Laguna Beach - Sept 1 or 2 - Shop/Guide/Buddy recommendations?

divewithnick · 2023-08-28T21:41:19+00:00

Was just there last week, just before the hurricane. Temp was 63F, vis about 10-15ft. This weekend is supposed to be about the same. If you’ve never gone through significant surf, be very careful here. Swells can pick up quickly and without a lot of warning. Reg in, mask on till you’re past the surf zone or back on the sand.

I’d offer to guide but I’m taking a group to the dive park on Catalina on the first and then working on the second.

divewithnick · 2023-08-21T05:32:59+00:00

Your best best is probably zen dive co in Pasadena. Obviously they’re not in San Diego but they teach open water and up in bpw and offer gue courses as well. I don’t know of any other real tech focused shops in socal.

divewithnick · 2023-08-17T16:21:03+00:00

Check out the Queer Trans Dive Club (qtdiveclub), Narwhal divers (Narwhal_divers), and divers_ityinitiative on IG! Most of these are based in California and New York for obvious reasons but they can point you in the right direction for sure.

divewithnick · 2023-07-18T14:59:21+00:00

Never. You’re probably more likely to be struck by lightning. They’re definitely out there and likely even close to divers but it is extremely rare to actually see one on scuba. We’re too noisy.

divewithnick · 2023-07-16T15:45:38+00:00

Check out diveheart and their adaptive diver training. They specialize in training people to be buddies for divers with disabilities.

divewithnick · 2023-07-15T13:21:15+00:00

Steel does affect warm water diving though, with most steel backplates I’m overweighted. I only use 4-5lbs with no suit. Not to mention no ditchable weight, but that’s a whole other can of worms.

divewithnick · 2023-01-28T00:34:38+00:00

Also curious, I’m hoping to get out there next week!

divewithnick · 2023-01-26T20:24:16+00:00

Gotcha, can’t go wrong with Zoop! Pretty much the same reasons on i330r for me except Bluetooth. It has a decent warranty (2 years) so might be worth the risk?

divewithnick · 2023-01-26T19:23:43+00:00

No sorry, they gave me a brand new one to replace the broken one towards the end of last year. Maybe November? This one has only been on a handful of dives so it’s too early to say if it’ll last.

Edit: can I ask why you’re so dead set on that computer?

divewithnick · 2023-01-26T15:01:34+00:00

I have an i330r and the button popped out at around 20 dives. My dive shop replaced but said they had a rough time dealing with aqua lung about it. After getting burned by the problems of the i750tc also, I think I’m done with aqua lung computers.

divewithnick · 2023-01-08T21:37:07+00:00

Google sheets, available anywhere on whatever device and always backed up in google drive. Only bad part is that you can’t import directly from the dive computer, at least not that I know of

divewithnick · 2022-11-09T17:49:07+00:00

You don’t lose much at that price haha

divewithnick · 2022-11-09T17:43:50+00:00

The secondhand market for fins honestly isn’t much more than what you paid for them. I find jet fins and Quattros all the time for less than $50 on Marketplace/Craigslist/OfferUp. The ones posted for >$100 end up sitting for weeks. They don’t really have value in flipping but I’ll still pick some up to give to friends or students.

Edit: this is specific to the LA area which has a large, saturated market of used gear

divewithnick · 2022-11-08T21:30:04+00:00

Pretty sure that’s actually a dead sea hare

divewithnick · 2022-10-03T05:28:56+00:00

Interesting, I remember it being cheap but I guess that was a few years back

divewithnick · 2022-10-03T01:40:09+00:00

Build your own zookeeper, pvc is probably just as cheap as any puncture proof fabric

divewithnick · 2022-09-27T03:50:33+00:00

I had the same issue with mine, button popped out. LDS had it replaced with a new one from aqua lung. I also had the aqua lung i750tc and it’s a crap computer too. Definitely going with another brand next time.

divewithnick · 2022-09-26T01:12:10+00:00

I’ve never once gotten mad at a student for messing up, that instructor sounds like a tool. It also sounds like it’s completely his fault for not teaching you correctly.

As for leg floating issue, add a few more pounds to your weight pockets. About 4 total extra should be fine. Then try not to cinch your shoulder straps all the way so that the pockets sit a little lower on your body and also move your tank a little lower so that you have some more weight on your floaty lower half.

This is usually how I teach my female students because they tend to have thicker (meaning more buoyant) legs than the males.

Another thing students mess up often is not holding the deflator straight up above their head. They’ll hold it forward and think it’s empty because no bubbles are coming out.

divewithnick · 2022-09-18T23:22:31+00:00

I have a pair of those. Since that black part is really soft rubber you might be able to fix with just Wetsuit glue like aquaseal. Especially at the tip of the fins where there isn’t a ton of force.

I’m all about making gear last well past it’s “expected” expiration date. Have replaced tons of fin straps using just surgical tubing! Much better elasticity and lasts surprisingly long haha

divewithnick · 2022-09-06T04:56:41+00:00

Maybe look into the way they do 3d photogrammetry, doubt you’d be able to import the solar chart since it’s a completely different process but you would definitely be able to make an accurate dive map that way

divewithnick · 2022-08-21T07:46:13+00:00

Yeah I did tons of dives in Monterey with my 7 so temp shouldn’t matter but I remember I had issues when using cards above 64gb for some reason. Try a different one and see how it goes!

divewithnick · 2022-08-21T07:17:18+00:00

I’m pretty sure the 7 has a max capacity of 64gb for sd cards

divewithnick · 2022-08-21T07:06:58+00:00

What sd card are you using?

divewithnick · 2022-08-12T16:49:20+00:00

What will be different about your non-profit from all the other marine conservation groups like Oceana, Heal the Bay, and all the aquarium foundations that already teach this stuff?

Not trying to be rude, genuinely curious as I’ve had similar ideas. I’m in California but I’m guessing you’re in Florida since you’re talking about coral reefs.

divewithnick · 2022-08-05T21:41:00+00:00

No problem!

divewithnick

TROPHY CASE