Spiegel Grove - Need Advice

[KeyLargoBrent]

Brent, honey chile, I am all over the visualization. I guess this is where legal training AND Yoga helps. Thanks for validating that approach! I layed in bed last night and this morning going over the way I thought it should go. From when to rig and put on wetsuit, to giant stride in seeing myself holding mask and weight belt, feeling the cold water, popping up and signaling ok, making way to granny line, pulling forward. First did it thinking of calm water, then tried to see the more likely chop. Once I got to the drop line I felt the typical calm of being underwater, but tried to think about how that would feel with a current, remembering to clear early ears and often and relieve mask squeeze at the same time, as I make my way down the line. Feeling pretty relaxed today, kind of like I remember feeling before an exam that I had studied for.

Thanks for your help.

P.S. When's your next AOW class?

We offer all of our courses "on-demand". Just let me know when you're ready to get started. Keep "practicing" for that Grove dive. I'm confident that you'll succeed, and look forward to reading about it here!

 

[MarkUK]

So how did the dive go? Inquiring minds need to know...

It is my birthday today (12th) and I am sat in the office in a cold, blustery England, so it will be nice to hear about someone going for a dive in the warm waters off the Keys and having a blast.

Mark

 

[Solitude Diver]

Happy Birthday Mark!

 

[Boatlawyer]

Mark- Happy Birthday to a fellow Archer!

Well, a little disappointing news. We had to postpone the trip until next weekend. My brother's daughter (niece) had a bout with kidney stones and he was in the hospital with her all day and night friday, so he was in no shape to dive. He rescheduled and added another dive... at night. Stay tuned.

P.S. When are you planning your next trip to Florida?

 

[MarkUK]

Thanks for the birthday wishes, guys.

God, what is it with your dive. This is like a daytime soap opera – the tension! the drama! the cliffhanger endings! Ha ha...

Hope your bro's daughter is back on her feet soon, and we will keep a-waiting till next weekend for your dive! Or should that be dives now, as you are doing a night dive too!

I don't think I'll be getting out to the Keys in 2006, as a photographer and I just led a trip of 11 readers out to the Keys on a roadtrip in September this year and, with my schedule (already have trips booked every month till July!), will probably have to wait till 2007.

Mark

 

[Gonz]

Quick sidebar regarding the AOW and diving the grove. Do they require that you did the Wreck Diving adventure dive as part of your 5 dives to get your AOW, or just that you've got the AOW which helps with the deep aspect of the dive?

I'm really interested in diving at that sight someday, perpaps this spring when I visit my folks who live down there.

Anyway, good luck on that dive, it sounds like you've got the right attitude and will have a great time!

 

[cinder4320]

I'm pretty sure its just advanced. Most don't ask what your dives were for your advanced. On a side note depending on your other experience and whether you are diving multiple dives with an operator(so they can see how you do) they may take you down without it. I'm going in three weeks and not finished with my AOW but have begun it. We'll be diving the SG as long as other on the boat want to hit it one day. The weather here puts a damper on things so until I get a drysuit the AOW dives are on hold. I have been to 80' so far. I can't wait til our Keys trip we'll be going on both the morning and afternoon trips for two days and then the morning trip on our final day. Nice winter break.

Miranda

 

[Boatlawyer]

Sad to say, I was sick as a dog on the trip, started yakking before the first dive, rigged up anyway and got in the water, but couldn't get my bearings in the chop, so ditched the dive and stayed topside, feeling wretched for the next 6 hours.

My brother did all three dives, two of which were on SG. He said the bow dive was much more interesting than the stern. he felt the night dive was overrated.

Funny thing was, they did not send a dive master for us after all. we are now both looking to go for our aow.

 

[MarkUK]

It was obviously just not meant to be at this time. Heh, no worries – look to 2006 and getting your Advanced, and set yourself the goal of doing the Grove and maybe the Duane as Advanced divers. You will get a lot more out of the dives when you have the higher qualification and more experience anyway.

Seasickness has to be one of the worst afflictions that can hit a diver... You just wanna die...

Happy Christmas!

Mark

 

[Gonz]

And as part of your AOW see if you can arrange it to do the wreck dive and the night dive, that way you've got more experience to take with you back to SG that pertains to wreck diving.

I don't think that wreck is going anywhere anytime soon, so it'll be waiting for you next time!