As a diver in Salem, OR, I've come to terms with the joys of a day trip up and back to the Puget Sound. While some say, "You drove four hours up to get in just over two hours of diving, then drove four hours back?" I say, "Hell yes!" I'm blessed with a few good friends and dive buddies who make the trip pass by like minutes, and with visibility as it is this fall...
Doesn't hurt that my little car gets a good 40 mpg highway. If I take a picnic lunch it costs less than a great many things I could do to waste a Saturday away... and is a hell of a lot more fun.
Yesterday the Diesel Dive Bug headed to a dive site near Gig Harbor, followed by Titlow. The former is a little gem, one I've sworn to keep secret. A leisurely, quiet gear-up put me in a very zen state before even hitting the water. The serene underwater landscape was peppered with gigantic fat pink Tritonia nudibranchs, orange sea pens (from large to teensy weensy) and striped nudis mating all over the place. Coiled bundled of their eggs laid about like tumbleweeds, and eelgrass encountered near the end of the dive was covered with small nudis, some so small I deemed to call them nudi-bits.
Oh, and did I mention the visibility? Awesome. Not like, "Oh yeah, we've got at least 15" when you know damn well it's barely 10. This is more like, "I'll call it 30 only because people will think I'm crazy if I say something like 50, maybe even 60."
The beautiful fall day, the zen of the dive, and the subtle energy of one of my favorite dive buddies put me in an amazing state of mind. AND THERE WERE CORGIS! Two corgis ran out of the landscape edging one of the homes beside the beach access we were using, and greeted us before and after our dive. How awesome is that!?
We headed to our second site for the day, Titlow. In my time underwater, most visits have been made to the tried and true sites which are less current dependent, leaving a lot of sites along the narrows and other areas undiscovered. The plan was to hit the site at the slack around high tide in the afternoon. It was a high high tide, the result of an 8 foot swap, and going into a larger one for the next low tide. After moseying over to the site, sitting in the car and enjoying a little lunch and then gearing up again... we were well into two hours post peak. Entering the water there was not really a noticeable current.
55 minutes later... and it's a rodeo.
Going from the cathedral to shore took us about 10 minutes of crawling along the rocks. My buddy suggested surfacing at 10 ft and I declined, planning to not break the surface until I could stand... and good thing because even standing took a little strategy as the current was pulling out so hard. Given that I don't like current (unless we're talking about Cozumel and a live boat pickup), it was a great dive, and it's one more data point to put in my hat of, "Just what does this set of conditions result in?"
But wow... what a site! The highlight was an ADORABLE little grunt sculpin Stephen found. So tiny, and so well hidden, it was quite the find. Both dives were undertaken with the GoPro on my head, and the video is pretty good thanks to good visibility and some sunlight. Hopefully I'll get to piece together some of the highlights into a little something I'll throw up on Vimeo.
Showing posts with label diving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diving. Show all posts
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Friday, August 5, 2011
Life and times, episode #14,417
After seeing Rush, Facebook threw in my face that The Dear Hunter was touring, and their 2nd stop was the Hawthorne Theater in PDX. NO FUCKING WAY! I grabbed two tickets, found a friend who wanted to see them too, and away we went. That type of small venue show is an incredible contrast to the mass consumption of mainstream commercial acts in a stadium.
In short, it was awesome. A more detailed show report is here.
As luck would have it, the very next weekend Dredg was playing! The ticket was Dredg, Fair To Midland, The Trophy Fire, A Tale Through Audio.
A Tale Through Audio was interesting enough to take a listen to online; this was their first tour (and this was the first show of the tour) and they were thankful for the crowd who had come out. The Trophy Fire was really good. This judgement had been made before the drummer took his shirt off halfway through the set; afterword it just seemed all the better, but that wasn't why we bought CDs.
And Fair to Midland... uh... wow. A great deal of the crowd had come out to see them. They give the term "progressive rock"--that catch all category where you throw groups that perform advanced mixology maneuvers with their musical styles--a run for it's money. Are they alternative rock, metal, neo-psychedelic, or folk?
Yes.
All of the above and more. The lead singer Darroh Sudderth is... energetic... to say the least. I would have sworn he was tweaking hard, but a quick perusal of interviews and what not has him claiming they are not a party band, no drugs, etc. Seriously? Because his moves are... you'd think inexplicable without massive amounts of strong stimulants. He's Keith Richards, James Brown, and Brad Pitt's character from 12 Monkies thrown into a blender set to PUREE. My overall opinion was mixed, but curious enough to look 'em up. His vocal range is stunning, and I'm warming to them.
