Diver from WI visiting this spring

[eliseaboo]

Hello all!

My name is Elise, and I'll be out in WA for a temporary job that runs March-June. I'd love to get in some diving while I'm there, though I'm not sure how much free time I'll have. I'll be on Orcas Island working as a outdoor environmental educator for the YMCA of Seattle.

A little about me: I've been diving since May '07 and am working on my DM requirements at the moment. They'll be put on hold for a bit while I travel. I just graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Conservation Biology and am taking some time to travel and persue various temporary jobs (which to be honest are mostly chosen based on their proximity to good diving). I've done about 87 dives to date, nearly all of which have been local save for 5 in Australia. I'll also be diving in the Bahamas next week where I'll complete and surpass my 100th dive (wohoo!! What a great place to do it, huh?) My last dive was December 15th, and yes, it was here in WI. Water temp I beleive was 34 and I wore a wetsuit. Well, several wetsuits. I've heard great things about diving the PNW and hope to experience it myself!

Looking forward to meeting some of you!
Elise

[Grateful Diver]

Hello Elise ...

This is a great place to hook up with folks who love to dive. Let us know when you get here, and for sure you'll get to hook up with a few of us for some local diving. Lots of active divers on here who enjoy showing folks their favorite dive sites.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[LCF]

If you can dive in 34 degree water in a wetsuit, Puget Sound's going to seem tropical in comparison!

As Bob says, post when you're closer to being here, and we can give you a bunch of information about places to dive and people to dive with. You'll enjoy your stay.

[Mattleycrue76]

Welcome!

As you undoubtedly already know, the san juan islands offer some of the best diving period. Finding dive buddies is gonna be really easy. I'm only about 40 min. to an hour away so I'm in time permiting.

[eliseaboo]

If you can dive in 34 degree water in a wetsuit, Puget Sound's going to seem tropical in comparison!

Well...I said I did it...not that I did it *well*....but looking at water temps, I think I'd be OK for the occasional single dive in a wetsuit. No money for a drysuit right now, nor for the remainder of the equipment I need, so I'm hoping to find someone to borrow from before I leave Wisconsin!

[LCF]

Elisaboo, one of the things you're going to find when you come out here is that our diving community has an ENORMOUS pool of equipment that people are willing to lend to visitors. Even drysuits, if you match available sizes. I'd be shocked if we can't come up with enough equipment for you to dive!

[Sounder]

Who's got all this extra gear? Anyone know where I can get a few more tanks?

[eliseaboo]

That would be fabulous!! Look for me near the end of February or beginning of March, I'll continue to lurk around the boards until then... :occasion5:

[eliseaboo]

Hey! Soooo...I'm here! I've been mulling things over in my head, and I'm working on a place to keep my car in Anacortes so that I can be mobile...though I think I've found some buddies at camp who have been diving around here and could show me places on the island too. If you have any suggestions that would be fabulous, so I don't have to spend $30 each time I leave the island (although, I suppose it's only $30 to get TO the island, and free to get back...they wouldn't want to strand you here without any money!)

I'll continue to lurk, but hopefully once I figure things out I can meet up with some of you for a dive! Or, if anyone is interested in coming up here drop me a line. My email is egorchels@gmail.com and probably the best way to reach me as cell phones are generally poor form while teaching...

Happy diving!