Having fond memories of summer vacations spent on the Outer Banks decades ago, we made the 530 mile trek from East Tennessee to Morehead City for a couple of days of diving with the folks of the Olympus Dive Center, which is located on the peninsula facing Bogue Sound. The company began as a boat charter business over 40 years ago, the dive shop itself was built a few years later, and their primary dive boat, the 65-foot Olympus, has been serving divers for 30 years.

Like most well-established dive shops, Olympus is an interesting place. There's an eclectic mix of ScubaPro and other dive gear, useful accessories, spare and repair parts, bags, cameras, lights, clothing and also numerous fascinating mementos from decades of exploration under the seas. The shop's founder, the late Captain George Purifoy, is credited with having discovered and identified several major wrecks, most notably the USS Schurz, a 295 foot World War I cruiser that sank in 1918, and the German submarine U-352 that went down in 1942 after mistakenly taking on a US Coast Guard cutter and getting the short end of the deal.

Needless to say we wanted to dive the U-352 as, given the notoriety of the Nazi wreck, we assume most divers new to the area probably would. We put our gear on the spacious dive deck of the Olympus, set up what could be done ahead of time, and then retired to our home for this trip, the Island Inn across the Atlantic Beach Bridge over Bogue Sound. Alarms were set for 5AM as divers were expected at the dock by 6AM sharp.

We had brought our own tanks rather than renting them at the dive shop, and they were still filled with 33% Nitrox from a prior trip, too "hot" for the 120 to 130 feet of the deeper wrecks we planned to dive. We had that toned down to 30%, good for a maximum depth of 124 feet when observing a PPO (partial pressure oxygen) of 1.4 atmospheres.

The Olympus left port around 7:30AM, after every diver had collected a numbered "boarding pass" and given it to 1st Mate Bud Daniels so he could do his roll calls after every dive — a clever solution of keeping track of divers and making sure they're all present and accounted for after a dive.

This is when we began learning the realities of North Carolina diving. Unlike in most parts of the world where there's a set schedule of dive sites every day, or where divers can request a site, off the coast of North Carolina it all depends on the conditions. No matter what the weather forecast says or what the skies look like, the situation out on the open sea may be different, and it can change at the drop of a hat. So the Captain, in constant communication with other boats and various services, decides when and where to go.

How can it be so difficult to figure out what conditions to expect? That's because the Eastern continental shelf is relatively shallow and one has to travel pretty far out on the open sea to reach depths of 120 to 130 feet where most of the interesting historic wrecks lie. That means 30 to 40 mile boat trips right to the border of the gulf stream where currents and ever-changing temperatures mean anything can happen.

For us, the initial word was that it was 50/50 on whether we could make it to the deep sites. Once past Beaufort Inlet, where the incoming swells mean it's always rocky, the seas were not too bad and after half an hour or so the Captain announced we'd be headed for the wreck of the Aeolus, a 410-foot tanker sunk in 1988 as part of the state's artificial reef program. The Aeolus now rests in about 110 feet of water, maybe 30 miles out. That was good news to us because the U-352 sits in the same direction, just another five miles farther out to sea. So we hoped to see the submarine on the second dive.

It was not to be. A bit later, with the seas getting rougher, the Olympus made a hard turn to the right and word came from the bridge that the deep dive program had to be aborted due to unsafe conditions. Instead, we were now heading for shallower waters closer to shore.

We ended up diving the "inshore" wreck of the 330-foot freighter Indra, also sunk under the artificial reef program in 1992. Depth here was 65 feet, which made for a short descent and much longer dive time. Visibility at the wreck was maybe 45 feet, not tremendous and definitely not the 80-100 feet listed for the month of July and 100+ feet for August.

It was a pleasant dive in 81 degree water and also my first opportunity to experience the "Carolina Rig," which consists of weighted hanglines dropped off the middle and rear of the boat with a horizontal line at 15 feet between them, and a rope down to the anchor line in the front. That makes it easy to find the line down to the wreck, and also helps the 15-foot safety stop at the end of the dive and then heading to the back of the boat and to the ladder.

The second dive was to two tug boats — the James J. Francesconi and the smaller Tramp — that had recently (May 2016) been sunk near the Indra. Visibility was less, but still good enough to enjoy the dive and going to both tugs. What made this dive special were massive schools of small fish literally enveloping the wreck in ever-changing speed and formations. What made them stop and start was never obvious as they didn't seem to be afraid of divers. It was totally fascinating to watch them.

The weather forecast didn't look bad for the next day and so we had high hopes to make it to the U-352 after all. Our hearts sank when we saw divers who had arrived at the dock before us take a wait-and-see approach rather than preparing their gear on the boat. And sure enough, the Captain called us together and announced that conditions were rough again, and the most we could hope for was a trip to the shallower inshore sites.

After some more deliberations, the Olympus did indeed take off. The swells at the inlet were quite large and rocked the sizable boat. Once out on the open ocean it calmed down some, but we still saw whitecaps and hit the occasional large swell. The presence of whitecaps is usually our own indicator that it's too rough to dive. Not so much underwater, but getting back on the boat with the ladder slamming up and down. Half an hour into the trip the Captain called it off. Too dangerous. And that was that for us. On the way back through Beaufort Inlet, we saw a large sport fishing yacht almost flop over backward, so big were the swells.

Our experience pretty much summarized the predicament of North Carolina diving. Trips to the deeper wrecks are long, which makes them quite expensive. The water is warmer farther out and the visibility likely better, but you truly never know if you can actually make it out there. On a good day it may be two great days of diving to where you wanted to go. On bad days you don't get to leave the dock at all. In between it's a maybe, and you don't know what to expect.

That makes planning dives difficult. Nitrox fills cost twice as much as air, and it's really wasted on shallow sites. Planning what gear to take with is difficult as well. We're usually testing cameras on every dive, and depth determines filters, lights and the type of camera we want to take with. Hotel accommodations are expensive, and staying without being able to dive quickly drives up the cost per dive.

While cancelled or aborted trips are frustrating for divers, it's much worse for charter operators who have to deal with disappointed customers. And they never know whether a fully booked boat will result in actual pay or not. The double whammy of environmental conditions and — in the absence of reefs or walls or many other interesting sites — being limited to the relatively small number of suitable ship wrecks makes diving the coastal waters of North Carolina an uncertain proposition.

I certainly don't regret the trip. I love long drives, we had great company in our friends Tom and Donna, the boat rides themselves were wonderful even without diving, the Olympus dive operation was great, and we got to experience not only the ever-changing and often dramatic North Carolina coastal weather and skies, but also managed some beach combing and sight-seeing. Fort Macon alone is worth a trip.

Anyway, as I said, we expected a journey to these magical islands, but instead
ended up staying in the Sea of Cortez due to an early unwelcome visitor to
Socorro - a hurricane! We had a wonderful time, but were also disappointed that
a trip to our dream destination had not been fulfilled.

Little did I know that during a FAM trip to Micronesia in October 2000, my
roommate and dive buddy would invite me to go on a trip to Socorro in late
February of the following year. This trip was organized through a dive shop in
Page, Arizona. It sounded too good to be true, but I jumped on the opportunity!

Towards the end of February 2001 I flew to Phoenix, Arizona to meet up with the
rest of the group. Everyone seemed nice and friendly and were seasoned divers,
so there shouldn't be any problems. The group consisted of several divers from
Page, Arizona, two gentlemen from Cornville, Arizona ... And me. We flew to Cabo
San Lucas aboard Alaska Air and took a van to the Marina where our crew met us
in pangas to take us to our boat, the Poseidon's Mistress. She was a good sized
boat which had recently been overhauled and fitted for diving by a neat lady
named Barbara from Arizona. She doubled as our chef for the trip.

After a 24 hour ride to the islands we spent the next week diving around San
Benedicto and Socorro. We didn't go to Roca Partida, but we had a heck of an
adventure around the other two islands. While we were there we saw lots and lots
of giant manta rays during almost every dive. We also saw literally 30 - 50
humpback whales every day. Some had babies with them and were teaching them to
breach and slap, among other things. We never saw one while underwater, but we
could sure hear them and feel them echolocate us during our dives.

This trip was most definitely one of the most exciting and memorable trips of my
life. Memories of that trip are still with me every single day of my life, even
a decade later. Eventually, it was time to return to civilization, but I
definitely left a piece of my heart there. I knew I had to return ... Again and
again and again ...