He certainly sent the crowd into a frenzy. The energy was amazing. A bit of a mosh pit formed at center stage, which put the friend I was with on edge; we were at the edge of stage right, only about 2-3 people away from the activity. The crowd jumped up and down in rhythm, and the old battered floorboards of the Hawthorne, a century old building, bowed and flexed as if the structure had a heartbeat. A stunning moment of epic clarity, washed in joyful hedonistic pleasure, firmly plants itself in my list of peak experiences.
My senses swooned in non-alcoholic intoxication.
Then... it was time. One last reset, and the show was ON. We stood at the very front because The Big Ass Fan wasn't on and I figured if we were going to sweat to death, we might as well do it right up front. (Luckily it was turned on later, and people would turn it every now and then so we got a fair share.) A very nice woman tried to squeeze up on the rail; I let her in but jokingly said, "Look, I've let three bands I DIDN'T come to see sweat on me, I'm not moving." A guy turned to me and asked where I was from; they were up from Cali, as this was the first show of this tour. He was amazed; he'd paid $15 to get to stand just inches from the band, when he'd been paying much higher prices to see them in larger venues with more security down south. He asked my thoughts on the new album, and I honestly said, "Like the last one... I hated it at first. But a few listens through, and I started to warm to it."
And while I now really like The Pariah, the Parrot, the Delusion, this one... I feel really similar to how this guy does. Something's missing. And with a few of the quips Gavin made during the show... he might be a little tired. And to be tired on the first show of a tour...
But regardless... they started with Another Tribe. And I was a little worried... my first thought was, "Oh, wow... this guy gets a lot of help in the studio." His voice was weak, a little thin, a little off. But no, he was just cold, because by the third song he was warmed up, energetic and it just built from there. 17 songs in the set, and by the end the crowd was singing so loud you could clearly hear them over the amazingly blaring sound system. Lots of goodness from old albums, and a few from the new.
The band put a great deal of energy into it, and the fans loved them for it.
After midnight (we'd gotten there a little after 7) we left, drenched in sweat and buzzing both due to energy overload and good old tinnitis. The evening was capped off with some food cart foraging at the 12th Street pod. We tried the PB&J frittes (a Thai peanut sauce with a berry-chipotle jelly) that was jump-up-on-the-table-and-scream-will-you-marry-me good, and a savory pie from Whiffies (brisket and moz). I'd slammed down two glasses of the home made ginger soda from the pizza cart in an attempt to sooth my shredded vocal cords, then moved on to lemonade from Whiffies.
My head hit Jon's futon at 1:30; my ears ringing so badly it seemed as if my whole cranium was vibrating. Madness threatened to overcome me, the sensation was so strong. Exhaustion trumped madness before too long. It seemed but moments before the iPhone blared its alarm, misset for 5am instead of the luxurious hour of 6am when we had to rise, find Jon's dive gear, and drive up to the Salmon Creek area to meet up with Dan for a day trip up to Sund Rock.
The company was good, the diving was very good and the completeness of the weekend, constructed together through a yin and yang of experiences, was epic. Yes, I'll use that word. As deliriously blissful as I was amidst the cacophony of energy and stimulation at the show, the deep sense of calm, serenity and one-ness I found in the water that day was so powerful it made me weep.
Yes, at one point I found myself crying underwater, for no reason other than life is so goddamn beautiful.
In short, it was awesome. A more detailed show report is here.
As luck would have it, the very next weekend Dredg was playing! The ticket was Dredg, Fair To Midland, The Trophy Fire, A Tale Through Audio.
A Tale Through Audio was interesting enough to take a listen to online; this was their first tour (and this was the first show of the tour) and they were thankful for the crowd who had come out. The Trophy Fire was really good. This judgement had been made before the drummer took his shirt off halfway through the set; afterword it just seemed all the better, but that wasn't why we bought CDs.
And Fair to Midland... uh... wow. A great deal of the crowd had come out to see them. They give the term "progressive rock"--that catch all category where you throw groups that perform advanced mixology maneuvers with their musical styles--a run for it's money. Are they alternative rock, metal, neo-psychedelic, or folk?
Yes.
All of the above and more. The lead singer Darroh Sudderth is... energetic... to say the least. I would have sworn he was tweaking hard, but a quick perusal of interviews and what not has him claiming they are not a party band, no drugs, etc. Seriously? Because his moves are... you'd think inexplicable without massive amounts of strong stimulants. He's Keith Richards, James Brown, and Brad Pitt's character from 12 Monkies thrown into a blender set to PUREE. My overall opinion was mixed, but curious enough to look 'em up. His vocal range is stunning, and I'm warming to them.
He certainly sent the crowd into a frenzy. The energy was amazing. A bit of a mosh pit formed at center stage, which put the friend I was with on edge; we were at the edge of stage right, only about 2-3 people away from the activity. The crowd jumped up and down in rhythm, and the old battered floorboards of the Hawthorne, a century old building, bowed and flexed as if the structure had a heartbeat. A stunning moment of epic clarity, washed in joyful hedonistic pleasure, firmly plants itself in my list of peak experiences.
