Hello Everyone

[Diver420]

New to the board, new to diving too.
Not sure what goes on here, but I thought I would at least create an account before reading all the stuff on here.

[Tom Nic]

Welcome to the board!

I think you'll find this a nice place to hang out... that's the hope anyway.

Tell us a bit about yourself - where you are, a bit about your dive experience / desires, etc.

Hope to see you in the water!

-Tom

[Sounder]

New to the board, new to diving too.
Not sure what goes on here, but I thought I would at least create an account before reading all the stuff on here.

You're brave. Most people "lurk" before jumping in!

I'll sum up the site for you...

This is the most kick ass dive forum in the world. We have extremely active divers, lots of good humor and laughs, and a wealth of knowledge that is virtually unmatched anywhere else I've seen on other internet forums. Almost everyone knows everyone else personally, offline, and people are extremely generous with helping new folks learn safe practices and learn to love the sport.

You'll defiantly find there are a lot of "inside jokes," but don't be intimidated - it's just part of a family of friends who have know one another for so long. Stick around and you'll find yourself up to speed pretty quickly.

We have only two rules...

1. Don't be a dick.
2. Have fun.

If you have questions, PLEASE ask them!! You'll get lots of answers, and maybe a spirited argument or two... and don't worry if you start a thread that turns into a debate or changes subject to something like tacos. Really though, ask lots of questions and be sure to ask "why" until you get an answer you're satisfied with!!

Welcome to NWDC. Now tell us about yourself!!

[Diver420]

Thanks for the responses, but now I think I'm a little confused. Is this a public internet dive forum, or is this the internet site for a local dive club?

[Norris]

Thanks for the responses, but now I think I'm a little confused. Is this a public internet dive forum, or is this the internet site for a local dive club?

Yes...
I would say more towards the "Public Internet Dive Forum" We are all part of Northwest Dive Club, but we all live all over the place. So consider this a group of divers representing Oregon to Bellingham and always diving. This is a valuable tool for us all to find people to dive with on pretty much any day we are looking.
We also have many knowledgable divers on here that can answer questions. We also have newer divers that can relate. So the spectrum is covered.
You will get the idea when you start reading and catching up.


Rick

[scottsax]

Thanks for the responses, but now I think I'm a little confused. Is this a public internet dive forum, or is this the internet site for a local dive club?

In a word, yes.

Seriously, though, welcome to the club. We're a little different from most dive forums, in that our members are primarily in/about the Pacific NW, and all of us are primarily cold water divers. We are a public forum, but most of us dive together the way a dive club does. The difference being, there are no dues for membership, and no club meetings. There are very infrequent club dives that happen only when someone is motivated enough to plan one. Mostly, though, club "members" (someone who's created an account-pretty hassle free, eh?) post in the "Dive Planning" section and hook up with others to go dive. To paraphrase a sign from a great pool hall I used to frequent, "No BS, just diving!"

Welcome to NWDC! Where are you located? What kind of diving have you done?

EDIT: Damn Norris beat me to it...

[Grateful Diver]

Thanks for the responses, but now I think I'm a little confused. Is this a public internet dive forum, or is this the internet site for a local dive club?

It's a public internet local dive club ..

The forum started out as a way for a small group of friends to stay in touch with each other ... but they were so darned friendly they attracted more and more divers. And before you knew it, we had the most active "dive club" in the Puget Sound area.

Best part is that anyone can join, and there are no annual dues ...

Welcome to the club ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[mz53480]

New to the board, new to diving too...

Welcome! Where are you doing your training?

...Not sure what goes on here....

If you get an answer to that, please let the MOD's know too.

[Diver420]

MOD?
This is a moderated forum?

I guess that would explain the rules that were mentioned, at least rule 1.

[Tom Nic]

MOD?
This is a moderated forum?

I guess that would explain the rules that were mentioned, at least rule 1.

