Celebrating the New Year in the Bahamas!

Did not have any plans for New Year's 2017. I felt I needed a break, I NEEDED to go diving. Found some friends who were going to Nassau for a week and I joined in.

Arriving in Nassau exited the plane down a flight of stairs on to the tarmac. It was about 32 degrees when I left DC, it was 72 degrees in Nassau. How nice it was!

Passed through customs found the tour bus driver for the ride to the boat. Wasted no time removing jacket and sweatshirt. then took this picture and posted it on Facebook and did not feel bad about posting it, hehe.  It was warm and wonderful.

Van loaded usual ride across the island. I realized this was my third trip to  Nassau. I have another trip plan here for later this year.

Dropped off at the Nassau Harbor Club met by the crew directed to the boat, I knew the way.  Bunks assigned, Bags up packed and stowed in the Harbor Club. Initial briefing by Captain Red who offered us a choice, we could set sail but the wind was picking up and then it would be a rough ride or we could stay in port celebrate the New Year watching the fireworks over Atlantis resort. The later is what he was pushing. We followed his recommendation.

 Clancy, our cook, who I am still convinced is a magician, made the first of weeks meals for 30 people on a boat in a galley that was slightly larger than a typical coat closet. The rest of the evening we got to know our shipmates.  Just before midnight the case of champagne was brought out and opened. We are all ready when the New Year started along with the fireworks over Atlantis.  The fireworks were excellent and went on for a good long time. Match or beat any July 4th show.   After the show and many empty bottles of bubbly, we all started drifting off to our bunks to see what the new year would bring us.

The crew managed to get up and pull out of port early, like before 6 AM.  Nothing like listening to the water move past the hull next your bunk.   I go up went on deck they had the sails up and we were moving.  At some point doing the week, Red said that at one point we were doing 9 knots. 

Heading out to our first dive site Lobster No Lobster.  Captain Red noted we would be staying in the Exuma Sound for the first part of the week, the wind was up, so was the ocean  it would be an unpleasant ride. They did a great job picking great locations to dive in the mean time.

I will be posting daily segments  or dive site locations as I get videos and pictures together,

Sailing New Year's Day 2017

Try Scuba December 2016

So here we are in December. At the Pool. Doing a Try Scuba.   I normally don't do Try Scuba, there are Dive Control Specialist and Training Specialist looking to cover this course. But for these two I could not resist the potential fun.  They did not disappoint.  

Chris is my boy and Steven is my son-in-law.  Spent some time in the shallow pool getting the basics down then hopped over to the deeper pool too - rinse-and-repeat the basics then let them loose to fin around to get used to the new environment.  

They had fun. Found the shark and played catch for a while.  We will need to work on neutral buoyancy when they get to their Open Water Class.  We had a great time and they will be naturals with some practice.  

The Bahamas are calling....

Full Face Mask Pool Training

Tige and Matt decided to add OTS Full Face Mask to their Dive kit.  Se we hit the pool this weekend to work on the skills and get use to their new hardware. It was fun to see them all confident prior to using the mask, the "we got this", I love the enthusiasm.  It is a new skill set and drills that initially can see to be a bit of a task load.

The challenge is bailing out of a Full Face Mask in the event of an issue.  Started in the shallow pool went through the drills  with a few pointers and and tips. As I had expected and they bragged "we got this" was petty much true. 

We had a great time,  it will be even more fun on Guys Dive in a few week where we will complete the open water dives.

Diving with John Kitchen at Millbrook

This past weekend John wanted to do a couple of dives, Neither one of our schedules had time to run down to Lake Phoenix, so we opted for Millbrook Quarry which is just around the corner.  This is where I leaned to dive year ago. Back then there where Zebra mussels in the water. While and invasive species they did a great job at filtering the water.  They were eradicated several years back. Since then the turbidity be come a near constant layer of almost ick.  The few time I have been there over the last few year I have found the layer which starts ta about 10 ft is dense enough the top layer of water is heating to near 80 degrees in the summer time, the bottom of the lay is between 25-35 ft and is about 50-60 degrees and you need lights to dive it.  

