WarrenZ
The Ultimate Bad Example
My former LDS had a Prevost entertainer coach they would do trips in. It was great but at about 8-9 mpg the trips only paid if they could get at least 10-12 customers.
A chronicle of a Newbies First big dive trip .
- Thread starter jringold
- Start date
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OP
So ends the first day of our adventure. It was loads of excitement as well as sea sickness!!!! The first dive went great. It was the first of 2 of the PPB checkout dives. I was actually able to hover in the lotus position for several minutes. I was pretty sure that would not happen! I was not at all displeased with how well it went
I had my breath control going good. Pretty much everything was going great
. That is until
. I got back on the boat to go to the second site. It was about that time that I starting feeling like total crap. I ended up missing the second dive and really just wanted to get back to shore as soon as humanly possible. I pretty much felt like a pile of dog crap that someone had ran over with a lawn mower (just to give you a visual
). And that was with a dose of 24 hour Dramamine taken about 6 hours before the dive.
Anyway, fast forward to later in the evening. I had my doc call in a script for Transderm Scop. I just applied that. So hopefully that will fix tomorrow. I can take my second PPB checkout dive then. We are looking to do a shallow reef and then the Benwood Wreck. I think we have decided to do the night dive as well pretty sure it will be back to the Benwood.
Breakfast and Dinner was at the Key Largo Conch House. Totally awesome! Had grilled Hogfish for the first time. If I had put that fish on my head, my tongue would have beat my brains out trying to get to it!
I have to say that the group we are with (18 of us in all) are really a great bunch of folks. The DMs are really patient and love to share their knowledge. We really could not ask for anything better!
Hopefully, with my update tomorrow I can say that my wife and I are both PPB certified and successfully completed our first night dive.
Gnight all!
Anyway, fast forward to later in the evening. I had my doc call in a script for Transderm Scop. I just applied that. So hopefully that will fix tomorrow. I can take my second PPB checkout dive then. We are looking to do a shallow reef and then the Benwood Wreck. I think we have decided to do the night dive as well pretty sure it will be back to the Benwood.
Breakfast and Dinner was at the Key Largo Conch House. Totally awesome! Had grilled Hogfish for the first time. If I had put that fish on my head, my tongue would have beat my brains out trying to get to it!
I have to say that the group we are with (18 of us in all) are really a great bunch of folks. The DMs are really patient and love to share their knowledge. We really could not ask for anything better!
Hopefully, with my update tomorrow I can say that my wife and I are both PPB certified and successfully completed our first night dive.
Gnight all!
drrich2
Contributor
You had also just been through the stresses of travel & may not have been well rested. I got sick & called the 2nd on my 1st day diving in North Carolina earlier this month, though I also hadn't had any caffeine or seasickness medication (which I normally don't need) & the ride out was long & on rough seas.
I believe you will find the Benwood to be more wreckage than wreck, more like a reef dive than what many think of as a wreck, but it's a good site and you should enjoy it. Night dives in the ocean on reefs are nice; I'd historically been shy of them (except shore dives in Bonaire) still diving Belize last May, and it was nice!
Richard.
I believe you will find the Benwood to be more wreckage than wreck, more like a reef dive than what many think of as a wreck, but it's a good site and you should enjoy it. Night dives in the ocean on reefs are nice; I'd historically been shy of them (except shore dives in Bonaire) still diving Belize last May, and it was nice!
Richard.
OP
All good things must come to an end…..
We are on our way back to Atlanta (aka God’s Country). We had a blast. Added six dives to my log. All but one was extremely enjoyable. We had a night dive last night that I don’t think I would repeat. It was a real nail biter. It could be that we are just too new to the sport for a night dive – but my anxiety was off the chart before I even hit the water. Then I got separated from my buddy (wife) and couldn’t find her. We both did what we were supposed to do – after a minute we both surfaced. But by that time we were both pretty upset so we called the rest of the dive and swam back to the boat.
