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MONTEREY - Divers from multiple California counties held a kick-off event Oct. 15 in Monterey to calibrate dive distance, depth and tank time for the larger Dive the Coast event slated for 2013.
The divers separated into two teams of three, with a designated lead for each. A large buoy was attached to each lead's BCD with a 25-foot rope to help them maintain a consistent depth, and to allow the boat crew to follow their paths. When each team entered the water, the lead set his compass north, and they started swimming with one diver on either side of the lead.
Conditions were calm, but viz was in the 8- to 10-foot range and the water was filled with jellies. (Here's a short, 30-sec. clip of what it was like to navigate through that minefield: punching jellyfish monterey - YouTube)
Team 1 covered 2/3 of a mile in 27 minutes and surfaced with between 1,500 and 1,800 psi each. Team 2 was forced to surface after just ¼ mile in 15 minutes after one diver suffered a leg cramp.
To keep the momentum going, DTC is planning future test dives in the Santa Cruz and Monterey areas in the coming months and is encouraging divers in other counties to set up test runs to help gather data in their own areas. The organizer in Los Angeles, is also planning a "Dive the Pen" (Palos Verdes Peninsula) event soon. For more information, go to Dive The Coast :: index.
Cheers,
Dive the Coast
Dive The Coast :: index
Santa Cruz, Calif.
The divers separated into two teams of three, with a designated lead for each. A large buoy was attached to each lead's BCD with a 25-foot rope to help them maintain a consistent depth, and to allow the boat crew to follow their paths. When each team entered the water, the lead set his compass north, and they started swimming with one diver on either side of the lead.
Conditions were calm, but viz was in the 8- to 10-foot range and the water was filled with jellies. (Here's a short, 30-sec. clip of what it was like to navigate through that minefield: punching jellyfish monterey - YouTube)
Team 1 covered 2/3 of a mile in 27 minutes and surfaced with between 1,500 and 1,800 psi each. Team 2 was forced to surface after just ¼ mile in 15 minutes after one diver suffered a leg cramp.
To keep the momentum going, DTC is planning future test dives in the Santa Cruz and Monterey areas in the coming months and is encouraging divers in other counties to set up test runs to help gather data in their own areas. The organizer in Los Angeles, is also planning a "Dive the Pen" (Palos Verdes Peninsula) event soon. For more information, go to Dive The Coast :: index.
Cheers,
Dive the Coast
Dive The Coast :: index
Santa Cruz, Calif.