My senses swooned in non-alcoholic intoxication.
Then... it was time. One last reset, and the show was ON. We stood at the very front because The Big Ass Fan wasn't on and I figured if we were going to sweat to death, we might as well do it right up front. (Luckily it was turned on later, and people would turn it every now and then so we got a fair share.) A very nice woman tried to squeeze up on the rail; I let her in but jokingly said, "Look, I've let three bands I DIDN'T come to see sweat on me, I'm not moving." A guy turned to me and asked where I was from; they were up from Cali, as this was the first show of this tour. He was amazed; he'd paid $15 to get to stand just inches from the band, when he'd been paying much higher prices to see them in larger venues with more security down south. He asked my thoughts on the new album, and I honestly said, "Like the last one... I hated it at first. But a few listens through, and I started to warm to it."
And while I now really like The Pariah, the Parrot, the Delusion, this one... I feel really similar to how this guy does. Something's missing. And with a few of the quips Gavin made during the show... he might be a little tired. And to be tired on the first show of a tour...
But regardless... they started with Another Tribe. And I was a little worried... my first thought was, "Oh, wow... this guy gets a lot of help in the studio." His voice was weak, a little thin, a little off. But no, he was just cold, because by the third song he was warmed up, energetic and it just built from there. 17 songs in the set, and by the end the crowd was singing so loud you could clearly hear them over the amazingly blaring sound system. Lots of goodness from old albums, and a few from the new.
The band put a great deal of energy into it, and the fans loved them for it.
After midnight (we'd gotten there a little after 7) we left, drenched in sweat and buzzing both due to energy overload and good old tinnitis. The evening was capped off with some food cart foraging at the 12th Street pod. We tried the PB&J frittes (a Thai peanut sauce with a berry-chipotle jelly) that was jump-up-on-the-table-and-scream-will-you-marry-me good, and a savory pie from Whiffies (brisket and moz). I'd slammed down two glasses of the home made ginger soda from the pizza cart in an attempt to sooth my shredded vocal cords, then moved on to lemonade from Whiffies.
My head hit Jon's futon at 1:30; my ears ringing so badly it seemed as if my whole cranium was vibrating. Madness threatened to overcome me, the sensation was so strong. Exhaustion trumped madness before too long. It seemed but moments before the iPhone blared its alarm, misset for 5am instead of the luxurious hour of 6am when we had to rise, find Jon's dive gear, and drive up to the Salmon Creek area to meet up with Dan for a day trip up to Sund Rock.
The company was good, the diving was very good and the completeness of the weekend, constructed together through a yin and yang of experiences, was epic. Yes, I'll use that word. As deliriously blissful as I was amidst the cacophony of energy and stimulation at the show, the deep sense of calm, serenity and one-ness I found in the water that day was so powerful it made me weep.
Yes, at one point I found myself crying underwater, for no reason other than life is so goddamn beautiful.
Friday, May 27, 2011
An eight legged friend.
Pretty much the same video as Justin's. But... it's mine. A partial answer to the question of, "What can you see down there?" This area is a sunken boat and tire reef (tires make great places for life to live and grow) that hosts a number of critters, including this big guy. There's an older mate living in the same area; we saw some pink/grey tentacles hiding.
Giant Pacific Octopus at Mike's Beach May 2011 from Amy Young-Leith on Vimeo.
Giant Pacific Octopus at Mike's Beach May 2011 from Amy Young-Leith on Vimeo.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Sund Rock, Mike's Beach and Flagpole
Sund Rock, Mike's Beach and Flagpole, a set on Flickr.
Spent the weekend up in Hood Canal and got in eight great dives, including two night dives. We visited Sund Rock on Friday, stayed at and dove Mike's Beach on Saturday, started Sunday morning with Flagpole and then back to Mike's Beach. Some nice long ones with lots of bottom time, too. Nice and slow, allowing me to improve my critter finding abilities. Found some good ones! The first night dive, with an amazing display of bioluminescence as we descended down the line followed by a very long visit with a large roaming GPO ranks as... I'll say one of my favorite dives ever. And we basically did a repeat the next night. Awesome. More types of gunnels than I can count, sailfin sculpin, a BIG grunt sculpin, some unknown funky things... can't even recount it all. The perma-smile this weekend generated will last all week, for sure.
I was finally able to elucidate why I enjoy cold water diving so much... it's more of a challenge, so the rewards seem more substantial. Strangely, I came home and shared this with Scot (who thinks I'm crazy when I say in the middle of a tropical dive trip that I miss my cold home waters), and he had a similar discussion with someone at Blue Element Scuba and Adventure Center today.