Five and a half years passed before I was able to make the journey back to these
enchanting islands, but I was just as eager and excited to go back as I was the
first time. I went in December 2005, so the time of year was different enough to
allow for different experiences with different animals. The humpbacks hadn't yet
arrived, and the whalesharks were already gone, so our biggest draw would be the
giant mantas. That was fine with me since they are my favorite critter in the
oceans!

This journey in 2005 was, once again, aboard the Solmar V. In my opinion, it's
the only way to travel to the Socorro Islands. A familiar crew greeted us as we
arrived to board the boat with several of them remembering me from our previous
trip five plus years prior. I, interestingly, stayed in the same cabin where I
stayed during my earlier adventure in the Sea of Cortez.

We arrived at San Benedicto the following day in the late afternoon just as we
had during my previous trip. We did our checkout dive to get properly weighted
and make sure everything worked. All went well. We enjoyed several high powered
dives with manta buzzing about leaving everyone speechless. The majestic
creatures are so elegantly designed, moving effortlessly through the water,
leaving no doubt that nature had designed them to be the most perfect creature
for flying underwater. During the week at San Benedicto, Socorro, and Roca
Partida we enjoyed many hours with giant mantas gracing our presence.

During the last dive of the trip I experienced something so special that the
memory will never leave me. Ever. We were heading down to the Canyon to look for
hammerheads, but I wasn't feeling very well, so I wanted to stay a little
shallower during the dive.

As I approached the bottom of the anchor line two mantas swam by. It appeared to
be an adult and a younger manta. The younger manta stayed with me, exploring me
as much as I was exploring her. We hovered eye to eye at roughly forty feet deep
for nearly 45 minutes while everyone else crouched in the nearby rock piles
waiting for hammerheads. This young manta stared into my eyes as if to read my
mind, knowing I meant absolutely no harm. It was if we were bonding. She swam
closer and closer and uncurled her right cephalic lobe and literally reached out
and touched my left cheek. I delayed inhaling for several seconds and I wanted
to stay put in the water table and enjoy the actions that brought tears to my
eyes.

Eventually, the adult manta swam back by as if to let "junior" know that
playtime was over. I said goodbye to my new friend and promised her I would come
back to see her again. The two of them glided into the distance as I made my way
back up the anchor line to end my final dive of the trip. I had my camera in my
hand, but I never even turned it on. I didn't want anything to interrupt the
experience I had, and the images and feelings will forever live in my mind and
in my heart. Shortly after that dive we were once again on our way back to Cabo
San Lucas. As we began our 24 hour crossing I stood out on the dive deck looking
back at the island wondering if that manta would forever remember me as I would
her.

It has been five and a half years since that wonderful, magical trip to
Revillagigedos, and it was definitely time to go back. I booked a trip a few
weeks ago and we have just returned from another wonderful adventure back to
that amazing place. This was my third trip and Conrad's first. Even though I had
not been there during this time of the year I knew basically what to expect. I
wondered if I would see my manta friend from my previous trip. Would I recognize
her? Would she remember me?

Our journey began on May 30th as we left California for Cabo San Lucas. We went
down a day early so we could get acclimated to the warm, humid climate and to
make sure our luggage made the journey, too. We shared a cab ride to the hotel
with a couple who would also be on the boat. Nick is from England and Yvonne is
from France. They have been together for 25 years, have been diving all over the
world, and seem like a lot of fun.

We arrived at the hotel, checked in, and settled in for a brief rest before we
considered dinner. As evening fell the phone in our room rang. A warm, friendly
voice asked if she had the correct room, then she introduced herself as Franny.
She wondered if we might want to walk a block or two down the street to have
dinner. We accepted her offer and met her in the parking lot about thirty
minutes later. Another young man, Lucas, went with us, as well. We had a
wonderful meal and enjoyed getting to know some of our fellow divers a bit
before we boarded the boat the following day.

Tuesday we were to board the beautiful Solmar V live aboard. For me it was old
hat, but for Conrad it was a totally new experience. No matter how much told him
about the boat, the crew, the islands, the diving, or the total experience he
still had to learn everything for himself. No two trips are the same, as well as
each persons experiences during any given trip. He asked me a million questions
during the previous weeks, but nothing I could say would prepare him for our
adventure.

Dive Master Rey came to escort us to the boat a few minutes before all the other
passengers arrived. We wanted to get photos and video of the boat, the crew, and
the arrival of all the passengers for our report.

The boat was every bit as wonderful as I had remembered, the crew was every bit
as friendly and helpful as during past trips, and the cabins were every bit as
'intimate' as I remembered, too. What I mean by that is that the guests private
quarters are rather small, but most everyone spent a lot of their time
socializing in the salon, on the dive deck, on the sun deck or on the bow. There
is adequate space in the staterooms, but definitely not spacious.

A table filled with wonderful appetizers awaited the guests, then briefings,
introductions, and paperwork had to be completed. Rooms and dive stations were
assigned and everyone nested. At 4:00 in the afternoon the Solmar V left the
harbor to begin our journey. As we left the harbor we stopped in front of Lands
End Arch for photo ops, then we were on our way. Dinner was served at 7:00, then
the need for sleep overcame me. I find it quite difficult to stay awake on a
moving boat. Conrad and I slept 14 hours until they woke us up for the dive
briefing. Later we ate lunch and looked at the horizon waiting to see land.

As usual, our crossing took roughly 24 hours, with our arrival at San Benedicto
being in the late afternoon on Wednesday. We got ready and did our check out
dive at the usual dive site. There was no way we could have been prepared for
what we were about to experience during that dive ... It was COLD ... 66 degrees
cold!! Even the dive masters were shocked as they had been there only days
before and the temperature was in the mid 70s. The visibility was extremely
poor, and there were no large critters in sight. Disappointing didn't even begin
to describe how we felt. We all hoped and prayed the conditions would be better
during the rest of our dives that week. They had to be.

The next morning we got up, had breakfast and went for a dive at the Boiler.
Every dive I have ever made at the Boiler had been filled with manta rays
circling around, playing with all the divers, and exploring us. Not this time.
Not a single manta came around for a visit. None. The current was quite strong,
the water was cold, and the visibility was limited. I hoped conditions would
change before the next dive, but unfortunately they had not. Current. Low
visibility. Cold. No mantas. Yes, I was upset. VERY upset! I expressed my
feelings and my concerns to the dive masters. The dive masters listened and also
expressed their feelings, as well.

One of the things I was reminded of was that we are talking about nature and that
wild animals don't always stay in the same location. Animals follow food. Currents
and conditions play a part in where food can be found. Plankton can be found on
the surface or as deep as several thousand feet. Animals go deep to find it. During
recent trips the dive masters had seen a change in where they had more animal
encounters. They did their very best to make sure we had awesome encounters, but
after all, we were at the mercy of Mother Nature.

We decided to move to another location a little farther north called Cabo Fear.
Alarming name, for sure. We entered the water. I was the first one in the water,
so I headed down the anchor line. Literally hand over hand on the anchor line as
the current was quite strong. Reef hooks would have been a good idea. Next time
we will take some along, for sure.

Everyone got to the bottom of the anchor line and was hanging on to the barnacle
encrusted rocks. We started making our way between the boulders, looking toward
the surface, hoping to seem mantas. About 15 minutes into our dive three mantas
arrived. My excitement was building and I saw them getting closer, one by one. I
was thrilled to see they were curious of us and intended on staying to play!
Finally, during our fourth dive of the trip, my wonderful friends appeared. We
did another dive in this location and were able to interact with these wonderful
creatures again before heading to Socorro the following morning. I rested a
little easier knowing my huge winged friends were still there, safe and sound.

We woke up to see the lush island of Socorro. There is nothing on this island
other than a military base. Tourists and visitors are not allowed to step foot
on the islands, but you can dive there as long as you have permits and all the
other appropriate paperwork and documents. We made three dives at Cabo Pierce
that day - two in the morning and one after lunch. Each of these dive we were
accompanied by mantas, octopus, eels, and tons of fish. Some of us saw sharks,
including a tiger shark, while others saw dolphins or whale sharks.

The Socorro Islands are protected and fishing is prohibited. However, they have
limited means in which to patrol the waters, so occasionally illegal fishermen appear
to find their way into these protected waters where they may kill sharks, fish, mantas,
and even the unfortunate dolphin or two. During our trip I saw a couple of fishing nets
at a couple of locations and it's my opinion that more protection is needed to preserve
this unique and irreplaceable habitat.