Ah yes, the expert and highly paid moderators work their rears off - mostly attempting to enforce rule #1. We are a friendly and easy going bunch... for the most part. :geek:

But occasionally a few of us loose our minds, then a bit of moderation is necessary.

First then then a bit of followed by and if necessary some and and if we must then finally and hopefully

But mostly there's lots of fun and the are sometimes just epic.

[Sounder]

MOD?
This is a moderated forum?

I guess that would explain the rules that were mentioned, at least rule 1.

Yes. Generally, if you follow the rules you'll be fine. If you violate them, there are grave secret consequences... just, don't go there. On the flip side, be careful - sometimes your avatar can change without notice to something, um, "embarrassing."

Seriously, this is the best forum/dive club/whatever around. You'll like it here. Your productivity at work just got cut in half, or worse... your boss hates us.

[scottsax]

MOD?
This is a moderated forum?

I guess that would explain the rules that were mentioned, at least rule 1.

Yes. We have several overworked and underpaid(read: volunteer) moderators who are on constant spam/sockpuppet/flame-prevention patrol.

You can read our Terms of Service but that's a lot of words. An abbreviated version can be found here. Again, rules #1 and #2 are really the salient points to take away from it all.

Back to diving, I see you're currently taking your OW class.... Where are you taking it, and from whom?

[Diver420]

Thanks, but I'm already starting to get the moderated board vibe. Not that mods are inherently bad, it's just a little too arbitrary for me. Case in point, Rule 1 is kind of ambiguous to start with.

I'll go back to lurking and reading.

Thanks for the warm (and warning) messages though.

[Sounder]

Thanks, but I'm already starting to get the moderated board vibe. Not that mods are inherently bad, it's just a little too arbitrary for me. Case in point, Rule 1 is kind of ambiguous to start with.

I'll go back to lurking and reading.

Thanks for the warm (and warning) messages though.

Well... I guess moderation isn't for everyone, but we sure appreciate what they do. They're generally very hands-off, but in the event of a Rule #1 violation, we appreciate them. The site wouldn't be as awesome as it is without the mods... and that would suck.

Believe me, Rule #1 is not ambiguous... it covers exactly what it needs to. Simplicity is a beautiful thing.

Enjoy Lurkerville. I hear it's nice this time of year. Feel free to visit anytime.

[defied]

Thanks, but I'm already starting to get the moderated board vibe. Not that mods are inherently bad, it's just a little too arbitrary for me. Case in point, Rule 1 is kind of ambiguous to start with.

I'll go back to lurking and reading.

Thanks for the warm (and warning) messages though.

Oh no, it's too late for that!! Stop! Ich verlange sehen sie ihre Papiere!
The mods are not inherently bad. There are some people who act like mods on here who aren't that make things annoying occasionally, as they feel that they are allowed to occasionaly breach rule #1, but everyone has a certain level of "moderatorism-ing-itude" that they can handle, and this site does have a higher dose than most others.

Welcome, and definitely lurk in. There are good conversations that occur here when they aren't shut down. 0]

D(B)

EDIT: Wow... Master of the run-ons I appear to be here.

[Tom Nic]

Case in point, Rule 1 is kind of ambiguous to start with.

I suppose that it could be. But for the majority of folks I think it's pretty clear, though of course the individual will disagree... (Perhaps this is in the category of the justice who said something along the lines of "I can't define porn but I know it when I see it!" ?!?)

The moderation on NWDC is certainly not perfect (speaking for myself, of course!) - mistakes have been made, but for the most part they get fixed. (I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.) There are a few that think we over moderate, a whole lot more that think we under-moderate, and hopefully the majority who think we pretty well hit the mark most of the time in spite of our less than perfect trim. The final vote is - do you use the site? Is it useful and fun and worth your time?

It is the simple nature of NWDC's purpose and basic rules, AND their "enforcement" (moderation) that makes this a great place to hang out, meet folks, learn something every now and then, and actually have fun and dive!

