Last weekend Mama gently reminded me that tall grass in the pasture demanded my attention. I started early and decided to stop at Kowaliga on the way to the farm. Not wanting to haul a lot of stuff, I threw my vintage 71.2 cubic foot steel tank, a back pack, and a regulator into the Suburban and headed out.
A very long time ago my first dives were in Lake Martin. In those days the stuff I mentioned was standard equipment. It’s been a long time since I experienced diving without bulk and I felt almost streamlined as my body slid through the cool water. It was just me and the lake and nothing in between. I think that’s the way that God intended for us to dive.
I went north along the western side and followed the rubble looking for whatever I may see. The Alabama Department of Transportation finally put hazard markers on the old structure. Water level suffers from the drought and lake levels are down thirteen feet from full pool.
Far out in the lake Christmas trees, put there as artificial reefs, act as nurseries attracting fingerlings of every sort. Some very large and very old catfish hang out in the limbs too.
Near the trees I looked up and saw a blob of something in front of me. Realizing its closeness I tilted my head so the object fell within the bifocals of my mask. “Wow!” I screamed as jellyfish came into focus.
Craspedicusta sowerbyi are marvelous creatures about the size of a quarter. They pulsate lazily as they feed on tiny bacteria and single cell stuff. Members of the phylum Cnidaria class Hydrozoa they have stinging cells but their tiny nematocysts are not long enough to puncture human skin. I watched the little fellow for a long while and then moved on. On two dives, I logged almost two-hours of bottom time and had gas to spare. Unhurried and effortless diving is a cool experience.
The crisp seventy-five degree water gave me refreshed energy and I continued to the farm and cut twenty-two acres of grass in a single afternoon. My Massey Ferguson has power steering and an air-cushion seat. The IPod and I spent a relaxing day with machine, Buffett, Barefoot, Stone, and Marley. Mama’s Jack Russell Terrier chased field mice and had a grand time.
Mid afternoon fuel ran low so I drove to the service station. I hadn’t heard news so when, as a gentleman of course, I held the door for a cute child in daisy dukes, long tanned legs, a halter top and tigers painted all over her face I asked, “did we win?” She smiled and said, “When I left there was five minutes to play and the score was thirty-five to seven.” I assumed that Auburn triumphed and with a full tank of diesel and a cold diet Pepsi I went back to my task.
You don’t arrive at Mama’s house or leave without eating so after a plate of fried chicken, potato salad, field peas, cornbread, and fried apple pie I headed home after dark. The South Alabama State Fair is in town so I rehashed childhood memories. One of our favorite things was topping Wetumpka Mountain and seeing lights on the Ferris wheel far in the distance. Like a child, I waited with intense excitement the moment I crossed the crest and could behold the colorful lights. I peered hard and my heart sank when all I could see was the parking garage at the Indian Casino. Times do change I guess.
Sunday we headed back to the lake with a group of folks trying to take full advantage of the last days of warm water. Kevin, Paige, May-May and I did dives on the south and then the north sides of the old bridge. The south bridge collapsed back in the nineties and fell almost flat. The roadbed stretches across the lake looking much the same as it did above water. The old lady took two lives with her when she finally gave up and fell. ALDOT blew the pilings off the north end and it collapsed much like dropping a handful of dominoes. Concrete sections and pilings lay in every direction. Our deepest dive bottomed out at thirty-eight feet with water temperature seventy-five degrees and visibility more than 12 feet.
On the south side, we saw the jellyfish once again along with some extra large catfish. We went all the way around the structure and I found an etched Dr. Pepper bottle. We ran into Alton, Sylvia, and Christina putting their boat in. They live on the lake but water is so far down that they have to use the public ramp. Tony’s boat lay at anchor and we noted his new dive flag/float moving down the bridge. Lisa and her friend sat on the stern daydreaming and swinging gently.
At the end of diving we listened intently to Sinclair’s Restaurant calling our names like the Siren Lorelei. Salads, burgers, and giant onion rings sated our hunger while an autumn wind whispered across the water. Birds sang and a hawk shrilled as we swallowed golden liquid.
