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We've entered the chillier parts of the year, when the thought of entering the Puget Sound may not be the most entertaining thing you can think of on the weekend.
Fact #1 The Puget Sound stays relatively close to the same temperature year round...it's the surface interval between dives that chills you.
Fact #2  Winter has consistently the best visibiity in the Sound.  The spring, from May - June, has the worst due to algae bloom. 
However, thousands of people still NEED to get certified in order to visit the reef below on their mid-winter escapes. What's the answer?
PADI (and...

Open Water Diver is your first step to beginning your adventures in exploring the underwater environment.  There are many options out there and it can be very confusing on just how to get started off on the right foot.  Here are some tips.
When selecting where you're going to do your training, here are some questions to ask:
1) Are the classes going to provide the PADI Open Water Certification?  If not, then your not getting the certification from the largest recognized dive training agency in the world.  PADI has put the money into their training programs, and it shows.  Just look at the materials that they provide (books, DVD's etc) compared to others.  Heck...just look at their website compared to other training agencies.  It doesn't mean that you can't get good training that's not PADI, but it does mean that your not comparing apples to apples.  It costs a facility or an instructor much less money to train you as something other than PADI, so it should cost you less as well.
2) Is the instructor that's going to conduct your classes able to teach follow on specialty classes like wreck diving, deep diving, nitrox diver, u/w video, or others?  If not, then not only will you have to go elsewhere to continue your education, but this might also tell you about the experience level of the instructor that your considering.  It's important that one understands that there are MANY different levels within the instructor ranks.  "Open Water Instructor" other wise known as just a "scuba instructor" is just the beginning.  After that (at least in the PADI system) we have Master Scuba Diver Trainer, then IDC Staff Instructor, then Master Instructor, then finally comes Course Director.  These additional ratings require gaining certifications, additional training, and additional experience.  If the instructor you've found can teach specialties, how many specialties can they teach?  How well rounded and experienced are they?
3) Is the instructor certified to teach other related courses like Emergency First Response CPR and First Aid? That's pretty standard for new instructors but now how about Diver Alert Network (DAN) oxygen first aid courses?  Are they a DAN Diving Emergency Management Provider Instructor?  What about a Diving Emergency Specialist?  These are all ratings that you should expect a seasoned dive professional to attain.  Is your instructor certified to teach any "distinctive" specialties?  This will tell you what kind of continuing education that the instructor has undergone besides just getting their instructor rating.  Has the instructor taken any rescue or emergency medical type courses outside of the standard PADI courses? Like maybe those offered by Wilderness Medical Associates, Divers Alert Network, Dive Rescue...

Hollywood blockbuster “Mission Impossible III” shows Ving Rhames diving beneath the Vatican on an XScooter DPV to save Tom Cruise from the prison below.   Now, GirlDiver takes a look at the XScooter Dive Propulsion Vehicle (DPV) from a gentler perspective.  Serious DPV diving for a girl?  Is it too big?  Too powerful?  Too much of a “boys toy”?     I’m ready to test the toughest, lightweight underwater scooter of the bunch, to see how it fits, for a girl.
In the world of diving, we have necessary gear, and we have fun accessories.   The accessories of diving are used to enhance your dive experience, as fashion accessories are used to enhance your clothing selections. 
There is a difference in designer handbags, as all women know.  You’ve got the limited edition Prada bag versus the Coach purse at the local fine department store.  One purse will cost thousands, whereas the other handbag, mere hundreds.  And regardless of whether you’re a purveyor of costly handbags, you’ve probably got a girlfriend or an office mate who will argue the legitimate value and pricing of their high end purses.  There is the attention to detail, the useability, the size and the length of time one would expect the handbag to last with daily wear and of course, the materials from which the bag is made. 
Dive propulsion vehicles.  The scooters of the sea definitely fall into the accessory category.  Not needed, but as an enhancement to your diving experience, they can ease the effort and reduce the amount of air you breathe during a dive, as well as zip you out to a dive site without a lengthy surface swim.   You can survey a wreck at depth, flying over the ship like an astronaut strapped to a rocket pack in space.  Probably not a vehicle you’ll be using on every dive, but one brought out on special occasions to add to the dive event.  
I was invited by the makers of the X-Scooter, Ben McGeever and Andrew Georgitsis, to take their super lightweight DPV for a spin.  Already familiar with scooters having a much lower price point, I was excited to try a higher end (“designer”, if you will) DPV.    Was...

