20 replies to this topic

[blacktar]

The weather just keeps on getting nicer here. I got an afternoon shore dive on wednesday. I saw a nice pair of spotted file fish, and one of the largest angelfish that I have ever seen. No pics, due to camera issues. Today was good as well. I dove the wreck if the Pollackshields and tarpon hole. I found a nice Black-spotted sea goddess, and several groupers.

[Capn Jack]

Weather cancelled our Flower Gardens trip, so Sara and I went to the Comal river, did two drift dives down the shortest river in Texas. 73F, about a 1 knot current. Worked a little on shooting an SMB, and trying to figure out what this one butt-ugly fish we saw was.

Twinklez told us it was a Plecostomus - an 18" version of the little algae sucker people keep in their aquariums.

We also saw a crawfish that was lucky Sara didn't have a catch bag with her.

I did manage to catch 3 empty beer cans and one full bottle of well-aged 73F budweiser - life is good.

Attached Images

• 

[Twinklez]

I did manage to catch 3 empty beer cans and one full bottle of well-aged 73F budweiser - life is good.

Ahhh...but he didn't tell you that he opened that beer and drank it! If only Sarah had set terms on her bet, she'd have a few extra bucks in her pocket today.

Didn't get to work on rescue skills at all on Saturday. My bouyancy was awful. Fighting to stay down wore me out so I opted to do the 225 yard freestyle early this morning rather than Saturday afternoon.

First questions...wetsuit or not? I opted not. The water was 72 and while the wetsuit would have provided added bouyancy, it also would have tired me out quicker. Once I got moving I didn't feel the temperature at all. Made my 6 minute swim in 5 & 29 seconds with a side stroke. Thought I was gonna lose my cookies about 5 feet from my marker.

After about 30 minutes of recovery, I geared up and worked on bouyancy. Bouyancy check went well, I hovered on the platform both horizontally and vertically just fine, but in the drift dive if I lay my body flat my feet and butt still want to rise causing me to become inverted. I'm supposed to dive Clear Springs next week and will see if I have the same problem there without a current. If not, then maybe I need to consider ankle weights or a tank weight when doing a drift dive.

All in all it was a great weekend and I really enjoyed diving with Capn Jack and his lovely daughter Sarah.

[ScubaDadMiami]

. . . if I lay my body flat my feet and butt still want to rise causing me to become inverted. . . . maybe I need to consider ankle weights or a tank weight when doing a drift dive.

I made a weight for the bottom of my tanks that worked well for me. I would avoid the ankle weights if you can.

Attached Images

• 

[6Gill]

Did 4 dives(a wall,a drift.wreck and a reef).Worst vis was 50ft with a water temp of 48F.No pics but saw a varity of sponge,hydroids,anemones,puget sound king crab,wolf eel,giant pacific octopus,goose neck barnecles,nudibranchs,a varity of sea starts,rockfish,greenlings and a ship.

Eric

[Dive_Girl]

I dove into house cleaning because you poops wouldn't grant me the clean house wish!

ScubaDadMiami, the weight you added looks like v-weights we cold water divers use for our doubles to avoid weight belts or other types of added and obstructive weights. Cool!

[gcbryan]

I saw a GPO out in the open. That's about it.

6gill, I'm curious as to where you dove this weekend. I'd like to hear of more BC dive sites.

[Twinklez]

I made a weight for the bottom of my tanks that worked well for me. I would avoid the ankle weights if you can.

I don't care for the idea of ankle weights; figuring that would simply give way to opportunity for leg cramps. Wondering if I can't take a hard weight and thread it onto a nylon strap that has a quick release, and wrap that around my tank just above the boot.

Last fall I experienced this problem after getting my new BC and diving an AL80. I was diving an AL63 over the weekend so was really surprised when it happened again. Previously it only seemed to affect me near the end of the dive when doing my safety - so I just did the safety upside down - no problem except for other divers thinking I was in distress. This weekend it was throughout the dive; if I finned I was aimed at the bottom; if I floated my feet and butt floated up. The only way to keep myself somewhat level was to fold my knees and pull my legs in when floating, or archng my back while finning (which by the way is painful for someone with a few bad discs). Made my first day of diving miserable so am bound and determined to solve this problem right away.

Edited by Twinklez, 03 April 2006 - 04:55 AM.

[6Gill]

I saw a GPO out in the open. That's about it.

6gill, I'm curious as to where you dove this weekend. I'd like to hear of more BC dive sites.

I dove Sechelt Inlet,The first dive was Stag Wall(bottoms out at approx 800ft or so they tell me),Tzoonie Narrows(drift),HMCS Chaudier(wreck) and Carlson Point(reef).
Anything in particular your looking for?

Eric

[solodiver in nj]

Did 4 dives(a wall,a drift.wreck and a reef).Worst vis was 50ft with a water temp of 48F.No pics but saw a varity of sponge,hydroids,anemones,puget sound king crab,wolf eel,giant pacific octopus,goose neck barnecles,nudibranchs,a varity of sea starts,rockfish,greenlings and a ship.

Eric

Niiice!..wish we had 50 ft. vis..all we see here lately are tautaug, once in a while a ling or two..

[gcbryan]

I saw a GPO out in the open. That's about it.

6gill, I'm curious as to where you dove this weekend. I'd like to hear of more BC dive sites.

I dove Sechelt Inlet,The first dive was Stag Wall(bottoms out at approx 800ft or so they tell me),Tzoonie Narrows(drift),HMCS Chaudier(wreck) and Carlson Point(reef).
Anything in particular your looking for?

Eric

Just looking for new dives not too far from Seattle. I haven't been to Sechelt yet. It sounds like that might have to be on my agenda.

[6Gill]

Just looking for new dives not too far from Seattle. I haven't been to Sechelt yet. It sounds like that might have to be on my agenda.

You'll still need to catch a ferry over but its cheaper than the island ferry.There are a couple decent shore dives but boat diving is the way to go.The ones you definitly want to do are the Power Lines(wall) and the Skookumchuck(drift).
Right now the vis at Porteau is about 3-5 feet and Whytecliff improves below 50-60 feet but even that isn't as good as Vancouver Isl. or Sechelt.

Eric

[gcbryan]

Just looking for new dives not too far from Seattle. I haven't been to Sechelt yet. It sounds like that might have to be on my agenda.

You'll still need to catch a ferry over but its cheaper than the island ferry.There are a couple decent shore dives but boat diving is the way to go.The ones you definitly want to do are the Power Lines(wall) and the Skookumchuck(drift).
Right now the vis at Porteau is about 3-5 feet and Whytecliff improves below 50-60 feet but even that isn't as good as Vancouver Isl. or Sechelt.

Eric

Thanks. I'll remember those.

[Dive_Girl]

A group form our shop is doing Skookumchuck May 5-7. I'll join them if I can because I hear the currents are excellent for that area that one weekend!

[Islanddiver72]

Please don't hate me...all you cooler-water divers...I do not mean to be a braggart. I simply have to share a little description of yesterday's dive. About an hour from here is a dive known as the Current Cut: a high-speed drift dive where the tidal run can reach speeds of 10 knots. Anyway, I take groups to dive there during the last hour of incoming tide. So, the first run is akin to being shot out of a cannon - both in terms of speed and lack of directional control! That run was the thrill-ride run. The second run through I took my group over to an area where we sometimes see 3-4 eagle rays. Well, this time there were a few more...approximately 36 more! As we fought against the current to stay in one place, the rays swirled around us, seemingly taunting us with their grace! The final run through the cut was the best I have ever done. With the tidal flow down to less than 1 knot we were able to stay with the rays and watch them cavort around us. When we finally left them, I lead my group to the otherside of the cut to show them the large school of Jacks that tend to hang out there, and was greeted not only by them, but also a curious bull shark. This sure beats a real job