With great reluctance we headed home – dreams of next time dancing in our minds.
A very long time ago my first dives were in Lake Martin. In those days the stuff I mentioned was standard equipment. It’s been a long time since I experienced diving without bulk and I felt almost streamlined as my body slid through the cool water. It was just me and the lake and nothing in between. I think that’s the way that God intended for us to dive.
I went north along the western side and followed the rubble looking for whatever I may see. The Alabama Department of Transportation finally put hazard markers on the old structure. Water level suffers from the drought and lake levels are down thirteen feet from full pool.
Far out in the lake Christmas trees, put there as artificial reefs, act as nurseries attracting fingerlings of every sort. Some very large and very old catfish hang out in the limbs too.
Near the trees I looked up and saw a blob of something in front of me. Realizing its closeness I tilted my head so the object fell within the bifocals of my mask. “Wow!” I screamed as jellyfish came into focus.
Craspedicusta sowerbyi are marvelous creatures about the size of a quarter. They pulsate lazily as they feed on tiny bacteria and single cell stuff. Members of the phylum Cnidaria class Hydrozoa they have stinging cells but their tiny nematocysts are not long enough to puncture human skin. I watched the little fellow for a long while and then moved on. On two dives, I logged almost two-hours of bottom time and had gas to spare. Unhurried and effortless diving is a cool experience.
The crisp seventy-five degree water gave me refreshed energy and I continued to the farm and cut twenty-two acres of grass in a single afternoon. My Massey Ferguson has power steering and an air-cushion seat. The IPod and I spent a relaxing day with machine, Buffett, Barefoot, Stone, and Marley. Mama’s Jack Russell Terrier chased field mice and had a grand time.
Mid afternoon fuel ran low so I drove to the service station. I hadn’t heard news so when, as a gentleman of course, I held the door for a cute child in daisy dukes, long tanned legs, a halter top and tigers painted all over her face I asked, “did we win?” She smiled and said, “When I left there was five minutes to play and the score was thirty-five to seven.” I assumed that Auburn triumphed and with a full tank of diesel and a cold diet Pepsi I went back to my task.
You don’t arrive at Mama’s house or leave without eating so after a plate of fried chicken, potato salad, field peas, cornbread, and fried apple pie I headed home after dark. The South Alabama State Fair is in town so I rehashed childhood memories. One of our favorite things was topping Wetumpka Mountain and seeing lights on the Ferris wheel far in the distance. Like a child, I waited with intense excitement the moment I crossed the crest and could behold the colorful lights. I peered hard and my heart sank when all I could see was the parking garage at the Indian Casino. Times do change I guess.
Sunday we headed back to the lake with a group of folks trying to take full advantage of the last days of warm water. Kevin, Paige, May-May and I did dives on the south and then the north sides of the old bridge. The south bridge collapsed back in the nineties and fell almost flat. The roadbed stretches across the lake looking much the same as it did above water. The old lady took two lives with her when she finally gave up and fell. ALDOT blew the pilings off the north end and it collapsed much like dropping a handful of dominoes. Concrete sections and pilings lay in every direction. Our deepest dive bottomed out at thirty-eight feet with water temperature seventy-five degrees and visibility more than 12 feet.
On the south side, we saw the jellyfish once again along with some extra large catfish. We went all the way around the structure and I found an etched Dr. Pepper bottle. We ran into Alton, Sylvia, and Christina putting their boat in. They live on the lake but water is so far down that they have to use the public ramp. Tony’s boat lay at anchor and we noted his new dive flag/float moving down the bridge. Lisa and her friend sat on the stern daydreaming and swinging gently.
At the end of diving we listened intently to Sinclair’s Restaurant calling our names like the Siren Lorelei. Salads, burgers, and giant onion rings sated our hunger while an autumn wind whispered across the water. Birds sang and a hawk shrilled as we swallowed golden liquid.
With great reluctance we headed home – dreams of next time dancing in our minds.
