Christmas Tree divers

[Brian Sharpe]

...remember however, that it's the CTDs that help generate the revenue stream that helps dive shops stay in business for the rest of us!

 

[Splitlip]

A year or 2 ago somebody posted a picture of some warm water diver festooned with 1/2 of a dive shop. Things like a huge magna-doodle, big slate, and I forget what else hung from the gear laden diver struggling to swim in feet down trim.. The addition of the coiled plastic layards in assorted neon colors to each worldly possesion completes the ensemble.

Pete

This?

 

[Cave Diver]

Well, see there's the rub. I'm sure that for shallow (60 ft) daytime reef diving in the tropics, a full suit, lights, spools, slate, tables, back-up mask and back-up knife are probably over-kill. But these things tuck away nicely in my pockets Can I view these items as the absolute minimum to conduct most dives safely?

(I'm leaving out the SMB because I think everyone should have one. )

Here's how I look at it given your example.

In the tropics, on a single tank OC dive, I wear a rash guard instead of a full suit.

I carry ONE spool, not spools plural, attached to hip d-ring. SMB is tucked under backplate. Table/wet notes tucked into waist pocket. There is a signaling mirror that lives tucked into the cover of my wetnotes. If I take a light on a day dive to peer into holes, I only take one, and clip it to shoulder d-ring.

I don't carry a backup mask or knife on a dive within NDL and only carry a backup light if it's a dusk/night dive.

Safety whistle depends on the dive site. Shore dives with no current and it usually stays on shore. Boat dives in the middle of the ocean and it goes with me.

I only carry a primary reel if I plan to do wreck penetration or if I'm diving below NDL depths and need more line to shoot a bag.

 

[Splitlip]

Vast majority of my diving is done in South Florida waters, 60-100 ft.

BPW, "long" hose primary with a necklaced secondary.

I ALWAYS have a large dsmb behind my plate, a reel for the DSMB clipped to a quick link attached to my plate, small knife on the waist, line cutter shoulder, shears in thigh pocket, back up light on shoulder strap (nice to have if adrift after dark), dedicated hose for inflating DSMB has a dive alert attached to it with the QD removed and clipped to the plate by my reel, a small DSMB and 40ft spool is also in my pocket with tables.

It is a nice clean setup. Even the reel kind of disappears behind my hip.

Night dives, a primary light and additional back up light is added and the small DSMB in my pocket is replaced with a spare mask.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

This?

Man......

It's the 2 snorkels that truly set that dude apart! ("I've got my primary snorkel, and then my secondary snorkel for times that the primary snorkel fills with water...")

bless his heart....

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

This?

Hey I KNOW that guy!

Is that supposed to be a joke?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Christmas Tree Diver ...

If you own at least one of everything on the McNett/Cetacea rack at your local dive shop, you MIGHT be a Christmas Tree Diver.

If you routinely carry gear on every dive that you've never used, you MIGHT be a Christmas Tree Diver.

If it dangles and jangles when you walk, you MIGHT be a Christmas Tree Diver.

If your motivation for purchasing a piece of gear is to avoid having to learn a skill, you MIGHT be a Christmas Tree Diver.

If you buy a new BCD because your old one doesn't have enough D-rings ... you MIGHT be a Christmas Tree Diver.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[DevonDiver]

The two snorkels made me think it was a joke....

...the wet wetsuit made me think it wasn't....

either way, it's funny!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

The two snorkels made me think it was a joke....

...the wet wetsuit made me think it wasn't....

either way, it's funny!

Unless he's got a twin, that dude's a tech instructor.

I gotta believe it was meant to be a joke ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Ed Palma]

I think I recall the thread where that picture first came out. And yeah, IIRC, it was meant as a joke. (but that was some time ago, so YMMV).

BUt, but, but... I love the McNett/Cetacea/Trident rack!