bertusgeert 1 #51 August 14, 2004 QuoteQuoteI just signed up for a course here in Kentucky through the YMCA - they will give me my open water for +/- $420 - gear provided. The local dive shop doesn't provide gear, and is the same price. Then I find out why - the local YMCA guy cancels class - tells me too few people is interested and postpones it to september. IS there anyone in the Kentucky Area that can instruct me through to becoming at least a DiveMaster? I would love to find a mentor/buddy rather than a money hungry shop or lazy instructor! Anyhow, I look forward to joining you all soon! Jesus that is expensive! I would charge that for one on one private instruction. Should I wait and go somewhere else? What is avergae price? --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vid666 0 #52 August 14, 2004 I started SCUBA same year I started skydiving. Needless to say it was busy year :) 4 years later I still do both - and neither is enough :) Just YMCA OW card... I was going to go for AOW and/or Nitrox, but as I said, don't dive enough to justify it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FlyingJ 0 #53 August 18, 2004 Quote Should I wait and go somewhere else? What is avergae price? I paid $225 for full class, instruction and equipment at a place called Bird's Underwater in Crystal River, FL. In NYC most places charged more than that just for the class and you still had to pay equipment and open water dives, so I just went to Florida and did the whole thing. The people there are absolutely amazing, and very low pressure when it comes to sales, something that I haven't found at a lot of shops. When you are done, they give you three free dives to use in the next year (meaning equipment and a trip out on the boat are all provided, no costs at all). If you are interested in buying your own equipment they will also hook you up with some serious deals. Bird's Underwater - www.birdsdivecenter.com jason.Killing threads since 2004. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JRock 0 #54 August 18, 2004 QuoteSkydiving is pretty cut and dry, and relatively low maintenence in regard to what can happen to you. Not to downplay it at all, but shit happens and it's right out in front of you, and once you land and are safe you are done. Wow.. you got this figured out in 5 jumps? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #55 August 18, 2004 The handy thing about scuba is that if you run out of air, you can go back up and get more. Doesn't work for skydiving. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #56 August 18, 2004 QuoteThe handy thing about scuba is that if you run out of air, you can go back up and get more. Doesn't work for skydiving. And you can borrow air from a friend. (There was a fatal white attack this week on an abalone diver. 10th known in California over the past 60+ years. Sometimes you're just unlucky.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FlyingJ 0 #57 August 18, 2004 Quote Wow.. you got this figured out in 5 jumps? HA! Yeah, right. By no means do I have skydiving figured out to any degree yet. Reading that again, it isn't quite worded the way I meant it. Really all I meant to say is that scuba freaks me out sometimes knowing that even with all of your gear working correctly it is possible to have some nasty things going on inside of you without really knowing it. Of course that would generally be your fault for poor planning, etc. In my very limited knowledge of skydiving so far I didn't see a similar possibility. Would love to know about it if there is though!Killing threads since 2004. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiverbc 0 #58 August 18, 2004 welp since i am deathly afraid of deep waters ... i would say that skydiving is my forte' Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skycat 0 #59 August 25, 2004 QuoteQuoteQuoteIt took a bit of careful scheduling to avoid getting the bends during a skydive. If you don't want to worry about the bends anymore get NITROX rated. With NITROX Hooknswoop used to work at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab at NASA, under water all week and then skydiving all weekend. I have done the same back in Austin. From Travis lake to the dz in less than a 24 hour time frame. You should still be careful though. Sorta... I work at the NBL.... They dive a lot, but not everday..... And it's usually no more than 2:15 bottom time. We do use NITROX exclusively. Our pool is only 40 ft deep.... Buck I have a feeling things have changed since Derek was there. I know he dove every day usually shift 1 and 3 putting him at about 4 hours under water a day. Then he would come home and and pretty much pass out. Off gassing was very hard on his body, there is a huge difference between now and back then on his energy levels. The best was the night he popped his ears and it was so loud it woke me up. The much diving is not good for a person I don't care how much NITROX you use.Fly it like you stole it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #60 August 26, 2004 SCUBA diver for 21 years, Instructor (NAUI, CMAS & PADI) for 10 yearsYou are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
