2005 - The year in review.

[paulwall]

Well, I told my wife in December 2004, that 2005 would be "THE YEAR OF THE DIVE" I wanted to dive at least once a month.

Here's how it worked out:

Jan/Feb Boca Raton Trips.
March - Turks and Caicos
April - Met SuprBugMan and dived the jetties. Also met mike_s, SeaYoda
May - Boca Raton trips - Met ScubaDad
June - Pensacola with Gary's Gulf Divers (met Gary - AlGulfDiver), Boca Raton, dove with LP95's for the first time and was hooked.
July - Rig Trip from Empire, met mrFish87 and Lane Zimmer
August - Boca Raton
September - Katrina put the kybosh on everything...Damn storm
October - The infamous Vortoberfest (what happens in Ponce De Leon, stays in Ponce De Leon). Met The Kraken, Hoss, BabyDuck, Spectre, Darcy, Uncle Ricky, et al. First time back at Morrison Springs in over 10 years. Also, ran into WaywardSon at Morrison
November - First time at Cypress Springs in over 10 years, Back to Aruba over Thanksgiving for the first time in 5 years. First time at Becton Springs, thanks to Mat. Met Smedley at Vortex. Did Nitrox training at ScubaToys while I was relocated to Dallas. Met Joe and Larry of ScubaToys infamy.
December - Too busy to dive.

So, I missed two months, but dove multiple times in several other months, so it's kind of a wash, although I missed my goal. Also, serendiptitiously, I met a LOT of other divers, whom I would never have known about had I not joined ScubaBoard.

I have seen my skills improve dramatically, replaced nearly all of my gear (after having it for over 15 years), bought tanks; dived in funky water (Becton) to see the beauty underneath; been tasked with new divers by several operators; done shore diving again; done much drift diving; gone deep; gone shallow; caught lobster, crabs and conch.

So, thank you all, and let's dive carefully and conscientiously! The wife (She who must be obeyed) is salivating to know the end of THE YEAR OF THE DIVE is nearly over...I've tried to tell her that 2006 is THE YEAR OF MIX(ed gas diving). Also, this year I plan to get myself into shape for Deco training to do the Oriskany properly. It's good to have goals.

So, I hope to meet many more of you in 2006! RocketMan, you're on my list. As are Howard (Philmottrek9902), mbear295. Anybody else diving the gulf coast, look for my Scubaboard stickers on my LP95's!!!!

See you at the water's edge!

Paul

 

[octotat]

Funny, I did the same thing. At the end of 2004 I told my wife that 2005 would be there year of the dive. You'll now notice under my Avatar that I'm now a single diver (ha, ha). Guess she wanted to make sure I had plenty of time on my own to dive. It really turned out to be more of "The Year of the Sell the House, Find a New Job, Move to Tennessee" than the "Year of the Dive". But, despite that I actually got some dives in.

Immediately after she left I went to Truk Lagoon (OK, end 2004)
Blue Springs, Deland FL (with Scubadad, Murphdiver, Orlando Eric, Baitedstorm)
Bonne Terre Mines, Bonne Terre MO
Many dives at Loch Low Minn Quarry
Resurrection Bay, Seward Alaska
Rock Divers Quarry, AL
Tennesee River Dives
Cooper River South Carolina (Megladon Teeth, prehistoric Beaver Tooth, Whale Vertabrae)
Nassau Bahamas

Hopefully, 2006 will truly be the Year of the Dive, especially diving more Dixie Dives with SB'ers.

I think this thread should be a Dixie Divers dive summary. I'll start another thread about 2006 Dive Resolutions.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Lordy... 2005

95 dives throughout parts of the Gulf Coast's of AL and FL(beach and offshore), quarries in central AL, panhandle and central FL springs. Dived in water as cold as 55F and as warm as 88F, vis measured in inches and 100s of feet, as shallow as 10' and as deep as 125'.

Took Nitrox, Stress and Rescue, and Night and Limited Vis for the hellovit.

Attended a few SB events, couple Vortoberfests, Megadive, ect. Dove with atleast 2 dozen SB'ers over the course of the year.

Got a ton of use out of my dive yacht this year too

Anyone taking odds on whether or not the Big O will actually go down in '06?