Maybe hanging the fins up

[DanielRJones]

I have no interest in fish or pretty coral. I am a civil enginer i am interested in metal and concrete. Yes there mart be some nice wrecks with history in the great lakes but there are other wrecks with history and in warm waters. But if only diving the great lakes is all you want to do then how much for your gear

 

[billt4sf]

Wow, girlfriend, why does it have to be all or nothing for you? Why can't you take a little breather and let your body heal? You don't have to take your ball and go home yet. Just take a little break from the game.

There have been a number of times that I have thought I would have to give it up. Each time my body eventually healed and I was right back at it, until the next body failure. As I'm aging, unfortunately, there will probably be more to come. That said, I'm having procedures on my back that may or may not work but I'm trying. My ankle is stronger, my hip is getting better, my eyes are getting worse but there are ways to compensate, my shoulders will never be right again but there are ways to compensate, arthritis in my knees is not going away but weight loss and exercise has helped immensely, the genetic Dupytren's in my hands is getting worse but I can still pull on my gear and hold onto a ladder... I've laid my physical problems on the table here against my better sense, in hopes to show you that you needn't give up diving just because you are having a temporary physical issue. And even if it becomes permanent, there are ways around it. You needn't give up something you love just because of it. You just need to accept the new reality and compensate. None of that means giving up diving entirely.

Wow Chilly uou sound almost as bad off as me!

@Marie - wife and I limited ourselves to warm water due to health / aging issues. I heartily recommend it!

And to echo the Chairman: I had back issues last year and the pool was Sooooooo useful! Taking the weight off your joints and moving is great therapy.

- Bill

 

[Neilwood]

deleted

 

[MichaelMc]

Marie,

With 6 tanks, are you diving doubles these days? I recall you like HP80s. I'm asking as I do not know if SM LP50s will cut it for your wrecks. Which I know you love. I don't think you did doubles class yet?? So 100+ cu ft should be on par with HP80 plus pony.

From your latest lake trip you wrote you left the pier looking like a worn out puppy. What was it about the four(?) dives that day that did it? Tank size? Swells? Long day? Exposure? I'm sure you've thought through what was hard. One possible option, can you rig up back mount in the water? Have the rig tossed in and then slip it on weightless. I'm not familiar with lake diving so I do not know the conditions.

There is always ice diving . Any wrecks under ice you've been curious about?? Carry the cold all the way. Sit in a hut, gear up, drop down...? At least in my mind's eye.

Good luck in finding what you want to do. Sorry you're feeling beat up physically.

 

[johndiver999]

Perhaps this will help you understand, especially the people pushing for a warm water trip.

I've always despised summer. I hate heat and humidity. I barely tolerate it now because it's meant diving. I'm a freak, because I love winter and the colder the better. 43F water diving wet was a bit chilly because I didn't have my hooded vest under my 7mm, but that was it. For me to deliberately spend money to go dive somewhere with a warm climate and warm water is what I would consider stupid, foolish, and a waste. I got into diving to dive the Great Lakes. Someone gave me a book on Great Lakes wrecks when I lived in Alpena, MI in 1991 - count that, 27 years ago - and it's been a passion ever since. If I can't dive Great Lakes wrecks for whatever reason, there is absolutely no reason to dive. Period.

The vast majority of you folks here want pretty fishies and coral. To be very blunt, which is my specialty, I don't give a flying fig about pretty fishies, coral, or other marine life. I don't care what happens in the ocean. You can have at it. I don't want it.

Sorry I mentioned it. I will try not to be so pushy in the future.

Good luck in your future endeavors.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Maybe the reason I love diving even more now than I ever have is that I never made it a marathon. After nearly 2500 dives I've never had two charters in one day. I've never made four dives in one day. I don't work out in a pool to prepare for dives. When I go on a trip I might make three dives per day but at home two is the norm, sometimes only one.

 

[dewdropsonrosa]

*ahem*

I live in the Chicago area now, I just finished my dry suit cert this past weekend, and I want to get out on a wreck this weekend. If you're up for going out (@Marie13 or any local divers!), I would be game.

 

[Marie13]

*ahem*

I live in the Chicago area now, I just finished my dry suit cert this past weekend, and I want to get out on a wreck this weekend. If you're up for going out (@Marie13 or any local divers!), I would be game.

Nope.

 

[Marie13]

Marie,

With 6 tanks, are you diving doubles these days? I recall you like HP80s. I'm asking as I do not know if SM LP50s will cut it for your wrecks. Which I know you love. I don't think you did doubles class yet?? So 100+ cu ft should be on par with HP80 plus pony.

From your latest lake trip you wrote you left the pier looking like a worn out puppy. What was it about the four(?) dives that day that did it? Tank size? Swells? Long day? Exposure? I'm sure you've thought through what was hard. One possible option, can you rig up back mount in the water? Have the rig tossed in and then slip it on weightless. I'm not familiar with lake diving so I do not know the conditions.

There is always ice diving . Any wrecks under ice you've been curious about?? Carry the cold all the way. Sit in a hut, gear up, drop down...? At least in my mind's eye.

Good luck in finding what you want to do. Sorry you're feeling beat up physically.

Doubles? You slay me! My knees would crumble. Nothing like hurting myself even more.

Four dives/two charters in one day was only because I really, really, really wanted to see a particular wreck (Wells Burt). What made it worse is that the Wells Burt is off Evanston, first suburb north of Chicago, which is 25 miles from the Hammond Marina. AM charter is at 7 am, and we didn't get back to the marina after the PM charter until 7pm. Long day! I've done two charters in one day last year, but they were not far from the marina.

 

[helodriver87]

It kinda sounds like you've made up your mind already. You've gotten some good advice here, but you've pretty much dismissed all of it as irrelevant or non applicable. It seems like you know the answer already, but you're looking for validation.