My report on the Dog Rally at Wazee Lake

[Matt the Aquaman]

It was a beautiful day, well I had a lot of fun, I was interviewed by a conewspapers and a T.V. channel from one WI. My buddy Doug from Scuba News in Florida. Came in on Saturday to come to the lake on Sunday June 18, 06 to be with me. And it was great to have him as part of my team in the water. It was great to hang out with Susan Long and be able to be in the same water with her was awesome. It was fun to hang out with all of my family and friends and my friends in the water. It was great to finally meet the woman who designed my drysuit; if it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t have a drysuit. She is one of the biggest reason’s I have a dry suit.

got to the lake and we where looking through my equipment and my dad couldn’t find my dry suit and we couldn’t find it anywhere, my dad wasn’t kidding, my opps I forgot to double check my equipment, it turned out that my drysuit was left at home, opps, so one of my friends called their bother and he came over to my house where my grandmother was home watching our dog o pick up my dry suit, he met my friends husband and dad.

Met half way to get my dry suit, I’m lucky to have such a great family and friends, my dive was delayed until 2:00pm, but it give me time to visit with my friends that I haven’t seen for awhile. I got to dive for a little while, not as long as I wanted to but at least I still dived. I broke the surface a couple of times, my buddies forgot to put on my arm straps and my arms kepted going up above my head. I didn’t realize that my arms could bend that far. My mask kept coming up on me. But it’s going to always be a little different on each dive. If you added the total time that I was under water it would total up to 15 minutes. I was at 6ft. The visibility was great, it about 38ft. Once I get the rebreather and all that other stuff with the vent I’ll be able to go 20ft. should be able to test all of that in the next couple of weeks, it needs to be tested a lot before I can use it.

My next dive will be a lot longer at Square Lake, Stillwater, MN I will be doing a lot of lake dives before the Florida trip, I will be working on getting a fundraiser together in the next couple of months. To help me get to uple different Florida in November.

I wrote up a manual now so that everyone will know what to do to help me dive right.

I attached 5 pics on this site: http://matt55125.tripod.com/scuba/ I will get more pics to post once I get them from my friends. And I will send a video link once I have the video.

And there where a few hundred people clapping for me when I got out of the water.

Take care everyone and thanks for showing your support as always,

Matt Johnston

 

[do it easy]

Nice work Matt- It was quite a treat to be able so see you dive. I took a few pictures and will post them when the gallery gets back up.

One of the things that struck me was how calm you were while gearing up and even while waiting for your drysuit to arrive. It speaks volumes of your confidence and committment. The other thing that was awesome was seeing how involved your family is in your project. It was poetic that you did your dive on Father's day and your dad was in the boat above you, watching over the ventilator.

Anyhow, you should be proud- it's quite an amazing thing that you accomplished and I feel lucky to have been there, although I have to admit that after you got under, I went to the other side of the lake to do a dive of my own. I did hear the cheering from all the way across the lake, so I knew that you were done.

Don't stop exploring...

 

[Matt the Aquaman]

Thanks dude for all the nice words, like always. Yes, I am very relaxed when getting all my equipment on, no sence in getting frazzled. I knew I was going to get my dry suit sometime that day, and everyone kept be busy, it was fun. And I am never forgetting my best friend again.

I am diving next friday. I love being out in the open water, it beats the heck out of moody people in the pool.

Take care my friend.

Matt.

Nice work Matt- It was quite a treat to be able so see you dive. I took a few pictures and will post them when the gallery gets back up.

One of the things that struck me was how calm you were while gearing up and even while waiting for your drysuit to arrive. It speaks volumes of your confidence and committment. The other thing that was awesome was seeing how involved your family is in your project. It was poetic that you did your dive on Father's day and your dad was in the boat above you, watching over the ventilator.

Anyhow, you should be proud- it's quite an amazing thing that you accomplished and I feel lucky to have been there, although I have to admit that after you got under, I went to the other side of the lake to do a dive of my own. I did hear the cheering from all the way across the lake, so I knew that you were done.

Don't stop exploring...

 

[Matt the Aquaman]

Hey everyone, I have something else to share.

Here is the TV broadcast, did not show me underwater. But here is the link, check it out. http://www.weau.com/news/headlines/3185621.html

Matt

 

[do it easy]

Matt, I couldn't watch the clip at work- bad software I guess, but I did see it at home. Thanks for the "do it easy" plug at the end

You really earned your fins this weekend- forgetting your drysuit and "what's wrong with diving?" You were born to dive.

Keep us posted with your diving schedule and I'll drag Polly up for some "local" dives.

 

[scubapolly]

Hey Matt!
Read your dive report on the Yahoo group. DIE just directed me to the one here. Great job sweetie!!!! I'm so proud of you. The pics you posted look great! Sorry I couldn't make it, but you know I was there in spirit.

Tony- when the heck has anyone had to DRAG me to go diving?

 

[Matt the Aquaman]

Hey Polly and Tony, Well I'an glad you two the video. Oh Tony that's my opinion, "do it easy" that's alright that you weren't there, I know that you were there in spirt. And for Polly, you don't have to drag her to dive, all you have to say is lets go diving. Well 99% of the time she'e diving. she's a dive fruit cake like a lot of us. LOL I n the video I'am not going to be doing 10 dives in Key Largo, I'll be lucky if I do 3 dives done in Key Largo. But this summer I'am going to be going a lot more then 10 dives. Next Friday I'am diving in a different lake. Can't wait.

DUI is having a dog rally and demo days up north, about 21/2 hrs north of my house, in my home state. crosby Mines lakes, Mn it's on Sept 16 and 17th 06. maybe you guys could make this one.

Yes I was born to dive, I'am not going to stop for anything, I can't find anything better then diving, there isn't anything better then diving.

safe diving friends, Matt

 

[scubapolly]

DUI is having a dog rally and demo days up north, about 21/2 hrs north of my house, in my home state. crosby Mines lakes, Mn it's on Sept 16 and 17th 06. maybe you guys could make this one.

I'll have to see if I can pull that one off. That is after school starts so I will have to work Friday and Monday, we'll have to see if I can make it happen. I certainly will try.

 

[Matt the Aquaman]

Hey Polly that's all anyone can do, is just try. I would be awesome if you can make it, if not we have to try for another time.

Take care,

Matt