Scuba Diving Assholes of Surly

[Sam Lin 3566]

2 hours ago, PRONG HORN said:

You earn the right to put a sticker on your vehicle when you learn to love and appreciate the thing on the sticker.  

Yeah, like a peeing Calvin.

[Bevo&Pevo 5397]

Shipwrecks | Monitor National Marine Sanctuary (noaa.gov)

 

 

[troph 24929]

Day one diving over… pretty rad, my 13 year old said it’s pretty much the coolest thing he’s ever done.  My 11 year old loved it too.  
 

second dive we saw lobsters, a sea turtle, and tons of fish.  Overcast, but calm seas and light rain.

 

first dive ugh, I panicked. It’s a long story but the rain and wind were heavy, surface visibility - to avoid getting hit by a boat - was piss poor, seas were choppy because of the wind.  We jumped in on different sides of the boat, I wasn’t ready, I didn’t have my breath, I lost my boys for about 10 seconds, freaked out, went under the surface with my regulator,  freaked out, then tried to calm down, descended about 6-7 feet to get out of the surface bullshit, freaked out more as I felt the expanse, had flash backs to two times I got sideways with the ocean and nearly died, recalled a friend telling the story of his friends child who died on the surface being run over a boat and didn’t have an smb. I went to the surface, swallowed sea water and then said no I can’t do this.  Spent an hour thinking about it and I just wasn’t ready, my mind was scattered, I wasn’t centered and focused, and then I was like come on… you can do this. 
 

kids said the second dive was better, first was deeper with some larger reefs, Even small underwater tunnels. 

 

thought about all of this riding back in the boat - here’s the thing that’s ironic about a lake certification - the hard part isn’t the visibility that folks think the lake gives an advantage, it’s the current and surface of the ocean that folks need to understand and really getting past it.  The second thing is the first 12 feet under water where the current and the waves still move you around. I started to lose it again on dive two but remembered the kids and my girlfriend saying at 20 feet it starts to get calm and easy.  
 

so I pushed through, and sure enough it got easier - then easy - then holy mother of god I believe when I settled at the bottom looked up over an underwater horizon of coral, the deep blue water sky, with the silhouettes of fish looking like birds, and the surface above. 
 

 

Can’t wait for our next two dives on Thursday. 

Edited June 15, 2021 by troph

[CHIEF 5102]

2 hours ago, troph said:

Day one diving over… pretty rad, my 13 year old said it’s pretty much the coolest thing he’s ever done.  My 11 year old loved it too.  
 

second dive we saw lobsters, a sea turtle, and tons of fish.  Overcast, but calm seas and light rain.

 

first dive ugh, I panicked. It’s a long story but the rain and wind were heavy, surface visibility - to avoid getting hit by a boat - was piss poor, seas were choppy because of the wind.  We jumped in on different sides of the boat, I wasn’t ready, I didn’t have my breath, I lost my boys for about 10 seconds, freaked out, went under the surface with my regulator,  freaked out, then tried to calm down, descended about 6-7 feet to get out of the surface bullshit, freaked out more as I felt the expanse, had flash backs to two times I got sideways with the ocean and nearly died, recalled a friend telling the story of his friends child who died on the surface being run over a boat and didn’t have an smb. I went to the surface, swallowed sea water and then said no I can’t do this.  Spent an hour thinking about it and I just wasn’t ready, my mind was scattered, I wasn’t centered and focused, and then I was like come on… you can do this. 
 

kids said the second dive was better, first was deeper with some larger reefs, Even small underwater tunnels. 

 

thought about all of this riding back in the boat - here’s the thing that’s ironic about a lake certification - the hard part isn’t the visibility that folks think the lake gives an advantage, it’s the current and surface of the ocean that folks need to understand and really getting past it.  The second thing is the first 12 feet under water where the current and the waves still move you around. I started to lose it again on dive two but remembered the kids and my girlfriend saying at 20 feet it starts to get calm and easy.  
 

so I pushed through, and sure enough it got easier - then easy - then holy mother of god I believe when I settled at the bottom looked up over an underwater horizon of coral, the deep blue water sky, with the silhouettes of fish looking like birds, and the surface above. 
 

 

Can’t wait for our next two dives on Thursday. 

Troph, are they keeping y'all in shallower reefs with your kids, or are they letting y'all go deeper than 60'?

CHIEF

Edited June 15, 2021 by CHIEF

[troph 24929]

10 minutes ago, CHIEF said:

Troph, are they keeping y'all in shallower reefs with your kids, or are they letting y'all go deeper than 60'?