Later that afternoon we started making our way to Roca Partida. It takes nine
hours to get there, so by traveling at night, we get to most efficient use of
our dive time. We made three dives at Roca Partida, during which we saw lots of
sharks - White tips, silver tips, Galapagos, silkies. We saw huge lobsters,
enormous eels, large schools of tuna, jacks, wahoo, and lots more. But no
mantas. No whale sharks. No hammerheads.

We decided to go back to Socorro for another day then head back to San Benedicto
for our last day of diving. While at Socorro we made four dives at three
different dive sites. The only site where we saw a lot of large critters was
Cabo Pierce. Again, we saw mantas, sharks, dolphins, and a whale shark. Our last
dive of the day was at Roca O'Neill. The landscape underwater was more like
architecture with large rectangular stones, vertical walls, and entryways into
swim throughs. Some divers encountered a very large manta there, as well.

During our last day at San Benedicto we made four dives. The first was at the
Canyon and the other three were at Cabo Fear. I had fond memories of the Canyon
from my last trip there, but I didn't expect to have a repeat of that
experience. On the way down the anchor line I looked for my friendly manta from
years ago, but didn't see her anywhere. I went on down the line with the rest of
the group to look for hammerheads. After twenty or so minutes we swam into blue
water and found about a dozen hammerheads swimming around. I again started
looking for my manta friend, hoping to catch a glimpse of her again.

We moved the boat over to Cabo Fear again. Three dives and then we would be
heading back to Cabo San Lucas. During these three dives we were blessed with
numerous mantas circling and playing and exploring us - 14 different mantas in
all. During all three dives there was one female manta who swam very close to
me, stopped, and would look into my eyes. She endlessly circled around me as I
floated in blue water. We made eye contact for minutes on end. We connected.

In my heart I believe that this was the same manta with whom I had the amazing
encounter with five and a half years ago. Our last dive was drawing to a close
and soon it was time to surface for a brief panga ride back to the boat. I was
one of the last divers to surface, but before I came up I promised my manta
friend I will be back and check on her again ...

If you’re used to diving the warm waters of the Caribbean and you plan a trip to go diving off the Pacific coast, you might want to consider making a few dives in a lake or quarry where the visibility isn’t perfect and the temperatures are colder to acclimate some before you go.

I have made probably 1000+ dives in rock quarries, lakes and rivers in Tennessee where the mean temperature is 55 degrees. What this means is that the water is colder than it is in Florida, and certainly in the Caribbean!

I remember taking students to the quarry for evaluation dives and they’d be wearing 5mm or 7mm wetsuits, hoods, and gloves and they’d be comfortable down to about 40 feet. During the last evaluation dive we’d swim out across the deep section to get over where the paddlefish hang out and occasionally students would ask, “Are we going to go deep or stay fairly shallow?” My reply would always be, “We’ll stay in your comfort zone for now, and that will be 40 feet or shallower.”

Inevitably, one or two students would say, “Well, I want to go to the bottom of the quarry! I want to go deep!” I’d smile and say, “We’ll see. C’mon, let’s go.” Without fear, I’d know that my students wouldn’t be able to bear the cold waters that lurked below. One of my wonderful dive masters would lead the way and I’d bring up the rear so I could keep an eye on everyone. Sure enough, I’d see that headstrong student go a few feet deeper than their classmates, dipping below the thermocline, but immediately come back up and join the crowd.

Once the dive was over, that depth-defying student would proclaim, “Man! It’s COLD down there!!” They’d remember what a thermocline was from the environment lecture, but they’d never forget how the first time they experienced one felt.

The thing about diving where there are drastic thermoclines and cold water is that, like it or not, you will use more air. It’s not that you want to, but you do because your body is trying hard to generate heat. Unfortunately, as we breathe cool, compressed, dry air, we are actually cooling our bodies down even more.

Air management simply must be considered when diving in cold water. Period. We went to San Diego a few weeks ago to dive Islas Coronado, the Yukon, the Ruby E, and the NOSC Tower. The water was a fair bit warmer down around Islas Coronado, so I actually skipped wearing a hood during our second dive there. We were only going 20 feet or so to hang out with the sealions, but even so, I still got a little chilled by the end of the hour-long dive.

The rest of our dives were considerably colder, so I wore my 6.5mm wetsuit, thick hood and gloves. I considered taking my drysuit, but since Conrad was diving wet, I decided to be nice and do the same. It really wouldn’t have done me much good to wear mine, since he tends to get cold quicker than I do, plus our air supply had to be considered, as well.

When diving in the Caribbean, it’s easy to have 45 – 60 minute dives with a maximum depth between 80 – 100 feet and still come up with air left over. Wall and reef diving is most often multi-level diving where we start off at our deepest depth and gradually come up shallower so we are on-gassing less nitrogen and using less air than if we were diving a square profile, as is often the case when wreck diving. It’s easy to be relaxed and breathe slowly and methodically when diving in warm water, so air consumption is always better in these conditions.

In cold water wreck diving it’s more common to have dives 30 – 40 minutes in length with not much air remaining in your tank at the end of the dive. As I said earlier your body is working harder to stay warm. Without heat our bodies begin to shiver. Once you start shivering, it’s time to end the dive. Period. Your core temperature has dropped and it’s only going to get worse from there. Air consumption suffers greatly when shivering begins, too.

The risk of hypothermia increases when diving in cold water, or even when diving in improper exposure wear in warmer water. If you feel cold or are shivering, or are planning on doing more diving, the best things you can do is dive reasonably, come up if you start shivering, add extra thermal protection, drink and eat warm nourishing foods and beverages, put on warm clothes between dives, and get in the sun to warm up.

Some people believe your tolerance can build up with practice. I believe there is some amount of truth to that theory, because I know the more frequently I dive in cold water, the more used to it I become. Perhaps it’s psychological, or perhaps my body actually is becoming more accustomed to the colder water. Perhaps it’s simply that my body is becoming familiar with how the cold water feels as it fills my wetsuit, but whatever the reason, I do enjoy cold water diving.

I’ve just become accustomed to the fact that I need to have warm clothes available for between dives and afterwards, I need to eat soup and have hot chocolate or tea while on the dive boat, if it’s available, and I need to end my dive if I start feeling too cold. I have also gotten used to the idea that my air supply will not last quite as long in colder water as it does in warm water. But you know what? It’s well worth it! All the creatures that are found in these waters are amazing to see. Where else can you spend an hour in the water with sealions parading around and frolicking in front of you?

Eventually, I will pull my drysuit out and wear it during these types of dives, but for now, I’m enjoying the experiences and sensations of the cold waters of the Pacific.

We had already made one dive at Islas Coronado and had moved the boat to another location. As we approached this dive site sealions were jumping off the island’s rocky shores in droves to come check us out. The boat captain, Ryan, gave us a briefing of what to expect to see in the vicinity surrounding the boat, including what was around the point. I pulled dive master Anita aside and asked her where the sealion encounters were most likely to happen. She said they’d likely stay between the area under the boat and the shoreline.

I was too interested in the sealions to really care about what was around the corner, so I cleared it with Conrad that we’d stay in the immediate area and play with the sealions as long as they’d hang around.

We entered the water, swam over towards the shore about ten feet or so, then we descended. The water was only about 15 feet deep in this area and it was quite rocky. We settled on the bottom and sat there waiting for action. Luckily, we were not disappointed, as about 15 seconds later here came a sealion! He circled around us and left. He left to go tell his friends because he and two more swam by, then were gone as quickly as they appeared. Within seconds the numbers multiplied to probably eight, then ten, then well over a dozen sealions can over to entertain us. Before long there were so many sealions we couldn’t even see each other!

The sealions swam, circled, stared, barked, darted, and even got curious and tried to mouth our equipment. We spend a solid hour being amazingly entertained by these sealions. It was an experience Conrad nor I will ever forget. This is not the first time I’ve had this type of experience with sealions, and I dearly hope it won’t be the last. Each encounter is awesome and unique. Each encounter is worth writing about and sharing with others. I recently entered a film in a film festival and, needless to say, I included several clips of sealion encounters in the film!

I had plenty of air, that day, to stay underwater for another hour or so, but that wouldn’t have been fair for everyone else who was already on the boat. Besides, had we stayed any longer we’d likely have missed the dolphin stampede that crossed our wake on the way back in and I’m sure we wouldn’t have gotten to see the three blue whales that were feeding on the krill.

