Back From Vacation

[Frosty_47]

Just came back from Varadero Cuba, had a blast!

The Two weeks vacation time went pretty fast cause there was **** to do.
They actually rented me a scooter every day even though I don't have a licence to drive one. So I rode nearly every street in the downtown Varadero. It's good thing my parent's didn't see my driving:

*Drinking & Driving (had 11 beers the first time)
*Speeding in front of police
*Not wearing helmet
*passing cars on opposite lane of traffic (when the sign clearly indicates not to)
*riding between cars of opposite traffic, etc...

But the best fun of all (besides meeting good looking girls from Europe) was Scuba. I ran out of air during my first submersion, thanks to my instructor, I was ascending on 30 Bars of reserve. At the same time (around 10 meters depth) I got a nose bleed that filled-up my mask with blood, so I had to stop and clear the mask 3 times on the way up. This gave me awsome adrenaline rush especially because no one told me about the possibility of a nose bleed

Anyways, I highly recommend this place because there are lots of things to do. Like Sky diving from an old Soviet Mi-8 Helicopter from 3000 meters (ran out of money to do that ). Below are some pics of scuba in Varadero:

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[blueroomelectronics]

Looks like great fun. I went Scuba diving in Cancun years ago.

 

[kchriste]

Good to see you made it back ALIVE. Welcome back!

*Drinking & Driving (had 11 beers the first time)
*Speeding in front of police
*Not wearing helmet
*passing cars on opposite lane of traffic (when the sign clearly indicates not to)
*riding between cars of opposite traffic, etc...

 

[Boncuk]

Hi Frosty,

the Scuba diving photos are really impressive.

The most impressive thing about them is your sun tan.

The next time you go scuba diving just remember that humans are pretty pressure sensitive.

So it was during my military career: Whenever I received pressure I produced double counter-pressure.

(Being an idiot you can make general in the military - you just have to be the better idiot.)

Sorry, I just made Captain!

Boncuk

 

[gabeNC]

sounds like you had a great time Frosty. Gotta be careful though, one can only cheat death so many times.

I've also been diving to Cancun but nothing so far has beat has beat Guam. Lots of WW2 stuff.

 

[Mikebits]

sounds like you had a great time Frosty. Gotta be careful though, one can only cheat death so many times.

I've also been diving to Cancun but nothing so far has beat has beat Guam. Lots of WW2 stuff.

You should dive around the Philippines. Many WWII sunken ships in the Manila bay and surrounding area. I use to dive almost everyday in the PI. It was mesmerizing. The coral formations and steep undersea cliffs were breath taking. I once saw a "Not a fish tail" 6 foot long (2 meters) grouper fish. It was enormous. It actually scared the crap out of me but it did not eat me.

Saw blue starfish over 1 foot in diameter near the southern coast of Luzon.

I once encountered a swarm of trumpet shell fish. We did not snag any of them as they were vital to the environment.

Diving introduces one to such a new world that is so far different from the terrestrial counterpart.

I think diving in the tropics is something everyone should put on the to do before they die list...

I still need to see the Sistine Chapel and Big Ben before I die, and the Pyramids of Egypt.

 

[AllVol]

I think diving in the tropics is something everyone should put on the to do before they die list...

I still need to see the Sistine Chapel and Big Ben before I die, and the Pyramids of Egypt.

Don't suppose there's enough time left for me to experience those things. Pity! But I do a lot of reading, so I have experienced many things through the words of others.

Like your grouper....

 

[tcmtech]

I've gone through the running out of air bit about every other time I go diving. Last time for me was 50+ feet down.
Our group leader didn't catch my repeated I am low on air signals. My tank went flat and I had to buddy breath the last 10 minutes back.
They were all concerned about me when I got back. I was just annoyed. The first time it happens it scary. The 5th or 6th time its just annoying.
But it really stress's the importance of keeping your buddy very close if your below the 30 foot limit!

Now my diving group has a new rule, the big people get the big tanks and the little people get the little tanks. For some reason the smaller built people dont seem to get that us 250# muscular built types use far more air then they do even when relaxed and calm.

Never had the nose bleed problem though. I've had a sneezing fit before. Thats really a hard one to work though. Our natural instinct is to take a deep breath after each sneeze but the sneeze can also cause your mask to loose it seal and fill up over your nose and can make your lip seal on the mouth piece get off. So that makes for a rather scary few seconds when you have no air in you lungs, a mask half full of water, a crooked mouth piece, plus your really wanting to take a deep breath!

 

[Frosty_47]

Looks like great fun. I went Scuba diving in Cancun years ago.

Yeah, that's were I am going next time
I heard girls are off-the-hook in Cancun

 

[Frosty_47]

Hi Frosty,

the Scuba diving photos are really impressive.

The most impressive thing about them is your sun tan.

The next time you go scuba diving just remember that humans are pretty pressure sensitive.

So it was during my military career: Whenever I received pressure I produced double counter-pressure.

(Being an idiot you can make general in the military - you just have to be the better idiot.)

Sorry, I just made Captain!

Boncuk

Congratulations on your advancement in the military!
Hopefully we will see you as a general someday

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Yep Cancun was awesome when I was younger. Like a drunken candy store. Now I prefer the quieter Mayan Riviera.

 

[Frosty_47]

sounds like you had a great time Frosty. Gotta be careful though, one can only cheat death so many times.