A weekend where the focus is dive, eat, sleep, repeat is great. There's a rhythm that develops, and a fun, summer-camp like pleasure in dropping all pretense about what your hair looks like. The funk that develops in your drysuit is like a badge of honor; you worked hard for that! Saturday afternoon was filled with a lovely nap-a-thon. Lots of laughter, socializing with other divers and shops. Good times.
Enjoyed helping with some training, continuing to get into a grove with new buddies, visited some new sites, and learned a lot along the way.
Now it's off to bed to cuddle with Scot and page through Andy Lamb's big picture book so I can ID the things I really saw for the first time this weekend! So much has always been there, probably, but I'm just now SEEING it.
EDIT: No Andy Lamb book -- my copy is at the shop! Argh!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Diving in Sea Monkeys.
A muse of creative energy hit me Friday night, keeping me up until 1:30am. That would have been fine, but the alarm went off at 4:45a, because I had to leave at 5:30a to pick up Jonathan in Gresham and head to Sund Rock where a group of our underwater friends were diving. (Most made a weekend of it staying Fri and Sat night.)
This would be my first time in Hood Canal! Didn't do open water there, and had never been to any of those sites in all the trips I've been making up north.
The ride up seemed quick; fueled by stops for food and caffeine we shared samplings of our musical tastes. My mood soared thanks to the remaining creative buzz--and I was headed toward a date with Poseidon! (It had been a whole 13 days since I'd been in the water.)
A quick stop and some gab at Hood Sport 'n' Dive, we had our pass and we squeezed the Beetle into a spot in the small lot at Sund Rock. Friends were in various stages of dress and undress as they prepped to go in. Smiles, waves and hugs ensued.
We got into the water; I promptly tripped over a rock and ended up flat on my back. Christopher was kicking back in the water and came to my aid. The water was oddly warm, some 62 degrees!
I'll be honest, we missed the North Wall. (Yeah, I now know: descend the buoy to the base, and go north. Boom, you hit the wall. Duh.) But just like wrong turns sometime create the best road trips, so was the case here. We went deepish (90 fsw) through two thermoclines, taking the temp down to about 50. The last was at around 65 fsw and right below it was some nice clear vis... but it was very dark, which is cool in its own right.
Sea whips are amazing, and very striking with nothing else around as they gracefully stretch up with their frilled edges. We glided over the ropes and cables (some amazing groupings of life on those)! At this point I hadn't taken any photos, I was keeping up with Zoomie McZoomZoom. ;-) We found ourselves looking at a very liberal sprinkling of thumb sized nudibranchs, translucent with white tips against the dark green and red seaweed. I was trying to get positioned for a photo when J starts tugging at my arm. I'm thinking, "Leave me the heck alone, I'm busy here!" but then I look and just to the side of what I'm focused on is a nudibranch larger than any I've ever seen! Large and frilly with white tips, I'm shocked to see another one just a few feet away... and then ANOTHER one. And... another one, but this time brown and orange tips. And... another one! And... a PILE of them, about 5 of them! For a moment I thought they were dead but no... they were doing quite the opposite of death, it seems.
(Insert porn music here.)
We were above a very large field FILLED with these awesome large, colorful nudis. Consulting my book... Giant Dendronotids? Wow!
After poking around for a while longer, J signaled his pressure reading meant the ride was over, and we headed toward a leisurely safety stop and then surfaced near the south wall exit. My tank was still sporting almost half its contents. (It amazes me how much my air consumption has gone down since Maui.)
Not the dive we planned, but I wouldn't have wanted it any other way!
After a nice relaxing (and warming) surface interval, we headed back into the water w/ Stephen. To the buoy and down to the base, head due north and TADA, the north wall! We poked and crawled along, and I totally lost myself taking photos. S gave some excellent technique advice (the most complicated communication I've ever had underwater, and I learned not only something about photography but also about communicating underwater).
We poked around slowly. Looked in a few holes, crevasses and under ledges but saw none of the big players--which oddly enough is fine; it's the little guys that I love!
During the si, Dan had commented on the thick layer of krill that was affecting light at depth. He wasn't kidding; we went through a large band of Sea Monkeys, the water almost murky with them!
At some point J peeled off from us due to air, and S and I continued to slowly poke around the wall, then up and over into the fishbowl. I could have stayed there for one whole hour long dive thanks to the wonderful lighting and great array of stuff to see.
Once out of the water, the parking lot was emptying and we had a very leisurely time stripping off and packing our gear, chatting with Hilo and basking in the sun.
Good times.
I was conflicted; on the one hand I really wanted to socialize with everyone (they were having a pot luck) but having to drive home meant if I did it would be another very late night and on three hours of sleep that didn't seem wise. So J and I headed on down the road, stopping briefly at Hoodsport Winery for a taste. The cabinet behind the wall was filled with medals; I noticed most were from the Indiana State Fair and other related contests! I see why -- by far their best production was their raspberry, a rich and fragrant sweet wine. (I loved the sweets from Oliver Winery when we lived there.)
