James McCuaig

Bottoms Up! James McCuaig

As I completed this memoir, I was struck by the fact that so many scary things happened to me. Then, I realized that if you divided the number of bad experiences by 42 years of diving the figure wasn't so bad. I experienced so many days of fun in, under and near the water. I dove in cold water and warm water and saw many varieties of marine life that the time spent was very worthwhile. Diving in lakes and rivers, the Puget Sound and San Juans, Mexico, the Carribean, Catalina, and other locatons gave me hours of fond memories. The friends I met and the people that helped me and encouraged me were and are the greatest! Thnk you! If I were to be asked about diving I would give the following advice: 1.) Take the very best classes available (NAUI, PADI and YMCA). I'm sure that there are others that are good - check them out. Don't think that by taking a two day class in some resort that you are a pro, even if the instructor tells you so. Believe me, you are not! 2.) Buy the highest quality equipment. Beware of second hand regulators and BCs. 3.) Plan your dive and dive your plan. 4.) Don't drink the night before or before entering the water. 5.) Don't dive below 100 feet unless you have advanced training. It is very cold, dark and dangerous. And 6.) Always dive with a buddy! And stick with him or her. Keep wet my friends!