nolatom
Contributor
Still a few days left, but anyway:
For me:
--First time scrubbing a boat bottom using scuba gear (34' sailing sloop). More work, and less vis, than you expect. A suction cup with a handle (window glass grip, or even a small toilet plunger) is essential.
--Shore dive to a wreck. At the Stuart, Florida House of Refuge beach. Very shallow, not much stuff left, but the 1903 wreck of the "Georges Valentine" made an enjoyable, cheap, dive. I've not done that many shore dives (mostly in New England where it's all the rage, and cold) so this was new for me, at least in the Gulf and Fla east coast where I usually dive. Also re-reminded me that you have to be heavy enough on weights when shallow, if you are a couple pounds short, you'll have constantly "exhaled lungs" to compensate, and hate it.
--Instabuddy out-of-box thinking--he was sucking down air very fast on first wreck dive off Orange Beach, what to do? I'd tried to go slow, but we still had to get back to the upline before he got too low. So-- Why not let him lead second dive? He was much more relaxed setting the pace himself, so we were much closer in air usage.
--Cheap-ass work Gloves from WalMart, work as well as tropical dive gloves, at a third the price.
That's about it. Not very dramatic, but it was new, and expanded my dive world a little. I'm sure you'll have something too, please have at it, and season's greetings.
For me:
--First time scrubbing a boat bottom using scuba gear (34' sailing sloop). More work, and less vis, than you expect. A suction cup with a handle (window glass grip, or even a small toilet plunger) is essential.
--Shore dive to a wreck. At the Stuart, Florida House of Refuge beach. Very shallow, not much stuff left, but the 1903 wreck of the "Georges Valentine" made an enjoyable, cheap, dive. I've not done that many shore dives (mostly in New England where it's all the rage, and cold) so this was new for me, at least in the Gulf and Fla east coast where I usually dive. Also re-reminded me that you have to be heavy enough on weights when shallow, if you are a couple pounds short, you'll have constantly "exhaled lungs" to compensate, and hate it.
--Instabuddy out-of-box thinking--he was sucking down air very fast on first wreck dive off Orange Beach, what to do? I'd tried to go slow, but we still had to get back to the upline before he got too low. So-- Why not let him lead second dive? He was much more relaxed setting the pace himself, so we were much closer in air usage.
--Cheap-ass work Gloves from WalMart, work as well as tropical dive gloves, at a third the price.
That's about it. Not very dramatic, but it was new, and expanded my dive world a little. I'm sure you'll have something too, please have at it, and season's greetings.
