For newbies, the 100th dive mark can be a bit of a threshold. Some do it nekid in the blue waters of the Caribbean. I did mine in a local quarry digging in the muck, helping a gentleman do some maintenance on a new platform. It was a crazy neat ride and very different from anything I had done before, so I am actually pretty pleased.
I learned a bit about how to rig lift bags. Learned a lot on how to tie off tools and anything being worked on. Otherwise, it will not likely be where you left it when you return. I learned how cords and ropes turn into amazing webs and tangles if they aren't managed well. And I was not very good at managing them. Got better. Yes, I had cutting tools. Thankfully did not need them. It was my first two dives (99 and 100) where visibility was in no way a primary concern. We were in the silt and mixing it up. At times vis was inside the 6 inch range as we lifted the platform and put pads on the silt, under the platform, to help keep the platform from sinking.
For all intents and purposes we were independent divers. At times we were only talking through touch and anticipating what the next steps needed to be. I was cognizant that if an issue arose, the bulk of the time we simply would not have seen the other's issue, and they would not have seen mine. For a while as I was watching my new mentor rig a shackle and line, his fingers were hitting my mask occasionally because that was how close I had to be to see anything that he was doing. I chose to get out of his way and look at the finished product after he was done.
Anyway, 100th dive, muddy, mucky, near zero viz at times and I loved the opportunity to learn so much. Sure I would have taken a blue water dive with the wife, but all in all I am dang happy. I hope to get to go back and help out more. A huge reminder of how little I know.
txgoose
I learned a bit about how to rig lift bags. Learned a lot on how to tie off tools and anything being worked on. Otherwise, it will not likely be where you left it when you return. I learned how cords and ropes turn into amazing webs and tangles if they aren't managed well. And I was not very good at managing them. Got better. Yes, I had cutting tools. Thankfully did not need them. It was my first two dives (99 and 100) where visibility was in no way a primary concern. We were in the silt and mixing it up. At times vis was inside the 6 inch range as we lifted the platform and put pads on the silt, under the platform, to help keep the platform from sinking.
For all intents and purposes we were independent divers. At times we were only talking through touch and anticipating what the next steps needed to be. I was cognizant that if an issue arose, the bulk of the time we simply would not have seen the other's issue, and they would not have seen mine. For a while as I was watching my new mentor rig a shackle and line, his fingers were hitting my mask occasionally because that was how close I had to be to see anything that he was doing. I chose to get out of his way and look at the finished product after he was done.
Anyway, 100th dive, muddy, mucky, near zero viz at times and I loved the opportunity to learn so much. Sure I would have taken a blue water dive with the wife, but all in all I am dang happy. I hope to get to go back and help out more. A huge reminder of how little I know.
txgoose