Anyone care to name the over under on how long an unmoderated board of this nature would a. last, b. be actually used by the PNW diving community?

I hope you enjoy your lurk (as many others do!) and hope to see you in the future on the board and in the water!

[kat]

i proudly display my underpants. either no one has noticed, or no one cares. the level of moderation seems to be spot on.

and welcome! from captain underpants.

[Tom Nic]

i proudly display my underpants. either no one has noticed, or no one cares. the level of moderation seems to be spot on.

and welcome! from captain underpants.

If Sounder displays his underpants I'm gonna ban him. :angry: Period.

[Sounder]

i proudly display my underpants. either no one has noticed, or no one cares. the level of moderation seems to be spot on.

and welcome! from captain underpants.

If Sounder displays his underpants I'm gonna ban him. :angry: Period.

(note to self... no underwear avatars)

[Tangfish]

i proudly display my underpants. either no one has noticed, or no one cares. the level of moderation seems to be spot on.

and welcome! from captain underpants.

I just got a PM telling me to come here and check out your underpants. You'll never believe who told me to do that!

[Joshua Smith]

Thanks, but I'm already starting to get the moderated board vibe. Not that mods are inherently bad, it's just a little too arbitrary for me. Case in point, Rule 1 is kind of ambiguous to start with.

I'll go back to lurking and reading.

Thanks for the warm (and warning) messages though.

Whoa! Hold on a sec! Most of us mods are pretty friendly! Well, except for Tom, he's kind of a jerk.

We run on the principal that the board that Moderates the least, is best. We hate having to step in. I think that if you hang out a while, you'll get the idea- we're not fascists, by any stretch of the imagination. Anyway- welcome to the board, and I hope to see you in the water, sometime!

[ktb]

Thanks, but I'm already starting to get the moderated board vibe. Not that mods are inherently bad, it's just a little too arbitrary for me. Case in point, Rule 1 is kind of ambiguous to start with.

I'll go back to lurking and reading.

Thanks for the warm (and warning) messages though.

Oh no, it's too late for that!! Stop! Ich verlange sehen sie ihre Papiere!
The mods are not inherently bad. There are some people who act like mods on here who aren't that make things annoying occasionally, as they feel that they are allowed to occasionaly breach rule #1, but everyone has a certain level of "moderatorism-ing-itude" that they can handle, and this site does have a higher dose than most others.

Welcome, and definitely lurk in. There are good conversations that occur here when they aren't shut down. 0]

D(B)

EDIT: Wow... Master of the run-ons I appear to be here.

I was sooooo suprised to read this.

[Mattleycrue76]

Well so much for the tumbleweeds that have been blowing through the Introductions section this past month...

[2loud4u]

Well so much for the tumbleweeds that have been blowing through the Introductions section this past month...

I am one of those "tumbleweeds" and while this site has been a great resource, the fact that most forum gurus ignore the newbie's posts I learned from the beginning.

To the author of this thread - welcome and stick around.

[Dashrynn]

Well so much for the tumbleweeds that have been blowing through the Introductions section this past month...

I am one of those "tumbleweeds" and while this site has been a great resource, the fact that most forum gurus ignore the newbie's posts I learned from the beginning.

To the author of this thread - welcome and stick around.

JUST SPEAK IN BOLD TEXT EVERYONE WILL KNOW ITS YOU ALL THE TIME AND TALK IN CIRCLES ABOUT ABSOLUTLY NOTHING, ALSO PICKUP OUR LAUNDRY AT THE DRY CLEANERS I THINK ITS DONE BUT I CANT UNDERSTAND THAT CHINEASE LADY ON THE PHONE ALL I THINK ABOUT IS FULL METAL JACKET WHEN SHE TALKS TO ME EXCEPT THE WOMAN IS CHINEASE NOT KOREAN. OH GAWD I DONE DID IT AGAIN.

Or you could pretend to be cool and have mad skillz like me but then again im ignored like a hudson dorid most of the time.