View Full Version : Going to Oki, have a few questions
Hamelink83
11-02-09, 07:59 PM
I received my orders for my first duty station and I'll be in Okinawa (Camp Schwab, 3rd CAB) for the next 2 years. Naturally, I have questions.
Is it worth it to have a cell phone? If so, who has the best deal for international?
Is there places to mountain bike around the base?
What is the cost of diving there? I've heard the diving is fantastic and I want to check it out.
Thanks for any help.
sparkie
11-02-09, 09:07 PM
If there is a pile of salt on the on the bar steps,,,,,, Don't mess with the ladies. LMFAO.
Wyoming
11-02-09, 09:44 PM
FINALLY, someone going to Oki with a plan and not a *****!!
Gunner 0313
11-03-09, 12:16 AM
:flag:Definitely check into the Scuba Hame. I'll get the scoop from my bro, that's what he got into when he was there.
spokelse0
11-03-09, 01:09 AM
definately get a cell phone, you will have to go down to hansen or foster cause schwab doesnt sell them, just go in the px you will see the cell phone vendor they will tell you everything you want to know.
mountain biking probly not soo much, ive never seen anyone doing it, but there might be some places. but not a huge thing here.
if you want to dive there is classing going all the time, civilian instructions getting people certified in padi. just contact the scuba shops on foster or hansen and get signed up for that, its like 75 bucks i think.
Softbank is the name of the company who sells on base and they have what's called a 'white' plan for you. I hear it's unlimited international calls (within your minutes). It's a good deal.
they are the only provider for the iPhone but that iPhone doesn't work on the US freqs so it turns into an expensive iTouch when you get back to the states.
spokelse0
11-03-09, 03:53 AM
just use skype or vonage for calling back to the states, i use skype its free
Marine1955
11-03-09, 09:09 PM
WHAT OUT FOR CREEP STREET!!
iF YOU DON'T YOU'LL BE SEEING THE DOC.
L O L
kfisbusy
11-03-09, 09:54 PM
:evilgrin:Hell you may ask to clime Mt. Mother Fuc*er. I don't think they will let you us a bike throw. Also like what said stay away from creep street. I throught it would have been gone by now. Good Luck. SSGT. Francisco.:iwo::flag:.
Zulu 36
11-03-09, 10:20 PM
The diving is fantastic although I have no current info on where to go for training, equipment, or travel to dive spots. When I was last there (1975), there were a number of places you could wade from shore to dive (part of the Hagushi beach was one of them - the old WWII invasion beach). I do not know if those are still accessible.
There was a military dive club I went with occasionally (all services belonged). We took an LCU out to the dive sites, lowered the ramp and had a great day. We took food, and if we caught fish in the morning, the Okinawan crew would clean them and cook them up for lunch for everybody. Good times.
wargrudge
11-03-09, 10:57 PM
Tsunami Scuba is the place to go for renting equipment, taking dive classes, and the like. They have a location on every base if I'm not mistaken. (Though I don't know if Schwab does, it's the only base I haven't been to.) If you got any questions feel free to ask me, been here for over a year and got almost 3 left.
Watch out for Creep Street!
They call it Creep Street on Oki, too? I know there was a Creep Street in Iwakuni. :confused:
If you have the time, get an international drivers license too. that way you can get a bunch of marines together, rent a car and drive all over to dive spots.
Best decision I ever made was getting one on leave before i went to Oki in "80" for the first time.
TJR1070
11-04-09, 07:41 AM
The diving is some of the best in the world, I would highly recommend to anyone going to the rock to get certified. I know you can dive right off Camp Courtney but Schwab has a sizeable reef that you have to walk over to get to open water. There is also good diving in Tsunami Bay that you can get to by walking from shore, although there usually was alot of sea snakes.
and you've been diving all over the world???? come on now. don't make claims you can't back up. yes it's great diving.
Supersquishy
11-04-09, 08:43 AM
Was snorkeling off Mida Point (sp?) and it drops off pretty steep from the reef line. Pretty darn spooky looking way down into deep dark blue water Im not a fan of deep water and not being able to see the floor!
and if you've ever seen seal island during shark week... hehehehe, watch out for speeding sharks trying to bite you in half!
Supersquishy
11-04-09, 08:49 AM
and if you've ever seen seal island during shark week... hehehehe, watch out for speeding sharks trying to bite you in half!
was snorkeling in the bahamas when i came face to face with a 4 foot baracuda, but it dam seemed like 10 feet at first, I was basically running on water trying to get out, again im not a fan of swimming in an environment im not used to. haha.
see, that's why you arm yourself
sure that barracuda will eat your face off, but you can stab it and eventually some bigger predator will eat it (and your face).
Garyius
11-04-09, 10:46 AM
Some of the best diving anywhere is there. I was there many years ago, when it was one year tours.
My friend and I bought a car so we could go where we wanted, which everyday at least was from Futenma to Kadena to eat, and dives, lots of diving. I got up to rescue diver cert.
Back then lance's could do whatever we wanted on our time off (other than duty section, which was cleaning), so I had a lot of fun. I signed up for the extra year, as well.
Lots of cool places to eat and sight-see. Drinking the locals didn't like us as much, so we got stuck going to the "American" clubs, which were okay sometimes. When I was there the E-Club was used to support full dining and bar service at the O and SNCO clubs, so they always sucked. Hopefully they fixed that.
I had a dsn line. I paid 39 a month for it. I was able to call the states for 3 yen a minutes. Came out to about 45 a month, talking all I wanted. It was cheaper than the cell phone plans that the guys I worked with had.
You can bike all over if you want. I have heard (and seen) some actual mountain trails, but I con't know much about them. But there are places to bike though.
It was 100 for the scuba classes on base about a year ago. As for the equipment, I can't say. I'd guess between 25-50 dollars to rent them for the day. I just went snorkling.
TJR1070
11-04-09, 10:52 AM
and you've been diving all over the world???? come on now. don't make claims you can't back up. yes it's great diving.
OK compared to diving in Cali, NY, the Carribean, Hawaii and the P.I. I liked it the best. So as pointed out I cannot definatively say it is the best in the world (which by the way I prefaced with "some of") it is the best place I have ever dived. Is that better SSgt?
yes, much better. :D thanks for caring.