Another new guy??!!

jokeborn · Post by **jokeborn** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 7:11 pm

Hello everyone, I am moving from Florida to the Portland area (I know, leaving the reefs for the ice, but work...). I will be in the area in mid May. I have just learned dry suit and am itching to try it out where I won't soak the inside with sweat. I have done most of my dives here in FL, West Palm Beach area (just drifting with the current, you know, lazy diving). I have also done quite a few springs and anchored dives. Did a cruise to the Bahamas last September (rough life) and dove on the Bond wrecks and the plane that was used in "Into the Blue". I am looking forward to the sites in the Northwest and will be hunting buddies to go down with. I do have a disease...I am willing to dive anytime of the year (even interested in ice diving). So far there is no known cure, so I have to deal with it. I have made it to divemaster rating with PADI. My wife also dives but she has been able to avoid the true sickness so far...working on infecting her. I am also an avid snow skier (been hitting the slopes since I was 4) and looking forward to not having to plan a vacation to see a mountain. Anxious to get wet Northwest style.
David.

girldiver · Post by **girldiver** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 7:35 pm

Well, if your wife didn't catch the sickness in Florida...we'll have to get her drysuited up...and it's a sure thing that she'll catch the fever here!

Welcome to the board...and welcome to the Northwest!!!

Joshua Smith · Post by **Joshua Smith** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 7:51 pm

Not a whole lotta ice up here, but some great diving, for those willing to, uhhhh, adapt......to the environment! Welcome to the site!

jokeborn · Post by **jokeborn** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 8:21 pm

I've done cold...one time, in Florida, I dove in 60 DEGREE water!! And another time, I wore a jacket topside cause it was chilly (about 65 degrees)!! lol
Seriously, I have lived in cold temps before and am looking forward to diving them. I learned drysuits here so I wouldn't have to put my addiction on hiatus or until I took a vacation. Plus my wife says I'm either partially insane or completly, it depends on which voice I am listening to in my head.

Burntchef · Post by **Burntchef** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 9:33 pm

ola dave,

and welcome to the PNW, i was able to take a great week vacation in key largo doing some awesome diving there a year ago and have been wanting to go back ever since.

bnboly · Post by **bnboly** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 10:07 pm

You need to get hooked up with Sparky! AND..... how about a dive trip the end of June......

Sergeant Pepper · Post by **Sergeant Pepper** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 12:07 am

Here's where the comments come in like... "Gee, I thought 60 deg. diving was warm water diving" ... sorry, had to.

jokeborn · Post by **jokeborn** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 4:57 am

Yea, that's what the couple from England said who were on the boat. My dive buddy here (who has no plans to go into anything under 70 degrees) said that when I come to visit that I'll be like everyone else now and say this water is too hot!!

Tom Nic · Post by **Tom Nic** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 8:57 am

Welcome to the Pacific Northwest and to NWDiveclub in particular! You've found IMHO a great bunch of folks and one of the best places to be for not only talking about diving up here, but actually doing it! $\:D/$

I hope you'll come to love cold water diving as much as we have come to. There is so much to do and dive up here, particularly in Puget Sound. The warmest dive I've ever done was a 62 degree dive at the Hood, where the surface was "bathtub" warm... I thought I was going to die with all the gear on and it was a pleasure to finally sink beneath the waves and cool off in the 55 degree depths. And, that is actually pretty warm... right now the temps are around 47 in the Sound and in the Winter (when diving is at it's best!) 43 & 44 are pretty much the standard... unless you happen to go by the mouth of a river then things get really interesting!

This board has a great mix of certifiable Dive Yoda's with a bazillion dives and excited newbies, and we dive all the time. It's a great place to be. Come on up and dive with us!

-Tom

jokeborn · Post by **jokeborn** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 9:01 am

Thanks for all the responses. I'm filling my tub with ice right now to get an idea (so far so good). I am really excited about the different clim and especially the new marine life/experiences I will have. Looking forward to getting wet with all of you.

Sasquatch · Post by **Sasquatch** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 10:15 am

I'll tag in and join the others in welcoming you soon to the PNW.

Cheers!

Dave

GillyWeed · Post by **GillyWeed** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 7:13 am

Welcome Jokeborn..

From someone who dives wet in this 47 deg. water, let me just say that warmth is over-rated. It is way too cool diving in the Puget Sound to worry about such things as warm toes!

Anyway, hope to see you up here chillin (litterally) with the rest of us soon!

Cheers,

Holly