Winter Jetty Fest 2010 Report

[GLENFWB]

Jason, did you happen to get a look at my wetsuit yesterday? Knees are tore out, zippers broke, and it has compressed down to about 1 mil. One day...many, many moons ago...it was a 5 mil. People give me a hard time...I have an emotional attachment to the suit...but I think that 56 degree water broke my love affair with my suit last night!

There must be a story here.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Diggin the pic Walter Glen - I know your pain brotha!


Thanks for the report guys, hit up Vortex and then just played topside for the rest of the weekend. Water was 68F and the vis was 40' at best, not so great for Vortex considering we were beyond the gate in the cave.

 

[Hetland]

I hate that I missed it guys, but glad you had a good time.

 

[GLENFWB]

Wow, beyond the gate and only 40' viz. Guess they are getting some of this high water too.

Diggin the pic Walter Glen - I know your pain brotha!


Thanks for the report guys, hit up Vortex and then just played topside for the rest of the weekend. Water was 68F and the vis was 40' at best, not so great for Vortex considering we were beyond the gate in the cave.

 

[paulwall]

What can I add? It was a rollercoaster. I really wanted not to drive past Pensacola, and really hated the idea of that 1/4 mile walk with a 7mil, 30+lbs of weight and my LP95, so I considered heading all the way to Panama City.

Then I heard about the E winds and decided that the PC jetties would be rough as a cob. Not wanting to subject Jeremy to that, I gave him the choice of Vortex, Destin, or Ft. Pickens (anyway). He wisely chose Destin.

In spite of some aggravation, way too much weight, and some new equipment, I led my team underwater, immediately sank to the bottom like a lawn dart, and after adjusting my BC in the surge, spotted a large sheephead, and while waiting for the others, a horseshoe crab.

Other than those, a couple of stone crabs, an anemone, a school of small minnows, and a dead catfish, life was a little sparse. Jeremy and I made it a little past the iron box for a dive lasting just over 30mins.

I was surprisingly comfortable in my 7mm. I expected to feel a lot colder during and after the dive.

It was great meeting Jason, DocCarl and Kate?, and seeing Walter, Barry, and Glen again.

That walk sucks. Maybe some of the guys begging for money on the side of the road could hire themselves as dive sherpas by the showers.

 

[jhayes75]

It was great meeting Jason, DocCarl and Kate?, and seeing Walter and Glen again.

That walk sucks. Maybe some of the guys begging for money on the side of the road could hire themselves as dive sherpas by the showers.

It was nice meeting you too. I agree with the dive sherpas idea too. Barry and I made it out to the anchor, but it was covered and we had 50 min dive.

 

[GLENFWB]

I have to say hats off to Jeremy for diving in those conditions. I was very impressed he made the dive and seemed to enjoy it. I think you have a good dive partner on your hands Paul. Sorry conditions weren't better for everyone's long drive over.

It seems to me the walk gets longer each time. But I will have to say, walking with an HP 100 was MUCH better then making the walk with my LP108's!!

What can I add? It was a rollercoaster. I really wanted to not drive past Pensacola, and really hated the idea of that 1/4 mile walk with a 7mil, 30+lbs of weight and my LP95, so I considered heading all the way to Panama City.

Then I heard about the E winds and decided that the PC jetties would be rough as a cob. Not wanting to subject Jeremy to that, I gave him the choice of Vortex, Destin, or Ft. Pickens (anyway). He wisely chose Destin.

In spite of some aggravation, way too much weight, and some new equipment, I led my team underwater, immediately sank to the bottom like a lawn dart, and after adjusting my BC in the surge, spotted a large sheephead, and while waiting for the others, a horseshoe crab.

Other than those, a couple of stone crabs, an anemone, a school of small minnows, and a dead catfish, life was a little sparse. Jeremy and I made it a little past the iron box for a dive lasting just over 30mins.

I was surprisingly comfortable in my 7mm. I expected to feel a lot colder during and after the dive.

It was great meeting Jason, DocCarl and Kate?, and seeing Walter and Glen again.

That walk sucks. Maybe some of the guys begging for money on the side of the road could hire themselves as dive sherpas by the showers.

 

[DocCarl]

It was nice to meet all you guys on Saturday. Kate especially apprecieated the encouraging words after we decided to stay topside. I think we're going to plan a trip to vortex within the next few weeks for the opportunity to work a few things when the conditions are a bit nicer.

Walter, pm me when you want to schedule a dive at Ft. Pickens re: site mapping.
Hope to see everyone again soon!

Edit: after that dive Sherpa comment, I can't seem to get the image of a guy with a camel standing by the showers with a 'for rent' sign!!

 

[kmenees]

Hey guys, it was nice to meet everybody. Thanks for the encouragement after my slight panic episode! Maybe we can join you guys on another dive after I've gotten a little more experience. After a few equipment problems, a new wetsuit hood that I didn't seem to get along with too well, and then breaking my mask it was just not meant to be for me this weekend, then to realize that I had in fact disappointed Arthur Dent and left home without my towel topped things off nicely. McGuire's was much better for me this weekend! I'm planning on hitting Vortex a few times in the next couple of weeks and hopefully that will get me a little more comfortable. Hope to see you guys next time. :HHGTTG:

 

[MRXRAY]

kmenees, It was nice to meet DocCarl and you...Don't give up diving or get frustrated those were VERY tough conditions all around and your intrepedation was warranted! :nailbiter:

Paul, I have to agree that your nephew was a real trooper.... Hat's off to him! :worship:

The rest of you salty bastards... Hey, It was a great time and I really enjoyed diving with ya'll. But I must admit that I enjoyed getting out of the wetsuit even more! Wow that was a "refreshing" dive!

I too saw 100's of dead saltwater catfish all over the reef. I can only assume that they froze to death as most if not all were intact, Very curious though! The sighting of a Horseshoe crab was the first I've seen in Destin so that was a nice suprise but other than some AWESOME SHELLS it was a kind of bland dive.