Divers- what's your best scuba diving experience?

I've never scuba dived. I am interested in taking lessons. I am not sure if I qualify as my disabilities are arthritis, MST &PTSD.

PLEASE CALL ME AT [login to see] if I may participate.

Diving with my daughter when she was stationed in PR (USCG - Aguadilla).

About 1988, I was diving in Freeport, Grand Bahamas, when I saw a Jewfish (Goliath Grouper) just sitting there watching us. I got the brilliant idea for a photo op, so I signaled to my buddy to get a picture and I proceeded to put my arms around this impressive fish. As soon as I grasped my hands, he decided he wasn't having anything to do with me and beat me to near death against the fire coral there. My friend and the dive master both thought this was the funniest thing they had ever seen. Didn't get the pic and had to suffer with fire coral burn for days...I will never do that kind of shit again.

I have never went scuba diving. I have dreamed of getting into it for years. For a long time after Iraq I planned on moving to Belize and opening a scuba shop and teaching the classes all the time. It just sounded relaxing to go to an area with clear water. But i'm not sure it will happen anytime soon, I kind of trashed my resume during the process of getting closer to my daughter and now i am broke and having trouble finding work in my field or even anything decent otherwise. I have two degrees, a bachelor's and an associates, both related to the energy sector but no bites on jobs yet. Really wish I could go somewhere beautiful and learn scuba, don't think i would come back though :)

Got back yesterday from diving with Great Whites in Isla Guadalupe. It was ok.

When in the Scuba Club at MCRD SD we went abalone hunting near La Jolla. Swam out about 1/2 mile got some abalone. When we surfaced to our floats the fog was so heavy and the waves were lapping over us from all directions. We used a compass to determine what direction shore was and swam in to discover we had been taken about a mile down and were faced with the Cliffs of La Jolla to get out of the water. We'd been in the water for hours and were tired. We had to time our individual swimming to rocks below the cliff with the large waves. Some fishermen on top of the cliff threw a line that we grabbed and they jerked us out of the water, off the rocks and up the cliff one at a time. We all made it but lost the abalone and floats. Upon returning to base the MP's were going to write us up for being off base in improper civilian attire (wet suits) until the club president a Colonel exited one of our cars, in his wet suit and asked to speak to the Officer in Charge. The MP's said never mind. We went to our barracks and fell asleep without dinner. It was a fun Saturday.

I have three. One was diving the sunken Japanese fleet at Truk Lagoon. Our fathers did some mighty things in that war and the evidence lies scattered all over the bottom . . . ships, tanks, Zero’s, Betty’s, long-lance torpedoes . . . peaceful now, and stunningly beautiful, encrusted with coral and sea fans. Second was in cenotes in Yucatan. Cavern diving, so you don’t need to be cave certified. Flooded caves with stalactites above and a halocline below where sea water intruded creating a layer of salt water beneath a layer of fresh water and a mirror surface which reflects images of you, your diving buddies, and the stalactites above. Third was in the Sea of Cortez . . . richest, most diverse animal life I ever saw. Whales and dolphins from the dive boat every day. One day we got into a pod of hundreds of bottlenoses stretching almost to the horizon.

My best place to dive in Cayman Brac. Reef Divers there are a good outfit.

I think Hawaii is the best spot considering its warm water, or maybe somewhere in the Pacific Region, not sure just guessing.

Belize at the second largest barrier reef!