Gilboa January 12

[northen diver]

The suit is a White's laminate. Back zip, no hood, no gloves. I have not trimmed any of the seals yet.

Do you want me to bring anything in the way of tents, heaters, stoves, dancing bears...

What do the dancing bears look like? Are they clothed?

Are you diving wet or dry?..........I would like to do a dive wet, so that my kids quit calling me a wus.

 

[Steve_Dives]

Are you diving wet or dry?..........I would like to do a dive wet, so that my kids quit calling me a wus.

I'd like to dive dry to play with the suit. It would be the first dive in that suit, and my second drysuit dive. I'd have no complaints if we stayed above 40 feet and limited the dive time for wet divers. I'd like to be dry when you put us through the ice diving drills, and I'd rather that not be my first time in the suit!

 

[Jchoby]

I'd love to join you guys but I got dad duty this weekend. Have some fun and safe dives sat and sun...

Cheers

JC

 

[northen diver]

I'd like to dive dry to play with the suit. It would be the first dive in that suit, and my second drysuit dive. I'd have no complaints if we stayed above 40 feet and limited the dive time for wet divers. I'd like to be dry when you put us through the ice diving drills, and I'd rather that not be my first time in the suit!

No Problem. I wasnt sure if you were going to get the seals trimmed by Sunday is why I asked.

 

[Steve_Dives]

Well, Northen (and son) & I met up for some diving today. I was diving a new (to me) drysuit, my first ever drysuit and second and third drysuit dives.

The quarry opens at 10AM, but Northen and I were both about 30 minutes early. We passed each other, me heading into Gilboa with the quarry behind me, and Northen in Gilboa heading toward the quarry. The air temperature was right at freezing, relying on my car's air temperature gauge. There was frost one the ground, and some standing water in the fields had ice. The air was clam, or calm...

Moving on. We took up dock # 3, the ramp. Northen backed his truck & trailer down and I nosed in to him on the ramp. We got our gear together, including the generator, crock pot, and spaghetti (good stuff)! (Thanks for the lunch!!! )

Dive #1
Northen, his son, and I enter. I have some fun trying to trim myself level over a platform just below the dock. After some buoyancy tests, the son is too chilled and opts out of the dive. After seeing him safely on the surface, Northen and I continue the dive. When we submerge, I notice my BC is no longer belted in place. After a bunch of flips and rolls I manage to determine I had been trying to thread the 2-inch webbing through a slot in the cam lock rather than where it should go. After more flips and turns and rolls I get the belt under control. I was wondering what Northen though he had signed up for...

From the dock, we head right into the shallows to look at the helicopter transmission, where I realize dumping air from the suit ain't as easy as it seems. We meet on the surface and decide proceed to plane. We submerge and begin our swim. As we approach the motorcycle, I notice some squeeze and try to inflate the drysuit a little. Instead of easing the squeeze, my chest feels cold and wet. I guess the inflator hose came loose while wrestling the BC into position. I reattach the inflator and continue the swim to the plane. Northen swims through the bus on the way. We turn and get shallow (15 feet) and I impersonate a cork again. We submerge again, swim under the training platforms, move shallow again, and I cork. We surface swim back.

In my own defense, , I was trying to dump air to prevent the corking. The dump is located roughly on the inside of my bicep. Trying to roll into a position where the air would meet the dump and not migrate elsewhere was a pain. Still working on that, may pay to have a dump installed in a logical location.

Dive time was 46 minutes. Max depth 38 feet. Water temp was 44F (I swear I saw 42 during the dive). Vis was unremarkable. We find Northen's son waiting on the dock.

Dive #2

This was a father-son dive. I went to the restroom and made notes in my dive log. The details of the former are omitted, while the details of the later form the basis for this report.


Dive #3 Northen & I go in again.
I had to retrieve my hood and gloves from Northen's trailer; it was like 90F in there! You could see the heat rolling off the trailer as you approach it. I opened the door and was nearly blown back the blast. Good thing only the small heater was running.

Our dive follows the same flight plan as before. I bump the bottom a couple times trying to stay a little negative to give myself time to corral the air to the dump. I still manage to cork myself, although the two corkings were more controlled. A huge catfish swam past the helicopter on the wall side as we watched from inside the helicopter. A pair of divers (a couple?) swam over us as we trailed a 4-foot catfish along the starboard side of the plane.

Dive time was 45 minutes. Max depth was 39 feet.

We packed up just as some rain started to move in, and left the quarry just a hair after 4PM.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Well, Northen (and son) & I met up for some diving today. I was diving a new (to me) drysuit, my first ever drysuit and second and third drysuit dives.

