Move DPV fun

[dotyj]

Hi all:

I had a chance last Saturday to work some more with DPVs.

I've improved quite a bit and spent a lot of time traveling a few inches to a foot of the bottom of the pool just traveling back and forth across the pool's length.

I practiced donning my bcd in the water again. That is really a lot of fun.

I've got at least one more pool session to practice with a DPV, then one or more for learning to use a drysuit, then gearing up completely and learning to cope with wearing full cold weather gear before I go to Puget Sound.

I'll probably do my OW dives in January. BBRRR...

 

[WillAbbott]

You are going to love the dry suit I had a blast on my open water make up dives (3 and 4) even not seeing much life. Water temp was 54 degrees, and with my dry suit I wore the undergarment (USIA Exotherm II) and long underwear (tops and bottoms) and I was so very comfortable, my head was warm (even being wet) as well as my hands (also wet) I loved it. The pool session for dry suit is kind of interesting. Don't be surprised if you're hotter than heck in the pool (you will be) as well as feeling SUPER cumbersome (I did) it's really an odd feeling being in water completely dry (the first time). I have to recommend the Uncontrolled ascent... at least the way we did it, you're almost a rocket to the surface from 12 feet deep. It was a blast, I didn't get it solved the first attempt but pulled it off on the second. I really thought it was fun going feet first to the surface hauling butt all the way up, then doing a flip to get your head up, and hitting the dump valve... The DPV sounds kind of fun... It's cool you're getting to play with it. As for Diving Puget in January, it shouldn't be too bad with the dry suit, you may need an extra layer of warmth over what I used (I wouldn't know for sure). Hopefully if all goes well I'll be up your way in January. Planning to hit Edmonds with one of the Dive Clubs here in Oregon, as well as possibly my instructor tagging along as he's never been and wants to go. Hope you enjoy dry suit and OW dives... I LOVED it (after solving all my problems and going to dry instead of wet)

Good luck, and happy diving

 

[dotyj]

Hi Will:

I'm happy your retake dives worked out. I remember you were very concerned.

I'm looking forward to the drysuit training. It should prove to be very interesting, if not a bit too warm in the pool.

My first pool session was very strange. With the gear on, and breathing through a reg, and having on a mask, I felt very disconnected from the water. It was almost like watching the bottom of the pool on TV. Breathing was strange too since I had to concentrate on it, now things are falling into place and I no longer feel disconnected from the water. I wonder if the drysuit will give me that disconnected feeling again, at least initially.

My gf is severly disabled with MS and MD. My instructor has offered to give her a pool session, just for fun. My gf has concerns over her cathitor and wants to use a drysuit just to be safe.

I don't know if my gf will ever call the instructor to arrange the pool time or not but she sounds interested in trying the pool session.

I offered to pay for my gf's pool session so she doesn't have to, that may help her decide.

Sort of OT so I'll give it a rest.

 

[dotyj]

Hi Will:

I'm looking forward to going to the Puget Sound even though it will be January. I'm sure I'll be warmer in the water than on the boat.

Do you plan to do much diving up at the Sound?

The closest place around me to go diving is Battleground Lake. Not very exciting but at least it's nearby. Battleground Lake can't be more than 20 miles from my apartment.

Vancouver Lake is too shallow and I hear the vis is really aweful. I haven't found anything out about Horseshoe Lake in Woodland (5 blocks or so from my office) but probably not much fun their either.

Lake Merwin can be fun from what I've heard, but I haven't talked to more than one person who's dived there.

Looks like I've got a minimum two hour drive to any salt water worth diving at.

How 'bout your neck of the woods? Any good diving spots?

 

[WillAbbott]

Not sure... as for the sound... probably just went other people say lets go. As for diving around here, not too sure, I hear Florence Jetty is kind of nice, but can suck vis wise often, and the lake where we dove wasn't TOO interesting but it was still fun because of the sunken items the LDS put in there. I keep forgetting you're only in Vanvover I keep thinking Seattle, Vanvover (I know I cant spell) is only about 2 hours away for me (thats nothing to go diving)

I'll find out what's around for diving down here, as well as closer to your area, I'm sure there's something. Besides it's fun just to dive don't have to have the BEST spot... I got certified in 10-20 vis so I haven't had very nice vis myself yet, though that's pretty nice for PNW I guess.

 

[dotyj]

I've heard a number of people say that if you get certified in the PNW you can practically dive anywhere. We have horrible vis and cold temps. Not like the warm, clear waters found in the tropics or Florida.

Right now, I'm concentrating on getting my OW certification. I've given no real thoughts about where to dive afterwards. I expect I'll go just about anywhere where it's safe to dive, without a lot of thought as to what's there that's cool to see. At least not at first.

WillAbbott once bubbled...
Besides it's fun just to dive don't have to have the BEST spot... I got certified in 10-20 vis so I haven't had very nice vis myself yet, though thats pretty nice for PNW I guess.

 

[DiverBuoy]

dotyj once bubbled...
I've heard a number of people say that if you get certified in the PNW you can practically dive anywhere.

They say the same thing about California. In all seriousness, I'm sure the water is colder up there, but the vis is the same as here in So Cal. Divers live for days when its 20-25+, most of the time its 8-10. But when you're on a reef 8-10 is fine. Really up close on the reef is beautiful you sort of stop and lose yourself in the scene.

dotyj I can just picture you going back and forth just off the bottom of the pool on that DPV - feeling weightless and flying free

I too originally got certified in at this cold time of year. But vis tends to be better this time of year, with generally lower surf and lower surge, more calm days means time for debris to settle down. January will be cold no doubt, but with all that practice you are getting in, come time to do the dives - your enthusiasm will keep you warm.

 

[Uncle Pug]

the visibility should be excellent in Hood Canal... it has been excellent in Puget Sound lately.

During the summer at some of our dive sites it is not unusual to have a biomass so thick that viz is inches in a 10' band near the surface.

Several times this past week we have been able to see the bottom of the boat from 60fsw.

Hood Canal usually has better viz than here.

 

[DiverBuoy]

Uncle Pug once bubbled...
Several times this past week we have been able to see the bottom of the boat from 60fsw.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Vertical viz is often less than horizontal viz here.

Also when there is a surface layer the light is highly attenuated making it more diffcult to see.

When we have good vertical viz we also have excellent horizontal viz... baring student bloom.