Getting rusty (in more ways than one)

[uncfnp]

I am accustomed to a dive trip every 3 months or less. This year has seen 2 trips and a few quarry dives but I have only had 2 dives since August and they were both quarry, which are just not the same for me as ocean dives with the added challenges of depth, current, surge, waves and boat. I admit I am feeling very rusty with my skills not to mention my gear (figuratively speaking).

Just venting.

 

[Trailboss123]

Vent away my friend!

 

[Marie13]

One plus to quarry dives - they’re fresh water. No need to rinse your gear!

 

[homerdoc]

I'm with you on this, I kept up with several lake dives/a panama trip, but my wife and daughter needed a quick dip before our key largo trip.

It was good we did a dive at one of the springs on the way down. Funny moment where wife set her rig up with the first stage upside down.

It was good we did that. I recommend an easy dive before jumping back into currents oceans and such. They were much more comfortable.

Homerdoc

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Are the dive boats in North Carolina not going out?

 

[uncfnp]

Are the dive boats in North Carolina not going out?

Getting out from the NC coast is a challenge even during the summer months and most charters stop late fall to spring. We had a trip to Florida in November but canceled due to bad weather there. Had we gone we would have made 2 days of the 10 dive days planned.

Seriously though, these months of not diving have taught me how important diving regularly is to getting and maintaining skill and comfort in the water.

 

[TMHeimer]

Winter here is rough on my diving. Until 2017 we usually spent 3 months on the FL panhandle. Last 3 years diving wet all winter has meant MAYBE a dive once every 2 weeks (weather/tide permitting). But, it's enough to keep everything "well-oiled" until May rolls around. All I can suggest is do as much quarry diving as you can-- even once monthly should be enough to keep the skills sharp. It's not the ocean granted--so just be a little more careful than usual when summer comes on that first "real" dive.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

I’m in the same boat OP. I only made a few trips to the quarry this year. Each trip, I felt like things were happening in slow motion. I spent a lot of extra time looking things over and I was not as comfortable in the water.

2019...got to make three little trips. I think there was maybe 1-2 months that I didn’t manage to get dives in.

Just starting a new job (not a lot of free time), so 2021 isn’t looking any better than 2020, as far as the diving forecast goes.

 

[WinfieldNC]

Getting out from the NC coast is a challenge even during the summer months and most charters stop late fall to spring. We had a trip to Florida in November but canceled due to bad weather there. Had we gone we would have made 2 days of the 10 dive days planned.

Seriously though, these months of not diving have taught me how important diving regularly is to getting and maintaining skill and comfort in the water.

This was one of my best years diving NC. I made 47 ocean dives off the NC coast this year. I had the highest percentage of dives make it out this year than in the past three years. There are a couple of operators still currently running charters. I had three charters make it out this December.

 

[uncfnp]

This was one of my best years diving NC. I made 47 ocean dives off the NC coast this year. I had the highest percentage of dives make it out this year than in the past three years. There are a couple of operators still currently running charters. I had three charters make it out this December.

What’s your secret?
We have had some major bad luck trying to dive NC. Of 6 planned trips we have made one. From major hurricanes and unnamed storms to boat problems it has left us with a sour taste for Carolina diving. And since it is a 4 hour drive and my work schedule is fixed 3 months in advance, taking advantage of last minute favorable conditions hasn’t been an option.