I've also been diving to Cancun but nothing so far has beat has beat Guam. Lots of WW2 stuff.

Cool, I'd love to see some sunken ships, maybe go inside one with underwater flashlight and a rope guide

 

[Frosty_47]

You should dive around the Philippines. Many WWII sunken ships in the Manila bay and surrounding area.

I still need to see the Sistine Chapel and Big Ben before I die, and the Pyramids of Egypt.

How deep are those ships by the way ? I don't plan to go past 30-35 meters.

I met lot's of people that went to Egypt but were to afraid to enter the Pyramids. Sad waist for them...

If your really interested in Pyramids, may I recommend an alternative point of view by an author who is an Engineer and offers a more practical theory to the exploitation of the Pyramids in Egypt:

"The Giza Power Plant" by Christopher Dunn (available on amazon)
Gizapower : The Official Chris Dunn Website

 

[Frosty_47]

I've gone through the running out of air bit about every other time I go diving. Last time for me was 50+ feet down.
Our group leader didn't catch my repeated I am low on air signals. My tank went flat and I had to buddy breath the last 10 minutes back.
They were all concerned about me when I got back. I was just annoyed. The first time it happens it scary. The 5th or 6th time its just annoying.
But it really stress's the importance of keeping your buddy very close if your below the 30 foot limit!

Now my diving group has a new rule, the big people get the big tanks and the little people get the little tanks. For some reason the smaller built people dont seem to get that us 250# muscular built types use far more air then they do even when relaxed and calm.

Never had the nose bleed problem though. I've had a sneezing fit before. Thats really a hard one to work though. Our natural instinct is to take a deep breath after each sneeze but the sneeze can also cause your mask to loose it seal and fill up over your nose and can make your lip seal on the mouth piece get off. So that makes for a rather scary few seconds when you have no air in you lungs, a mask half full of water, a crooked mouth piece, plus your really wanting to take a deep breath!

Ah that is why it's not good to dive alone. However, my instructor seen my low air signals several times, but simple flashed me the "ok" sign every time...

I never had the mask problem though, I mean mine leaked all the time but I never had problems clearing it at 36 feet deep. One of the mouthpiece leaked water though, so that was unpleasant. Perhaps next time, I will bring my own set of quality regulators instead of using their old crap.

 

[Frosty_47]

Was also wondering if I should get my Open Water License the next time I visit Cuba. It only costs 360 Pesos down there so that's very cheap compared to Toronto. Instructor told me that it takes 4 full days to complete. According to what I was told by the instructor, this license is recognized everywhere in the world. For some reason I have doubts about that... Is it really recognized everywhere ?

 

[tcmtech]

I would question it myself. If you get an actual PADI certification license (scuba drivers license) and the related stuff its valid but still I am new to diving and I have already dove with a few people that got their supposed proper training certification down south.

I think they were certified to be most likely to drowned in the first 10 minutes if they ever dove without an actual certified person with them!
Diving in Canada may not be as interesting but around here they say that if you learned to dive in North Dakota your trained to dive anywhere!
Being that learning your full open water training in dirty and often times very disorientating conditions where you have to rely on keeping your wits about you and going entirely by what your gages and compass tell you will make you a much more confident and comfortable person in good clean places.

Its up to you though. Do some solid background checks on the place your thinking of going to. Learning to dive from a tourist trap place is nothing like learning from professional commercial diving instructors.

 

[Mikebits]

How deep are those ships by the way ? I don't plan to go past 30-35 meters.

It varies of course, if I recall my last wreck dive, it was around 100 feet deep, we had to do a decompress dive on the way back up. We could only dive around the top of the structure as going past that would put us in danger of nitrogen narcosis as I am sure your aware. You do have a PADI cert or NAUI do you not? Most places will not give you gear or air without a card.

 

[Mikebits]

Now my diving group has a new rule, the big people get the big tanks and the little people get the little tanks. For some reason the smaller built people dont seem to get that us 250# muscular built types use far more air then they do even when relaxed and calm.

What are considered the big tanks. Don't most people use the Aluminum 80's?

 

[Frosty_47]

It varies of course, if I recall my last wreck dive, it was around 100 feet deep, we had to do a decompress dive on the way back up. We could only dive around the top of the structure as going past that would put us in danger of nitrogen narcosis as I am sure your aware. You do have a PADI cert or NAUI do you not? Most places will not give you gear or air without a card.

PADI?
NAUI?

No I don't have any certificates. I just paid my 70Pesos, had 10 min theory lesson followed by one hour pool lesson. The next day my instructor took us to the reef 36 feet deep...

By the way, I always hear popping/crackling noises in my ears during ascending. Is this normal ?

 

[tcmtech]

What are considered the big tanks. Don't most people use the Aluminum 80's?

63 and 80 are the most common. The smaller people seem to always want to grab the big tanks so they can have the longest dive time. Us larger built guys come back on zero with 63's and the smaller people come back with 1300 PSI on an 80 and then change them out for fresh ones.

Most of our rental tanks are steel. Some day when I can afford it I am going to get a set of aluminum or composite 100's or 120's. But until then I just make sure I get a full 80 now.

By the way, I always hear popping/crackling noises in my ears during ascending. Is this normal ?

Just your ear drums ripping apart.

I hope they at least taught you how to properly equalize your ears when going down! If not your lucky your not deaf now.