CHIEF

63 first dive, 50 second dive.  I kinda rolled with it re the kids. Nothing was dangerous from what I could tell, I just freaked out initially. Kids were rock stars. My limit is technically 60 and my girlfriend is 100.

Edited June 15, 2021 by troph

[Homercles 10206]

Good on you for powering through it and going again.  My wife got vertigo in Bali, massively sea sick and never dove with me again…broke my heart because she was loving it up until that point.  
 

Panic is awful and can make a perfectly safe situation dangerous in a hurry.  Did a wall dive in Cozumel, the descent down to 100 was hothouse…but then we hit the famous current that flows over the edge and out to sea.  Strongest I’d ever been in and the stories I’d heard of people being bounced to 200+ feet were echoing in my head.  
 

Heart rate was probably 160 as we crawled along the sea bed, ducking under the flow and working hard to make slow progress.  Used up way more air than I had planned on and sure I bumped my nitrogen saturation way up, sweetest beer I’ve ever had once we got back to shore.  
 

Im sure that if I had freaked out, I’d have gotten caught in that mess and who knows where I’d have ended up.  

Edited June 15, 2021 by Homercles

[troph 24929]

Few pics …

 

 

 

 

Edited June 15, 2021 by troph

[troph 24929]

Turtle video … image quality is poor.

 

 

[CHIEF 5102]

1 hour ago, troph said:

63 first dive, 50 second dive.  I kinda rolled with it re the kids. Nothing was dangerous from what I could tell, I just freaked out initially. Kids were rock stars. My limit is technically 60 and my girlfriend is 100.

Yeah, there are going to be occasional problems. The first dive on the last day a couple of years ago (about our 15th or so dive ever) my wife's mask wouldn't seal properly, and kept flooding. We were on the East side and only in about 40 feet of water, I could tell she was frustrated as hell, and headed to the surface. I was about 90% sure that was going to be her last dive ever. Dario, our divemaster, followed her up, he told me to just stand pat. After about 5 minutes, here they came back down, crisis averted.

As a new diver, it's easy to panic, or quit. Good on you for climbing back in the saddle. Both times I have dove Cozumel I have seen people quit diving after a panic attack. Not just women, but athletic young men as well. Not sure if that's the norm or an exception, always new divers, or people that haven't dove in years that treat it like riding a bike. Our first dive is usually Columbia Deep, probably my favorite. The coral spires rise up from the bottom like a small Monument Valley. Probably my favorite place to be on this planet.

CHIEF

[PRONG HORN 3164]

2 hours ago, troph said:

 

Everyone does it is not an excuse.  People who care don't touch the bottom or the coral.  It's just good policy when you're diving.  

https://blog.padi.com/4-things-wish-someone-told-buoyancy/

 

 

 

[troph 24929]

Didn’t touch coral once, did touch the bottom once. Dive master all but told us to, we were floating about 3-4 feet above relaxed and interacting with each other he asked for the camera and gave the lower signal. But you’re right, we were trained not to touch the bottom. Sorry won’t do it again. 

Edited June 16, 2021 by troph
Pronghorn: to not too

[troph 24929]

2 hours ago, CHIEF said:

Yeah, there are going to be occasional problems. The first dive on the last day a couple of years ago (about our 15th or so dive ever) my wife's mask wouldn't seal properly, and kept flooding. We were on the East side and only in about 40 feet of water, I could tell she was frustrated as hell, and headed to the surface. I was about 90% sure that was going to be her last dive ever. Dario, our divemaster, followed her up, he told me to just stand pat. After about 5 minutes, here they came back down, crisis averted.

As a new diver, it's easy to panic, or quit. Good on you for climbing back in the saddle. Both times I have dove Cozumel I have seen people quit diving after a panic attack. Not just women, but athletic young men as well. Not sure if that's the norm or an exception, always new divers, or people that haven't dove in years that treat it like riding a bike. Our first dive is usually Columbia Deep, probably my favorite. The coral spires rise up from the bottom like a small Monument Valley. Probably my favorite place to be on this planet.

CHIEF

I shared my Cabo death story before but basically we were taken to an early grave one morning by a rogue wave, we made it back, and after laying on the beach in shock for 15 mins we went home to alternate between sobbing uncontrollably and laughing like hyenas. Later that afternoon, I got my shit together and we went snorkeling and sailing at sunset and sailed right past the fucking beach that tried to take us.  The water and the boats that travel them are my real home, if I can’t figure it out, I might as well be dead anyway. 