Then it was on to the casino where multiple plates of crab met their end at our table. Before leaving, a video slot called Kitty Glitter turned my $20 into $70, and I called it quits right there. That pretty much paid for my dive weekend.
Thanks, universe! Already planning for next weekend; we're helping some friends find their comfort in the water Saturday (somewhere boring like Dash Point) and then something like Alki on Sunday.
This would be my first time in Hood Canal! Didn't do open water there, and had never been to any of those sites in all the trips I've been making up north.
The ride up seemed quick; fueled by stops for food and caffeine we shared samplings of our musical tastes. My mood soared thanks to the remaining creative buzz--and I was headed toward a date with Poseidon! (It had been a whole 13 days since I'd been in the water.)
A quick stop and some gab at Hood Sport 'n' Dive, we had our pass and we squeezed the Beetle into a spot in the small lot at Sund Rock. Friends were in various stages of dress and undress as they prepped to go in. Smiles, waves and hugs ensued.
We got into the water; I promptly tripped over a rock and ended up flat on my back. Christopher was kicking back in the water and came to my aid. The water was oddly warm, some 62 degrees!
I'll be honest, we missed the North Wall. (Yeah, I now know: descend the buoy to the base, and go north. Boom, you hit the wall. Duh.) But just like wrong turns sometime create the best road trips, so was the case here. We went deepish (90 fsw) through two thermoclines, taking the temp down to about 50. The last was at around 65 fsw and right below it was some nice clear vis... but it was very dark, which is cool in its own right.
Sea whips are amazing, and very striking with nothing else around as they gracefully stretch up with their frilled edges. We glided over the ropes and cables (some amazing groupings of life on those)! At this point I hadn't taken any photos, I was keeping up with Zoomie McZoomZoom. ;-) We found ourselves looking at a very liberal sprinkling of thumb sized nudibranchs, translucent with white tips against the dark green and red seaweed. I was trying to get positioned for a photo when J starts tugging at my arm. I'm thinking, "Leave me the heck alone, I'm busy here!" but then I look and just to the side of what I'm focused on is a nudibranch larger than any I've ever seen! Large and frilly with white tips, I'm shocked to see another one just a few feet away... and then ANOTHER one. And... another one, but this time brown and orange tips. And... another one! And... a PILE of them, about 5 of them! For a moment I thought they were dead but no... they were doing quite the opposite of death, it seems.
(Insert porn music here.)
We were above a very large field FILLED with these awesome large, colorful nudis. Consulting my book... Giant Dendronotids? Wow!
After poking around for a while longer, J signaled his pressure reading meant the ride was over, and we headed toward a leisurely safety stop and then surfaced near the south wall exit. My tank was still sporting almost half its contents. (It amazes me how much my air consumption has gone down since Maui.)
Not the dive we planned, but I wouldn't have wanted it any other way!
After a nice relaxing (and warming) surface interval, we headed back into the water w/ Stephen. To the buoy and down to the base, head due north and TADA, the north wall! We poked and crawled along, and I totally lost myself taking photos. S gave some excellent technique advice (the most complicated communication I've ever had underwater, and I learned not only something about photography but also about communicating underwater).
We poked around slowly. Looked in a few holes, crevasses and under ledges but saw none of the big players--which oddly enough is fine; it's the little guys that I love!
During the si, Dan had commented on the thick layer of krill that was affecting light at depth. He wasn't kidding; we went through a large band of Sea Monkeys, the water almost murky with them!
At some point J peeled off from us due to air, and S and I continued to slowly poke around the wall, then up and over into the fishbowl. I could have stayed there for one whole hour long dive thanks to the wonderful lighting and great array of stuff to see.
Once out of the water, the parking lot was emptying and we had a very leisurely time stripping off and packing our gear, chatting with Hilo and basking in the sun.
Good times.
I was conflicted; on the one hand I really wanted to socialize with everyone (they were having a pot luck) but having to drive home meant if I did it would be another very late night and on three hours of sleep that didn't seem wise. So J and I headed on down the road, stopping briefly at Hoodsport Winery for a taste. The cabinet behind the wall was filled with medals; I noticed most were from the Indiana State Fair and other related contests! I see why -- by far their best production was their raspberry, a rich and fragrant sweet wine. (I loved the sweets from Oliver Winery when we lived there.)
Thanks, universe! Already planning for next weekend; we're helping some friends find their comfort in the water Saturday (somewhere boring like Dash Point) and then something like Alki on Sunday.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Has great visibility returned to the Puget Sound?
