gerryw
Registered
Hello All
I think a decent introduction is in order. My name is Gerry Wolfe and I am a Canadian expatriate living for 3 years in Antofagasta, a port city in the North of Chile.
I am 46 and learned to dive here, something I thought about doing for rather a lot of years but never got around to it due to various excuses like job, kids, cost, etc. I ran out of excuses about a year and a half ago. My first OW was in June 2001 and now my computer informs me that I seem to have completed 138 dives so far, with 2 to 4 more planned this weekend. All of my dives to date have been in the ocean near where I live, but that will change when I get the chance. I did a CMAS OW then a PADI AOW when I had around 60 dives or so.
Though Antofagasta is right on the Tropic of Capricorn, the water is not tropical, 11-14C (52-57F) most of the year, sometimes a bit higher in summer. Not incredibly cold, not tropical either. I got a drysuit last winter as the combination of water temp and strong wind during the SI finally got to me. The water has been warmer the last few weeks as this is an El Niño year. I recorded 20C 2 weeks ago, the highest I have ever seen here. Had to go back to the 7mm wetsuit because the sweat sloshing around in my boots became too annoying. I'll be dry again when the temp drops a bit.
From what I have read on the board, I believe that the diving here would be considered moderately challenging. The tidal range is quite small, and the tidal currents are not strong, but there are almost always large seas as we are exposed to the open Pacific. There is usually a strong wave surge, down to 20m or so. It gets quite windy after about 11AM each day giving some good surface chop. Visibility is from 6 feet to 60 feet. Most diving is from a Zodiac or similar size boat. All diving is air, there is no Nitrox available here and He is in the "you've got to be kidding" category.
I consider myself very lucky to be living in a place where there is no real winter, which is a minor miracle to a Canadian. Well, ok, a MAJOR miracle. I live about 500 metres from the Pacific and I could potentially dive every day. Job and such do not permit that and cut into my time rather severely, but I do manage to dive most weekends. And I seem to be spending way to much time on Scuba Board lately too.
I have been lurking in the weeds for some time, and many of my questions have already been answered from just reading. But I figured it's time to speak up. I have enjoyed many of the discussions on this board, sometimes because I learned something and sometimes because they were entertaining, and hope that I can add something useful.
I have been reading the BP/W posts very carefully, and feel myself being pulled in that direction. Mo2vation's and Seajay's recent posts are great. I can say I am tired of my BC flopping around below or squeezing me at the surface.
I bring a digital camera with me for all my dives and that is one of my main interests.
I am mainly looking for information and to meet and talk to other divers, maybe find a buddy if I am travelling in a place near water.
I think a decent introduction is in order. My name is Gerry Wolfe and I am a Canadian expatriate living for 3 years in Antofagasta, a port city in the North of Chile.
I am 46 and learned to dive here, something I thought about doing for rather a lot of years but never got around to it due to various excuses like job, kids, cost, etc. I ran out of excuses about a year and a half ago. My first OW was in June 2001 and now my computer informs me that I seem to have completed 138 dives so far, with 2 to 4 more planned this weekend. All of my dives to date have been in the ocean near where I live, but that will change when I get the chance. I did a CMAS OW then a PADI AOW when I had around 60 dives or so.
Though Antofagasta is right on the Tropic of Capricorn, the water is not tropical, 11-14C (52-57F) most of the year, sometimes a bit higher in summer. Not incredibly cold, not tropical either. I got a drysuit last winter as the combination of water temp and strong wind during the SI finally got to me. The water has been warmer the last few weeks as this is an El Niño year. I recorded 20C 2 weeks ago, the highest I have ever seen here. Had to go back to the 7mm wetsuit because the sweat sloshing around in my boots became too annoying. I'll be dry again when the temp drops a bit.
From what I have read on the board, I believe that the diving here would be considered moderately challenging. The tidal range is quite small, and the tidal currents are not strong, but there are almost always large seas as we are exposed to the open Pacific. There is usually a strong wave surge, down to 20m or so. It gets quite windy after about 11AM each day giving some good surface chop. Visibility is from 6 feet to 60 feet. Most diving is from a Zodiac or similar size boat. All diving is air, there is no Nitrox available here and He is in the "you've got to be kidding" category.
I consider myself very lucky to be living in a place where there is no real winter, which is a minor miracle to a Canadian. Well, ok, a MAJOR miracle. I live about 500 metres from the Pacific and I could potentially dive every day. Job and such do not permit that and cut into my time rather severely, but I do manage to dive most weekends. And I seem to be spending way to much time on Scuba Board lately too.
I have been lurking in the weeds for some time, and many of my questions have already been answered from just reading. But I figured it's time to speak up. I have enjoyed many of the discussions on this board, sometimes because I learned something and sometimes because they were entertaining, and hope that I can add something useful.
I have been reading the BP/W posts very carefully, and feel myself being pulled in that direction. Mo2vation's and Seajay's recent posts are great. I can say I am tired of my BC flopping around below or squeezing me at the surface.
I bring a digital camera with me for all my dives and that is one of my main interests.
I am mainly looking for information and to meet and talk to other divers, maybe find a buddy if I am travelling in a place near water.
