Drop me a line if you want to dive around NYC. There are fun and hairy stuff here. I dive with combo wetsuit which has 3 mm on the arms and legs but torso is made out of 7 mm. That's perfect for around here. When you get your cert in Florida and come back it will almost be time for diving at Dutch Spring and that's a fun site to practice your skills.
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Matt
http://brunerdog.tripod.com/survival/index.html