Well, I think that my fingers will work well enough to write a trip report. My head is still a bit chilled though.
Loosebits, fixxervi6 and I went out to Stillhouse today. It was their first trip there and the plan was to show them the remains of the water plant. When we first started planning this trip, I am pretty sure the forecast was for 55 df weather. It turned out to be 46 df with winds from the north 10-15 with occasional gusts to 20.
Fortunately for the other two, I was the only one in a wetsuit.
We made our descent at 1:43 pm and started south. Temp was 49 df throughout the dive (my coldest dive yet) and my gear showed a max depth of 31' and dive time of 31 mins.
This was the worst vis I have ever had on a dive, and that includes the trip to Canyon Lake with Shaggie in January 06. I have had times when the vis was this bad, but in those cases you could find something better by changing depth. I estimate that it was 1' with occasional up to 3'. I thought it was quite cloudy also. Maybe my mask was fogged or my eyeballs.
I never found any landmarks that would help me find the water plant and after about 22 mins, I was getting cold and we turned the dive. Right after that I found a landmark that I knew put us pretty close to the water plant, but I had no cold tolerance left so we will have to see that another day.
Somewhere after turning the dive we got separated from Rick. After looking a bit we surfaced to find him not far away beside his deployed lift bag.
About the only thing interesting we saw was what I thought was an old stone well. In the truck on the way back, the others informed me it was a large tire of some sort. I told you the vis was bad.
I towed a dive flag for the first time on this dive. I was trying a technique that I have been wanting to use. I had my GPS in an otter box attached to the float and planned to use it to see where we had been. Back at the truck my first thought was to get the GPS and see what it looked like. The good news is it was dry, the bad news is -- I had forgot to turn it on.
Thanks, loosebits & fixxervi6. It was good to get wet, even if the conditions werent great. I am looking forward to diving with you guys next time.
Willie
Loosebits, fixxervi6 and I went out to Stillhouse today. It was their first trip there and the plan was to show them the remains of the water plant. When we first started planning this trip, I am pretty sure the forecast was for 55 df weather. It turned out to be 46 df with winds from the north 10-15 with occasional gusts to 20.
Fortunately for the other two, I was the only one in a wetsuit.
We made our descent at 1:43 pm and started south. Temp was 49 df throughout the dive (my coldest dive yet) and my gear showed a max depth of 31' and dive time of 31 mins.
This was the worst vis I have ever had on a dive, and that includes the trip to Canyon Lake with Shaggie in January 06. I have had times when the vis was this bad, but in those cases you could find something better by changing depth. I estimate that it was 1' with occasional up to 3'. I thought it was quite cloudy also. Maybe my mask was fogged or my eyeballs.
I never found any landmarks that would help me find the water plant and after about 22 mins, I was getting cold and we turned the dive. Right after that I found a landmark that I knew put us pretty close to the water plant, but I had no cold tolerance left so we will have to see that another day.
Somewhere after turning the dive we got separated from Rick. After looking a bit we surfaced to find him not far away beside his deployed lift bag.
About the only thing interesting we saw was what I thought was an old stone well. In the truck on the way back, the others informed me it was a large tire of some sort. I told you the vis was bad.
I towed a dive flag for the first time on this dive. I was trying a technique that I have been wanting to use. I had my GPS in an otter box attached to the float and planned to use it to see where we had been. Back at the truck my first thought was to get the GPS and see what it looked like. The good news is it was dry, the bad news is -- I had forgot to turn it on.
Thanks, loosebits & fixxervi6. It was good to get wet, even if the conditions werent great. I am looking forward to diving with you guys next time.
Willie
