Bubblemaker and Scuba Reviews

Guess who will have the coolest story when he returns to school this fall.  We all know the teacher will ask his class either to tell or write about "What you did this summer."  I can tell you my new nine year old buddy Clayton will have one of the best stories.  He went SCUBA DIVING!!!.  Clayton's mom and dad are divers and he wanted to try it out. He is just months shy of being old enoough to be a certified scuba diver, you have to be 10.  But he could not wait to try it.

So Clayton's parent signed him up for PADI Bubblemaker. Along with going diving Clayton also received kid-sized beach towel, log book, certificate, temporary tattoo emblem and the adorable and a popular Bubblemaker “action figure". Whaoo too cool!

Once Clayton finished his Bubblemaker dive and was drying off with his new towel. His mom Audrey jumped in to do a Scuba Tune up.  This was all on Saturday.

Then on Sunday Clayton's Dad along with four other folks that wanted to do a Scuba Tunes where in the pool with me.  Besides Clayton's Dad we had a Boy Scout, as well as a bother and sister getting ready for a trip; she was only 12 and was an awesome diver.  All in all we had a get time this weekend.

Almost all of the certified divers in the pool this weekend are going on a trip with in the next two weeks to some exotic location for vacation and diving is part of their vacation plans.

So keep that in mind if you are planning a vacation soon and diving will be part of the fun. We do Scuba Tunes/Review every other Sunday at the Freedom Center pool.

Vandenberg Dive 2

Conditions where still just as perfect. For the second dive we explored the bow section. While there is a lot to expolre, the bridge area is very open with easy swim throughs.  I was diving with two diver of mix expericence and skill levels so we stuck to the bright, easy and exterior passages. I would really like to go back with divers I know, who are properly equip and explore more of the interior of the ship. That will be a really cool set of dives. 

I will post or link more videos and stills as I upload them.

Diving the Vandenberg

Today I fulfilled a long time objective/dream. I have followed the story of the USS Vandenberg from the time I learn that it was in shipyard in Richmond Virginia being clean up to be used as an artifical reef off of Key West Flordia.  Following the up and down story through to the sinking. I even took of the morning of the sinking to watch it on the internet. (they should have used squarespace). My plan started that day I was going to dive the ship as soon as I could.   

The inital trip I had planned back in March fell through. I decied I would go anyway and make it up as I go. The week has been perfect. Could not have asked for better weather or dive conditions.  Sunny and warm on the surface. Glass flat see no current, great viz and warm water.  You could see the Vandenberg from the deck of the dive boat it was so clear and calm.

I had two cameras with me. A GO Pro HD on my head and a Canon in hand I have lots of video. We where tied to the midship ball. This short video is from the first dive where we covered the stren section. Yeah I need a red filter, I know.  I will post a link to the stills and other videos once I have them uploaded. 

Enjoy.

I am mentioned in Roz Savages Blog for Day 8

Okay it's only for one of the miles I sponsored, but it's still kinda cool

http://www.rozsavage.com/2011/04/20/day-8-waveolog

Another open water diver

Sam meet everybody. Everybody this is Sam.

Sam has an English class assignment where she has to write a paper about something she learned. This girl is going to the extreme. Which after getting to know her that is not surprising.

Back in March Sam was in one of my Open Water Pool classes. I knew then she would be a natural. Her families plan was to go to St Thomas for Spring Break. But with Carnival and out of control air fare they are opting to go some place closer to home later this spring or early summer. Sam needed to get her paper done so she chose this past weekend to complete her open water dives at Millbrook quarry.

Her dad was doing this Advanced Open Water this weekend so the timing was perfect.  I wish I could say the same about Saturday mornings weather. It was pouring down rain. Yeah, I know we where diving,  we where going to be wet anyway. But you have to change in and out of scuba gear, it would be nice to get/be warm between dives, the water tempure at 30 ft was 42 degrees.  We where down in the water for 25-30 minutes. Sam's mom came along to watch from the warmth of their pickup truck and commented that is really wasn't raining all that much until we surfaced.  Her mom also brought a 5 gallon water jug full of hot water. We poured cupfuls of it in our wet suits as we changed gear and off gassed. All in all Saturdays dives where very wet but fun.

 Sunday was bright and sunny we headed over to beach 2.5. The day had promise to flawlessly. Until my ears decided to be not clear. After completing a few surface skills we where descending for our first dive , I could not get past ten feet. My left ear would not equalized. After a couple of attempts we surfaced, I did several equalizing techniques. Then we tried again, I got to 20 feet,  decided we would do Sam underwater nav. On the return trip of both my ears equalize and I was good for the rest of the day. Sam worked all of her skills requirements like a champ. 

When we surfaced from our second dive of the day Sam was officially an Open Water Diver.  Way to go Sam!

Sam, her dad Justin, Gavin and JerryOpen Water Diver Sam and her instructor