So, I drove over to the dive shop, tried the new BC on, adjusted it, and took it home with me. I decided to try it out in our pool, even though our flight was later that evening. For well over a decade I’ve used the same BC, so trying something new was risky. Both are back flotation, so I knew it couldn’t be too different.

I attached the new BC and a spare regulator on an aluminum 80cf tank, hopped in the pool and swam around for a few minutes. I swam, I hovered, I inflated, I deflated, I floated on the surface, I hovered head down. I tried the BC in every position I’d do while underwater. I was, indeed, impressed! Afterwards I got out and hung the BC over the rail to let it dry as much as possible.

I wanted to give this extremely lightweight and small BC a try because it never fails, our luggage is always close to the maximum weight allowed by the airlines. This BC only weighs 3 pounds where my old BC weighs 11 pounds. That’s a HUGE difference, especially when the weight limit for a checked bag is 50 pounds! So, even if there had been a little water left in my BC after the pool test dive, it couldn’t possibly have come close to weighing what my old BC weighs!

It’s always risky taking a new piece of dive equipment on a trip with no back up. Dive gear generally needs to be broken in before it’s totally comfortable and before you get 100% used to it. Think about how much time it took you to get used to your first mask. Chances are it leaked a little at first until it memorized your face and until you got it adjusted just right. Trying out a new BC and getting it adjusted correctly can take time, too.

If you don’t own your gear and usually rent equipment when you go diving, chances are you spent a fair amount of your first dive or two getting used to the rental equipment. I cannot speak about my own personal experiences in that department because I purchased my own gear while I was still taking scuba lessons way back when. I decided up front I wanted to be as comfortable as possible in the water and that meant being completely comfortable in my gear. MY gear. Not rental gear.

Not everyone chooses to go that route for a multitude of reasons, and I do understand that. If you rent equipment when you go diving, you’ll likely agree with me that it does take time to completely familiarize yourself with the gear. Whenever possible, it’s a good idea to try out new gear or rental gear in a pool before taking it on a dive. Since that’s not always possible, be sure to hook everything up and become completely familiar with the system before you go underwater.

As does just about anyone, I prefer to do most of my diving in warm, clear tropical waters along the coasts of beautiful paradise islands, but that's not always possible. I was feeling like I had done my time diving in cold, murky quarries, rivers and lakes, but after some time away from them I began to miss them. Living in California there's not much warm water around here, so booking flights to tropical destinations is about the only answer. Not only can that be expensive, but it takes a lot of time. Sometimes the craving to breathe compressed air is simply too strong, so donning tons of warm exposure gear has to do.

Let me back up a decade or two to the time I got certified. I did my evaluation dives in Florida, with our dives being at Devil's Den and Rainbow River. We also snorkeled in a quarry near Devil's Den and the visibility there left a lot to be desired. Another option would have been to wait a couple of months until it was warm enough to dive locally in a quarry. Many new divers in Tennessee do their checkout dives in quarries. After my first experience in a local quarry, I totally swore I'd never do it again ... Until that urge to breathe compressed air hit me and the lake or quarry was much closer and more convenient than booking a trip. Getting wet and breathing from a regulator ... even in cold water ... was instant gratification! Sure, you swim around looking at stuff growing on rocks and searching for something more colorful than the usual blue gills, bass, or crawdads, but with a little imagination, I learned to enjoy what I saw locally. Since that time I have made well over a thousand dives in quarries, rivers, and lakes.

Fast forward to earlier this month ...

A couple of weeks ago Conrad and I joined a group of divers on a journey to dive around the Channel Islands while staying several days and nights aboard a liveaboard named "Conception." If you've read his blog, you already know he wrote about it in great detail, so I'll focus more on cold water diving. When packing for a cold water trip, you have to take more gear such as thick wetsuits, gloves, hoods, extra weights, a boat coat to be worn between dives, and even warmer clothes to be worn after the diving is done for the day. You lose a lot of heat, so keeping your core temperature as close to normal as possible is important. The Conception has a room down below that is very warm due to a full size freezer being down there along with a clothes dryer. They have conveniently placed a couple of long rods down there so everyone can keep their exposure suits as warm and as dry as possible. Even the drysuit wearers were taking advantage of these racks.

We made anywhere from two to four dives each day depending on the conditions. The water temperature was in the mid fifties and the air temperature was at least ten degrees warmer with a lot of sunshine. There was a lot of wind, so the surge and wave action was a bit rough. It's always a hit or miss with conditions out there, but well worth the effort. I wore a Scubapro 6.5mm full wetsuit, hood, and 5mm gloves, while Conrad also added another layer of a 5mm Bare hooded shortie. We both stayed amazingly warm. Our feet seem to always get cold first. Since neoprene looses it's compressibility function after lots and lots of dives, that really wasn't all that unexpected. Both of us were wearing boots with 100 - 200 dives to their credit, and we decided it's time for new ones for cold water diving!

The wide variety of underwater critters alone was worth the trip. We saw countless varieties of starfish, urchins, and mollusks on every dive. We saw sea lions, sharks, and were totally surrounded by tens of thousands of pacific sardines. We swam through seemingly endless kelp forests and we searched the huge rock formations in wide open areas. We swam around pinnacles and along the walls of the islands themselves. Some of our fellow divers even ventured into the many sea caves, but the surge was rough and the waters were quite shallow, so we didn't all go inside them. From the bow of the boat we often saw humpback whales and large pods of dolphins feeding in the slip streams on the surface. One morning a baby sea lion crawled up on the swim deck at the stern to see what we were doing. After hanging out there for a few minutes, collecting lots of ohhs and ahhs from the divers, the adorable little fella hopped off and showed us all just how quickly he could swim away as if to tease us about our limited maneuverability in his environment. We were immediately humbled.

As with everything it life that's worth enjoying, all good things must come to an end. Our time aboard the good ship Conception was over and the journey home was ahead. Conrad and I discussed our experiences in the cold waters of the Channel Islands and both decided we could not wait to go again. We said our good-byes to our fellow divers, left Santa Barbara and took our time and began to drive up the Pacific Coast Highway enjoying the view, even though quite a bit of the way was socked in with the common marine cloud layer. We stopped to see the elephant seals and the rocky coastline whenever possible. We walked along the shore at Cannery Row in Monterey, dreaming of the next time we'd enter the Pacific Ocean engulfed in neoprene.

Fast forward to this weekend …

We got our tanks filled and packed our dive gear for a dive in Lake Tahoe. One thing lead to another and we decided to wait until Monday to go. After all, it’s summertime and lots of people are on vacation, plus all the “Weekend Warriors” would be trying to escape the 103 degree days that were predicted. We loaded our gear into the car and made plans to leave at 8:30 Monday morning. That would allow us plenty of time for the journey into the Sierra Nevadas and we’d be driving against the tail end of rush hour traffic. Perfect. We got to Meek’s Bay around 11:00 and took lots of pictures and leisurely assembled our dive gear. Before we reached Lake Tahoe we had to drive across Echo Summit at 7380 feet. To get to Meek’s Bay we had to descend to 6300 feet, and this meant we were basically off-gassing as though we had already been on a scuba dive. (For more information about altitude diving please read Conrad’s entry about altitude diving.)

We got geared up and in the water at 12:45 or so. Our dive profile was 70 feet for 63 minutes, and the water temperature was 47 degrees at depth and 64 on the surface. There’s an algae bloom taking place on the surface down to about 15 – 30 feet depending on the current. Below the algae bloom the water was a beautiful shade of blue and it was crystal clear! Neither Conrad nor I were ever cold during this dive. It was pretty obvious that had we stayed deep for the entire dive we would have gotten cold. 47 degree water is COLD! Thank goodness for warm exposure suits!

Diving Lake Tahoe is addictive. To be able to dive in a lake that’s basically 100% free of trash and litter is virtually unheard of. During the entire 63 minutes we only saw one piece of debris that shouldn’t have been there. It was a notification of buoy registration, and I’m certain it accidentally blew off a boat or a dock along the shoreline.

During our dive we saw literally hundreds of crawdads. The larger ones must fight a lot as we noticed almost every one of them were missing a pincher. We saw what looked like hundreds of tiny fish, but upon closer inspection we decided they were baby crawdads! They seemingly stayed close to home, too. We saw very few fish during this dive. We commonly see huge schools of what look like silver sides, but they were not within the range of our dive this time. As we were making our way back to shore we saw a small catfish that was probably three inches in length. He seemed to be as happy to see us as we were to see him.

