The ultimate diving and snorkeling thread!

[grafxalien]

Just got back from a trip from Fiji. We dove a few days on the rainbow reef. The visibility wasn't as clear as normal because a tropical depression just passed through and we didn't time the great white wall properly; but these were still some of my favorite dives to date.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[saltyhog]

Just got back from a trip from Fiji. We dove a few days on the rainbow reef. The visibility wasn't as clear as normal because a tropical depression just passed through and we didn't time the great white wall properly; but these were still some of my favorite dives to date.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Awesome videos and pictures! Fiji is on my bucket list!

 

[Nate1632]

Just returned from the Florida Keys. Here a few pics I was able to grab with a gopro.

 

[saltyhog]

Great eagle ray pics @Nate1632 !

 

[chefjpaul]

You free divers are nuts!

Love it.

I'm actually diving the states for the first time this month. Had to buy cold water gear.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Luck you- Nice pics.
When I was there last year, it was a rough day on ocean and all we saw was gold colored seaweed

 

[saltyhog]

Went to the Blue Hole at Ichetucknee Springs State park the other day to freedive. Thought I’d share a few of the gopro pictures. It’s a really cool spring and I wish I got better photos of the inside of the hole.

I love the inscription on the left fin..."hypoxia" ! I agree with what someone said earlier.."you free divers are crazy" ! Utmost respect.

 

[Nate1632]

Great eagle ray pics @Nate1632 !

Thanks!

Luck you- Nice pics.
When I was there last year, it was a rough day on ocean and all we saw was gold colored seaweed

The week we were there we got lucky and had “lake atlantic” conditions.

You free divers are nuts!

Love it.

I'm actually diving the states for the first time this month. Had to buy cold water gear.

I love the inscription on the left fin..."hypoxia" ! I agree with what someone said earlier.."you free divers are crazy" ! Utmost respect.

Lol it does seem to be a really “crazy” activity. It’s all just fun and relaxation though. I only wish I didn’t live 2,000 miles away from the ocean so I could do it more. I also can’t wait to get scuba certified too in the next few years.

 

[lbiminiblue]

Photo dump from a free diver!

Whale shark spotted off Cat Cay, BI

Loggerhead

Bahamian Vis

Don’t know how this motorcycle ended up there. It’s about 40 feet from shore. I really hope there was alcohol involved and possibly a plywood ramp.

Most all of my pictures that are worth posting. I really do videos mostly. Can post one or two if anyone wants.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Photo dump from a free diver!

Whale shark spotted off Cat Cay, BI

Loggerhead

Bahamian Vis

Don’t know how this motorcycle ended up there. It’s about 40 feet from shore. I really hope there was alcohol involved and possibly a plywood ramp.

Most all of my pictures that are worth posting. I really do videos mostly. Can post one or two if anyone wants.

Nice !!! Thank you for sharing

 

[chefjpaul]

Most all of my pictures that are worth posting. I really do videos mostly. Can post one or two if anyone wants.

Definitely share the videos

 

[lbiminiblue]

Fair word of warning I like to make trip videos more than anything so the content isn’t strictly diving.
https://youtu.be/mkywk0hqBrs
This one is more strictly freediving. I consider it second to the first one in quality, but I wasted a great shot on it - diving in the Gulf Stream and looking at the surface. Hindsight is 20/20.
Keep an eye out for the anemone shrimp. No idea how I saw that while freediving.
https://youtu.be/-TxbdqNJhyY

 

[saltyhog]

Fair word of warning I like to make trip videos more than anything so the content isn’t strictly diving.

This one is more strictly freediving. I consider it second to the first one in quality, but I wasted a great shot on it - diving in the Gulf Stream and looking at the surface. Hindsight is 20/20.
Keep an eye out for the anemone shrimp. No idea how I saw that while freediving.

Fantastic videos! Do you travel with a drone? Love the non diving parts of the video....especially the rock swimming race! Was that nurse shark getting frisky? I think the anemone shrimp was a Petersens?

 

[lbiminiblue]

Fantastic videos! Do you travel with a drone? Love the non diving parts of the video....especially the rock swimming race! Was that nurse shark getting frisky? I think the anemone shrimp was a Petersens?

