Where did you solo dive today?

[1fspeed]

Aquaseal to the rescue. Zipper repaired and between a couple dives spent nearly 3 hours, warm, dry exploring the 55°F (68°F above thermocline) waters of lake Ore-be-Gone in Gilbert, MN.

I dive with an AL80, a back mounted 19cu. pony and rarely descend beyond 40ft - dark and generally fish free down there anyway. Todays max depth was 27ft.

Visibility was maybe 15'. Saw a huge pike, I'd guess 15lbs! Tried to "stalk it" approaching at angles and as slowly and quietly as I could. Having none of it he was. Never got within 10'. Did get a bluegill image I kinda like.

slow, solo and such a nice dive.

 

[rx7diver]

... Saw a huge pike, I'd guess 15lbs! Tried to "stalk it" approaching at angles and as slowly and quietly as I could. Having none of it he was. Never got within 10'. Did get a bluegill image I kinda like.

slow, solo and such a nice dive.

@1fspeed,

When I used a double-hose regulator for the first time in open water, in my neighborhood quarry, my first surprise was how relatively quiet a DH is (since the noisy exhaust bubbles are routed behind your head instead of right by your ears). But, the second surprise was how close the fish will come up to my mask. They actually will bump up against the faceplate of my mask. Both of these "surprises" still delight!

A DH reg will probably help you tremendously with your "stalking"!

FWIW.

rx7diver

 

[1fspeed]

@1fspeed,

When I used a double-hose regulator for the first time in open water, in my neighborhood quarry, my first surprise was how relatively quiet a DH is (since the noisy exhaust bubbles are routed behind your head instead of right by your ears). But, the second surprise was how close the fish will come up to my mask. They actually will bump up against the faceplate of my mask. Both of these "surprises" still delight!

A DH reg will probably help you tremendously with your "stalking"!

FWIW.

rx7diver

Retro cool and quiet... Might have to look into that - Thanks!

 

[Boarderguy]

1 hour drive in Tottem Inlet near Shelton. Friends have a beach house and figured why not. Depth was 20-22 feet the entire time Started at 2900, end 450. Pony 3300 start/finish. Saw a few crabs and an hours worth of sea pens. Kinda hoping that with the oyster beds near by I would find some post dive snacks but that wasn't in the cards. Was nice to find out I need to use a ball mount and not a static position for my camera light. New go pro 10 hero, handle and light to play with.

 

[rx7diver]

1 hour drive in Tottem Inlet near Shelton. Friends have a beach house and figured why not. Depth was 20-22 feet the entire time Started at 2900, end 450. Pony 3300 start/finish. Saw a few crabs and an hours worth of sea pens. Kinda hoping that with the oyster beds near by I would find some post dive snacks but that wasn't in the cards. Was nice to find out I need to use a ball mount and not a static position for my camera light. New go pro 10 hero, handle and light to play with.

I think I wouldn't have bothered carrying a pony for a 20-22 fsw dive. Just more stuff to clean the salt from, after only a swimming pool-depth dive.

rx7diver

 

[Boarderguy]

I think I wouldn't have bothered carrying a pony for a 20-22 fsw dive. Just more stuff to clean the salt from, after only a swimming pool-depth dive.

rx7diver

It's part of the plan for my wife to not worry. I told her to start looking for me bobbing at 1 hour or look for the sausage if I heard boats. She feels better with me having redundant air especially in unknown waters.

 

[Gandalf-the-Diver]

July 3rd, Ogden Point Breakwater, Victoria, B.C., Vancouver Island. went to my LDS for the group drop in, and the breakwater was the chosen site. At the beggining of the dive, I helped the DM with a couple of new cold water divers checking their buoyancy, before I signalled, see ya later. (they were Rescue Cert, but cold water rookies) I decended into the growing kelp forrest. Vis was around 10'-15', in a hazy green water, with suspended snot. A few very large Ling Cod were found. (5'-6' long) These monsters just sit there as you swim by, no care in the world.
69' was my deepest, with an average depth of 54', over 43 min, the water was 9C. Started with 3400 psi in my Faber 100hp, ended with 500psi. 30cu Catalina pony had 3000 psi, start and finish. A very pleasant dive at one of Canada's best shore dive sites.

 

[kHz]

Solo dived July 2nd at a small pond formed by underground spring. Max depth 6.7m, but mostly I was at 3m to search for the mouth of spring. 19 Celsius around the mouth, and 29 Celsius at surface. Was wearing drysuit with hoodie.

I was tangled by soft plants, was able to tear them by hand. Had one DM and two other people watching me in case of an emergency.

 

[1fspeed]

Was a perfect summer day - Sunny warm, the beach at Lake Ore-be-Gone was a ruckus of kids playing, parents corralling and off-roaders readying their rigs for Gilbert's off road park. The boat launch dock that is my usual staging are for camera and gear was busy with kids cannon balling and others casting for bass... Geared up on the rocky shore, and smiled as I took my first silent, submerged breath.

Had a somewhat complex photo in mind that involved off camera flash, camera on a tripod shooting at 5 second intervals with me as a mobile light stand illuminating the length of a helicopter. Spent 1000psi setting up but my inability to navigate the Sony menu system will have me diving another day for the shot.

71min, 39ft max, 50°F below thermo, 69°F above.

Did manage an image of a smallmouth I like.

 

[1fspeed]

Dove Pike Lake the other day. Summer is short around here and the plants an animals know it. In the 3, maybe 4 weeks since I last dove here, the place has turned into a jungle!

The weed bed from shore to a depth of 15-18' has gone from thin to nearly impassible. Spent most of the dive on the deep edge venturing in for fish or interesting plant life. Between the tanks on my back, my camera and it's two strobe arms I was the equivalent of a swimming combine. Thankfully the plant life is fairly delicate, easy to remove, and presents little to no entanglement danger, but I'm sure I looked like the Jolly Green Giant climbing back on the dock

21 feet, 73min and 69°F ~ left the drysuit at home for the first time this year.