Unfortunately, or fortunately if you're Steve, the post I made about Steve's FIRST drysuit dive seems to have gotten eaten in the great Scubaboard meltdown of June 2007. Shame really, it was hilarious

We got our gear together, including the generator, crock pot, and spaghetti (good stuff)! (Thanks for the lunch!!! )

A real, honest to goodness electric driven crockpot? Hmmmmm, my Coleman Propane crockpot speed cooks everything but it isn't great for simply keeping the food warm once it's cooked. (Thinking ahead for next weekend)

Dive #1
Northen, his son, and I enter. I have some fun trying to trim myself level over a platform just below the dock. After some buoyancy tests, the son is too chilled and opts out of the dive. After seeing him safely on the surface, Northen and I continue the dive. When we submerge, I notice my BC is no longer belted in place. After a bunch of flips and rolls I manage to determine I had been trying to thread the 2-inch webbing through a slot in the cam lock rather than where it should go. After more flips and turns and rolls I get the belt under control. I was wondering what Northen though he had signed up for...

Well, Northen, so far it sounds like everything was going pretty well compared to the last time he dove a drysuit

From the dock, we head right into the shallows to look at the helicopter transmission, where I realize dumping air from the suit ain't as easy as it seems. We meet on the surface and decide proceed to plane. We submerge and begin our swim. As we approach the motorcycle, I notice some squeeze and try to inflate the drysuit a little. Instead of easing the squeeze, my chest feels cold and wet.

ALWAYS check everything after a wrestling match with a drysuit, they are sneaky little buggers Give yourself a good pat-down, it looks rediculous but you need to make sure everything is still in place.

I guess the inflator hose came loose while wrestling the BC into position. I reattach the inflator and continue the swim to the plane. Northen swims through the bus on the way.

In my own defense, , I was trying to dump air to prevent the corking. The dump is located roughly on the inside of my bicep. Trying to roll into a position where the air would meet the dump and not migrate elsewhere was a pain. Still working on that, may pay to have a dump installed in a logical location.

My old suit had the dump valve in a similar position and trust me, only a contortionist can effectively dump air with the valve there. Get it moved or suffer the same aggravation I did for years. Trust me, whatever it costs it's worth it.

Dive #2

I went to the restroom and made notes in my dive log.

EWWWW! Is that what you're calling it now and did we REALLY need to know?

Well Northen, sounds like we're in for an interesting experience next weekend :11:
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[northen diver]

Well, Northen (and son) & I met up for some diving today. I was diving a new (to me) drysuit, my first ever drysuit and second and third drysuit dives.

The quarry opens at 10AM, but Northen and I were both about 30 minutes early. We passed each other, me heading into Gilboa with the quarry behind me, and Northen in Gilboa heading toward the quarry. The air temperature was right at freezing, relying on my car's air temperature gauge. There was frost one the ground, and some standing water in the fields had ice. The air was clam, or calm...

Moving on. We took up dock # 3, the ramp. Northen backed his truck & trailer down and I nosed in to him on the ramp. We got our gear together, including the generator, crock pot, and spaghetti (good stuff)! (Thanks for the lunch!!! )


I dont know how to add quotes, so I'll try it this way. I cant really take credit for lunch, for my son is the one that made the meal. He said that he thought is was too much water, put I did put some water in the crock pot so that it didnt stick.

Dive #1
Northen, his son, and I enter. I have some fun trying to trim myself level over a platform just below the dock. After some buoyancy tests, the son is too chilled and opts out of the dive. After seeing him safely on the surface, Northen and I continue the dive. When we submerge, I notice my BC is no longer belted in place. After a bunch of flips and rolls I manage to determine I had been trying to thread the 2-inch webbing through a slot in the cam lock rather than where it should go. After more flips and turns and rolls I get the belt under control. I was wondering what Northen though he had signed up for...

I had resurfaced because I had seen that my son was still in the water by the steps and I didnt want to proceed with the dive unitl he was all the way out of the water.

From the dock, we head right into the shallows to look at the helicopter transmission, where I realize dumping air from the suit ain't as easy as it seems. We meet on the surface and decide proceed to plane. We submerge and begin our swim. As we approach the motorcycle, I notice some squeeze and try to inflate the drysuit a little. Instead of easing the squeeze, my chest feels cold and wet. I guess the inflator hose came loose while wrestling the BC into position. I reattach the inflator and continue the swim to the plane. Northen swims through the bus on the way. We turn and get shallow (15 feet) and I impersonate a cork again. We submerge again, swim under the training platforms, move shallow again, and I cork. We surface swim back.


You are being nice here. I was in the lead, and I took us to very shallow water. I wouldnt really call it a submerge. It was more like just standing up I had my split fins on and I was stirring up the bottom pretty good for ya.

In my own defense, , I was trying to dump air to prevent the corking. The dump is located roughly on the inside of my bicep. Trying to roll into a position where the air would meet the dump and not migrate elsewhere was a pain. Still working on that, may pay to have a dump installed in a logical location.

I think you did a great job on the drysuit, especially for your first dive in it. I have 14 dives on mine and am still trying to work out the "bugs". I had my dump opened all the way, and at around 30 feet, I thought I felt a little wet. Once we surfaced, I realized that I was a little damp. I was warned not to open it all the way, but I am hard headed sometimes and I need the school of hard knocks to teach me.

Dive time was 46 minutes. Max depth 38 feet. Water temp was 44F (I swear I saw 42 during the dive). Vis was unremarkable. We find Northen's son waiting on the dock.

Your air consumption is really good. I think you had 600-700 psi still left, didnt ya.

Dive #2

This was a father-son dive. I went to the restroom and made notes in my dive log. The details of the former are omitted, while the details of the later form the basis for this report.

My middle son is fair weathered and I wasnt sure how well he would do. But the dive went great. We had went over by the motorcycle and the bus. I got about a half dozen pictures of him. He motioned that he was getting cold after 20 minutes and we headed back to the platform. I think he feel asleep in the trailer after me and Steve went on the third dive


Dive #3 Northen & I go in again.
I had to retrieve my hood and gloves from Northen's trailer; it was like 90F in there! You could see the heat rolling off the trailer as you approach it. I opened the door and was nearly blown back the blast. Good thing only the small heater was running.

I dont usually keep it that warm, but I think my son cranked up the heaters for his nap

Our dive follows the same flight plan as before. I bump the bottom a couple times trying to stay a little negative to give myself time to corral the air to the dump. I still manage to cork myself, although the two corkings were more controlled. A huge catfish swam past the helicopter on the wall side as we watched from inside the helicopter. A pair of divers (a couple?) swam over us as we trailed a 4-foot catfish along the starboard side of the plane.

Dive time was 45 minutes. Max depth was 39 feet.

We packed up just as some rain started to move in, and left the quarry just a hair after 4PM.

Steve, you are very skillful diver and also a great dive buddy. Me and my son really enjoyed spending the day with you. Thank you for the dives.......Frank

 

[northen diver]

Unfortunately, or fortunately if you're Steve, the post I made about Steve's FIRST drysuit dive seems to have gotten eaten in the great Scubaboard meltdown of June 2007. Shame really, it was hilarious


A real, honest to goodness electric driven crockpot? Hmmmmm, my Coleman Propane crockpot speed cooks everything but it isn't great for simply keeping the food warm once it's cooked. (Thinking ahead for next weekend)

I am a lousy cook, so if you are thinking of using it for someting, I'll be happy too bring it next Saturday.



Well, Northen, so far it sounds like everything was going pretty well compared to the last time he dove a drysuit


Dont let him kid ya. You know and I now know that he knows what he is doing. You know what I know I mean.

ALWAYS check everything after a wrestling match with a drysuit, they are sneaky little buggers Give yourself a good pat-down, it looks rediculous but you need to make sure everything is still in place.


My old suit had the dump valve in a similar position and trust me, only a contortionist can effectively dump air with the valve there. Get it moved or suffer the same aggravation I did for years. Trust me, whatever it costs it's worth it.

EWWWW! Is that what you're calling it now and did we REALLY need to know?

Well Northen, sounds like we're in for an interesting experience next weekend :11:
Ber :lilbunny:

I think that we are going to have fun!!!

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Originally Posted by Ber Rabbit
I am a lousy cook, so if you are thinking of using it for someting, I'll be happy too bring it next Saturday.

Bring it along, we can transfer the cooked stuff out of my "slow" (yeah right!) cooker into yours once its ready to keep it warm without scorching it. My propane slow cooker is a little on the overzealous side even on "low".

Dont let him kid ya. You know and I now know that he knows what he is doing. You know what I know I mean.

Hmmmm, does that mean he faked the drysuit problems with me last summer? Interesting...I DID end up having to wrap my legs around his thigh to keep him from shooting to the surface while I dealt with my own suit issue on our safety stop. I'm beginning to think I was bamboozled; a lot of things are starting to make sense now After all I had one of my newly certified AOW student with me who was doing her first drysuit dive as well. She only had 20 dives in her life and SHE was able to maintain the safety stop with no more than a few inches depth change with each breath while perfectly horizontal and not holding onto the line. Yep, I've DEFINITELY been bamboozled

I think that we are going to have fun!!!

It's going to be a blast!
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[northen diver]

Bring it along, we can transfer the cooked stuff out of my "slow" (yeah right!) cooker into yours once its ready to keep it warm without scorching it. My propane slow cooker is a little on the overzealous side even on "low".




Hmmmm, does that mean he faked the drysuit problems with me last summer? Interesting...I DID end up having to wrap my legs around his thigh to keep him from shooting to the surface while I dealt with my own suit issue on our safety stop. I'm beginning to think I was bamboozled; a lot of things are starting to make sense now After all I had one of my newly certified AOW student with me who was doing her first drysuit dive as well. She only had 20 dives in her life and SHE was able to maintain the safety stop with no more than a few inches depth change with each breath while perfectly horizontal and not holding onto the line. Yep, I've DEFINITELY been bamboozled


It's going to be a blast!
Ber :lilbunny:

Uhm....... Yeah, I think I remember this being the SOP in the AOW class to hold your students down