Yes in these conditions you should have you own independant alternate air source.
First wreck dive
- Thread starter rhyz
- Start date
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DEEPLOU
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rhyz:I talked with my instructors and asked them when I could take my AOW seeing as I'm headed to the caribbean for a week in Sept and also Oct. They basically told me to take the AOW before I left. Which I decided would be a good idea, plus I love diving so it works out. Also taking a Nitrox class to incase. After this wreck dive I see I'm going to have to do the pony bottles, (didn't dive with one this time) seeing as any dive over 80 (I think) requires one unless your with a DM or Instructor. But I'd rather have my own. Taking the classes seems like a good idea because I cant learn more as I dive and work on my skills. I'm going to be diving anyway. hopefully I can get a couple more trips to Dutch and practice more in freshwater also. But the feeling I get when I'm underwater I just can't shake.....
Edit: The wreck and the night dive I just signed up for because they were the ones that were available to go on with my LDS. They weren't part of my AOW course at the moment. Just more dives I could do. Till I get to meet more people I will dive with the LDS and my Instructor and DM there as I'm very comfortable with them.
Dutch just isn't the same. No current, no surge, different vis, no anchor line, no boat. the list goes on. Dutch is good for shakedown at beginning of the season.
Definately get that pony. Get out on the boat and get experience.
BTW: I din't see 6footers on sunday. But then I was little east (n north) of u. But the 3-4 footers were definately something to contend with.
I was out with bunch of AOW students and their instructior doing their first NE Boat dives. Personally I took down two divers. WE were on Lizzie D a Prohibition era rum runner that lies in 80 ft of water. Its intact, so on the first dive we went down anchor line, over the port side to the bottom went around the stern and up the stbd side almost directly across from where we went down. Although it was only 11 min in, one diver was down to 1200psi so it was time to head up. Note i was being very conservative as i didn't want a newbie "hoover" to run out of gas. For the second dive the sea was a churning. The "hoover" was much more relaxed and managed to dive longer on this second dive on a 80 than he did for the first dive on a LP 85 overpressurized (so it had abt 100cuft).
Despite the chumming, and submarine watchers all had a good day. And most were chomping at the bit to come out again.
Capt. Tony is great. Feel free to ask him or any of the crew anything you want...they will do their best to make the trip safe and enjoyable. I had many a great weekend crewing on the boat and spent a lot of time diving with the group. Too bad now I'm up in NH and don't get out that often with the group.
If you going to get serious about NJ wreck diving, get a pony setup.
I really miss his Labor Day BBQ's....
If you going to get serious about NJ wreck diving, get a pony setup.
I really miss his Labor Day BBQ's....
OP
rhyz
Contributor
I'm not going to my LDs till probably tomorrow, so a quick question. Is there a a different class to take for using the pony bottle, or is that wrapped up in the AOW? (planned on signing up for it tomorrow).
Yes I definitely do plan on getting my own setup for the pony, I've bought everything else so far, except for the 7mil I was using. But not going the route anyway. I will get a drysuit later down the road.
Yeah those guys were terrific, well atleast in my opinion. Tony was getting annoyed at the first two divers from our group and was threatening to call the dive. When they dropped in both didnt grab the line on the stern and resulted in them drifting away from the boat until they could catch the bouy line then get hauled back. Seeing as these 2 divers had alot more experience than me that made me nervous about how I would do. but I didnt have a problem at all. Dropped, surfaced, signaled, line, see ya at the bottom.
As for the seas, I had asked one of our guys about them, they might have been lower I'm not sure as I haven't been out in the ocean in about 10 years. All looked nasty to me at the time.
Yes I definitely do plan on getting my own setup for the pony, I've bought everything else so far, except for the 7mil I was using. But not going the route anyway. I will get a drysuit later down the road.
Yeah those guys were terrific, well atleast in my opinion. Tony was getting annoyed at the first two divers from our group and was threatening to call the dive. When they dropped in both didnt grab the line on the stern and resulted in them drifting away from the boat until they could catch the bouy line then get hauled back. Seeing as these 2 divers had alot more experience than me that made me nervous about how I would do. but I didnt have a problem at all. Dropped, surfaced, signaled, line, see ya at the bottom.
As for the seas, I had asked one of our guys about them, they might have been lower I'm not sure as I haven't been out in the ocean in about 10 years. All looked nasty to me at the time.
TSherman
Contributor
Congrats on your first Atlantic dive...mine was just a couple months ago on the Independance II. I took a ride the first time and it was so rough they couldn't get the wreck hooked. I was TERRIFIED that I was going into that mess! I was really happy when the uneasy looking mate dressed and ready to splash started removing his gear. My second trip out was to the Pinta. Kind of a neat dive, but what made it great for me was Richie Kohler, his wife and Evan one of his videographers on the boat. I did my first dive and was just as you say on cloud nine. The second dive I was so excited I forgot to "burp" the air out of my new drysuit and try as I may could get under. After about 4 tries and a whole lot of energy expended I got back on the boat.
That dive I had a new Bare D6 drysuit....I highly recommend it. Some of the guys were cold after the dive. My dive buddy and best instructor to date Jim has the same suit and we were quite warm after the dive. I do not recall the water temp but it was late February.
The second thing I dove with was my pony bottle. I did not dive in a wetsuit for the first time until I had my 77th and 78th dive. I started out diving 131 lps, a pony and a drysuit....so I never knew how difficult it was. Guys from the shop took me to the quarry and helped me learn bouyancy control and use of the suit....helped me figure out my weight...and a diving I went. I do like the quarry for this.
