Been busy diving

[TMHeimer]

People today were all complaining about it being in the 50s. All bundled up. I was running around in a light jacket.

During & after we left the sub-Arctic we snowbirded a lot on the FL Panhandle. I'd be in for swims Jan./Feb. with water temps. a bit below 60F. Then March came with 65F water and the Spring Breakers. Funny to watch the 20 year old guys race into (and at times usually right out of) the "frigid" Gulf to impress the girls-- while the old guy here is just laying around in the water taking it all in

 

[happy-diver]

I put some old shoulder padding on

 

[Marie13]

Ginnie was kinda mild for flow today, for Ginnie (which is still a ton more flow than Peacock yesterday). She's got a good instructor showing the ropes down here though, so I'm sure things will go fine.

And tell them your small cave diving world story from Sunday.

 

[jlcnuke]

And tell them your small cave diving world story from Sunday.

Ah yes, Sunday I was diving Orange grove and, as I'm about to get out, I hear an instructor mention to my cave instructor (who was there teaching a class) that he's doing an intro to flow class starting the next day. Remembering that @Marie13 was doing such a class, starting at the same time, I asked if it was her (first I had a hard time remembering her name, but it came back to me). It was, so we briefly talked about how small the cave diving community is that we all, indirectly, knew each other.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Unless I missed it, @Marie13 's instructor/guide has not been named. Is that intentional? Is it someone we know from SB? Do tell, unless it's a matter of national security, of course.

As for air temperatures, that cold spell last December that Marie heard about was smack in the middle of my Cave 1 course. It was 28F one morning when I loaded the truck. But last week I was able to enjoy days in the low-80Fs. Too warm for Marie, but I sure prefer it. North Florida winter can be unpredictable.

Glad you're managing to enjoy it, Marie.

 

[JBFG]

A lot of us use fingerless gloves, that way you can pull with your palm and avoid wear and tear on your fingers.

I've been using these:

M-Pact® Fingerless Covert | Mechanix US

Buy M-Pact® Fingerless Covert at Mechanix US.

www.mechanix.com

The impact protection rubber holds the light pretty well most times.

G

Those are amazing gloves. That’s what I used I. Summer diving and with the military. Can’t beat the price and dexterity. Just excellent all around

 

[Marie13]

Unless I missed it, @Marie13 's instructor/guide has not been named. Is that intentional? Is it someone we know from SB? Do tell, unless it's a matter of national security, of course.

As for air temperatures, that cold spell last December that Marie heard about was smack in the middle of my Cave 1 course. It was 28F one morning when I loaded the truck. But last week I was able to enjoy days in the low-80Fs. Too warm for Marie, but I sure prefer it. North Florida winter can be unpredictable.

Glad you're managing to enjoy it, Marie.

Scott Davenport is my guide/instructor. He’s not on SB. Came very well recommended from my WI instructor who has known him for years. Reggie Ross was Scott’s cave instructor trainer.

 

[Marie13]

Ginnie Springs today for second day of “intro to flow.” We had a long dive in the basin outside of the Ballroom working on finning and two dives into the Ballroom for line laying drills against flow and pulling & gliding practice. Down to 4lbs with thin undies. We entered the Devil’s system via the Eye. Lots of pulling and gliding. Couple of fingertips are a bit raw. I thumbed the dive at the Gallery. I was tired, but not from the flow. Good thing I ended it when I did. Shortly after, the short hose reg on my left tank I was breathing from started free flowing. Didn’t bother with trying to feather the valve. I had plenty of gas in right tank. I shut that puppy down and switched to long hose reg on right tank. Forgot the hand signal for “broken” and just did the bubbles sign instead. That just confused things. LOL. Had no issues exiting the Eye. We surfaced at one set of stairs in the river to talk. I had no wing inflator since that was on shut down left tank. Turns out the 90 degree adapter had come loose. Tightened, it worked fine and I was able to inflate my wing again. It would not stop raining.

 

[Marie13]

Visited Amigo’s today. Wow. A place that lets divers fill their own tanks.

 

[jlcnuke]

Visited Amigo’s today. Wow. A place that lets divers fill their own tanks.

I just got back to my hotel after filling at Amigo's myself lol.