Needless to say this is why we stopped training here.   But John needed a couple of dives to help him on his way to dive master.  Top side it was late summer early fall day.  the dive well here  is the  video   we are round  30 ft deep.....

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After dive selfie  

Return to Deerfield Beach!

It has  been a while.  The shop had not been to Deerfield Beach to go diving since before the change in ownership.  They were looking for  a long weekend type trip that would not bust the bank.  I had mentioned the shop use to go  at least twice a year to Deerfield Beach to dive with Dixie Divers on the Lady Go Diver.    That mention made me the trip lead.

 Long drive there and back but the diving was excellent with a bit of current. One of the dives it was really moving  like 3-4 knots, Flying underwater, good thing it was a drift dive, actually it wasn't it was a wreck dive that turned into a drift dive.

We are planning to go again Spring of 2017 then again in the Fall if there are enough who want to go.  Come join us.

SSI ITS Training

ITS - Instructor Training Seminar
From SSI's Web Site for the ITS

The pinnacle of SSI’s dive professional training is the desirable Instructor Trainer rating. SSI Instructor Trainers are qualified to teach the Instructor Training Course (ITC) and prepare future SSI Instructors for their Instructor Evaluation(IE). This is one of the most rewarding and most challenging experiences an Instructor can perform.

The Instructor Trainer Seminar (ITS) is an international event where you will meet instructors from all over the world. You will experience intensive training and evaluations as well as the opportunity to build a personal network with people from other countries who share your passion. This is your chance to become “The Ultimate Dive Instructor.

A week in Charlotte NC at Open Water Adventures our ITS was conducted by Joe Guydeski.  A week of skills review, knowledge review, presentations  a lot like my Open Water Instructor Exam. The difference is a couple hundred diver certification I know the materiel really well. This week was about doing what other had done for me. Set those who are prepare up for success and how to council those who are not how to improve.  The main focus is to be able to prepare Dive Control Specialist ready their Instructor Examination. 

Skills where not problem, rescue was a breeze. Cramped badly during third lap of the 800 meter swim.  Struggled with 25 meter underwater snorkel.  I am use to doing it is 25 meter pool this was a 12 meter pool, the turn was killing me. I would get 3/4s of the way through and called it.  Worked on t,t where are there turns in the ocean anyway.  After some practice I got it. 

A great week at a great facility Looking forward to this new level of teaching.

People Pictures above are from Tige Pratt

SCUBA University 2016

SCUBA University is a 3 day event put on by Scuba Schools International (SSI) Tige and I wen to the first on last year in Charlotte NC.  This year it was in Raleigh NC. Same presentation by Doug McNeese  President of  SSI. The point is to show case successful shops by holding the event at local dive shop to see how they are implementing the presentation that Doug is giving.

The great thing about going a second time, is last May there was so much information that we could not absorb all of it.  We took what we could from last years event and implement, Our goal was to go back this year to refresh what we put in play then to see what we can expand on for 2017. 

A goo way to network with other shops in the region, meet new people and see how other shops are succeeding.

On the ride hope we sketch out a plan for the year, let's see how we do.

February Discover Scuba

The last week or so winter has decided to show up in full force. But not matter, BSA Troop 884 wanted to try out SCUBA diving.  No mater there was a strong chance of snow and the night before was one of the coldest of the year so far.  Bright and early they showed up 8 scouts 3 adults and 2 other teenager who where out for an early Saturday morning adventure.   

Very busy getting all the paperwork and gear together, then the SCUBA van would not start, Our crack divemaster quickly came up with a plan B and off we went.  Midway through the first few skill as we where on the surface on of the scouts noted it was snowing.  Snowing it was.  By the time we got all dried off and went through the Discover Scuba log book and paperwork for BSA Scuba and BSA Snorkel, we finished up with the snorkeling requirements. There was several inches of new snow everywhere. Another great day in the pool!

Discover Scuba for Ventures and Scouts

WOW! What  a weekend. My buddy Jim Chaplin stared in November posting notices for a Discover Scuba in January with Virginia Scuba.  At one point I think he told me he had 25 ventures/scouts and adults signed up.

