#28742
RAWalker - 12/06/2013 4:00 PM
Hey we all prefer crystal clear tropical water and the reefs that grow in these waters and it is some of the most beautiful scenes nature has to offer us but there are other interesting object to be found in other waters. I the cold fresh waters of the Great Lakes for instance centuries of wrecks are preserved in a near pristine state. In some cases you must venture through a layer of low visibility before entering a layer with significantly improved vis.

I myself first took a couple of saltwater dives off beaches on Long Island New York. I was in my twenties and an avid snorkeler when a friend offered to take me down with scuba. Because of the cold, low vis and need for a heavy wetsuit I found the experience not up to my expectations and didn’t dive again for nearly 20 years.

My next diving experience was a discover scuba excursion while in Bora Bora. Talk about a 180 degree change. Over 100’ of visibility, wearing a shorty in warm water and experiencing all the colors and sea life I cold imagine. This trip prompted my investing in gear and certification.

How often can we get away for a tropical dream? Do you really want to wait and only experience the thrills of diving only then? During the process of gaining my certifications I learned there are many opportunities to dive and learn and they all don’t occur under perfect conditions. In fact by training for these less than optimal conditions you can become a more highly skilled diver and increase your safety factor underwater. Being prepared (well trained) and properly equipped for more diverse conditions allows you to relax and enjoy your dives that much more. Relaxation and conditioning is also a key to decreasing air consumption and extending dive times. As you become more adept at underwater navigation lower vis is less upsetting and just another element of a dive to deal with using you training and experience. These skills also lends themselves to opening up another experience to you Night Diving. Having logged a number of dives in water as cold as 49F and having to limit the dive times because of the cold. This pointed me towards another specialized piece of gear and the specialty skills to use it "Dry Suit Diving" Which can teach you how to comfortably experience diving in waters colder than you’d imagine and if interested you can then learn the skills necessary to plan and take dives where you’ll encounter overhead obstructions such as under ice, in caves or penetrating wrecks.

The point is that with proper training and equipment you can add the skills to deal with conditions that you prior would have considered too harsh or threatening. Adding these skills and using the proper equipment it is possible to take your underwater adventures to that many more interesting places and see even more things that even fewer people may ever see.