ABWA - Dive Report

[mwhities]

Date: November 15 2008
Dive Location: http://www.divealabama.com
Buddy(ies): Adam (nephew), Rita and Gordon (video)
Time: 10AM
Bottom Time: 52 minutes
Max Depth: 40ffw
Vis: 20/30
Wave height: None
Temp at depth: 39 minutes
Surface Temp: 68F
Tide information: None
Gas mix: 21%
Best moment: Diving with my nephew. Getting to dive.
Things to do differently next time: Wear thicker/more undies. Use less air in the dry suit.
Comments: Had a great time. First "open water" dive with doubles. Was a little worried from all the horror stories I heard but, overall, it was a great dive. Stayed above 40ffw as Adam is only certified to that depth. (SSI Junior). Trim was WAY off since my feet were quite heavy. (Maybe the tanks?) If I tried to add air to my feet I would get really light footed and would get scared that I'd do a feet first ascent so, I kept most of all the air out of my feet. Just enough air to keep the squeeze at bay.

Practiced the last part of the dive on the 15' platform and tried to get and stay trimmed. No luck.

Don't laugh to hard.. remember.. only my 5th dry suit dive, first HP130 dive and first time carrying a light in a dry suit with doubles on.

ABWA 11-15-2008 on Vimeo

Be easy on me. (I'll get more videos up when Gordon sends them to me on dvd.)

Michael

 

[Docc]

I'll get more videos up when Gordon sends them to me on dvd.

Michael

I'm sending them tonight before I leave for the woods. You should have them by Thursday or Friday.

 

[mwhities]

I'm sending them tonight before I leave for the woods. You should have them by Thursday or Friday.

Thanks, I appreciate it. I wish you could've filmed the dives in the LP108s. :|

Michael

 

[Docc]

Thanks, I appreciate it. I wish you could've filmed the dives in the LP108s. :|

Michael

I'm afraid it wouldn't have been very good cinematography. If you remember, you dove the 108's when I dove the Michelin drysuit. Camera stability on that dive would have been impossible.

 

[mwhities]

I'm afraid it wouldn't have been very good cinematography. If you remember, you dove the 108's when I dove the Michelin drysuit. Camera stability on that dive would have been impossible.

Are you saying (depending on how you were holding the camera) we'd seen either the bottom or the surface? haha

Michael

 

[mwhities]

Date: November 15 2008
Dive Location: http://www.divealabama.com
Buddy(ies): Adam (nephew), Rita and Gordon
Time: 2:27 PM
Bottom Time: 45 minutes
Max Depth: 42
Vis: 20'
Wave height: None
Temp at depth: 66F
Surface Temp: 54F
Tide information: None
Gas mix: 21%
Best moment: I was able to a few of the basic 5 and stay trimmed out and within a 3' window of depth. The HP130s grew on my or I them. I was able to get trimmed a little bit better.
Things to do differently next time: Add more undies. Add a snap bolt to my primary hose. Make sure my mask is nice and clean.
Comments: The HP130s were still somewhat of a PITA but, I was able to get trimmed with them better and I was able to manipulate the left valve with a little effort. The first dive with them, I couldn't reach it at all. Over all a LOT better dive than the previous one with the video.

 

[mwhities]

Date: November 16 2008
Dive Location: http://www.divealabama.com
Buddy(ies): Adam (nephew), Rita and Colin
Time: 11:06 PM
Bottom Time: 55 minutes
Max Depth: 49
Vis: 25'
Wave height: None
Temp at depth: 66F
Surface Temp: 55F
Tide information: None
Gas mix: 21%
Best moment: When I first hit the water, I was able to trim out with the LP108s. Felt comfortable and didn't feel like I was going to somersault forward.
Things to do differently next time: Add more undies. Add a snap bolt to my primary hose. Make sure my mask is nice and clean. (Yes, I forgot to do that.. that's why it's the same as the last dive report. )
Comments: I believe I'm going to go ahead and start looking for some LP108s. From what I've been told, the only real difference between the 108s and 104s is the weight. I felt really good and felt trimmed out with the LP108s. Not sure that I need to try any other tanks. Added: I can also reach the valves with the LP108s as well. Encouraging for myself.