Ben_ca:How about a dive report? How was it? If your in the Sacramento area shoot me a PM and we can get together to dive in Folsom.... A bunch of us try to get together to train and dive locally... a short dive in the lake is better than not diving at all
Been a while, but I thought I'd share my weekend with you...BTW, I'm using initials for names because I'm too lazy to keep typing their names.
My ex-husband, G, showed up at the dock and he and I, along with our son, K, boarded the Monterey Express around 7:45 am. We went to our first location, the Pinnacles. G and K buddied while I dove with my instructor B with 2 of his Advanced Open Water students (they were in my Open Water class).
B informed me we were diving to ~80 feet and I told him I was only certified to dive to 60. He said he'd be with me and sign it off as one of my Advanced dives (which I haven't even signed up for!). Anyway, the four of us were the first team off the stern...K and G were still gearing up.
No problems descending...the temp at 80ft was ~46F with ~60ft visibility! 30min bottom time. Incredible! The canyons were beautiful. The walls covered with pink whatever. I need to get a book and study up on underwater life...don't know what I'm looking at! My buoyancy was great and I enjoyed myself. Did our safety stop at 15 ft for 3 min, holding onto kelp. Ascended fine but once on the surface, I took my reg out too soon, before inflating my bc more and proceeded to swallow about 50% of the ocean.
Back on deck for about 5 minutes when we notice another team surfacing port side...no OK signal from wife, followed by husband floating on his back, semi-conscious. DM #1 yells to DM #2 to sound the recall siren and proceeds to dive in and rescue husband. Another team had ascended and were at the stern so I helped them get their fins off and get them into the boat. I turn to see husband vomiting just as the DM reaches him.
Teams keep surfacing; me and my two classmate/buddies are helping as fast as possible to get everyone on board...finally, I see G and K and I could breathe...We race over to Pt. Lobos where an ambulance is waiting. Long story short, husband is fine...saw him at the dock when we returned after dive #2.
Dive #2 is off Cypress Point. K is apprehensive because he couldn't get warmed up but said he still wanted to dive. (I think the whole rescue thing freaked him out, too) I used the warm water hose and filled his suit for a few minutes...and he was happy.
The 2 students are now going to dive on their own, so B says its me and him. I ask if G and K can trail us...he says no problem. I enter first port side, then B, and proceed to the anchor line at the bow. G and K enter starboard. At the anchor, I get sick and feed the fish (too much salt water inhaled?) while waiting for G and K. I settle down and tell B that I need to descend because the surface was killing me...he says to go down to 15 ft and wait for him...he's going to wait for G and K.
I descend and hang at about 15-20. B catches up and we go down to 60. I don't see G and K behind us so I figured B changed his mind.
The vis was again 60ft...breathtaking! I was trim, in control and just kickin' it. Saw a link cod (~4ft compared to Bs height). Red fish, blue fish, and cool yellow tiger looking fish...swam thru a school of about 250 of them...I was loving life! (reminds me of the Dr. Suess book...one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish)
We turned and started heading back and I couldn't believe the vis. B said it was about 80ft at that point. It was like being in an aquarium the size of a football field. A diver came up on my left, waved and proceeded forward. I then noticed from his 2nd stage, it was G. I looked in every direction and couldn't see K. I'm thinking, "That SOB! Where is my son?! You are his buddy! Youre supposed to stay with him!" B sees me twirling around, obviously looking for K and gives me the OK sign and to follow him. I figured he knew what was going on since he was the last to talk to both of them. (As it turned out, K called the dive and was on the upper deck soaking up the now pronounced sunshine). We finished our dive and ascended.
I couldn't figure out why I loved diving until that day...yes, I'm anxious prior to descending, but once I'm down there, I'm a different person. The absence of constant stimulation (phones, computers, noise, talking, music, etc) is gone and all I can hear is my own breathing. What a wonderful place to be! I wish I had gills.
K warmed up with about 20 cups of hot chocolate while I chewed out G for taking him down to 80ft on dive #1 (K is only 12; G should have never pushed the limit.). Anyway, everyone is safe; everyone had great dives. Husband and wife team okay too!
Yes, I'm in Sacto so let me know if you want to hook up and go to Folsom...I'm a newbie and Folsom is better than not diving at all!!
Take care.