Saturday we walked into A2Z Scuba and were welcomed by Amy and Tom with hugs and a shout of, "Viz is GREAT this weekend!" Music to my ears, for while I enjoy my cold water diving, I have to admit that the pea soup was getting me down.
Our trip up had been leisurely; we were weekending with a new diving friend. Three hours together in a metal box can be trying on any relationship, and it's often telling of those in their nascent stages. And a whole two days... By the time we got home at 12:30am Monday morning, however, it was clear we'll be traveling together again.
We were slow, but that was all part of the plan. We were in search of water, and enjoying the company in the meantime. After hanging at Amy's for a bit and picking up miscellany such as a reel, changing a computer battery, buying some weights to round out the set, etc. we headed to Les Davis.
Parking a crew cab longbed pickup in that lot is... a challenge. Luckily, there was a diving instructor at the end with a big truck and he and crew had just gotten out of the water. We waited patiently for about ten minutes and he gave us his spot. We love you, man.
Beautiful clarity at the entry. This made poking through the eel grass really fun, lots of great little critters to see. At my favorite spots amongst the slabs, around 65 ft, it murked up a bit, but was still good compared to the last times I'd been there. I noticed the plumose seemed to be less packed in; the areas that used to be covered were more sparse. Lots of fish. A few small nudies. The usual suspects.
And jellies. LOTS of jellies.
My systems were going well; I'd spent a ridiculous amount of time making sure my seals were *perfect*. At the end, I was damp. Not all over, and not soaked. Just the upper left quadrant was damp. (Chatting with Norm a few days later he pointed out the valve could be sucking water if I keep the suit too lean. That may in fact be the problem because I can't find anything else. Next time...)
Air consumption continues to improve. Since Maui I've pretty much always come up with more air than those I'm diving with. Sweet. Admittedly, they are air hogs, but...
We only did one dive there due to time; we were considering a night dive that evening and two dives the next day; this meant we had to scoot back to Amy's for fills, then get some dinner, clean up and head out to see a friend and his band play at 9pm, and maybe see the water again at 11pm.
At dinner I enjoyed an AMF, ordered by my friend to calm my attitude, because I was sporting one. And boy, did it fit the bill. Yummmmmy! And one of those on an empty stomach after diving had me smiling and giggly and... two would have been bad, bad news.
By the time all that was done and the choice was night dive or head back to the hotel to sleep the answer was clear; we were falling asleep where we stood, so no night dive.
We're so lame.
The next morning we got up and enjoyed a hearty breakfast at Black Bear Diner. I'd gotten a great deal at the Best Western in Federal Way; it was leagues above the other cheapies we've stayed at there and I'd so do it again in a heartbeat.
It was late morning and we had no trouble finding parking at Alki. That was my first time there and I LOVE IT. Easy access, great view of Seattle across the water, multiple dive sites right there... I see why this is so popular. Can't wait to dive it at night, too. Looking down at the entry, it was crystal clear. Went to about 65 following our friend who was taking macro shots I love following a photographer because they go slow, and that gives me time to poke around for critters which is what I'm down there to do!. Created some inventive underwater hand signals at the boat. (How do you say, "There's a gunnel right inside the lip of the boat in front of you and across from me?")
I hung out with a goby for a long time... they are SO cute for some reason.
Two great dives at this site. Can't wait to go back.
I shucked four pounds of weight from my gear, and had no troubles at all. The last dive was perhaps one of the best dives I've ever had in cold water speaking of comfort and ability. I admit I switched from the drysuit to the BC for buoyancy; there's just something amiss with the suit. I'm going to try to tinker with the valve setting next time but I have to admit I like the feel of keeping the suit slim and just using the BC. (I started using the drysuit using the BC, then switched to using the suit after reading that's how you're "supposed" to do it but in the interim have found about a 50/50 distribution of who does what, so I went back for a try.)
I've gotten seven dives in since I had The Bad Dive with Amy at Les Davis. The drysuit failure was fixed after that dive, and I've not had any feelings of anxiety like I did there (comfortable enough that I chose to dive solo at Whalen Island a few of those times, too). Whatever it was, it passed. Bizarre.
Our trip up had been leisurely; we were weekending with a new diving friend. Three hours together in a metal box can be trying on any relationship, and it's often telling of those in their nascent stages. And a whole two days... By the time we got home at 12:30am Monday morning, however, it was clear we'll be traveling together again.
We were slow, but that was all part of the plan. We were in search of water, and enjoying the company in the meantime. After hanging at Amy's for a bit and picking up miscellany such as a reel, changing a computer battery, buying some weights to round out the set, etc. we headed to Les Davis.
Parking a crew cab longbed pickup in that lot is... a challenge. Luckily, there was a diving instructor at the end with a big truck and he and crew had just gotten out of the water. We waited patiently for about ten minutes and he gave us his spot. We love you, man.
