Trip report: Lauderdale by the Sea

[Jcp2]

I went to LBTS with my teenage daughter to dive earlier this week. She came for AOW course with LandonL as her instructor and I dove as buddy. She read the NAUI AOW and nitrox instruction books ahead of time as preparation on her own, with only some math guidance from me for some nitrox calculations. LandonL had an academic review and test for her for both sections. I can say that the NAUI nitrox course given by LandonL was a lot more thorough than my PADI one, which I got through my local dive shop, although in these days of computers, not necessarily more practical, at least for recreational vacation diving. I think I can safely say that I enjoyed the discussion more than my daughter. LandonL really knows the material, why it is, what is historical, what is debated, what is scientifically verified, and what is important for us.

 

[Jcp2]

After the academic component, we did two dives, both shore dives off Datura portal at LBTS. The first dive was a shakedown and navigation dive for us for LandonL to assess my daughter’s skill level, work on weighting, and for us to get familiar with the BC and regulators that we rented from him. We had our own wetsuits, masks, snorkels, and fins. My daughter was in a weight integrated back inflate BC. I wore a weight belt with backplate and wing. We were both using a 7’ long hose setup. Visibility was 15-20 feet with water temperature in mid 80s. The hardest part of the dive was setting up at the car and walking to the water. We went out to the second reef line and back. The second dive was a night dive at the same location. We each had three lights, and dove essentially the same route. I didn’t have a night dive as part of my PADI AOW, and this was very interesting for me. Although my daughter thought it was ok, it was the least favorite part of her course.

 

[Jcp2]

Day 2 had two boat dives with Pompano Dive Center. This was a very nice operation. The first dive was down a descent line in strong current to the Jim Atria. Somewhere down the descent, my daughter lost a fun. LandonL took care of her at the bottom and we went back up the line shortly. They were both very calm about the incident, and one of the divemasters found the missing fin off the wreck when untying the down line. Yay for PDC! The second dive was a drift dive off a 60’ reef. LandonL showed me how to deploy my DSMB at depth at the end. The third dive was at Datura again for LandonL to work on trim and kicking with my daughter. Custureri was also at Datura, and both LandonL and him worked on dry land and in the water on body position, trim, and frog kicks with my daughter. We also deployed DSMBs several times each and LandonL had my daughter practice untangling a DSMB line from her tank valve. We went out to the second reef line again and she did some navigation back. This was my longest dive, with an hour and a half underwater and probably another quarter hour left in air once we got back. I learned a lot just be watching.

 

[Jcp2]

Day 3 was 2 boat dives with PDC. The first dive was to the Okinawa. My daughter switched to a backplate and wing, and LandonL took her around and through the wreck, then practiced more kicks and trim at depth. She also made the ascent up the line without a mask with our guidance to the safety stop. There was a strong current again, but she thought it wasn’t as bad as it sounded after she did it. Dive 2 was a drift dive on a reef. We each deployed our DSMB at depth for practice even though we had a flag in our group. Then an academic debriefing for my daughter in the afternoon, and LandonL issued her cards!

 

[Jcp2]

An excellent trip for my daughter and me. Both LandonL and custureri are excellent instructors and really know their stuff. My daughter got objectively better with regards to trim and kicks, and is a lot more confident diving. I learned a lot by just watching. I discovered that I like slow leisurely shallow diving a lot. My daughter likes boat diving because it’s easier for her. She’s totally pooped out and done for the rest of our week vacation. I’m going to snorkel Rivera beach and hopefully BHB in the next two days.

 

[Couv]

Congratulations to your daughter.

It sounds like she had quality instruction and you now have an advanced buddy.

LDBS is one of my favorite shore dives. I like having someone drop me off a bit further south (Hibiscus?) swim out to the second reef, drift around the pier and exit at El Prado Park which is a stone's throw from our favorite villa, Blue Seas Courtyard. Now, you've got me wanting to go to Florida again.

 

[Jcp2]

There wasn’t much current this week either way, at least up to where we went. We stayed at Tides Inn, a block from Publix and 3 blocks from commercial drive. We saw nurse sharks, eagle rays, moray and spotted eels, a reef squid, tube worms, a scorpionfish, schools of French grunts, lobsters marching in the dark, different angel and butterfly fish, crabs of all types, and lots more that I can’t name, all in 15’ of water. I really liked getting so much out of a tank and not being constrained by boat schedules or tide tables.

 

[Billy Northrup]

To get PDC, Ryan and Landon is pretty much a trifecta

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

I did my AOW with @LandonL, as well. Same experience here...I got a LOT out of the course, enjoyed working with Landon, and enjoyed diving LBTS.

Tell your daughter not to get too down on the night dive thing. I have to say that I was in the same boat as her...I enjoyed every part of the course, with the exception of the night dive. For me (and perhaps your daughter, as well..OP)...it was just a bit out of my comfort zone at that point (I did AOW around dives 15-20).

Once she gets some experience under her belt, it might not be as big of a deal. Ex. I just did black water diving (Cooper River) for dives 36-38. Diiving in pitch black water didn’t bug me at that point. Just have to work up to it.

 

[iamrushman]

congrats to your family ...thanks for sharing your trip report.....LBTS is great for beach dives.