Edited June 16, 2021 by troph

[rage-a-holic 4550]

63 first dive, 50 second dive.  I kinda rolled with it re the kids. Nothing was dangerous from what I could tell, I just freaked out initially. Kids were rock stars. My limit is technically 60 and my girlfriend is 100.

The 60 foot limit is not gonna be a hard and fast rule. Your DM will evaluate you and determine whether you need to stay shallow or not. My girlfriend went to 120 feet on dive 15 with Aldora. And yes, weather sucked yesterday morning but was fine for our twilight dive last night.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

[troph 24929]

2 hours ago, rage-a-holic said:

The 60 foot limit is not gonna be a hard and fast rule. Your DM will evaluate you and determine whether you need to stay shallow or not. My girlfriend went to 120 feet on dive 15 with Aldora. And yes, weather sucked yesterday morning but was fine for our twilight dive last night.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
 

on our second dive the one I went on it was completely ok.  I could see 80+ being fine too, the conditions under water were easy.  it's that pesky surface that suuuucked in the morning.  I will admit I do think having an smb for everyone is not a bad idea.  we really couldn't see shit on dive one at the surface.  I know these guys are good and know how to do this better than most but it was nothing close to ideal.  2 more tomorrow, we are all jonesing for it!!

[rage-a-holic 4550]

3 hours ago, troph said:

on our second dive the one I went on it was completely ok.  I could see 80+ being fine too, the conditions under water were easy.  it's that pesky surface that suuuucked in the morning.  I will admit I do think having an smb for everyone is not a bad idea.  we really couldn't see shit on dive one at the surface.  I know these guys are good and know how to do this better than most but it was nothing close to ideal.  2 more tomorrow, we are all jonesing for it!!

try to get a night dive in if you can. This is from last night.

 

 

[AUinHsv 580]

Night diving is fantastic but maybe a little advanced for a first timer. Also is there any valid reason for the snorkle on the right side? I was always taught it can get hung up with regulator hose if you find a way to drop the regulator from your mouth.

[troph 24929]

1 hour ago, AUinHsv said:

Night diving is fantastic but maybe a little advanced for a first timer. Also is there any valid reason for the snorkle on the right side? I was always taught it can get hung up with regulator hose if you find a way to drop the regulator from your mouth.

That’s my girlfriend for whom I’m only fractionally responsible for and unlike prong horn I learned quickly not to tell her what to do (like my ex, apparently I have a type). I’ll gently point it out on the boat. 
 

@rage-a-holic yeah I think the night dive is going to have to wait a while.  I think I’m over the unfounded fear of day diving, but I’ll get 10-15 day/easy dives in before I go dark. But that video is outstanding!!

Edited June 16, 2021 by troph

[rage-a-holic 4550]

1 hour ago, AUinHsv said:

Night diving is fantastic but maybe a little advanced for a first timer. Also is there any valid reason for the snorkle on the right side? I was always taught it can get hung up with regulator hose if you find a way to drop the regulator from your mouth.

meh. It's all about your confidence level. My 10th dive was a night dive.

[PRONG HORN 3164]

2 hours ago, rage-a-holic said:

meh. It's all about your confidence level. My 10th dive was a night dive.

 

Confidence in the context of diving includes a lot of things.  Confidence in the ability to do day time dives is a conservative prerequisite for someone's first night dive.  He's only batting .500 so far. 

I would recommend a guided shore dive at night.  Chankanaab park, lots of hotels are starting points for a shore dive.  Caribe Blu, Casa Del Mar, Coral  Princess, Barracuda, etc.  Shore diving means no boat stress and the transition to any current is usually pretty gradual.  

[troph 24929]

3 hours ago, rage-a-holic said:

meh. It's all about your confidence level. My 10th dive was a night dive.

I don’t think I’m there yet for dives 3/4.  We are coming back in October I think so that will get us 5/6/7/8/9/10…

Edited June 17, 2021 by troph

[troph 24929]

Yo prong horn - you’re showing a lot of interest in my scuba journey. If you care, you’d show it by getting my pronouns right. Ok? Thanks. 

Edited June 17, 2021 by troph

[PRONG HORN 3164]

49 minutes ago, troph said:

Yo prong horn - you’re showing a lot of interest in my scuba journey. If you care, you’d show it by getting my pronouns right. Ok? Thanks. 