Time travel becomes reality, as I descend beneath the waterline in a 1944 Mark 5 Hard Helmet, the standard U.S. Navy dive equipment used for undersea salvage operations in World War II
 “So, what’s under the water?” I asked Maurice, the aged greek instructor from a local training facility for commercial divers.   I was 19 years old and my only experience with the underwater realm was a five minute dive in a college swimming pool. 
He told of the brilliant sea life inhabiting the chilly waters of the Puget Sound in the Northwestern corner of the U.S.    He explained what the guys were doing underwater, welding and cutting, and how they would eventually use it to work in the offshore oil fields. 
“I want to learn how to dive!” I exclaimed.  
Maurice just shook his head, and in a thick accent said, “Girls like you…you no dive.  Girls like that, (pointing to a tall, stocky girl on the dock) they dive.  Girls like you…you date the divers.  Come, I’ll introduce you to my boys.”
And with that, it was done. 
 I was 19, in college and so the introduction to the boys on the dock sufficed.   In the four months following, I helped the guys get in and out of their dive gear, learned about the dockside diving bell, rinsed and stored the commercial dive equipment.  But I knew I could never dive, for I wasn’t big enough, or strong enough.
It took a full decade for my entry into the scuba world.   Recreationally, not commercially.   I sought out dive gear made for small women, found easier methods to don the heavy equipment and slowly developed the “dive specific” muscular structure by hauling countless tanks to and from dive sites.   I honed my instructional skills to ease the entry of other women into the sport. 
Now, I’m taking the plunge as a hard helmet diver.  Using  “modern equipment” of another century.  Descending to the depths  in an authentic  Mark V helmet.    This level of helmet was produced by the Diving Equipment and Salvage Company (now known as DESCO) for the U.S. Navy from 1927 until the Mark 12 surface supplied system in the late 1970’s.  
The dive is coordinated by Tim and Steve King of Smokey Point Diving.   As members of the Historical Diving Society, they are collectors of diving helmets and equipment from our past.    The suit I’m diving is a “Men’s Large” size, the smallest available suit size.   With enough lacing and strapping, pulling and tugging, they will fit me into the rubber coated canvas suit, promising no leaks in a suit manufactured the year after Jacque Cousteau took his first experimental dive in his Aqua-Lung.   
The diving helmet is bolted to the suit brales, with a weight of 56 pounds (25 kilos) alone.   Underwater, the top heavy helmet configuration, even with air added,  would turn divers on their heads, so to counteract the tipsiness, boots weighing 17 pounds (8 kilos) each, and a weight belt of 85 pounds (38.5 kilos) was added to the standard diving dress.   Total weight...

Mask, snorkel, fins, hood, gloves, BCD, regulator, drysuit and tank...check!
One of the most frequent questions from would-be scuba divers is "how much does it cost to buy all of your equipment once you're certified?"   And, depending on who you ask, the answer can sometimes deter one from taking the first step in exploring another world.
For the average diver, renting equipment at the beginning of your dive journey is an economical and intelligent way to go.  Most scuba centers have rental departments and with a little forethought, you can enjoy the sport of scuba for the same price as any other one-day outdoor activity. 
Forethought:  Check out your local dive centers rental equipment.  Visit three or four shops, compare pricing and actually...

The ideal way for a novice diver to purchase their own equipment is with a high limit credit card and the experience only seasoned divers have. Selecting a dive set up in a world you've just earned admission to is tough. Most start the search with misinformation, opinions from other divers and strangers recommendations. Poor buying decisions now can affect you later in time and money. With this in mind...let's look at making your first scuba gear purchases.First, let me emphasize just how crucial your choice...

Sometimes smaller is better.
In the world of scuba instruction, there are three varieties of instructional programs.  
First, we have the MegaClasses.   These classes are designed to push the maximum amount of students through a program in the least amount of time.  There are limits imposed by certification agencies to number of students to instructors, but if you have more than 10 students in your class, it would fall into this category.
 In the industry, these are lovingly referred to as “cattle boat operations”…whether or not there’s a boat involved.   The idea is to offer lessons at a very low price to get people to try it out.  While the price point is a plus, sometimes we need to look at value.   It’s the reason there’s a  Walmart and a Nordstroms…depending on your needs, you can shop at either place.
The second...

THE NIGHTMARE: Emerging from a dive wrapped in a cold neoprene sponge, which needs to be peeled off of your pasty body, while onlookers gasp, as your swimsuit shows more of your bottom than it covers. Enter the Drysuit…Diva Style.Drysuits come in all flavours. From vulcanized rubber (for the commercial dive diva) to compressed/crushed neoprene and heavy nylon shell suits. No matter how you choose to dry up your diving, there are some considerations that GirlDivers must ponder, that the boys know nothing about. These are not bikini's. Not sexy. Not sensual. But they are HOT! Hot in the best sense of the word underwater. So, we'll save the sexy black dress for post-dive activities, and realize that staying warm sometimes means sacrificing fashion. Be sure that your drysuit has ample room to add some layers, after all, no matter how tight fitting your suit, no one will see the 10 pounds you struggled to lose. LAYERING: In order to achieve warmth with most drysuits, you'll need to layer a bit underneath the suit. The type of suit you dive will determine the extent of layering that is needed. You will always need a base layer. This layer...

My first experience with a jellyfish sting was followed by my respect for a well-stocked Save-A-Dive kit by my fellow diver. When out from the impressive tackle box, filled with pieces and parts, envelopes and vials, came a small container of vinegar and a cotton swab, the tingling on my face would soon vanish. Now, I've always loved "hero" moments, so I, too, wanted a well-stocked kit that I could save the day with. In my quest to cover any unforeseen event, I came up with the following list, that I'm happy to share, for an extensive kit to cover you and your dive buddies. Yes, there's more you can add…and things you...

(The things the Dive Shop doesn’t tell you!!)So, you’re ready to take your Open Water Course? Your first taste of the underwater realm, a magical place that has inspired legends and lore for centuries. You will witness, first hand, what it feels like to be weightless and to move through the water effortlessly, hearing only the soothing sound of your bubbles as you swim with the creatures of the deep. Your life will forever be changed...oh, I know you may have already heard this...but it’s true. You will not be the same.Ok. So there are some things that you should be aware of that will make this exercise as fun as it is rewarding.1) Chocolate. Between dives, after a pool session...even in the middle of class after we complete a quiz! Chocolate makes the whole thing better. But there’s a scientific reason behind it. Dark chocolate has three compounds in it that closely resemble a "messenger molecule" in your brain responsible for calming pain, creating blissful feelings and increasing memory. So, remember to infuse your...