Beautiful clarity at the entry. This made poking through the eel grass really fun, lots of great little critters to see. At my favorite spots amongst the slabs, around 65 ft, it murked up a bit, but was still good compared to the last times I'd been there. I noticed the plumose seemed to be less packed in; the areas that used to be covered were more sparse. Lots of fish. A few small nudies. The usual suspects.
And jellies. LOTS of jellies.
My systems were going well; I'd spent a ridiculous amount of time making sure my seals were *perfect*. At the end, I was damp. Not all over, and not soaked. Just the upper left quadrant was damp. (Chatting with Norm a few days later he pointed out the valve could be sucking water if I keep the suit too lean. That may in fact be the problem because I can't find anything else. Next time...)
Air consumption continues to improve. Since Maui I've pretty much always come up with more air than those I'm diving with. Sweet. Admittedly, they are air hogs, but...
We only did one dive there due to time; we were considering a night dive that evening and two dives the next day; this meant we had to scoot back to Amy's for fills, then get some dinner, clean up and head out to see a friend and his band play at 9pm, and maybe see the water again at 11pm.
At dinner I enjoyed an AMF, ordered by my friend to calm my attitude, because I was sporting one. And boy, did it fit the bill. Yummmmmy! And one of those on an empty stomach after diving had me smiling and giggly and... two would have been bad, bad news.
By the time all that was done and the choice was night dive or head back to the hotel to sleep the answer was clear; we were falling asleep where we stood, so no night dive.
We're so lame.
The next morning we got up and enjoyed a hearty breakfast at Black Bear Diner. I'd gotten a great deal at the Best Western in Federal Way; it was leagues above the other cheapies we've stayed at there and I'd so do it again in a heartbeat.
It was late morning and we had no trouble finding parking at Alki. That was my first time there and I LOVE IT. Easy access, great view of Seattle across the water, multiple dive sites right there... I see why this is so popular. Can't wait to dive it at night, too. Looking down at the entry, it was crystal clear. Went to about 65 following our friend who was taking macro shots I love following a photographer because they go slow, and that gives me time to poke around for critters which is what I'm down there to do!. Created some inventive underwater hand signals at the boat. (How do you say, "There's a gunnel right inside the lip of the boat in front of you and across from me?")
I hung out with a goby for a long time... they are SO cute for some reason.
Two great dives at this site. Can't wait to go back.
I shucked four pounds of weight from my gear, and had no troubles at all. The last dive was perhaps one of the best dives I've ever had in cold water speaking of comfort and ability. I admit I switched from the drysuit to the BC for buoyancy; there's just something amiss with the suit. I'm going to try to tinker with the valve setting next time but I have to admit I like the feel of keeping the suit slim and just using the BC. (I started using the drysuit using the BC, then switched to using the suit after reading that's how you're "supposed" to do it but in the interim have found about a 50/50 distribution of who does what, so I went back for a try.)
I've gotten seven dives in since I had The Bad Dive with Amy at Les Davis. The drysuit failure was fixed after that dive, and I've not had any feelings of anxiety like I did there (comfortable enough that I chose to dive solo at Whalen Island a few of those times, too). Whatever it was, it passed. Bizarre.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
This might be the coolest thing EVER!
Y'all know of the many things I love, abandoned buildings rank high on the list. Especially expensive, grandiose projects that have fallen out of favor and into disrepair (read my ramblings on the issue here).Over on Northwest Dive Club, I just read something that struck me as so f*cking cool it made me dizzy... I not kidding!
DIVING A FLOODED MISSLE SILO!
I think I sprained my brain stem as I zoomed through the thread after reading initially about the site's closing many years ago but then being reopened to divers in the near future.
Wow.
WOW!
OMG!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
When diving, bring along a great photographer.
In any group of divers, there are photographers. Even if you don't have a camera, this means you'll be able to see photos of your travels thanks to the friends and fellow divers who were on the trip with you. I really enjoy the variety, from informal shots by amateurs to the highly polished productions by pros, and everything in between.
Stephen Wood is a fantastic photographer, Salem local and seemingly all around great guy who I met as a divemaster in my OW class. (He's now an instructor.) I've had the pleasure of chatting with him a time or two (while hammock swinging in Cozumel or enjoying the post-fog sun at Les Davis). He's posted some great shots via Facebook, and he's publishing amazing shots on Flicker (as SubaquaticPhoto).
I can't stop looking at this photo from Cozumel. It's a perfect depiction of what I love about diving: it feels like flying. Flying through space.
Keep an eye on him. He sells prints, offers underwater photography classes, and more. Check him out.
