How do you pass time at a deco stop?

[drbill]

One of the advantages to diving Catalina is that the bottom profile drops off rather steeply. I don't do a lot of square profile dives unless I'm diving wrecks (not my #1 porpoise in diving). It is easy to just slowly work my way up slope filming as I go with off-gassing stops at a number of different depths where an interesting subject is found.

On blue water dives where I'm hanging on the anchor line, I keep humming the theme from "Jaws" and looking out for the landlord. Just teasing... I keep my eye out for Molas, sea lions, pelagic fish or plankton.

 

[Rainer]

I pay attention to my teammates...

 

[Thalassamania]

Chess and checkers work well too, those magnetic travel games with the plastic pieces are great.

It is easier to read underwater, remember everything's a third bigger. But even so I need to use the little plastic "readers" in the bottom of my mask now (ah ... the joys of aging).

 

[AevnsGrandpa]

In the few dives I have had that warranted a saftey stop I normally just relax and wait it out. Since most of my dives are in quarries and lakes there is not much to see unless something swims by. On the rare times I have been in clear water such as at Maui in 2008, I watched the rest of the group that was still down and it also allowed me to get a neat over all picture of the dive site.

Jeff

 

[Diver0001]

Yeah, those are nice moments. At a safety stop in Mexico once (west coast) my buddy and I watched an enormous school of snappers (IIRC) swim just under us in a big hurry. They went on and on for a couple of minutes. Very cool. I did end up wondering if we were going to find out *why* they were in such a hurry because our non-diving spouses had spotted Orcas earlier in the day when they went out looking for turtles.... but no Orca's.

R..

 

[Belmont]

what are some of the things you do to pass time at deco stops?
we all know 15 minutes of holding on to an anchor / drop line gets rather boring after about oh 30 seconds.

I have done everything from singing "99 bottles of beer", to playing rock paper scissors before.
I picked up a waterproof set of playing cards today, has anyone ever tried playing poker, blackjack,
bs, etc.? If so how was it?

52 Pick Up!

 

[limeyx]

I pay attention to my teammates...

Your so old-fashioned Chris!!! Whatever next?

 

[Meng_Tze]

On shorter hangs I just ride it out. On longer hangs I read a magazine (glossy paper magazines work best) or play with whatever is around. I often also play diving mind games "What would I do if... "

 

[sambolino44]

How long until Ikelite makes a housing for a Kindle?

 

[Thalassamania]

Not yet, but books on tape through the coms works and there are IPOD housings now.