2024 Diving Recap

[Belzelbub]

Not enough dives in 2024. First half of the year was actually fine. Then, the weather happened. I dive mostly local off my own boat. Storms churned things up, then the hurricanes made getting out very difficult.

A lot of the boat ramps in the area looked like this. This was from storm surge after Helene. Milton came by and made it worse. The ramp in the photos is one of the larger ones. It just reopened a couple weeks ago.

 

[DXHI]

• Diving was good except for last few sets of dives. Had significant trouble clearing my ears due to sinus congestion and subsequent infection which turned into pneumonia
• Approximately 30 dives have to double check the logs
• Paid to get my best friend certified .. got tired of hearing him talk crap how he’s gonna show me up spear fishing when he wouldn’t even get in the water… told him to put his money where his mouth was when I showed up with his lesson book.
• None for me
• Learned I really want to start diving Steel tanks
• Same old dive habits
• Looking forward to Bonaire , Fiji and gulf coast spear fishing
• possible steelie 100’s and a back plate for travel
• Other?

 

[OT3]

1. The whole year of diving was great, I live in Oahu so I am lucky enough to dive consistently year round. Spent about 2 months in San Diego in the beginning of the year and got to experience some colder dives and many more cool creatures.
2. 133 dives
3. I would say my "special" dives were all of my dives in San Diego, I dove La Jolla Shores and Point Loma. Every dive there was special because I was seeing/experiencing something new every dive.
4. No new courses.
5. Learning more and more about marine life.
6. Cant think of anything.
7. Looking forward to many more dives, finding new creatures, and spending time underwater.
8. This year I got a new strobe/snoot (Marelux Apollo III with the SOFT Lite Snoot) for my camera rig. I also got the Scubapro MK19 Evo BT / G260 Carbon BT Regulator (DIN) setup for myself and wife. Also got my wife an XDeep Zen BP/W after diving mine for the past year or so and loving it.
9. Nothing additional.

 

[The Chairman]

The whole year of diving was great, I live in Oahu so I am lucky enough to dive consistently year round.

That's the great thing about North Florida. The springs stay 70^oF all year long. It was 34^oF when I got in the main spring this morning to do my laps. I wore my robe down to the water and it was our annual Itche Nippy Dip Day at Ichetucknee Springs, about five minutes away from my house. It was 46^oF on New Years Day when my Grand Nephew and I went in. It's less than a five minute walk to my car, and the electric seats do feel nice. 50 and above, and I take an outside shower there, too. I love it here!

FWIW, when you're built like a manatee, you get to dive like one.