In the end we had a total of 18 folks participate, we broke them up into two session one on Saturday morning, the second on Sunday afternoon. This was a mixture of Scouts and Venture Crews from all over the area. 

We have had scouts groups before but this was by far the best groups of young boys and girls we have had.

What made this a success; as with any event of this type, was planning.  Two instructors, a Divemaster and a Divemaster Candidate. As well we had scouts who were already certified divers help out moving equipment and logistics. 

The goal was for the scouts to have fun.  We went over the Discover Scuba Flip chart, hopped in the shallow water, went through required skills. Let them splash around the for a few minutes to make sure they where comfortable. Then we hopped out and headed to deep end.

A bit more instruction about decents and ascents and away they went. We all hung out on the bottom for quite some time.  Jim Chaplin brought a under water ping pong ball game, we had hula hoops to swim through. The scouts had a great time trying out their new skills.

After they were out of the pool and dried off, we went over the Scuba BSA paper work and they received their Scuba BSA patch to wear on their swim trunks.

Jim was using this event to gather interested in diving as well as planning for his annual Scouting Blackbeard trip.  I think he may have several takers.

As well, several of the scouts that could not make this weekend have signed up for our next pool date January 25, at last count we have 9 signed up so far.  We can always take more. Come join us!

DEMA Orlando 2013...

Dive Equipment Manufactures Association - DEMA  held every year alternating between Orlando and Las Vegas.  In 2013 it was in Orlando.  You have to be involved in the dive industry to have access to the show.  For Dive professional you have to be a Divematers or hire. If you run a dive shop you can owner, employee etc you get the ideal.

This was my first time going to DEMA. Since I had never been and I am helping the dive shop get a handle on thier database to be utilize all the features and functions my job was to attend the database provides week long seminars. Since it is an SQL database and I have been working on setting up a different SQL database for my day job I figured this would be double duty. 

Lot of stuff to learn on database side. Once that was complete each day hit the show floor to meet and greet. Had a get time., met lots of people.  Back to the shop to apply what was learned. 

Tec 40 Dives 2 and 3

Left out of Manassas to Lake Rawlings before 6:30 to be in the water at Lake Rawling before 10 to start the next two dives in my DSAT Tec40 training.

Was a lot of fun. Rachel made it a challange, as she should. Lots of task loading, to make you think about the "what if" with all of the gear.

Diving is diving - look here, breath here, kick.  This adds the option of  more bottom time and more depth. I am not so much looking for the depth but the bottom time.  That is not to say with some more experience  depth won't figure into this. There are several wrecks in south Florida that will put this training to use.

Now on to the real Open Water - the Ocean.  I will keep you posted.

Venturing in to Tec Diving

Rachel teaching Tec 40. Oct 2013Well it was bound to happen.  I have signed up for the PADI Tech 40 class.  Spent  week reading chapter after chapter, knowledge review after knowledge review to prepare fo this weekend classroom work and configuration secession. Rachel is our instructor.  I have been Rachel's student many times over the years. Once she started into tech I kept with recreational.

During the shop's rebuilding phase they continue to increase recreational diving and rebreather diving. But the open circuit tec diving has been hit or miss.  Over the few months Rachel has decided to step in and take control of the open circuit tec schedule.  This is the second batch of tec classes she has put together in the last month.  From what I hear she has classes planned for November and December as well.

Tec 40 is the into course to tec diving. You can go to 130 ft (same a recreational diving) but you can go into deco up to 10 minutes  with up to 50 percent oxygen.   Beyond Tec 40 is Tec 45 and Tec 50 using PADI's System. It is a building bock system to extend depth and decompression time.

Spent the last part of the class today breaking down several of my regulators and reconfigure them to prepare for next weekends pool and quarry dives. 

Will have to see how this goes.  I made it to this quarry sessions a couple of years ago but could not complete the open water ocean dives due to schedule conflicts, I am going to miss this classes ocean dives too, similar conflicts.  But i will get this done. I want this C-Card.  Not sure how much further I will go in Open Circuit Tec but I want to complete this.

SCUBAJAM 2013!

