome abroad mate!

Every once in a while someone asks me if I'm an optimist, or a pessimist: I choose neither! I choose skepticism; Wikipedia say this:

Skepticism is generally any questioning attitude towards knowledge, facts, or opinions/beliefs stated as facts, or doubt regarding claims that are taken for granted elsewhere.


Often times I am envious of the optimist, but by my very nature I am questioning of all things, this is how I learn. Why is this relevant to this conversation you may be asking? Because nearly everyone I've ever spoken with, with a few exceptions, believes any dive gear that is more than ten years old is dangerous and will in fact kill you with no uncertainty... The devil you say! If this were truly a brethren of daredevils, as most dive shops* would have you believe, we would have at least every few years hear about one of us in a diving accident: well I don't know of any one on this site who has perished while diving

* Charlie Notthoff, who frequents this site, and Jim Steele, who isn't on this site, run two shops who don't think this way, and are helping keep our sport alive and SAFE!!!

Also, modern diving schools teach you NEVER to work on your own gear, so most people believe in scuba gnomes, and gremlins... The gnomes are the little fellows who make your gear work properly, keeping you safe. Scuba gremlins are in constant battle with the scuba gnomes: they are the ones that put sand or other pieces of detritus in your second stage, or make your first stages free-flow at depth, etc.

Anyway, welcome aboard; I hope to hear more from you in the years to come!

Jaybird

[regulator68bj]

Welcome vivalascuba from the UK

john

[SeaRat]

Welcome Vivalascuba,

To me Florida is an exotic location--I haven't dived there in years, but worked on the Warm Mineral Springs Underwater Archeological Project in the 1970s. I also really enjoyed snorkeling in Alexander Springs State Park, and canoeing there. You live in a wonderful state for diving, and we hope you'll be engaging in our discussions on vintage diving here.

I am rather an optimist (my wife is the skeptic, Jaybird). Being an optimist, I can get some really gnarly regulators, take them apart, clean them up, and test them out. Some are very good to excellent, and some leave things to be desired. I like looking at their designs, some of the defects I find, and trying to correct them.

I think you'll enjoy the discussions here.

John

[JES]

Welcome aboard Vivalascuba!

I see you live in Clearwater, FL. I used to live in Tarpon Springs before moving back home to North Florida. I always thought that the Tampa - St. Pete area was the best of all that Florida has to offer.

As you've already seen, the Vintage Scuba Community Forum members are a very friendly and knowledgeable group who are always willing to help.

[surflung]

- Welcome Vivalascuba, I like your avatar. What a gift to be able to dive regularly on the beautiful coral reefs of Florida. I have scuba dived on Molasses reef off Key Largo and snorkeled off Key West and our Minnesota Lakes and midwest quarries don't even come close. Here, we have probably 5 common fish at the most. Underwater colors are mostly green (weeds) or gray (silt). And unless we want to cut holes in the ice, we can't go diving for the half year or so that we're snowed in.
- It doesn't sound like you are a vintage fan yet but stay with us and I bet you'll get the bug.