As with the Channel Islands trip, we were hardly out of the water when we talked about our next dive in this lake. We always enjoy the diving in Lake Tahoe, and we’re looking forward to diving Fallen Leaf Lake, as well. There’s lots of snow-fed lakes in the Sierra Nevadas … To help pacify our attraction to cold water diving, perhaps we’ll make it a quest to dive as many of them as possible.

It really wasn't until a group of ten of us set out from Tennessee on a journey to Truk Lagoon, Palau, and Yap in February of 1996 that my interest in more advanced wreck diving became a reality. I decided that I didn't want to travel halfway around the world to simply see the outside of these wrecks, so my preparation for penetrating wrecks actually started in October of 1995 with the enrollment in an NACD & NSS-CDS Full Cave Diver class. I spent a week learning about penetrating overhead environments, decompression, safety issues, hazards, procedures, planning, teamwork, and a whole lot more. There's a huge difference in penetrating caves vs. wrecks, but our instructor taught us the skills to do both.

During the week at Truk Lagoon we penetrated over a dozen wrecks that had been on the ocean floor for 52 years. Our group leader was David Rhea, who had also been my overhead environment instructor. Our Captain and Dive Master were the grandsons of Kimiuo, the gentleman who discovered many of the wrecks, and these two young men had spent their lives diving on and leading other divers to these sites. On a few occasions we went to wrecks that were below recreational training limits, hence the second reason for further diving education. To simply hover 40 feet above the San Francisco Maru because it was out of range just wasn't an option. I HAD to see that wreck first hand, up close and personally -- an experience that will stay with me forever.

Most divers start out exploring wrecks on the outside only, while some venture into prepared areas, such as the wheel house, without ever losing site of daylight and the way out. Anyone who ventures deep inside any shipwreck without proper equipment and training is dancing with catastrophe and too often, death.

Shipwrecks have intrigued divers for decades, with many wrecks making it onto lots of 'bucket lists'. The Andrea Dorea is one of them. I, myself, have only had a mild fascination with that wreck as it's very expensive to get there, the conditions are often treacherous and many divers have lost their lives there.

I've enjoyed wreck diving off the coast of North Carolina -- the German Submarine U-352, the Papoose, the Proteus, and the Spar. Florida wreck dives include the 452 foot long Empire Mica, the Chippewa, the Grey Ghost, and the SS Tarpon. I have even made a dive or two on a schooner in the cold waters of Lake Huron, plus numerous dives on shipwrecks in the Caribbean over the years.

In August 1998 I journeyed to Vancouver Island to dive the Saskatchewan, the Chaudiere at Porpoise Bay, and a couple more wrecks, along with kelp dives. The Chaudiere is a beautiful dive in an out-of-the-way location. The Saskatchewan was sunk a year prior to my trip and my dive buddy had been there to watch the ship disappear from the horizon. He was on a live aboard and they were among the first to dive the wreck. He had since made numerous dives on that wreck, so he would be my guide. We made several dives there, despite the surface conditions and the cold water. Here's another secret: Along with getting properly trained to dive in overhead and deep environments, a drysuit certification comes in handy in these conditions, too! I was MORE than happy to don my White's neoprene drysuit! Marc and I were wearing double tanks, had powerful lights, had adequate decompression gas, and were ready to spend ample time exploring the wreck!

In December, 1999 I made it back to the cold waters of the Pacific, this time to dive the great kelp forests and sites around the Channel Islands. The color, temperature, huge starfish, harbor seals, and surroundings were constant reminders of my adventures off the coast of Vancouver Island, but without the wrecks, the wolf eels, and the giant snow-white anemones.

The following summer would bring the sinking of the Saskatchewan's sister ship, the Yukon. This ship would also be in the Pacific Ocean, but this time the sinking would be off the coast of San Diego, California. On July 14, 2000, the Yukon went to her final resting place, but it wasn't until last week that I finally made it over there to dive! This time Conrad would be my dive buddy. And since he's not drysuit certified ... yet ... I decided to dive in my trusty 7mm Scubapro Form wetsuit, hood, and gloves. Probably not my smartest move ever, but I just couldn't let him suffer the 50 degree water alone!

It's always amazing to see what happens to shipwrecks once they've been underwater for a while. Fish find new homes, corals, sponges, and anemones take root, divers come and go, conditions change, and decay happens. The one thing that a diver must remember is that a shipwreck is a man-made object of steel and iron. These materials rust, weaken, and eventually disintegrate. Edges can be rough or even jagged, so care must be taken when entering and exiting a wreck. Ships almost never land on the bottom the way the coordinators plan, and all too many were never intended to be on the bottom. Ships tear apart, they shift, they slide down sandy slopes, or hurricanes move them around. Wreck diving can be disorienting, too. It's often hard to distinguish one room from the next inside a ship. They can also be disorienting by their positioning on the ocean floor. The Chaudiere is just a few degrees off from being perfectly upright. It's certainly disorienting to be swimming along at what looks like upright then see your bubbles going up at an angle. Could that be? Nope! You're swimming at a slight angle to align with the walls and passageways while your exhaled bubbles are going straight up!

Conrad and I did not penetrate the Yukon on these dives. With so much going on, with trying to get used to the cold water and the limited visibility, and with testing a new video mask and a new camera, we decided to save going inside for another trip. Besides, at 70 - 90+ feet deep, bottom time is limited, and we felt like we should learn the outside of the wreck before we ventured inside. Our group made six dives over three days time. We went to the Yukon and the Ruby E the first day, the Ruby E and a kelp forest the second day, and the Yukon and a kelp forest the third day. It was great fun. A great mix of dive locations. We both left wanting more.

It really wasn't until a group of ten of us set out from Tennessee on a journey to Truk Lagoon, Palau, and Yap in February of 1996 that my interest in more advanced wreck diving became a reality. I decided that I didn't want to travel halfway around the world to simply see the outside of these wrecks, so my preparation for penetrating wrecks actually started in October of 1995 with the enrollment in an NACD & NSS-CDS Full Cave Diver class. I spent a week learning about penetrating overhead environments, decompression, safety issues, hazards, procedures, planning, teamwork, and a whole lot more. There's a huge difference in penetrating caves vs. wrecks, but our instructor taught us the skills to do both.

During the week at Truk Lagoon we penetrated over a dozen wrecks that had been on the ocean floor for 52 years. Our group leader was David Rhea, who had also been my overhead environment instructor. Our Captain and Dive Master were the grandsons of Kimiuo, the gentleman who discovered many of the wrecks, and these two young men had spent their lives diving on and leading other divers to these sites. On a few occasions we went to wrecks that were below recreational training limits, hence the second reason for further diving education. To simply hover 40 feet above the San Francisco Maru because it was out of range just wasn't an option. I HAD to see that wreck first hand, up close and personally -- an experience that will stay with me forever.

Most divers start out exploring wrecks on the outside only, while some venture into prepared areas, such as the wheel house, without ever losing site of daylight and the way out. Anyone who ventures deep inside any shipwreck without proper equipment and training is dancing with catastrophe and too often, death.

Shipwrecks have intrigued divers for decades, with many wrecks making it onto lots of 'bucket lists'. The Andrea Dorea is one of them. I, myself, have only had a mild fascination with that wreck as it's very expensive to get there, the conditions are often treacherous and many divers have lost their lives there.

I've enjoyed wreck diving off the coast of North Carolina -- the German Submarine U-352, the Papoose, the Proteus, and the Spar. Florida wreck dives include the 452 foot long Empire Mica, the Chippewa, the Grey Ghost, and the SS Tarpon. I have even made a dive or two on a schooner in the cold waters of Lake Huron, plus numerous dives on shipwrecks in the Caribbean over the years.

In August 1998 I journeyed to Vancouver Island to dive the Saskatchewan, the Chaudiere at Porpoise Bay, and a couple more wrecks, along with kelp dives. The Chaudiere is a beautiful dive in an out-of-the-way location. The Saskatchewan was sunk a year prior to my trip and my dive buddy had been there to watch the ship disappear from the horizon. He was on a live aboard and they were among the first to dive the wreck. He had since made numerous dives on that wreck, so he would be my guide. We made several dives there, despite the surface conditions and the cold water. Here's another secret: Along with getting properly trained to dive in overhead and deep environments, a drysuit certification comes in handy in these conditions, too! I was MORE than happy to don my White's neoprene drysuit! Marc and I were wearing double tanks, had powerful lights, had adequate decompression gas, and were ready to spend ample time exploring the wreck!

