Questions for New NWDC Members

[Pez7378]

I've been a member of the NWDC for almost three years. In that time I've made several good friends, plenty of good dive buddies and I've learned a lot about diving. I've been to a few Club dives and a couple "Big Buddy Dives" and managed to meet a long list of NWDC Members from all over the region. I want to compare my experiences with the experiences of some of our newer members, and try to find out how I, or any of the other members can help you as you try to figure out which gear to buy, where to go for classes, how to read the tides or simply find a reliable dive buddy.

Some of the questions I have, for NWDC members that have been here for a year or less are below:

1) What have you learned (if anything) from the NWDC that has made you a better/safer diver?
2) What do you hope to learn?
3) Have you been diving with members of the NWDC? How Often?
4) Have you participated in any Club/Big Buddy dives? Do you plan to?
5) What do you enjoy most about the NWDC?
6) Is there anything you don't like about the NWDC? (feel free to answer in a PM)

All private messages answering #6 will be kept confidential. (Unless it's about Spatman! )

So, let us know what you think, and how we, as a community can support, educate and help our newer divers gain the confidence they need to continue diving in the PNW. Of course this will also ensure that we have an even greater number of buddies to choose from when we want to go diving in the middle of the winter!

[Sounder]

Great thread!

[sunnydude]

1) I haven't made that many dives so anything I can pick up from more experienced divers is a bonus. Learned some of the guidelines that have been mentioned: don't dive deeper than your air, etc. My wife keeps asking how I know what things are (nudis/fish, etc) and I have to say it is from the dive recaps and critter posts.
2) Anything that I can. What is gear to have and not to have.
3) Yes. Dove with Pez, Joe, Norris, H2Odoc, Sampson/JacksonBrown/SampsonReborn, MattleyCrue. 4 times total with these guys. I was grateful to have the experience with me on my first dive since cert classes and then again in the zero vis at Muk with H2Odoc and Pez. Would have a couple more dives if schedule would permit.
4) Haven't yet but hoping to participate in at least one of this months dives. I consider everyone a big buddy. :hello2:
5) The joking around with a side of seriousness.
6) That newbie's have been pounced on if they ask a question prevously asked and debated. This has been hashed out recently and it was appreciated.

[defied]

1) What have you learned (if anything) from the NWDC that has made you a better/safer diver?
The community being so local has the latest information pertaining to dive sites, and general safety. It's a good thing to pay attention to and add to the dive planning checklist.

2) What do you hope to learn?
I'm not really here to learn as I am to socialize.

3) Have you been diving with members of the NWDC? How Often?
Not yet. Soon.

4) Have you participated in any Club/Big Buddy dives? Do you plan to?
Not yet, but I do plan on participating at come point. I really would like to mee tyou all.

5) What do you enjoy most about the NWDC?
The Cameraderie.

6) Is there anything you don't like about the NWDC? (feel free to answer in a PM)
The big issue for me, as Sounder painfully knows, is the amount of topics that go way off topic after only a few pertinent posts, and also the need for 20 people to say the same thing in one thread.

D(B)

[Stu]

1) What have you learned (if anything) from the NWDC that has made you a better/safer diver?
Found out about Scott's GM Class through the board.

2) What do you hope to learn?
What I don't know.

3) Have you been diving with members of the NWDC? How Often?
Yes. A Few.

4) Have you participated in any Club/Big Buddy dives? Do you plan to?
No. Maybe.

5) What do you enjoy most about the NWDC?

1. Generally Civil Conversation
2. Good Information about Local Diving (Sites, Critters, Vis Reports, etc.)
3. Community type atmosphere
4. Entertainment from reading ridiculous statements , oh and the gear whores are pretty funny too .

6) Is there anything you don't like about the NWDC? (feel free to answer in a PM)
not enough smilies. :suicidepills:

[mz53480]

1) What have you learned (if anything) from the NWDC that has made you a better/safer diver?
That the fish don't care what color coordinated equipment you are wearing--as long as it is SAFELY functional, it is good to go.

2) What do you hope to learn?
Want to take better video, and 'profile' different dive sites (i.e. visit the many different depths & areas of interest of a site) and collect/present an online 'video library' that others can reference or preview (or for historical nostalgia?) for particular dive sites.

3) Have you been diving with members of the NWDC? How Often?
Yes. The last few dives have been with NWDC buddies. GREAT!

4) Have you participated in any Club/Big Buddy dives? Do you plan to?
No, but the BEST ONE on SUNDAY, the 29th is coming up! :biggrin:

5) What do you enjoy most about the NWDC?
Written logistical coordiation and dive site reviews/info (vis reports, trip reports, etc.)

6) Is there anything you don't like about the NWDC? (feel free to answer in a PM)
What's not to like? It's all free! Except when Pez laughs at you when a wave surge knocks you to your
and you have mental issues for the next week (Pez, let me know if this PM comes though, I don't want anyone else knowing...)

So, let us know what you think,
(blah blah blah..."dive, go diving, must dive, leave work early, go dive")

and how we, as a community can support, educate and help our newer divers gain the confidence they need to continue diving in the PNW.
I recently started diving more and the information on the nwdc board has been MOST valuable. It's kept me in focus of the local happenings and dive planning.
Support: Willingness of the more experienced divers to dive w/ less experienced divers is always appreciated. Maybe not as interesting, or as long of dives, but SOOOOO valuable to us less experienced divers. Thank you.
Educate & Help: New divers/less experienced divers are thirsty for information (or they should be). Dive, Dive, Dive and get that info/experience by communicating with more experienced divers. Chat on the board, get together and dive, learn another dive 'skill' together w/ another member.

