The Scuba Blogger, Nicole Willoughby, is in the Hot Seat

So when the blog was created and we started doing the interviews to Meet the Crew, Deb had asked that I write a post to introduce myself. Well if I walked around asking myself questions all the time everyone might wonder what was up and try to put me in a straight jacket while calling the looney bin. I mean I guess we all do talk to ourselves throughout the day from time to time but I don’t need another reason for people to think I’m nuts, you know since I can give a thumbs up with my big toes or wave with my second and third toes. Oh you didn’t know that… well now you do . (and it may or may not freak Deb out…) So anyway Mark Willoughby &/or Jason La Due were supposed to interview me but they never did so I finally wrote up a blurb about myself and posted it. Since then many people have asked why I don’t have a question blog post that I’ve had to answer. Again, who wants to ask themselves questions? So late last year Doug Lord decided that he was up to the task to take over the blog and interview the blogger. During the Platinum Party we made plans to put me, the blogger, in the hot seat. Now I know what it’s like for the rest of you guys . So I give you Doug‘s blog post introducing me, Nicole Willoughby, the blogger behind the Scuba Blog (in case I haven’t mentioned that enough already).

1. Why did I want to become a Scuba Diver?

Back in Septebmer 2010 after Mark and I got married I created a 101 in 1001 list so 101 things to accomplish in 1001 days. I knew we wouldn’t get them all done but I had to try. One of the items was to try scuba diving.

2. How long have you been a certified Scuba Diver?

July 2013.

3. What led you to Extreme Sports Scuba?

We were with some friends of ours one night and they were certified scuba divers. They told us about an up coming Try it Tuesday and that we should come and try it out. The Try it Tuesday was with Extreme Sports Scuba.

4. What has been your favorite diving experience so far?

Not long after getting certified, I made one trip to Mermet Springs and doing the wreck diving certification with Grady through the plane would have to be it. I wish I could say Cozumel or some place warm, but for now Mermet Springs it is.

5. With your limited experience, so far what has been your favorite place to dive?

Mermet Springs.

6. What is your favorite thing about diving?

I’m stumped…. Fish freak me out but touching the fish underwater cracks me up every time and I scream.

7. What is your most comical dive experience?

So the summer that I was getting certified, Deb, Aerielle Cupp and I went under to do mask skills.  We had a fish get in the middle of the 3 of us and turn to each diver as it was their turn to do the skill that Deb demonstrated, including when Deb did the demonstrations. Then to add to that, Aerielle was to remove her mask and in the process spit out her regulator. Needless to say, I did not have to remove my mask during that set of skills. Don’t worry though I’ve removed it many times since.

8. What are some of your future plans for diving this year?

Dry suit certification, diving at the lake, Mermet, etc.

9. What would be your dream destination to go diving and why?

So most people claim Cozumel to be their favorite dive experience. I’m not going to lie, I want to go see what all the hubbub is all about. But anywhere it is warm and clear I’m good to go? Who’s paying?

10.Words of wisdom or advice for fellow divers?

Make sure that your dive buddy knows that they are in fact your dive buddy and they don’t leave you on the 15’ platform at Mermet Springs taking pictures. I guess you could count that as a comical dive experience too. (story: there were about 7-8 of us who went to dive at Mermet Springs in 2013. We were just going down to feed the fish on the 15′ Platform. When I turned around no one was there so I just waited for them to come back for me. No one realized I didn’t go too…)

11.To get a little away from diving directly, what led you to become our Extreme Sports Blogger?

I’ve had my personal blog since October 2009. When Jason and Mark were working on the rebuild to the Extreme Sports Scuba website in summer/fall of 2013 they hit me up and asked if I’d be willing to blog.

++Doug kept shaking his head at me…. I keep telling him I’m not scared

12.I know you like photography, have you had much of a chance to combine diving with photography?

So in August 2013 just before we went to Mermet Springs Mark bought me a Sealife DC1400. While at Mermet Springs though I took my Nikon Point and Shoot underwater camera that goes to 30 feet instead. Then I took about a year off to have that beautiful baby and in the process sold the Sealife so I never used it… not once. Then in the mean time I bought Brian Head’s old Olympus with the underwater housing and since I’ve gotten back into scuba diving, I haven’t had it underwater yet. Although Mark did take it underwater at Mermet, I just drug the Nikon down with me because I was focusing more on diving. So yes I want to learn, I just haven’t had the chance in the few dives I’ve made since being certified.  But I do have the Underwater Photography bible waiting to teach me.

13.What type of photography do you enjoy most?

I’m going to say on land. That’s the most experience I have so far.

14.Would you have any words of advice for anyone wanting to get into photography?

Do your research, talk to people who have camera’s, especially the type your interested in (i.e. Nikon, Canon, point and shoot vs dSLR, etc). And then take pictures of EVERYTHING. You learn that way.

So practice practice practice?

Yup!

So how did I do?

Great! But were you afraid I’d bite? I’m not a catfish. (Story, Doug got bit by a Catfish at Mermet Springs in 2014)

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