At this point I am diving my new set of doubles and going to work out swing bottles, so I will be back to the quarry. It sounds like you have a very supportive LDS. This is the most important part of diving and training for me. Everytime I get new gear, we play with it a while then I dive with some of the guys at the shop. Its great having guys to look out for you, but let you do your thing.
Good luck with the dives! The pony bottle isn't anything special, just effects your trim a little. If you buy one, get the ultimate pony tamer to secure it to your tanks.....SO MUCH EASIER TO USE!
That dive I had a new Bare D6 drysuit....I highly recommend it. Some of the guys were cold after the dive. My dive buddy and best instructor to date Jim has the same suit and we were quite warm after the dive. I do not recall the water temp but it was late February.
The second thing I dove with was my pony bottle. I did not dive in a wetsuit for the first time until I had my 77th and 78th dive. I started out diving 131 lps, a pony and a drysuit....so I never knew how difficult it was. Guys from the shop took me to the quarry and helped me learn bouyancy control and use of the suit....helped me figure out my weight...and a diving I went. I do like the quarry for this.
At this point I am diving my new set of doubles and going to work out swing bottles, so I will be back to the quarry. It sounds like you have a very supportive LDS. This is the most important part of diving and training for me. Everytime I get new gear, we play with it a while then I dive with some of the guys at the shop. Its great having guys to look out for you, but let you do your thing.
Good luck with the dives! The pony bottle isn't anything special, just effects your trim a little. If you buy one, get the ultimate pony tamer to secure it to your tanks.....SO MUCH EASIER TO USE!
OP
rhyz
Contributor
Called my LDS today about a pony bottle setup and he laughed, he knows how gunho I am now, even my wife sees it when I come home from a dive. My whole face is light up for hours afterwards.
Anyway we're gonna have to talk about price, but he said it would run about 200-300 for a setup.
Plan on getting a dry-suit but that will have to wait till next year, I've spent alot more than I thought I would have, but no regretts at all. I look at it this way, it will last me for quite some time and the stuff I've bought is basically going to be used for along time. So after a period of dives and not having to rent I quess it will have paid for itself.
And yes any new setup will definitely be tried in the quarry first, that place is nice, and for a day or a weekend I could get alot of practice in.
Anyway we're gonna have to talk about price, but he said it would run about 200-300 for a setup.
Plan on getting a dry-suit but that will have to wait till next year, I've spent alot more than I thought I would have, but no regretts at all. I look at it this way, it will last me for quite some time and the stuff I've bought is basically going to be used for along time. So after a period of dives and not having to rent I quess it will have paid for itself.
And yes any new setup will definitely be tried in the quarry first, that place is nice, and for a day or a weekend I could get alot of practice in.
Someday if you are out on the Blue Fathoms and Charlie is working, ask him about his first ocean dive. He went out with me and we throught we were going to die!! He continued on to be one of the most active divers in the area.......
PS. If you do run into him, feel free to ask him about rigging your pony. He doesn't always suggest the normal attachment to the tank setups most everyone uses. He loves helping new divers on their way in this sport.
PS. If you do run into him, feel free to ask him about rigging your pony. He doesn't always suggest the normal attachment to the tank setups most everyone uses. He loves helping new divers on their way in this sport.
OP
rhyz
Contributor
I'll ask about him when I go back on the 16th, maybe even see what is going on this weekend there or try to catch a quarry dive before hand. Definitely good people on that boat.
Welcome to NJ diving from a fellow Garden State newbie - I just started diving in February.
Of my 40 logged dives to date, about half are NJ boat dives. Including my first four on Blue Fathoms, with Capt Tony, et al.
If you ever want to come down to LBI and dive on Gypsy Blood, shoot me a message. I try to get out with them most weekends.
What shop do you train with? My LDS will let you spend as much time in the pool as you want to get comfortable with your pony. I sling a 40cf stage bottle.
Again, welcome!
Ray
Of my 40 logged dives to date, about half are NJ boat dives. Including my first four on Blue Fathoms, with Capt Tony, et al.
If you ever want to come down to LBI and dive on Gypsy Blood, shoot me a message. I try to get out with them most weekends.
What shop do you train with? My LDS will let you spend as much time in the pool as you want to get comfortable with your pony. I sling a 40cf stage bottle.
Again, welcome!
Ray
OP
rhyz
Contributor
My LDS is Langs Ski and Scuba, I live about 2 miles away from them and they are great with me. Everyone there has been very helpful, and the same with them in regards to pool use. I know getting a pony bottle is going to get used to as I've just started to get my trim working. Not the greatest at my bouyancy, but I can hover in a weak current so far. Still trying different weight distrubution and getting my gear hooked up right.
Still I've got a ALOT to learn just to be a compentant diver. Seeing how some of the people I dive with look like a toolbox in the water it amazes me everytime I look at how well they look in the water. I quess I look like a floundering seal and none to graceful I would bet!
And I still got some basic equipment to get, like a slate, reel, pony, another knife (ankle), spare part/toolsbox...etc. One thing I know this will be a lifetime of fun and learning!
Still I've got a ALOT to learn just to be a compentant diver. Seeing how some of the people I dive with look like a toolbox in the water it amazes me everytime I look at how well they look in the water. I quess I look like a floundering seal and none to graceful I would bet!
And I still got some basic equipment to get, like a slate, reel, pony, another knife (ankle), spare part/toolsbox...etc. One thing I know this will be a lifetime of fun and learning!
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