THANK YOU NWDC!

[Norris]

1) What have you learned (if anything) from the NWDC that has made you a better/safer diver?

I have asked questions and recieved answers about boyancy, safety stops, gear, and much more. You ask on here and you WILL receive answers, many times a few different views to choose from

2) What do you hope to learn?

How to frog kick and back up using only legs. How to get that damn right fin on with the squeeze of my drysuit. More about air pressure and consumption. How to shoot lightning bolts from my fingers, and how to read minds.

3) Have you been diving with members of the NWDC? How Often?

I have dove with some peeps of this club and so far so good. Pez, fishstiq, H20, MZ, Sunnydude, Jacksonbrown Samson, deiseldude, and Scottsax. All outstanding people! All but one time I have dove with NWDC members.

4) Have you participated in any Club/Big Buddy dives? Do you plan to?

I certainly plan to join a club dive and the biggest buddy dive was probably last weekend at EUP. Come to find out I may have to miss the March club dive as I may not be back from Mexico

5) What do you enjoy most about the NWDC?

By far the diversity of the characters, and the hi-jacking of the "not so serious" threads. Where some people have a heavy sigh to throw at the shenanigans I welcome them as I have actually laughed out loud on many of these posts. Also when you have a question its almost as though the people are EAGER to help. The answers come fast and from all directions and its like a salad bar of information where you can take what you want and leave the rest.

6) Is there anything you don't like about the NWDC? (feel free to answer in a PM)

Yeah, that there isnt an easy way for me to buy a t-shirt and represent.....shewt..

[spatman]

The answers come fast and from all directions and its like a salad bar of information where you can take what you want and leave the rest.

now that is a good quote. nice one, norris.

[Scubak]

Great thread!
Enjoyed reading the answers posted so far!
Can't wait to read what the next replies are!
Kirsten

[DiverBob]

1) What have you learned (if anything) from the NWDC that has made you a better/safer diver?
I think that just reading the dive reports and comments made by experienced divers has taught me how to dive local sites and respect the critters.

2) What do you hope to learn?
I read (listen) more than I contribute. There lot's of great threads to learn from!

3) Have you been diving with members of the NWDC? How Often?
Thursday nights (But not at 4pm) with Bassman, Cardiver and others.

4) Have you participated in any Club/Big Buddy dives? Do you plan to?
My wife and I showed up late to the Sund Rock event and proceeded to have a terrible dive. Just one of those things. We will be at the Redondo club dive.

5) What do you enjoy most about the NWDC?
Makes me laugh and sometimes shed a tear.

6) Is there anything you don't like about the NWDC? (feel free to answer in a PM)
Not enough Smiley's for Bassman!!

[rjarnold]

Dang... my user control panel says I've been a member for just over 2 years :( Er, !

[E_Mo]

1) What have you learned (if anything) from the NWDC that has made you a better/safer diver?
A lot about gear.
2) What do you hope to learn?
As much as possible, about anything...
3) Have you been diving with members of the NWDC? How Often?
Yes, hoping to meet more and dive with them as well.
4) Have you participated in any Club/Big Buddy dives? Do you plan to?
Not yet, plan on being at the club dive at the end of this month.
5) What do you enjoy most about the NWDC?
The site is all local, a lot of people are willing to help.
6) Is there anything you don't like about the NWDC? (feel free to answer in a PM)
Nope.

[Kalatin]

1) What have you learned (if anything) from the NWDC that has made you a better/safer diver?
Where to start...everything from the difference between gas consumption and gas management (I really thought that gas management was controlling how much gas you breathed so that you could have longer dives) to finding out it was okay to ditch the snorkel (I hate snorkels and was thrilled to hand it over to Sounder on my 19th dive). About a zillion and a half other things that now seem natural, but each one was a startling revelation at the time.
2) What do you hope to learn?
I feel like I am peering down a really really deep well - I know that there is an incredible depth there, but I can only see the first few feet. Right now, I want to get my gear (new gear!) dialed in and continue to improve my basic skills so I can move further in my training.
3) Have you been diving with members of the NWDC? How Often?
Almost non-stop since last July when Sounder and PenopolyPants took pity on me.
4) Have you participated in any Club/Big Buddy dives? Do you plan to?
Yes and Yes.
5) What do you enjoy most about the NWDC?
Because most people know each other outside the board, there is a natural moderation (most of the time) of our behavior. Also, folks are pretty forgiving when people step over the line.
6) Is there anything you don't like about the NWDC? (feel free to answer in a PM)
Thanks to all of you - almost one year on the board and it feels like home.

[Metal man]

1) What have you learned (if anything) from the NWDC that has made you a better/safer diver?
2) What do you hope to learn?
3) Have you been diving with members of the NWDC? How Often?
4) Have you participated in any Club/Big Buddy dives? Do you plan to?
5) What do you enjoy most about the NWDC?
6) Is there anything you don't like about the NWDC? (feel free to answer in a PM)

1) I have learned A LOT about all sorts of gear and dive sites. One thread on here that was about nitrogen narcosis should be mandatory reading for every diver, there was a ton of great info on narcosis, and co2 issues which, more than likely, every diver will experience at one time.
2) Whatever
3) Yes I've dove with a couple but my main diving buddy isn't a member.
4) Haven't yet but it's always a possibilty.
5) The great amout of info that everyone shares.... and the knowledge that I am not the only addict
6) Not that I can think of.