Started AOW / Deep tonight

[gcarter]

Doing the AOW and deep certs this weekend, 9 dives in total. Started tonight with PPB, navigation, then a night dive. That was so cool!! I was also surprised by how much light was actually available @ 15'.

3 deep tomorrow @ 80', 120' on Sunday with search & recovery and another PPB.

Good times :D

[TSandM]

It's amazing how much light can get into the water from the night sky, especially if the water is clear. That's one of the reasons I like to take less rather than more light with me on a night dive. You only need enough to keep the team together, and to be able to see the structure.

[Curt Bowen]

Doing the AOW and deep certs this weekend, 9 dives in total. Started tonight with PPB, navigation, then a night dive. That was so cool!! I was also surprised by how much light was actually available @ 15'.

3 deep tomorrow @ 80', 120' on Sunday with search & recovery and another PPB.

Good times :D

Sounds like lots of fun

[Carl_F]

Did a couple night dives in Roatan (off West Bay) this past late February and it was fantastic with the moon plus Venus & Jupiter in the sky. I, too, was surprised how well the group could stay together with lights off. Since I was following, I didn't notice how easy/hard it was to avoid reef structures but presume it wouldn't be too difficult (reef structures would be the real dark areas!) The Chain of Pearls was out one of the two nights. Fantastic!

[DivemasterDennis]

AOW is my favorite class, because the class is actually diving while honing skills and stretching experience range and competence levels. My small tip- make every dive a navigation dive- work that compass and know where you are. Have a great time!
DivemasterDennis

[gcarter]

More fun again today, did some more nav open water off the ledge @ 80 feet while maintaining depth. Brought a pop bottle down empty, filled it with air at depth and brought it up. That was cool. Saw the newly refurbished shark, suspended in the water column @25 feet. That was cool too.

I finally did something better underwater than my son (who loves to make fun of my SAC). I tied the bowline faster than him underwater @ 80 feet in 4.5C water wearing 5mm gloves than he did on the surface at a balmy 20C with no gloves. Take that, punk! :)

2lbs off yesterday during the PPB, down to 24, we'll see how the second one goes working on trim.

Having a blast.

---------- Post added ----------

All done!

Went to 120' (and 4" per my computer LOL), 3.8C. My SAC was actually a bit better than I thought it might be (being an air hog at the best of times, and being slightly anxious about the depth). Came in at an even 1. After completing the SS, surfaced with 450 psi on 23 minutes. My son had 1500! Even the instructor was surprised by this. I wasn't the worst, though, we were the last pair up. The other two pairs surfaced earlier, and one had only 200 psi in his tank.

None of us "felt" any narcosis, and by all accounts it was minimal. I am happy to know that as well.

The S&R dive also went well. My knots were good, son and I were told we were the only pair who did all the lift tasks correctly.

The last PPB dive was a bit all over the place. We did a level nav square of ~ 50' @ 25' over deeper bottom, no visual reference, and finished with a 15' SS also with no visual reference. I hit 4 meters and dropped to 6 which is quite a swing. All told, though, I feel safe in saying that both bouyancy and trim are much better even though I still have a way to go.

All in all a very rewarding weekend, 9 dives, my AOW and deep certs, and some new friends.

I'm having a rum now :beerchug: