AfterDark
Contributor
Dive 2062 7-5-17 Wed. Gooseberry Island Arch
This old bold diver packed up his gear and yak and paddled out to Gooseberry Island off Newport, Rhode Island for what I hoped would be a long pleasant solo dive. The old school steel 72 tanks overfilled were going to give me a lot of bottom time. The winds were lite from the NE, later changing to SE still lite. The sun was shining, occasionally hiding behind big white clouds.
I anchored on the West side in the lee with flat water and gentle rollers slowed down by going over the rocks before passing under my yak. After gearing up and putting my wing on twice I was ready to dive, descending then making a small circle to check out the conditions to find out if it was worth toting the camera. Twenty feet of vertical visibility and at least that much horizontally greeted me! Back for the camera!
The water started out warm but at 30FSW I found the thermocline and was diving in 61F water. Traveling west for a few minutes I turned South and traveled for another few minutes, then turned East to get in front of the south side of the island. Finally turned north and traveled until I reached the South side of the island, continuing keeping the island to my right I swam into the grotto that is made by the large arch. Someone marked the spot with a diver’s flag! There were fish of all sizes mostly togs and bait fish. There was a small fish with a florescent stripe along the length of its body; a tropical? I spent about 15-20 minutes hanging with the fish letting the surge rock me back and forth as the water comes and goes thru the arch. I could have easily have fallen asleep! I'm sure because I closed my eyes for a few minutes. Ooooh the beauty of solo diving! What buddy would put up with such behavior?!
Probably would think the geezer had bought it!
Got some pictures of the arch but found the flash didn't work, my fault didn't set the camera for U/W use and the flash was off. I didn't think of it until the drive home!
I went back the way I came until I cleared the island then turned east and ascended to 25FSW where the water was warmer and clearer because of the sun light; found the island again and continued east until I hit my turn around. The current was with me on the way back and returned to the west side with air to burn. I made circles in the shallows taking pictures and blowing bubbles until I hit rock bottom air; surfaced after 1 hour and 45 minutes of bottom time, 20 feet from my yak.
Air temp 80-85F surface water temp 72F @25FSW 64F @30+FSW 61F visibility 20ft, less @30FSW.
Max depth 35FSW avg depth 25FSW BT 1H 45M / 4500 PSI of 21% A finer day of diving I've not had in years!
I continue to refine the return the tank(s) to an inverted kayak method; to keep the tank(s) under the yak while securing the lines that actually hold the tanks to the yak, one bungee cord across the bottom of the tank keeps it in place. Also found it easier to secure the tank at the bottom 1st then secure the top. Rolling the yak back over with double steel 72's on the stern is a treat! Hey the old guy did it.
I found my new collapsible snorkel works fine as long as I keep my head above water! Thing sucks, time for some shopping.
I thought I had done this dive without losing a thing, no small feat while inverting the yak twice!
When I got home I found my wedding ring was gone! Today was our 43th anniversary; this day of diving was her “gift” to me. I've been on vacation since the 24th of June and have been working on the yard and house since. Today was predicted to be a near perfect day to dive the island so she said “then go dive the island”. She is almost a week out of surgery feeling good enough to fend for herself but not to leave the house all day. I brought Chinese back and we had a nice dinner.
So if your diving Gooseberry Island and find a gold wedding ring on the west side of the island or back at Price's neck cove let me know.
This old bold diver packed up his gear and yak and paddled out to Gooseberry Island off Newport, Rhode Island for what I hoped would be a long pleasant solo dive. The old school steel 72 tanks overfilled were going to give me a lot of bottom time. The winds were lite from the NE, later changing to SE still lite. The sun was shining, occasionally hiding behind big white clouds.
I anchored on the West side in the lee with flat water and gentle rollers slowed down by going over the rocks before passing under my yak. After gearing up and putting my wing on twice I was ready to dive, descending then making a small circle to check out the conditions to find out if it was worth toting the camera. Twenty feet of vertical visibility and at least that much horizontally greeted me! Back for the camera!
The water started out warm but at 30FSW I found the thermocline and was diving in 61F water. Traveling west for a few minutes I turned South and traveled for another few minutes, then turned East to get in front of the south side of the island. Finally turned north and traveled until I reached the South side of the island, continuing keeping the island to my right I swam into the grotto that is made by the large arch. Someone marked the spot with a diver’s flag! There were fish of all sizes mostly togs and bait fish. There was a small fish with a florescent stripe along the length of its body; a tropical? I spent about 15-20 minutes hanging with the fish letting the surge rock me back and forth as the water comes and goes thru the arch. I could have easily have fallen asleep! I'm sure because I closed my eyes for a few minutes. Ooooh the beauty of solo diving! What buddy would put up with such behavior?!
Probably would think the geezer had bought it!Got some pictures of the arch but found the flash didn't work, my fault didn't set the camera for U/W use and the flash was off. I didn't think of it until the drive home!
I went back the way I came until I cleared the island then turned east and ascended to 25FSW where the water was warmer and clearer because of the sun light; found the island again and continued east until I hit my turn around. The current was with me on the way back and returned to the west side with air to burn. I made circles in the shallows taking pictures and blowing bubbles until I hit rock bottom air; surfaced after 1 hour and 45 minutes of bottom time, 20 feet from my yak.
Air temp 80-85F surface water temp 72F @25FSW 64F @30+FSW 61F visibility 20ft, less @30FSW.
Max depth 35FSW avg depth 25FSW BT 1H 45M / 4500 PSI of 21% A finer day of diving I've not had in years!
I continue to refine the return the tank(s) to an inverted kayak method; to keep the tank(s) under the yak while securing the lines that actually hold the tanks to the yak, one bungee cord across the bottom of the tank keeps it in place. Also found it easier to secure the tank at the bottom 1st then secure the top. Rolling the yak back over with double steel 72's on the stern is a treat! Hey the old guy did it.
I found my new collapsible snorkel works fine as long as I keep my head above water! Thing sucks, time for some shopping.
I thought I had done this dive without losing a thing, no small feat while inverting the yak twice!
When I got home I found my wedding ring was gone! Today was our 43th anniversary; this day of diving was her “gift” to me. I've been on vacation since the 24th of June and have been working on the yard and house since. Today was predicted to be a near perfect day to dive the island so she said “then go dive the island”. She is almost a week out of surgery feeling good enough to fend for herself but not to leave the house all day. I brought Chinese back and we had a nice dinner.
So if your diving Gooseberry Island and find a gold wedding ring on the west side of the island or back at Price's neck cove let me know.