Another great year lots of teen divers enjoying a weekend of diving . Saturday and Sunday where great,  Seems to be a thing to rain doing the group dinner on Sunday;.  I was busy working with staff on events and the troop so I did not get many pictures this year.  Actually I have exactly 1 picture. 

August Open Water

Another great open water class, at Millbrook this time.  The water was the best conditions we have seen this year. You could actually see across the platform.  At the surface was very warm for Millbrook.  The really cold water was still at 30 ft and deeper.   The students did great. We had a great time.  Mpre certified divers in the world, that is a good thing.

What's Next art work complete and assembled.

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Had no plan or thoughts to cobble together a  new dive training program.  As part of a discussion sitting around  the table with the guys at the shop  we wanted to have a way divers felt would move them along with their training. knowledge, skill level and confidence.  Did not create anything new, just repackage what is already being offered in a way that lets the diver feel accomplish.  Just a few months from idea to schedule. We are off to a good start.

Then we figured we needed artwork for a display end cap in the store.  About a month to get that all together, just a few years ago this would have cost a small fortune to do. It was not cheap but do-able.

This display will be hanging in the shop this Thursday afternoon.  that the next time I can get there. Once it is up I will add a store shot.

Update

on 2013-07-23 23:12 by Otter

And here it is in action. On display to infom all those who walk through the shop.  It looks AWESOME.  As I was leaving they moved it more towards the front of the shop beacuse they thought it looked awesome too.  :-)

Almost an Open Water Class today

This dive season has been challenging at Millbrook this year. As usual the water was it's normal cold back in April in the 40 degree range but it was pretty clear. May was about the same the water temp was not rising like it normally would due the rain, we have had a good bit this year.

From observation, but not by any scientific measurements, the picture you see here is the entrance to Beach one. There is a wooden platform with 5 or 6 steps.  Last fall the water level was so low only the last 2 steps were under water.  With this weeks past rain the entire platform is underwater and is about 18+ inches above the deck.  So that is 7 inches for each step plus the 18+ on top of the deck, that would put the total rise around 30 inches.  That is a lot of water considering the size of the quarry.

Somewhere between May and June a cloud of turbidity formed. This is not unusual there is always a layer of turbidity normally just above the thermocline and it is a few inches to foot high in the water column.  The density would vary from place to place in the quarry but never really dense.

When I was diving there in June, entering the water I notice something was different the surface water was very warm, warm like you would have in September around 70 degrees.  Once we descended I found out why. The turbidity layer started around 12 ft and went about 25 ft and it was like looking though pea soup.  Its density was such that sunlight could not penetrate that deep, it was heating up the surface water.

The end of June there was some more rain and divers I know where at the quarry they said the turbidity had seem to thin out. it was still not great but better.

Move a head to today July 13.  We had several inches of rain this week. Surface was warm, the descent had good viz down to 12 feet. Then it got ugly!  Taking my two open water students to about 20 ft holding a line I could not see them. The both grabbed my hand and pulled up, up we went.  They express their concerns about diving in this. This was if you could picture a green cloud in the water. I told there there was a good chance that if we got below it on the training platform it would be clear. I explained my past months experience. PADI standards say you can not leave a student unattended in the water. I explained that if they were willing we could go together in physical contact down line to the platform and see what the conditions looked like. If it was clear we could do the dive. They agreed.

Down we went. I have an Aeris AI dive computer, it is clipped to the chest D-ring on my BCD. It is always about 6-8 inches from my face. The digital display has reasonable size numbers and is easy to read. 16 feet was the last depth I could see. After that I could not see the computer the turbidity was so thick.  What was more disturbing as we continue down I swear the cloud turned from green to red.  That could be a problem. 

After what I thought was red, it became black and we where on the platform. Once my eyes adjusted it was clearer, 3-5 feet of viz, we where below the cloud but the only thing of note I could see was the phosphors glow of our three compasses, to read my computer I had to press the light button. 

Dive over, up we went.  I still swear the lower few feet of the cloud is red and that should not be. 

My divers where troopers, we are working on a plan  to go to Lake Rawlings.

Have to see what happens with the quarry. It may have too much water in it. Throwing off the ecosystem.  I will keep you posted. May just have to finish out the dive season at Rawlings.  It is just such a long ride.

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