In December, 1999 I made it back to the cold waters of the Pacific, this time to dive the great kelp forests and sites around the Channel Islands. The color, temperature, huge starfish, harbor seals, and surroundings were constant reminders of my adventures off the coast of Vancouver Island, but without the wrecks, the wolf eels, and the giant snow-white anemones.

The following summer would bring the sinking of the Saskatchewan's sister ship, the Yukon. This ship would also be in the Pacific Ocean, but this time the sinking would be off the coast of San Diego, California. On July 14, 2000, the Yukon went to her final resting place, but it wasn't until last week that I finally made it over there to dive! This time Conrad would be my dive buddy. And since he's not drysuit certified ... yet ... I decided to dive in my trusty 7mm Scubapro Form wetsuit, hood, and gloves. Probably not my smartest move ever, but I just couldn't let him suffer the 50 degree water alone!

It's always amazing to see what happens to shipwrecks once they've been underwater for a while. Fish find new homes, corals, sponges, and anemones take root, divers come and go, conditions change, and decay happens. The one thing that a diver must remember is that a shipwreck is a man-made object of steel and iron. These materials rust, weaken, and eventually disintegrate. Edges can be rough or even jagged, so care must be taken when entering and exiting a wreck. Ships almost never land on the bottom the way the coordinators plan, and all too many were never intended to be on the bottom. Ships tear apart, they shift, they slide down sandy slopes, or hurricanes move them around. Wreck diving can be disorienting, too. It's often hard to distinguish one room from the next inside a ship. They can also be disorienting by their positioning on the ocean floor. The Chaudiere is just a few degrees off from being perfectly upright. It's certainly disorienting to be swimming along at what looks like upright then see your bubbles going up at an angle. Could that be? Nope! You're swimming at a slight angle to align with the walls and passageways while your exhaled bubbles are going straight up!

Conrad and I did not penetrate the Yukon on these dives. With so much going on, with trying to get used to the cold water and the limited visibility, and with testing a new video mask and a new camera, we decided to save going inside for another trip. Besides, at 70 - 90+ feet deep, bottom time is limited, and we felt like we should learn the outside of the wreck before we ventured inside. Our group made six dives over three days time. We went to the Yukon and the Ruby E the first day, the Ruby E and a kelp forest the second day, and the Yukon and a kelp forest the third day. It was great fun. A great mix of dive locations. We both left wanting more.

We watched a movie today that I HIGHLY recommend. It will blow your mind! I've seen hundreds of sharks during my diving career, and one of the reasons I don't like to repeat trips is because oftentimes I'm disappointed in the decline of the oceanlife. Galapagos is an example. After watching this movie, I was very upset. I LOVE that place, but I'm scared to go back and see for myself the decline in the shark population. While we were there in 1996, we witnessed an illegal fishing boat filled with shark fins. That was one boat in one location in one hour of one day. Those criminals are devastating our oceans, our planet! That was something I will never forget, and I know it goes on all the time, but I'd prefer it didn't! So ... PLEASE take a few moments and check out the website: www.sharkwater.com. Please rent it if you see it in stores. Netflix has it. It's worth every dime and every second it takes to watch it. It will change how you feel about sharks and our oceans. As scuba divers, water is the one thing that bonds us all together. Let's join together and save our oceans!

Thank you,
Carol

Well, there are a lot of variables in determining the amount of weight you need in fresh water versus saltwater. Generally, people need approximately five pounds less in freshwater than they'd use in saltwater IF they are using the same gear configuration. Major considerations are exposure wear (type, thickness, and age) and the type of tank.

As an Instructor, I usually tell people wearing 7mm rental wetsuits and an 80 cubic foot aluminum tank to begin with 10% of their body weight. For a person weighing 175 pounds, I'd suggest starting with 18 pounds, to keep it even. If you're too negatively buoyant or wearing less neoprene, obviously you'd drop weights until you can sink with an empty BC after exhaling, but float at eye level with a full breath of air in your lungs.

If you will be using a steel tank, depending on the size and brand, you will wear less weights. As an example, a low pressure (2400psi) 80 cf tank is approximately six pounds negative, so a diver can automatically make an adjustment of six pounds of lead from his/her weightbelt.

When I dive in the ocean wearing a skin 2mm wetsuit, I generally wear 6 - 8 pounds of lead. However, when I am wearing a 2mm wetsuit in fresh water with a steel 80cf tank, I don't wear any weights at all. Last August when Conrad and I dived Lake Tahoe I wore a 4/3 wetsuit. On the first day I used a low pressure (2400 psi) 95 cubic foot tank with no weights, hood or gloves and I was just about perfect. On the second day I added a hood and gloves and switched to a high pressure 130 cubic foot tank and was extremely negatively buoyant. I had no choice in that situation other than to switch tanks, but none were available. So, I made the best of the situation, went on the dive, added air to my BC, and had a wonderful dive! :-)

Bottom line is that you need about five pounds less in fresh water than in salt water. The exact gear configuration (wetsuit, tank, BC, etc.) also makes a difference. All too often, divers are over-weighted in most diving conditions. In turn, this affects their buoyancy and can greatly increase their air consumption.

My, how time flies! It seems like only last weekend I was diving at Loch Low-Minn doing the Haunted Night Dive. Ok, I must have been stuck in a time warp or something because it's been since then that I've posted anything! My bad!

I'm not a fan of New Year's Resolutions because all too often they are broken within days of making them. But, if we make reasonable resolutions then maybe ... just maybe we can actually keep them!

I chose today to add to my blog for a number of reasons ... it's 2008 ... I'm home sick with a horrible cold today ... and I've been slacking on writing!

2008 will be a great year ... I can feel it. A new year represents new birth and new beginnings. Events happen, lives change, jobs change, relationships change. These things can change within a blink of an eye and often we can do nothing to alter the event, leaving us to adapt to the consequences. Being more positive and upbeat will help. Looking at the good always helps.

2008 will be a great year ... For diving, as well. Take some time and look at a map and research areas of interest. Talk to dive shops and dive travel specialists and local dive experts. Those are the very best sources of information about dive locations. I love to travel and I love to dive. That combination makes dive travel a natural interest for me. I will make an effort to add to our "Places" page as often as I can. 2007 was not a good year for dive travel for me, as I didn't go out of the country even once. I did, however, go dive Lake Tahoe with Conrad to do reviews of dive cameras and that was a lot of fun! If you ever get the opportunity to dive there, we both recommend going ... but take a thick wetsuit or get trained in drysuit and get plenty of practice in before you go!

I'm home sick with a horrible cold today. I almost NEVER get sick, but here I am with a cold. I don't know where I got it, but I'm sure I got it because of lack of sleep and the added stress of the Holidays. Making a resolution to maintain good health is an excellent idea. Maintaining good health is optimum for diving as well. Eat foods that are good for you and low in the bad stuff that can cause health issues later on down the road. Get plenty of rest. We all need a certain amount of sleep each day, and I am going to do better at getting more sleep. Taking time for quiet time during the day is good for our health as well. I plan on taking time during my lunch hours at work each day to get a few moments of "Carol" time. Lower your stress level however you can, including simplifying your life and surroundings. Getting rid of clutter helps! Exercising more to keep in good cardio condition, swimming, and diving frequently will help each and every one of us be better divers. The only way to be a great diver and maintain a high comfort level is to dive frequently. Oftentimes my past students tell me they'd like a little time in the pool to refresh their skills. I have no problem with them returning to the pool during my pool sessions and refreshing their skills a little. If fact, I urge them to do so! Besides them getting more comfortable, coming back as a certified diver and watching students might just get them fired up about furtherung their diving career.

And, finally, I have been rather slack on making contributions to this blog. I vow to do better in 2008. Do me a favor, gang, and send me emails on what you'd like to see added to our site, ok? We want to know what YOU all want to learn about!

Ok, it's time for me to go rest again. I'm dringing orange juice and eating chicken noodle soup ... Any other remedies I'm forgetting? :-)

We got a dozen of my favorite Cinnamon Crunch bagels at Panera's bakery, then headed for the highway. As we turned onto it, I heard a WSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHH sound coming from the bed of the truck. Bummer! One of the tanks' valve had opened up in the turn!

Fortunately, the dive shop was only less than half a mile away, so going back there was no big deal. The tank, however had completely drained by the time we got there. Of course, it was one of mine! Brad was there at the shop, so we left it for him to fill with 38% Nitrox. My students would be at the shop in a few hours, so he'd ask Dean to bring the filled tank to me. We stopped at the grocery store for beer and dry ice, filled up the truck, and then finally began the 45-minute drive down to Loch Low Minn.