I don’t care about that stuff human.

[troph 24929]

3 minutes ago, PRONG HORN said:

I don’t care about that stuff human.

Then stop commenting on all my shit, asshole. 

Edited June 17, 2021 by troph
For Prong horn: added “asshole”

[PRONG HORN 3164]

14 minutes ago, troph said:

Then stop commenting on all my shit, asshole. 

Your shit stinks Mr. mom

[Hate 20164]

I don't remember prong horn being such a dick.  Did you have a TBI? 

[troph 24929]

Sorry guys, you won’t hear a word more from me about him.  Thanks for the stories the last two days, epic stuff.

[PRONG HORN 3164]

That person is triggered for some reason.  

9 minutes ago, Hate said:

I don't remember prong horn being such a dick.  Did you have a TBI? 

That person is triggered for some reason.  I guess that person thinks everyone is aware of it’s preferred pronoun.  If that person doesn’t ever say what it is, how can that person be addressed as it desires?

[CHIEF 5102]

18 hours ago, rage-a-holic said:

try to get a night dive in if you can. This is from last night.

 

 

Doing a Twilight with Aldora on the early August trip. Two of the guys with us will have less than 10 dives. One, it will be about his 5th or 6th dive. Mrs. CHIEF is even going.

CHIEF

[troph 24929]

I’ll get there. Dive 3/4 behind us. Easy peasy. I was begging to hop in the water by the last one.  We might come for Christmas.  More rain today too late start but man seeing the rain at the surface looking up from 30-40 feet and on our safety stop was amazing.  Pretty effing cool, kids getting ancillary scuba gear for Christmas. 

[rage-a-holic 4550]

23 hours ago, troph said:

I’ll get there. Dive 3/4 behind us. Easy peasy. I was begging to hop in the water by the last one.  We might come for Christmas.  More rain today too late start but man seeing the rain at the surface looking up from 30-40 feet and on our safety stop was amazing.  Pretty effing cool, kids getting ancillary scuba gear for Christmas. 

Hopefully you went out today, looks beautiful out there.

[Longhorn94 2458]

Went diving yesterday in Hawaii. It was amazing. Took the wife (her second) and all 5 kids (their first dive). I'm certified advanced open water. My dad is a DM. It was great to go diving again and even better to watch my kids fall in love with it! I think I have 5 interested in getting certified!

 

 

[CHIEF 5102]

What I love about it, it's like golf. Our trip in 2018, there was couple diving the reefs with us that were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. They were in their late 70's. The old man even climbed into the dive boat with his tank still on.

CHIEF

[CHIEF 5102]

On 6/17/2021 at 12:06 PM, troph said:

I’ll get there. Dive 3/4 behind us. Easy peasy. I was begging to hop in the water by the last one.  We might come for Christmas.  More rain today too late start but man seeing the rain at the surface looking up from 30-40 feet and on our safety stop was amazing.  Pretty effing cool, kids getting ancillary scuba gear for Christmas. 

That's what CHIEF Jr. is getting. He just needs a reg, BC, and a tank, then he can go dive Wheeler Branch to his heart's content.

CHIEF

[troph 24929]

2 hours ago, rage-a-holic said:

Hopefully you went out today, looks beautiful out there.

No today is our 24 hour no dive.  We coulda this morning in retrospect but it’s ok we are driving around checking it out. Will hit the ruins and the otherside, eat in town (we were at punta sur with a nomad friend of ours two nights ago) and will head to the airport tomorrow. Coming back for sure probably won’t do much other than stay in el centro or on the beach and dive and fish.  Gonna try and convince my client and friend with the Hatty to bring it down here. 

Edited June 18, 2021 by troph

[troph 24929]

58 minutes ago, Longhorn94 said:

Went diving yesterday in Hawaii. It was amazing. Took the wife (her second) and all 5 kids (their first dive). I'm certified advanced open water. My dad is a DM. It was great to go diving again and even better to watch my kids fall in love with it! I think I have 5 interested in getting certified!

 

 

Post some pics ! This thread needs more action!

[troph 24929]

43 minutes ago, CHIEF said:

What I love about it, it's like golf. Our trip in 2018, there was couple diving the reefs with us that were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. They were in their late 70's. The old man even climbed into the dive boat with his tank still on.

CHIEF

This is it for me, I’m currently pretty invested in tennis but at 46 I’ve got 10 years max in singles so I have to find other things to keep me active. Sailing and diving are definitely it. Fly fishing for sure, golf and pickle ball maybe so diving has plenty of room to prosper as a late in life sport for me.  

