new Sidemount diver trying to do drills with us at BHB....Problems beyond belief!

[danvolker]

The more I think of this, the sillier it seems. Wearing doubles at BHB is like hunting ducks with a tank. The fire power seems a bit over the top. It reminds me of the story I heard this past summer from Mselenaous. She was diving with a student on the Benwood here off of Key Largo. The two other divers on the boat were in dry suits and slung a stage bottle. It took them a lot longer than Elena and her bikini clad student to hit the water and start having fun. Upon their return, the captain said unequivocally, that he far preferred watching the bikini diver. From what I remember, the other two divers were quite impressed with the students trim and buoyancy.

I guess if it's done as a training exercise there is no harm done. I just like using the right rig for the job.

One of the cool things about the BHB for training, is that the bottom can be silted easier than in many cave systems, and there is the immediate feed back to the diver that has just done this. Fortunately, the tidal current will clear the area in a minute or so if the diver will just stop the silting behavior.

For doubles, it is an awesome place to really concentrate on perfect trim and bouyancy and on almost no forward and backward motion--much like you do in a Fundies class in pool...but here, you can actually be hunting for Nudibranchs or sea horses or octopusses, etc., and when you screw up, everyone will know
It just makes the whole thing more fun. It should be a great place to refine things for Cave.

 

[The Chairman]

I'm in! I am off to the Texas Dive Show next weekend and doing a rebreather class the first week of March. Let's see how we can fit this all in.

 

[danvolker]

Jax, Lynn, Bob,

So how about it....you guys and Net Doc in a Blue Heron Bridge Marine Park article on Sidemount and Backmount....not a slam of either, just showcasing technical/near motionless diving in critical easy silting environments ....showcase the gear you like, techniques you use, and get the shots of you up close and personal to the Nudibranchs , Octopus, Sea Horses, etc.
You guys can even slant the article the way you would like....
With sidemount being so new, I think this would be interesting.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

There's a possibility I'll be heading out that way in the near future ... I hadn't thought about bring SM equipment, since I'd be coming with Cheng (and she'll be my priority while there) ... but it might be possible.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[randytay]

HOW about visiting the BHB Park and letting me shoot video of you hunting nudibranchs in Sidemount? It could be a good article for my next issue of SFDJ....Then I just need Jax and TS&M and a few others to add

Or you can invite AG. I'm sure he will be excited to show you the merits of SM.

 

[danvolker]

Or you can invite AG. I'm sure he will be excited to show you the merits of SM.

You do know I am friends with an awful lot of GUE people....Are you sure you wouldn't just enjoy throwing me a hornet's nest and watching me try to catch it ?

 

[ianr33]

1. First issue...This girl, we will call her SM'er, can not really tell which tank she is breathing off of.

To avoid that issue I have my regs set up very similar to how I had them in backmount.

If the reg is bungeed round my neck it's on the left tank
If it has a clip on the hose close to the reg it's on the right tank.

Very easy to tell which reg is which that way.


Her tanks sound all messed up.

 

[Jax]

Jax, Lynn, Bob,

So how about it....you guys and Net Doc in a Blue Heron Bridge Marine Park article on Sidemount and Backmount....not a slam of either, just showcasing technical/near motionless diving in critical easy silting environments ....showcase the gear you like, techniques you use, and get the shots of you up close and personal to the Nudibranchs , Octopus, Sea Horses, etc.
You guys can even slant the article the way you would like....
With sidemount being so new, I think this would be interesting.

:spit:

That leaves me out!

 

[PfcAJ]

Or you can invite AG. I'm sure he will be excited to show you the merits of SM.

He can share his vast SM experience with us all. I'm on the edge of my seat.

 

[The Chairman]

I don't get all the snippiness and you can be sure that I don't want to. Rob Neto would be a good addition here, though it's a bit of a hike for him.