Other than that one dive, the other 5 were unbelievable. I saw some of the most beautiful coral, colorful fish, and an extremely interesting wreck (USS Spiegel Grove). Also during the trip we both completed the PPB course. I highly highly recommend it. Once we completed the course, we were actually gliding through the water. While moving through the water I am able to pretty effortlessly change my breathing pattern to change my position in the water column. It really is that smooth.
I have lots of learned lessons and things I would do different next time. Our next trip is in 4 weeks to Jamaica. So hopefully we will put our new skills to use and further refine them.
Take care!
We are on our way back to Atlanta (aka God’s Country). We had a blast. Added six dives to my log. All but one was extremely enjoyable. We had a night dive last night that I don’t think I would repeat. It was a real nail biter. It could be that we are just too new to the sport for a night dive – but my anxiety was off the chart before I even hit the water. Then I got separated from my buddy (wife) and couldn’t find her. We both did what we were supposed to do – after a minute we both surfaced. But by that time we were both pretty upset so we called the rest of the dive and swam back to the boat.
Other than that one dive, the other 5 were unbelievable. I saw some of the most beautiful coral, colorful fish, and an extremely interesting wreck (USS Spiegel Grove). Also during the trip we both completed the PPB course. I highly highly recommend it. Once we completed the course, we were actually gliding through the water. While moving through the water I am able to pretty effortlessly change my breathing pattern to change my position in the water column. It really is that smooth.
I have lots of learned lessons and things I would do different next time. Our next trip is in 4 weeks to Jamaica. So hopefully we will put our new skills to use and further refine them.
Take care!
drrich2
Contributor
Sounds like a valuable trip. Fun + learning. The Spiegel Grove is in my view a good introduction to both wreck & deep diving. Personally I'd rather do it on a larger than 80 cf tank; I was using a 100 cf tank when I dove there. The mooring line is a lesson in why gloves can be a good idea; I recall something (I assumed barnacles, but someone else speculated razor clams) that made me wish I had a pair.
Lessons in keeping up with a buddy can be ongoing. I started night diving from shore in Bonaire, so by the time I did it off a boat, I had a little experience. I think in time you'll come to appreciate night dives.
Richard.
Lessons in keeping up with a buddy can be ongoing. I started night diving from shore in Bonaire, so by the time I did it off a boat, I had a little experience. I think in time you'll come to appreciate night dives.
Richard.
CNYMAD
Contributor
We're in Jamaica?
OP
Thanks Richard - I hope you are right about the night dives. I really want to enjoy them. May just need more experience. And you are so right about using an 80cf tank on the Spiegel. We had maybe 8-10 minutes of wandering around time on the decks before it was time to go back up. I would have really enjoyed spending more time there. Oh well, there is a Keys trip just about every month from Atlanta so I'm sure we will be back before too long. Generally speaking, it is not an expensive trip!
How much did the trip cost, if you don't mind me asking? I love the idea of the PADI Wagon. I'm not sure I could handle 13 hours on the road, even with the sleeper seats. But at the right price, well, I dunno.
OP
Staying at Sandals Montego Bay. Will most likely get a ride to Negril for some extra diving.
---------- Post added August 23rd, 2015 at 06:41 PM ----------
Don't mind at all. It was $600 each which covers transportation, 6 tank dives (Nitrox extra), 2 nights at Marriott Courtyard (which is next door to the dive operator), Saturday dinner and Sunday lunch. Also the night dive is optional and not covered in the package.
As far as the 13 hours goes - I'm not known for my patience as a rider. But I downloaded the entire Borne series movies on my Kindle HDX, bought some snacks, and the time really passed by. You can get up and walk around if you want. Also the bus makes two stops along the way. So all in all, it was a great trip and I would do it again next month if we didn't already have vacation plans in Sept.
ChemGuy
Registered
That sounds fun. I'm glad you posted the info. Im in ATL and just got OW certified, so that sounds like a fun trip.
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