[Hook1997 5434]

@troph was there any areas y’all went diving in Cozumel where the coral was still alive?  Everything on the sea floor looks dead on the pics you posted and not blaming you for a part of a fin on sand like others just wondering how it is over there.

[rage-a-holic 4550]

14 minutes ago, troph said:

No today is our 24 hour no dive.  We coulda this morning in retrospect but it’s ok we are driving around checking it out. Will hit the ruins and the otherside, eat in town (we were at punta sur with a nomad friend of ours two nights ago) and will head to the airport tomorrow. Coming back for sure probably won’t do much other than stay in el centro or on the beach and dive and fish.  Gonna try and convince my client and friend with the Hatty to bring it down here. 

FYI, pretty sure San Gervasio is closed right now, the only "ruins" on the island worth looking at. It's a good day for checking out the east side beach clubs.

[troph 24929]

8 minutes ago, Hook1997 said:

@troph was there any areas y’all went diving in Cozumel where the coral was still alive?  Everything on the sea floor looks dead on the pics you posted and not blaming you for a part of a fin on sand like others just wondering how it is over there.

It was all alive our camera sucks, it was dark and stormy above so the natural light is already bad and pics are poor quality. We had folks with us with flash lights and when they shined on the coral it was colorful. 

Edited June 18, 2021 by troph

[Longhorn94 2458]

11 minutes ago, troph said:

Post some pics ! This thread needs more action!

No U/W pics from this dive. I was too busy making sure everyone was safe. And I didn't want the kids to focus on anything other than safety. 

 

We saw a couple of turtles, an octopus, and several eels. And a million fish.

[troph 24929]

Just now, rage-a-holic said:

FYI, pretty sure San Gervasio is closed right now, the only "ruins" on the island worth looking at. It's a good day for checking out the east side beach clubs.

That sucks. Well we haven’t made it to punta sur yet we will then drive around and enjoy a tequila on the rocks and a smidge of weed on the otherside before coming back into town for dinner.  Again, helps provide context that hanging out in el centro and diving/fishing are it. Got no problem with that at all. 

[CHIEF 5102]

53 minutes ago, troph said:

That sucks. Well we haven’t made it to punta sur yet we will then drive around and enjoy a tequila on the rocks and a smidge of weed on the otherside before coming back into town for dinner.  Again, helps provide context that hanging out in el centro and diving/fishing are it. Got no problem with that at all. 

The conch ceviche at Bob Marley's is killer. I eat it every time we run down to Punta Sur.

CHIEF

Edited June 18, 2021 by CHIEF

[troph 24929]

Sargassum is super bad from punta sur all the way around. Woulda stopped just south of the turn at the surf school and wasted half a day but the smell of corpses drove us back. At the thirsty cougar now - needed a sea breeze and a tequila - view of the pirate ship is a nice touch heh - waiting for Kondesa to open up. Heard it’s good. 
 

edit - kondesa is legit - Guac sampler, fundido, tortilla soup, the Rita all superb. Main dishes solid too. 

Edited June 18, 2021 by troph

[troph 24929]

we’ve got a high life moment over here… lesbians watching this guy on round three of trying to light a charcoal fire. He’s resorted to pulling leaves off the palm tree to keep the fire going. It’s fucking charcoal and lighter fluid. Geez man, how far do we have to fall? 

 

 

 

 

 

edit round four…

 

 

Edited June 19, 2021 by troph

[troph 24929]

Looks like we may be diving key largo in a month. Going to Miami for a friends 50th and my lady wants to dive.  

[AUinHsv 580]

Well you can visit Christ of the Abyss. Easy dive to say the least.

[troph 24929]

Stopped by the dive shop they said the shore dives at high tide up north near Ft Lauderdale (?) are better.  
 

signed up for nitrox and bouyancy classes. 

[rage-a-holic 4550]

sounds like you're ready for Jupiter shark diving

[Ogie Ogilthorpe 639]

On 6/20/2021 at 4:34 PM, AUinHsv said:

Well you can visit Christ of the Abyss. Easy dive to say the least.

I look at it as more of a snorkeling site but you can dive it too

[Ogie Ogilthorpe 639]

Just got back from Jamaica, logged a few dives. Had a pod if 7 dolphins come check us out on our first dive, no matter how many dives I do, dolphins never cease to amaze me