My first dive was in college on a try dive on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. I had a blast and promised myself that someday I would get certified. As luck would have it, my first job after graduating provided that opportunity. Since then, I have gone on to become a rescue diver and am now working on building my skills to achieve a professional level certification in the future.
Most of my diving has been in Southern California around Catalina Island. There have been some amazing experiences such as being dive bombed by sea lions, playing with octos, and checking out underwater shipwrecks but my favorite things to find are nudibranchs. One common type of nudibranch in Southern California waters is the Spanish shawl. It's always fascinating to watch them swim!
Diving in Central Oregon certainly has its differences from California or the Great Barrier Reef, not the least of which is water temperature, but our beautiful area still provides fun and challenging dive opportunities. I'm looking forward to checking out Clear Lake next summer but in the meantime might try to find somewhere a little warmer!