We got to the quarry around 11:30am. My helpers were already there, so there was no time to waste. We unloaded and assembled gear, organized and sorted underwater decorations, then donned our gear began a frenzy of underwater prop preparations and installations.

As for the class, one of my more challenging students, Buck, showed up two hours early, cigarette in hand and looking non-too-fresh. He wanted to know what he could do to help and did his best to entertain each of us with his stories, but we finally managed to get underwater and start our work, while Buck remained at the shore.

I scurried around underwater placing props, repositioning props, and tying cylumes in pumpkins, etc., until it was time for my students to get there. I got out long enough to brief them on what we were going to be doing for the NAUI Advanced class.

They all geared up, got in the water, and we began with the skills they were required to master for the class. First we worked on buoyancy, then did the surface air consumption calculation (SAC) dive. It's good to do the SAC dive second because it allows students to fine-tunes potential buoyancy issues. This time, the SAC dive was a 20 minute stay at 35 feet, followed by a safety stop.

Buck apparently heard the beat of a different drummer and did the majority of his SAC dive well below 40 feet, possibly assuming the dive plan didn't apply to him and deeper was better. Good thing I didn't take them over "the pit" -- the deepest part of the quarry! I reminded them all that the depth of a dive is agreed on, and not where the bottom is. I asked Buck what he'd do if he was diving the South Wall at Grand Cayman where the Cayman Trench was SIX THOUSAND feet deep!!!? I am not sure he understood. Go figure. I don't think it's too much to ask of a student to follow basic instructions. I will never compromise safety, and those who do not understand that will not dive.

My friend Rhonda then arrived to do the night dive with us. That will finish up the requirements for her own NAUI Advanced Diver certification. So, my dive master Dewey, five students, and I all prepare for the night dive. By now, 25 or 30 people are all planning on entering the water within five minutes or so of each other, some for their night dive training, others to see the underwater Halloween decorations, and others both.

So off we go, Dewey leading my flock with Rhonda as his dive buddy, then Carol and Buck, then Aric and Dean, followed up by me. I count divers and come up one short. It's Buck.

"I can't get down!" he yells, wearing a 7mm wetsuit, a steel-95 tank, and 20 pounds of weight. I go get him and tell him to calm down, relax, cross his feet, let the air out of his BC, and he starts going down like an anchor -- not a rock -- an ANCHOR. Except there's one thing keeping him. He's now all tangled up in the line that's attached to the 15-foot hang bar under the dock. He looks like a dolphin in a tuna net. He's screaming "I'm tangled up in a line!!!" So I tell him to chill out and stay still! One tug and he's free, but by this time I have no clue as to where all my other students and Dewey are. I make Buck follow me. I swim towards the shine of the flashlights below, and lo and behold, there they are. Somehow, surprise, I lose Buck in the group, but gain Carol.

So now Dewey has Rhonda, Buck, Aric, and Dean, and I have Carol. We were not all meant to stay together, but I knew they were all in good hands with Dewey and Rhonda. So Carol and I take off over the pit where we had heard the paddlefish were hanging out. No such luck, but we still had fun!

Everyone loved the Halloween decorations. The skeleton wearing a tank, BC, and mask was great. Beside it was a severed leg wearing a dive boot and fin ... Nessie had been busy eating divers! Unfortunately, I totally forgot the camera and its underwater housing! Nothing underwater would have looked good at all anyway. The visibility was HORRIBLE.

Back on land, we shot some funny videos though. Dewey had my skeleton mask and hands on, along with his dive gear. Rhonda came up and took off her mask, Carol asked her how her dive was, Rhonda got really excited about it and started telling about the fish and all. Dewey came up behind her and Carol began screaming. Dewey grabbed Rhonda and pulled her backwards into the water.

I told them I wouldn't be doing the Haunted Dive project next year as it is just too much work. But I will be donating all the props and will offer my services as a consultant for next year's event.

After all the students got out, I asked Dewey if he wanted to go back for a while with me and he said it would be his pleasure. So away we went! Half an hour later we still hadn't seen any paddlefish, at 50 feet deep and, believe me, we TRIED to find them!! I felt fine afterwards, and was probably the most energetic of our group at the end of the night.

To give you an idea of what it's like for an instructor with some extra project duty, here's my dive profile for the day:

#1 - 40 feet for 75 minutes
45 minute surface interval
#2 - 40 feet for 45 minutes
30 minute surface interval
#3 - 50 feet for 30 minutes
15 minute surface interval
#4 - 40 feet for 45 minutes
60 minute surface interval
#5 - 40 feet for 60 minutes
15 minute surface interval
#6 - 50 feet for 30 minutes

Now do you understand why my body is so tired, even with 38% Nitrox? I'm finding out I'm not a spring chicken anymore!

After the dive, Ted started a fire, lit the grill, and it was time to cook dinner and relax. Rhonda had brought the most incredible steaks, twice baked potatoes and salad. I brought okra, at her request. There were lots of people hanging out and visiting all four campfires, but after all the diving, soon everyone in our group wanted to go to sleep. Rhonda and I shared a cabin, as did Ted and Dewey.

I had a gut feeling none of us would be fit for diving the next day, so I planned the second part of the certification dives for the following Saturday. So after we all got up, had bagels for breakfast, loaded up our gear, talked to Quarry owners Rick and Stacy for a few minutes, we drove back home. I unloaded the dive gear, took a long hot bath, slept in the tub, did laundry, slept for three hours, and then watched two of my favorite shows on TV. A long weekend of diving was over.

Let me begin by answering a few commonly asked questions.

What is a Paddlefish?

One of the oldest fishes, Paddlefish fossils date back to 300 to 400 million years ago. The first dinosaurs didn't appear for 50 million years later! There are two types of Paddlefish. The ones we have here in North America and the ones that are found in China. Living half a planet apart, they have quite different characteristics. Their snout, often called a rostrum, is the biggest difference between them. The North American Paddlefish have a long paddle-shaped rostrum, where the Chinese paddlefish have cone-shaped snouts.

Where might I see a Paddlefish?

Most frequently in rivers that are tributaries of the Mississippi River, and in the Mississippi River, itself. There are a few quarries where Paddlefish have been successfully transplanted.

Paddlefish seem to like deep, slow moving waters, as opposed to rapid currents. Paddlefish are quick to travel, as they have been seen in locations as much as 2000 miles apart!

How big does a Paddlefish get? And, how long do they live?
Paddlefish can grow in excess of 5 feet in length and can easily weigh up to 80 pounds and more. It has been my observation that they grow quickly. The Paddlefish that I am familiar with were anywhere for 7 - 12 inches in length last September, and are well over 24 inches in length now. I'm looking forward to watching them grow to adulthood! I read somewhere that the record Paddlefish was 198 pounds!

It's not unheard of for Paddlefish to live 50 years and longer.

What do Paddlefish eat?

They live off of a diet of zooplankton. They open their mouths wide as they swim through the water, collecting zooplankton as everything else is filtered out through their gills arches. Their gills filter the water with "gill rakers." It's an awesome sight to see these creatures swim quickly through the water gathering food!

Are Paddlefish related to sharks?

Even though there are similarities between sharks and Paddlefish, they are not closely related, if at all. Both have a skeleton made up primarily of cartilage. They both have forked tails with one half of their tail being larger than the other.

I have the good fortune of living within an hours drive of a quarry that stocks Paddlefish. As I mentioned earlier, these fish were acclimated to the quarry last September. Much research had to be done before the fish were released, and divers had to be made aware of their fragile state.

Paddlefish are shy fish. They avoid people and tend to hang out in the quarry where most divers don't go. Everything I've read has indicated they are deepwater fish and prefer dark, cold, still water, but I have been seeing them in the shallower part of the water table. We've even seen them while snorkeling! I must admit, we were snorkeling over the deepest part of the quarry, so don't go looking in shallow water for them!

I have asked the owners of the quarry if I can donate a book with the intent of having other divers help to identify each fish. I have noticed that some have distinctive markings, or scars, or nicks in their fins, and some even have different colorations. At least one even has a stubby rostrum! I'm not sure if each one is as individualized as some of the big critters we identify by their markings, like giant manta rays, but if they are, we will all learn from this experience.

