How did everyone get started into diving?

[CFDAlden]

My self reward for losing 100lbs. Was finally at a weight I felt comfortable taking my cert class.

Now, to lose the 40 that found me again.

[Souvy]

I've always loved sharks and watching things like Shark Week. So I finally made my way to Australia (a life long dream) a couple of years ago and did a white shark cage dive. That was basically my first time actually underwater, I'd never even snorkeled or anything like that. After that, I was hooked.

[warscout2]

My parents dove in the early 80's before I came around. then they stopped diving but always told me stories. so as soon as I could i got certified. I just wish I could talk me dad into getting recertificated and start diving with me.

[Drewskey]

All great reasons. There seems to an underlying reason though - opposite sex!

[mwhities]

My girlfriend at the time and I went with her other 28 family members on a cruise to Cozumel (Grand Cayman, Jamaica) and when in Cozumel, a bunch of us decided to go snorkeling. Well, my girlfriend's brother-in-law had his c-card and he decided to dive. ARGHH! I flipped him off repeatedly as he descended down and out of my sight.

I've always wanted to dive and never really had the chance to get classes. That day, I stated I WILL be certified before the next cruise. About three months later, I was OW certified.

Michael

[bubble-head]

When I was a kid in the 80's, I would always see people diving in 'Gibb's Lake' in Hampton, VA while driving on 64. It fascinated me and I kept begging my parents for lessons. Finally one summer, they surprised me and told me it was the summer to take lessons. I've been diving since I was 14.

[John Yaskowich]

We were on a cruise to Grand Cayman and did the snorkel trip to Sting Ray City. The beauty of the fish and reefs hooked me and seeing how the scuba diver (camera operator for the trip) could go down and experience the fish up close without having to bob to the surface every 30 seconds - sign me up!!!

[scubarobin]

Short version: I always loved the ocean, it was bound to happen someday.
Long story - my husband was active duty AF and stationed at remote site in Greenland for a year, back in 1999. I told him when he got home he owed me, and himself, a great vacation to somewhere warm. I did all the research and decided on Cozumel... but found out that most people go there to scuba dive (or at least they did back in 1999). So I went into our local dive shop and asked lots of questions, and the next thing I knew I had signed us up for classes for the month after he got home. Boy was he surprised!
"Hey Honey, I decided we are going to Cozumel on vacation in June. Oh, and I just signed us up for scuba cert classes in April. "
Luckily, he loved the idea and we did it. He loved it so much he is now an instructor. I done good.

robin

[digitalman]

I dove on my honeymoon in Jamaica with my wife via a resort course. Decided I wanted to get fully certified, but didn't have the extra $$ on that trip. The wife wasn't sure she wanted to get her c-card because we live in IL and 'nothing is pretty there'. I got my OW cert. this spring, completed several specialities, Advanced, Rescue, and now hold a Master Diver card. We're heading back to Jamaica later this year and I'll be diving. My wife, well, she still hasn't decided if she'll get fully certified or just do the resort course again.

[bottomdweller]

I went to Cancun with a friend of mine who was OW certified.
I took a resort course & did a couple of two tank dives with him & was addicted. The next day he went and dived the Cenotes & I could not go because I was not OW certified.