dsteding
Contributor
Got a nice dive in with Grateful Diver at Cove 2 today. We swam out to the red and white can buoy with a plan of dropping down to the I-Beams and maybe seeing a six gill. Bob and I descend, and make a b-line for the I-Beams, I've actually never seen the guy move so fast, and he had to motion to me to keep up a couple times (all this time, I've been working on going slooooowwwww and keeping in trim and position when diving with Bob).
We were clearly on a mission. Dive plan was to go down to the I-Beams, see what we could see, then cut over the pilings and take some pictures. I was diving my HP 130, Bob was also on a 130 with 2500 PSI-turn pressure was still when I got to 2000 psi.
We get down to the I-Beams, narcosis settles in over me, I am focussing on good buoyancy, checking my gas, and really just enjoying the place, as this is my first time to the I-Beams.
I make a little turn as Bob has turned left, and as I do I notice his camera is out and his light is aimed out in front of him. My eyes follow his light, and it has the giant freakin' shark tail in it. Bob had just come face to face with an 8-foot six gill that was now swimming away. Through the fog of narcosis came a bit of disappointment, the shark was clearly going the wrong way and receding into the dark of Puget Sound.
However, the six gill was curious and cooperative, it circled back, made a couple passes at us, then gently glided under both of us. With both our HIDs on it, we could clearly see it head to tail. A really amazing, beautiful creature. As it swam under us, I checked my depth gauge, 102 feet.
Bob said afterwards that my bubbles got a bit big when it swam near us, I got to 2000 psi a few moments later, and we went up the slope to see what else we could see.
Statistics:
43 minutes to 102 FSW, water was 54 degrees, with a noticable thermocline at about 15 feet.
Doug's firsts:
First trip to the I-Beams.
First time below 100 feet.
Oh yeah, and FIRST SIX GILL!!!!
Bob:
Another almost-milestone: this was Bob's 1498th dive. 1500 sounds like it is right around the corner.
That , Bob, is amazing, and thanks for the delightful dive.
Video of the six gill is forthcoming.
We were clearly on a mission. Dive plan was to go down to the I-Beams, see what we could see, then cut over the pilings and take some pictures. I was diving my HP 130, Bob was also on a 130 with 2500 PSI-turn pressure was still when I got to 2000 psi.
We get down to the I-Beams, narcosis settles in over me, I am focussing on good buoyancy, checking my gas, and really just enjoying the place, as this is my first time to the I-Beams.
I make a little turn as Bob has turned left, and as I do I notice his camera is out and his light is aimed out in front of him. My eyes follow his light, and it has the giant freakin' shark tail in it. Bob had just come face to face with an 8-foot six gill that was now swimming away. Through the fog of narcosis came a bit of disappointment, the shark was clearly going the wrong way and receding into the dark of Puget Sound.
However, the six gill was curious and cooperative, it circled back, made a couple passes at us, then gently glided under both of us. With both our HIDs on it, we could clearly see it head to tail. A really amazing, beautiful creature. As it swam under us, I checked my depth gauge, 102 feet.
Bob said afterwards that my bubbles got a bit big when it swam near us, I got to 2000 psi a few moments later, and we went up the slope to see what else we could see.
Statistics:
43 minutes to 102 FSW, water was 54 degrees, with a noticable thermocline at about 15 feet.
Doug's firsts:
First trip to the I-Beams.
First time below 100 feet.
Oh yeah, and FIRST SIX GILL!!!!
Bob:
Another almost-milestone: this was Bob's 1498th dive. 1500 sounds like it is right around the corner.
That , Bob, is amazing, and thanks for the delightful dive.
Video of the six gill is forthcoming.
I'm 'ho-hum' about Discovery's upcoming "Shark Week", but I'm dying to see Bob's footage. 