I also wonder if they have any sort of long or short term memory. I have definitely seen the same one on more than one occasion over the past few weeks, and this past weekend it stayed close enough to me that I could have reached out and touched it at any given moment for more than a few minutes! I have three sections of video totalling over five minutes at VERY close range! I'm told this is rare, but I suppose I've always been called Dr. Doolittle, Jr. for a reason. ;-)

My old airbrush is covered in dust, now. The icon for Adobe Photoshop has a shortcut on my desktop. Film has been replaced with memory cards of different shapes, sizes and storage space. Digital cameras are priced well within reason, and new ones come out daily, making digital photography easier, better, quicker and more convenient than a film photographer could ever dream of!

Many people say that George Eastmann invented the camera back in 1888, but photographic images date back even centuries before then. Alexander Wolcott applied for and received the first American patent in photography in 1840 for his camera. But no matter who actually invented the camera, I'm sure they would totally flip if they could see what their creation has evolved into!

Cameras, film, patents, memory ... This isn't what I intend to write about, but it brings up many thoughts to ponder.

I LOVE photography. It's challenging to me. My depth perception is off, due to the difference in focal length of my eyes, so it's almost like I have an advantage in this two dimensional medium.

What truly presents a challenge is handling and successfully using a camera underwater. For years, the likes of waterproof Nikonos cameras have been in the hands of professional and amateur photographers alike. And, for years photographers have been baffled with the differences a photographer faces by shooting pictures underwater.

As a diver you know objects appear 25% larger and 25% closer, colors are absorbed by order of energy the deeper we dive. "ROY G BIV" is how many remember the order in which colors are absorbed. By 25 feet red is all but gone, at 35 orange goes, at 45 feet yellow is gone, and eventually everything looks inky purple. Indigo, actually. Indigo and gray. Blah. We've always been told lights help, and our eyes do compensate somewhat, but not enough to bring all the colors back.

Digital cameras come in all shapes and sizes, different megapixel capacity, different zoom lengths, different colors, different features, different memory cards, different batteries, different warranties; they are all different. It can be confusing which camera to purchase, but please take a few minutes and read what we have to say about the cameras we have been fortunate enough to review. Keep checking back, as we are constantly receiving new underwater camera equipment to try out and present our opinion about!

Now ... A word about actual underwater photography ... What you've been waiting for!

For all the reasons I listed above, taking photographs underwater is more challenging than on land. In addition to color absorption, refraction, distortion, and polarization, we also have to deal with depths, times, currents, surge, temperature, sunlight penetration, and most of all, our subjects ... critters! It takes a huge bucket of patience to photograph fish underwater.

Many fish have never seen the likes of humans, and they are often scared back into the safety of their homes. Take your time and be extraordinarily patient. Hover motionless whenever possible, slow your breathing down, concentrate on your subject, have your camera as ready as possible before you find something you want to photograph.

Many digital cameras automatically shut down to save battery life after a few minutes on inactivity, so be aware you might have to turn your camera back on before you take a photograph. Looking through a viewfinder, if your digital camera still has one, is more difficult because you're wearing your mask, so your eye will be farther away from the viewfinder than normal.

Look into the viewfinder and see what all will be in the frame. Know the boundaries, and try to imagine in your mind what you want to fill the frame. Wait patiently for the critter to move into place. Relax, hover, breathe slowly, concentrate. Now, take the picture. Take another. And another. Remember, the worst thing that will happen is you might need to delete a frame or two. It's not like the days of film when you had 24 or 36 exposures and you were done! And, who knows ... You might happen to take a fabulous picture you might otherwise have missed!

Practice is important. Don't be discouraged if you don't get great results the first time you use your camera underwater. Don't get upset and delete them all right away. Take time to look at them and learn from them. Keep a journal and write down what the conditions were like, where you were, what depth you were at, and anything else that you might think is important. Everything you keep a record of will help you in the future. We write in a logbook, don't we? We refer back to it on occasion, don't we? You should for photography as well!

Adobe Photoshop, or another competent photo editing software program, is a must. Invest in a good photo editing program and use it to enhance your photos. Use editing software to crop your photos, straighten your photos, and adjust the color in your photos. Don't go overboard with the "auto" features as they often make underwater photographs look fake. Sometimes it's fun to take an out-of-focus photo and do crazy things with it like adjusting the color saturation to where it's drastically altered from its original state. Crop it. Blur it. Manipulate it. This can be fun when creating abstract art.

Lighting is important. Digital cameras come equipped with a small built-in flash. These flashes can prove handy, especially when used with a diffuser. Diffusers help eliminate backscatter. Backscatter is the small particulate or sediment that's suspended in the water. We don't always see it with the naked eye, but the flash sees it and makes spots on the image. A diffuser will soften the backscatter and often eliminate it completely, as the light from the flash won't reflect off of it.

Okay, so those were some basics about underwater photography. PLEASE feel free to contact me if you have questions I've not covered. As with most things, I'm sure I will think of more to say, and Part II will be born.

My best advice to you about underwater photography?

Do it! Take the plunge and buy as good of a camera as you can afford. Most of us travel long distances to dive in beautiful, tropical locations, so why not have memories we can keep forever!

Practice! As with any aspect of diving, the more we practice, the more comfortable we become. Underwater photography is no different! One benefit that most people discover when they take up underwater photography is their buoyancy drastically improves, their air consumption improves, and their comfort level improves!

Be patient! Good things come to those who wait, and that doesn't exclude underwater photographers, believe me! Hovering, relaxing, and being patient will bring you incredible photographic rewards!

***Note***
Please visit our gallery to see examples of my underwater photography, as well as several of my friends.

It's time to get wet, folks! For those of us who are not fortunate to live in a place where it's warm all year, diving locally can be a bit limited. Oh, don't get me wrong, there are pieces of equipment that will help extend your scuba diving season. A drysuit being one of them. Hood and gloves are a must this time of year in Tennessee and well as California. As Conrad mentioned in his latest blog entry, it's no fun putting on a wetsuit, but it is a necessity in a lot of cases. So go shake the critters our of your wetsuit, call your local dive shop and set up a time for a refresher, or see if you and a certified buddy can rent the pool for an hour or so of much needed bubble blowing time!

Once you have your pool time scheduled, don't get in a hurry. Remember you're dealing with Life Support Equipment and it needs to be properly hooked up. Oh, and before you do that giant stride into the deep end, be sure to check your buddy's gear and make sure they have checked yours. BEFORE you enter the water is the best time to discover malfunctions, improper assembly, or even differences in equipment and how everything functions.

Once you both are ready, and you've entered the pool, be sure to spend some time in the shallow end just getting used to blowing bubble again. Close your eyes and imagine faraway tropical places ... OK, wake up! It's time to see if you remember all the basic skills. Does your regulator purge properly? Can you recover it if it gets knocked out of your mouth? Can you find it if it's hiding from you? Don't forget, scuba divers don't have immunity from Murphy's Law ... "If is can go wrong, it will." Well, in diving that law should read, "If it can go wrong, it might, and usually at the farthest away point from the entry!"

So your regulator and you are friends once again. Good! And your mask? Flood and clear it a few times ... Remove it and replace it. Don't forget: any hair under the skirt will cause your mask to leak. Oh, and that wetsuit hood? Make sure the skirt of your mask is under the edge of your hood all the way around!

How about sharing air? Do you and your buddy both remember how to do that? Were you trained to do it the same way? Now's the time to find out ... Not 80 feet deep in the ocean when one of you has a catastrophic air failure or just plain gets excited and forgets to check your gauges. Should that ever happen? NOOOooooo!! Check your gauges often! Make sure your buddy checks his, too.

Buoyancy. There's a good one. Practice staying just off the bottom while in the shallow end. We will do more of this once we get to the deep end in a bit. For now, re-familiarize yourself with all the many ways to dump air from your buoyancy compensator. You should have checked all of these when you assembled your equipment before getting in the pool, so everything should function properly.

And now for the deep end. Yep, that 15 foot deep area seems shallow, but remember that buoyancy is the hardest in that range. Spend a lot of time practicing buoyancy control, then try to do all of your basic skills with your buddy while remaining neutrally buoyant ... not so easy, eh? It can be done!

Feeling better about your skills now? Good! You see? It is worth the time and effort to refresh your skills in a confined environment. Now that you are comfortable, even your first dive during your trip will be easy and relaxed.

All too often people who dive infrequently go on dive trips and spend the first day or two getting comfortable in the water again. Why not do that BEFORE you go on that expensive dive vacation where bottom time is limited ... It simply makes perfect sense!

Now, go call your dive shop and get that pool time reserved ... Don't wait!

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