Stephen Wood is a fantastic photographer, Salem local and seemingly all around great guy who I met as a divemaster in my OW class. (He's now an instructor.) I've had the pleasure of chatting with him a time or two (while hammock swinging in Cozumel or enjoying the post-fog sun at Les Davis). He's posted some great shots via Facebook, and he's publishing amazing shots on Flicker (as SubaquaticPhoto).
I can't stop looking at this photo from Cozumel. It's a perfect depiction of what I love about diving: it feels like flying. Flying through space.
Keep an eye on him. He sells prints, offers underwater photography classes, and more. Check him out.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Lessons learned at Redondo.
At 6am Scot, Dana and I loaded up The Great Blue Whale (Scot's truck) and headed to Redondo Beach on the Poverty Bay of Federal Way, WA. Thanks to good company, the 3 hour drive up went by like a flash (despite stops for coffee and breakfast). Standing in the parking lot on a bright sunny day with not a single cloud in the sky, the water was rimmed in the distance by the snow capped mountains. The view topside alone made the trip worth it. But we had the real adventure still to come.Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Another great dive today, but also a good lesson.
The boat dives start with a deep dive, then a second shallower dive that allows more bottom time. By nature, the first will be more difficult, the second easier. As Gueyser explained our first stop at Santa Rosa, I read my guide book which described it as an "intermediate" difficulty, and Gueyser said the currents were stronger today. So, I made the decision to sit the dive out.
On the one hand, that was really, really, really hard to do, with him saying how this was one of the best dives in Cozumel. I mean... I was jonesing to get wet!
On the one hand, that was really, really, really hard to do, with him saying how this was one of the best dives in Cozumel. I mean... I was jonesing to get wet!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
I felt so incredibly, infinitesimally small at that moment, yet more alive than I have ever felt.
What a day: two boat dives and a night dive!
This morning we dove Palanchar Caves. The DM did a great brief, took us aside for special instruction/encouragement. His name is Gueyser, "You know... like Yellowstone," he told us. The dive was to 80 feet (perhaps more) but if that wasn't comfortable, I could stay above the coral and follow along. Another diver saw me looking at the Dive Cozumel book for our site, and came over to chat. Looking down from the boat the beautiful blue water seemed just a few feet above a sandy bottom. "That's 60 feet right there," he said, Impossible!
This morning we dove Palanchar Caves. The DM did a great brief, took us aside for special instruction/encouragement. His name is Gueyser, "You know... like Yellowstone," he told us. The dive was to 80 feet (perhaps more) but if that wasn't comfortable, I could stay above the coral and follow along. Another diver saw me looking at the Dive Cozumel book for our site, and came over to chat. Looking down from the boat the beautiful blue water seemed just a few feet above a sandy bottom. "That's 60 feet right there," he said, Impossible!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Can't decide!
I'm headed to the coast this weekend to do a "makeup" for my certification dives. The ear infection has cleared up, and I'm going full bore with every sinus medication I have in my arsenal from now until then in hopes of avoiding equalization problems. Wish me luck!
It's either this or certify down in Cozumel, but when I discussed the option with my teacher at Salem Scuba, it was clear that was the least desirable, because it would be crammed in between a bunch of other things. I don't want to push it that far. The dives are in Netarts (yeah, my first open water dives in Netarts, the next in Cozumel... hmmm...); now usually I would have headed up to Hoodsport and had to pay for lodging, etc. so instead of driving over each day, I'm trying to choose some place to stay.
You'd think this would be easy. One night, by myself, on the coast. But I can't choose! I'm finding some really cute places!!
First, there is bed and breakfast with poster framed bed draped with fabric (and bathroom has heated tile floors) for $140. Then there's a little restored vintage hotel (cute room, king bed) in a teeny fishing village for $90. A variety of other old moldy oceanfront motels have been eliminated, as have the chains of the world. There are a few great rental houses, but they are just too big.
Who am I kidding, the draped bed (and large soaking tub) is the winner.
It's either this or certify down in Cozumel, but when I discussed the option with my teacher at Salem Scuba, it was clear that was the least desirable, because it would be crammed in between a bunch of other things. I don't want to push it that far. The dives are in Netarts (yeah, my first open water dives in Netarts, the next in Cozumel... hmmm...); now usually I would have headed up to Hoodsport and had to pay for lodging, etc. so instead of driving over each day, I'm trying to choose some place to stay.
You'd think this would be easy. One night, by myself, on the coast. But I can't choose! I'm finding some really cute places!!
First, there is bed and breakfast with poster framed bed draped with fabric (and bathroom has heated tile floors) for $140. Then there's a little restored vintage hotel (cute room, king bed) in a teeny fishing village for $90. A variety of other old moldy oceanfront motels have been eliminated, as have the chains of the world. There are a few great rental houses, but they are just too big.
Who am I kidding, the draped bed (and large soaking tub) is the winner.
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