You know I bring the drone infrequently. Years ago I built a kit from DJI which is now obsolete. It’s a hexacopter and kind of a bear to pack along since it’s so big in wingspan. Doesn’t help that it’s not like a typical cutesy drone, the thing looks like an AWACS unit with its GPS tower and camera boom hanging off it.

Yeah that nurse shark was acting very unusual. My friend had just speared and left a lionfish on the sandbed. I saw the shark head over towards the body. A school of yellow jacks happened to be coming through the area, and I dove down to try and shoot one. The nurse shark was a good 30 feet away and on the sandbed, and as I was diving down he jumped off the sandbed and came straight for me. Had to back off my dive and even then he followed me up to the surface.

I have the full video. Will upload it so I can share. Weird stuff.

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

I currently live in Hawaii (Oahu), and also a certified diver. I've got a whole hard drive full of pictures! Used the GI Bill to fund my diving certs, which included the gear so I didn't have to pay a penny towards it!

Thanks for your service.

 

[saltyhog]

We've had nurse sharks act like that in Belize (Ambergris Caye) where they get fed constantly by the snorkel tours at Hol Chan and sometimes by dive masters shooting lionfish. They learn to connect people with food and get a little pushy...never made me uncomfortable but some in our group didn't like it so much.

This video was some snorkeling we did between dives in the park. Another boat threw out a fish head and the race was on. I think I counted 14 nurse sharks in this group.

 

[chefjpaul]

We've had nurse sharks act like that in Belize (Ambergris Caye) where they get fed constantly by the snorkel tours at Hol Chan and sometimes by dive masters shooting lionfish. They learn to connect people with food and get a little pushy...never made me uncomfortable but some in our group didn't like it so much.

This video was some snorkeling we did between dives in the park. Another boat threw out a fish head and the race was on. I think I counted 14 nurse sharks in this group.

I hate Hol Chan....
The habit of these nurse sharks are very funny.
As soon as they see the dive master with the spear, they just follow him.
I personally don't like chumming, but to eradicate the lions, works out well for both.

We are going back to Hurricaine Lodge on Long Caye and Ambergris in January.

 

[chefjpaul]

Fair word of warning I like to make trip videos more than anything so the content isn’t strictly diving.
https://youtu.be/mkywk0hqBrs
This one is more strictly freediving. I consider it second to the first one in quality, but I wasted a great shot on it - diving in the Gulf Stream and looking at the surface. Hindsight is 20/20.
Keep an eye out for the anemone shrimp. No idea how I saw that while freediving.
https://youtu.be/-TxbdqNJhyY

Great videos!!

 

[saltyhog]

I hate Hol Chan....
The habit of these nurse sharks are very funny.
As soon as they see the dive master with the spear, they just follow him.
I personally don't like chumming, but to eradicate the lions, works out well for both.

We are going back to Hurricaine Lodge on Long Caye and Ambergris in January.

Yep. Every time we have dove it the current has been horrible too. The only thing about my trip to Ambergris that was really good was the Blue Hole trip. The two dives after the Blue Hole were outstanding with healthy reefs and a lot of fish.

I'll see if I can find my video of a nurse shark doing exactly what you say....followed us the whole dive like a puppy. I think it's the one where our diver master used a piece of algae to clean his mask...never saw that one before.

 

[chefjpaul]

Yep. Every time we have dove it the current has been horrible too. The only thing about my trip to Ambergris that was really good was the Blue Hole trip. The two dives after the Blue Hole were outstanding with healthy reefs and a lot of fish.

I'll see if I can find my video of a nurse shark doing exactly what you say....followed us the whole dive like a puppy. I think it's the one where our diver master used a piece of algae to clean his mask...never saw that one before.

Awesome. (Yes, current there is nasty).

We had a DM spear a lion in a cave, the shark was pushing trying to get it, the DM literally pushed the sharks face and body away a few times, like a dog, until he could get it for him. Funny..but crazy.

Since on shark subject and it's shark week.
Cozumel last year and the preggo Bull Sharks.
There were about 13 at one point.