Am I Sick? If so, Is There a Cure?

[drbill]

No, not mentally... Those of you who know me are aware that I usually do 250-350 dives a year to film the wonders of the kelp forest and bring them to viewers of my cable TV shows and DVD's.

Recently I've experienced a possible malady that others may be able to shed some light on. I've never been adverse to donning a wet suit (even my "holiest" one) and braving the sometimes chilly waters of SoCal.

Several times in the past few weeks I've prepped my camera and loaded all my dive gear on the Dr. Bill Mobile and headed down to our local dive park. The only difference is that after an hour or three, I head back home without even donning my wetsuit or getting wet.

Have I come down with some mysterious illness that turns dive bums into landlubbers? If so, is there a cure. I've thought perhaps a few trips to the destinations on my "bucket list" (Red Sea, Philippines, South America, South Africa) might reinvigorate my "drive to dive." Any real doctors in the house that can advise me?

The only upside is that I've created two new DVD's, "Cephalopods of SoCal" and now "Wrasses and Basses of SoCal" that are available from my web site. If enough of you, my "fellow" ScubaBoard members, buy them I may be able to achieve my "bucket list" goals:

Star Thrower Educational Multimedia (S.T.E.M.) Products: Educational DVD's

I hope this isn't contagious... especially not via electrons!

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Perhaps the time sitting at the computer is having an effect. Every time I take my camera into the water, I know if I am successful there will be hours of processing. Every now and then I need a month or two of not shooting very much to get my head right; seeing something spectacular without a camera always forces me back into the water with my full rig!

Then there is also the fair weather diver syndrome; You already have lots of fair footage from days that had better vis and cloudless sunny skies, why add to that pile? Maybe your subconscious saw some probable rototillers that your basel neurons didn't want to risk having ruin a special moment?

How long have you been diving those Catalina sites? I'm a blonde gypsy, and my recent move to West Maui from South Maui has me waking up with more optimism. Luckily I can drive back down to the South Side when I need some bigger fish

 

[spectrum]

Energy drained? That's a lot of dives, especially for going wet in a no tropical location. I know things here are cooling off and there is often a lag in "thickening the blood for winter" that can leave folks averse to getting a chill. Of course we go though the opposite malaise in the spring when our blood can't thin quick enough. At least that's how the story goes.

Old routine? Maybe that trip is the ticket. A some new gear may shake things up a little.

I know last winter when we had a total of 33 working snowstorms and diving was next to impossible to fit in I surprisingly enjoyed the diversion. I wouldn't be distressed, variety is good.

Wishes sent for a speedy recovery.

Pete

 

[Dive-aholic]

I've had those spells. Usually a little vacation from the water is all it takes. Believe it or not you can dive too much!

I can't believe I just said that...

 

[Teamcasa]

Bill, Leave the camera at home. You are sure to some great stuff to fire up your desire to dive again. Besides, just diving for fun, sans camera makes me appreciate just how beautiful thing are down there.

 

[scubaren]

Maybe you could take someone eager to dive with less experience with you. Their enthusiasm may rub off on you. It shouldn't be hard to find someone with less dives considering you have about 100 million yourself already (doing Dr. Evil impression as I am typing this).

 

[landlocked]

There is something to be said for not turning your hobbies into work. I used to like computers! Try golf. That should get you back in the water in no time.

 

[NOVIZWHIZ]

I've noticed the older I get, the colder the water...the less motivation I have....but tha's jus' me......also noticed my lack of enthusiam for diving on rainy days.... you get on the boat and stay wet.....

 

[TSandM]

Do something different. Mentor some new divers, or take a new class, or get somebody to lend you doubles, or challenge yourself in some new and different way. You need something exciting. Traveling may do it, but you can probably find some things to do at home that will just make you look at your diving from a different point of view and will bring the pzazz back.

On the other hand . . . If you are also noting a waning of enthusiasm for other things you normally enjoy, there may be something more going on.

 

[vshearer]

Time to go to Hawaii.