It was a good day!

603doug · 18 March 2008, 23:36

I was waiting for a job site to be plowed off (4 ft of snow, by the way did anyone think that snow sucks after the first 3 ft) so I took the rib out and went for a dive. Buoys measured 2 to 4fters online but they lied more like 4 to 6 fters. Found a quiet cove off one of the islands and had a great dive. I was the only one out it was great. Dodging ice flows going down the river was entertaining but all disappeared when I got offshore.

ian parkes · 18 March 2008, 23:55

Well Hard

or mad .

jyasaki · 19 March 2008, 00:06

WTG, Doug;

I was out last weekend for a memorial dive for a friend who was lost a year ago. Unfortunately, the weather decided not to cooperate this weekend, with offshore swells forecast at 12 to 18' all weekend. In Monterey Bay, on the day of the dive, we had 5 to 7 foot swells with another couple of feet of wind chop. The commercial dive boat that was supposed to run out with a bunch of friends cancelled due to weather. So 3 of us took the RIBs out with a total of 6 divers and 1 passenger. First guy in bounced to the bottom, came up, and reported zero vis (hit the bottom before he saw it.) Two on another boat called their dive as soon as they heard. I had one on my boat bail on account of seasickness; the first diver down took her back in to the ramp. I dropped and found that while zero vis without a light, with one it was about 5 feet. I was joined a little later by the other diver on my boat, and we spent about a half hour poking around trying not to get lost (and surprisingly, I saw quite a bit of interesting stuff.) When we got back up, the passenger said it hadn't been too bad; only a few waves had crested over the bow. Fun run back in, since the seasick girl was the only one I was trying not to injure.

The next day was pretty calm (relatively), though visibility wasn't any better.

jky

limeydal · 19 March 2008, 02:27

Jky, You guys are nuts

I used to dive a little and always hated bobbing around with the BC inflated waiting for the pick up. Something about that motion that turns the stomach.Think thats why so many throw up in life rafts !
and Doug, you need help

Do you wear a big white fur coat by any chance

cheers Dal

Stoo · 19 March 2008, 13:21

Nicely done Doug... My water is still solid.. Not to mention the 15' pile of snow in front of the ramp...

I spent last week in Grenada. The reefs aren't great, but did a series of dives on the Bianca C.... sister ship to the Andrea Doria. At 165' and 80 deg. water, it's a little easier to dive!

If you're a wrecker, definitely worth a trip to see it...

More info here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bianca_C_(ship)

jyasaki · 19 March 2008, 16:01

[QUOTE=limeydal;242349] Jky, You guys are nuts

I used to dive a little and always hated bobbing around with the BC inflated waiting for the pick up. [quote]

No live boat diving here (unless someone get way lost.) Down the anchor line, and back up (assuming you can find it. If you can't, it's turn over and kick...)

Quote:

Something about that motion that turns the stomach.Think thats why so many throw up in life rafts !

No doubt. My personal record (achieved twice now) is getting all 4 passengers sick. I think I need additional friends to see if I can better it.

jky

603doug · 19 March 2008, 16:29

So sick of winter that any thing seems like a good idea. Fortunately I do not get seasick (to scared to let go and think about it). Stoo, guess ice diving till the lake melts in June is not a great idea? All you folks in warm weather must get bored with 70 degree day all the time, nothing like sh*tty weather for 3 months to make one appreciate 50 degrees

Tomas · 19 March 2008, 21:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stoo

I spent last week in Grenada. The reefs aren't great, but did a series of dives on the Bianca C.... sister ship to the Andrea Doria. At 165' and 80 deg. water, it's a little easier to dive!

Stoo, glad you had a good trip. All of our shallow coral is cooked but we have the advantage of a cliff all along the North Shore that drops off to over six thousand feet right away. Below about 50 feet on down things are in pretty good shape. It's the Elk Horn and Stag Horn in 20 feet or less has been savaged in the last few years. They're doing a lot of surveys and studies around here to tell us what we already know.

Tomas

Stoo · 20 March 2008, 01:35

Doug, the whole ice-diving thing is just too much work: tote the crap, saw a hole, bla bla bla. Besides... it's shore diving. I have a cool boat... I'll wait until there's water! (If you ever have the urge, feel free to call.. I can always make an exception!)

Tomas, I think the reefs around Grenada are showing the effects of the pounding the took from Hurricane Ivan. Talking to some of the locals, I gather it parked there and just pummeled them for a lot longer than was fun!

On the upside, the reefs were chock full of juvenile fish and I think that given another decade of growth, things will be better.

All of the shallow reefs in the Caribbean are taking a beating from higher temperatures, over-fishing and in some cases, over-diving I'm afraid.

As I mentioned, I'm off to Utila in three weeks and that looks like it will be decent.

jyasaki · 20 March 2008, 15:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stoo

Doug, the whole ice-diving thing is just too much work: tote the crap, saw a hole, bla bla bla. Besides... it's shore diving. I have a cool boat... I'll wait until there's water!

I think a judicious application of explosives and a dive off the boat while on the trailer might be in order.

Quote:

As I mentioned, I'm off to Utila in three weeks and that looks like it will be decent.

Hope you have a great trip.

jky

603doug · 20 March 2008, 22:05

I use to ice dive, chasing equipment, bodies, etc that went through the lakes and now I want to dive just for fun. I am lucky because so far the ocean has not froze so if the seas and weather are with us we get to play. Stoo ever get to New Hampshire the same offer, we will go offshore, to hell with the ice unless it is in a fine scotch

Stoo · 21 March 2008, 21:48

Doug, I used to drag my little SIB down to Cape Anne every year.. I imagine the diving is similar to yours... I'm currently in Vermont getting hammered with snow. I think they'll be skiing here until July... Maybe I should have brought my dive gear too!

JYK... I will I'm sure. I tink this is officially the "honeymoon" trip, since we got married on the second to last day of the Grenada trip last week...