Blue Hole Oct 14~15th

[RonFrank]

Check out this link: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=161337

RU still heading down today?

If not, Jess is kind of trying to back out of next weekend, so I might have room.

Leaving in a few mintues. Thanks much for the link, I'll be ordering one next week assuming they are still there.

 

[SkiDiver]

But my thoughts right now are:

Oxycheq SS #45 or Mach V 40# wing (here is the expensive part).
Hammerhead plate/STA.
DR Deluxe harness (maybe I'll switch to Hog IF I can get out of it).
Some kinda SS cam straps (damn those SS buckels are expensive for what they are).

The DSS rigs are also appealing, but I REALLY liked that Oxycheq Single wing.

That looks like a potentially great setup. Anyone out there have any thoughts on using the DR harness (I'd probably go with the hog) with the hammerhead plate and Oxycheq wing (e.g., Mach V)?

 

[RonFrank]

Well another 12 hours on the road, but another great weekend of diving.

James, Jason, Kevin, Alan, Tim, and my CO partner Dan had two very nice dives on Sunday together. That's people from three states, four sets of doubles, five BP/W Dir setups (minus my Applo bio splits, definately NOT DIR), and a hodge podge of gear.

Tim was the New guy, and definately hit the jackpot hiring Kevin's dive shop at random for a dive with an instructor for two dives trip to the hole. He ended up diving my Zeagle Back Inflate on two of the dives. His reg was a group contribution! My first stage blew a seal on Saturday, so I was using Dan's backup first. Tim ended up with Dan's first, my hoses and guages, and Jason's Second stage (mouthpeice and reg only, but my hose..doh! My second had a comf-o-bite Mouthpeice...). Holy mixed Parts BatBoy, that was one DONATED setup! Tim was very thrilled with the Zeagle BC, and I'm betting he enjoyed the BP/W which he was going to use on a third dive after Dan and I vacated!

He indicated he could never find Dive Buddies to go with him to the Hole. Well THAT just changed in a big way! A better group of dive buddy's could likely NOT be found within a thousand miles of ABQ, and here he stumbles across these tech diving Dudes all by chance!

My big breakthrough was, I CAN get in and out of a HOG harness! It just took a bit of instruction from Kevin, and a bit determinatin on my part. After two more dives with the BP/W, and paying close attention to my current setup, and then the BP/W setup during two days of diving, I'm on the road to getting a BP/W for Drysuit diving, and maybe I'll go to it full time... Undecided on that.

You guys are a great group of divers, and fun to be around! This time I'm going to try and retain the names, but I suck at names, so we shall see!

I don't know when I will next get to the Hole, but as Arnond says... I'll be BACK! :11:

 

[ABQdiver]

Nice review!! Yep! Great dives, good buddies/friends, couldn't ask for more..... (well, maybe a more tropical scene would be nice!!)

Funny you would mention that Tim would be diving the BP&Ws. He did and now want to change his layaway plan on the previous gear at the LDS to "different" stuff!

Looking forward to the next trip. Dan, I have both of your hangers that you left.......

 

[RonFrank]

well, maybe a more tropical scene would be nice!!

We really *SHOULD* put something together to get all of us landlocked boys out in the open ocean together!

Funny you would mention that Tim would be diving the BP&Ws. He did and now want to change his layaway plan on the previous gear at the LDS to "different" stuff!

Kevin, you are a VERY bad influence. How's your shop going to sell tired Jacket style BC's when you loan out the good stuff! You are really stirring the pot there guy!

Looking forward to the next trip. Dan, I have both of your hangers that you left.......

Well, if you refuse to mail him the hangers, than I'll have more leverage to get him back down to the Hole before years end!

Dan loves those hangers! I'm sure he is in physical discomfort having to hang his stuff without them! :huh:

 

[ABQdiver]

We really *SHOULD* put something together to get all of us landlocked boys out in the open ocean together!

Wooo, that would be a great idea! Florida? Riviera Maya? Cozumel?

Kevin, you are a VERY bad influence. How's your shop going to sell tired Jacket style BC's when you loan out the good stuff! You are really stirring the pot there guy!

You would have had fun with "that" conversation! There were three of us all telling him the pros and cons of the different system. THEN, we starting talking about fins...... :scared:

Well, if you refuse to mail him the hangers, than I'll have more leverage to get him back down to the Hole before years end!

Dan loves those hangers! I'm sure he is in physical discomfort having to hang his stuff without them! :huh:

That settles it then. Dan, you have to come back to visit and get your hangers back!!
I'll keep them in a place of honor in the interim........:1poke:

 

[amascuba]

I definitely had an excellent time! It was good to dive with everybody. I think we would bring about 25 bp/w setups and just let people use them at the blue hole for a dive or two. We can even hand them a glass of kool-aid when they get out of the water to quench their thirsts!

 

[RonFrank]

You would have had fun with "that" conversation! There were three of us all telling him the pros and cons of the different system. THEN, we starting talking about fins...... :scared:

Yeah, I'm sorry I missed that! I can just imagine how that conversation went! :11:

Tim, the advantage of the BP/W is it's the ONLY BC on the market that does not suck! Any questions? Let's move on to Fins. There are three types of fins to consider for diving, Rockets, Jets, and Turtles. The advantage of those superior fins is that they are the only fins on the market that don't suck. Fit, well fins arn't suppose to be comfortable, that's what mole skin is for. BTW you MUST use spring straps, or they kinda suck. Questions! Moving along, here have another glass of KoolAide!

Now we discuss lighting, and Dring placement.

That settles it then. Dan, you have to come back to visit and get your hangers back!!
I'll keep them in a place of honor in the interim........:1poke:

A place of honor, that is fitting!

 

[RonFrank]

I definitely had an excellent time! It was good to dive with everybody. I think we would bring about 25 bp/w setups and just let people use them at the blue hole for a dive or two. We can even hand them a glass of kool-aid when they get out of the water to quench their thirsts!

I'm not sure even you all could show up with that many BP/W setups, but it might be close! But forget about 25 setups for others, just have one ready for me when I arrive!

So far Kevin has been rather good about that. Now that you are spreading the word around, I'll have to put dibbs on Kevin's single rig or I may loose out to Tim.

I do like the Kool-Aid idea!

Next time we REALLY need to put together a BBQ of some sort. Ohh, the tent with heat is going to become critical at some point in the near future as well. Or you guys can get off your wallets, and purchase a nice big 5th wheel! I'm rather positive I read something by Jarrod Jablonski where he indicates the need of a luxury RV to really be DIR.

The last two times we've been down there the weather has kinda sucked. It rained Saturday, not sure if you all had rain where you were at. Ironically I have better memories of sunny warm days in the winter than in the summer, spring and fall... Go figure.

 

[Jasonmh]

Yep, great dives with a great bunch of divers, what could be better? Definitely had a great time diving with you all.

So far Kevin has been rather good about that. Now that you are spreading the word around, I'll have to put dibbs on Kevin's single rig or I may loose out to Tim. .

I don't know, I hear Tim offered Kevin $175 :1poke:

Next time we REALLY need to put together a BBQ of some sort. .

Definitely

I'm rather positive I read something by Jarrod Jablonski where he indicates the need of a luxury RV to really be DIR. .

Hmm.. i'll get right on that. But where are we going to park the backup RV?