Maybe hanging the fins up

[KenGordon]

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.

I think you should sue the charter operators for not having a lift. Clearly they are the cause of your woes.

While I agree that warm weather is detestable I seem to recall that where you live isn’t exactly cold. You could try the northern Red Sea wrecks early in the year. You need to take a jumper and a 5mm. A drysuit is ok but a hassle for the travel. You need to walk about 20 ft with your kit on to dive, you can do four (maybe five) dives a day so can decide to skip two for longer naps and still have a worth while trip. A hoard of little Egyptians will do all the heavy lifting.

Or you could come to Scotland now, 10 to 12C water, 12 to 24C air but every boat has a lift. Scapa skippers have cylinders and lead, you would need to bring the rest. Of course you’d have the piss ripped out of you if you dived sidemount.

 

[AfterDark]

Had an attack of shingles a month ago. Affected my left leg. Significant muscle weakness. Have a hard time lifting it into the car. Climb a boat ladder? Nope! I’m in PT, but I’ve got a very bad gut feeling it’s not going to improve much. All my plans for the season are on hold. Some early charters have already been cancelled.

Tried diving this weekend at the quarry. Leg doesn’t kick well at all.

Unfortunately, it looks as if I may be hanging up my fins permanently.

Have fun diving while you can!

Have had 2 shoulder ops for rotator cuff repair. Last op 10 years ago. I was left with a very weak and shrunken right arm and shoulder and I was told 4 years after the op that I would not regain anymore strength in my right arm/shoulder, and eventually a 3 op would be done a reverse rotator op. That was 6 years ago. Today I've regained almost all my strength and size on my right arm by very hard and constant PT on my own. Two years ago my left knee was replaced my left leg is now BETTER than my right!

The point is that I'm not special, if I can beat the odds so can you! Commit to and dive in the PT, do as much as you can as often as you can. Do it until it hurts then do a little more. Don't give up it's a long hard road and mental toughness is going to be in great need more so than physical toughness.
Keep diving even if you can only to use one leg effectively to kick that will be PT nothing like doing to build strength.

This year is my golden anniversary of diving, I know the day of my last dive is coming, but I'm fighting to keep that day as far into the future as possible.

 

[Neilwood]

I think you should sue the charter operators for not having a lift. Clearly they are the cause of your woes.

While I agree that warm weather is detestable I seem to recall that where you live isn’t exactly cold. You could try the northern Red Sea wrecks early in the year. You need to take a jumper and a 5mm. A drysuit is ok but a hassle for the travel. You need to walk about 20 ft with your kit on to dive, you can do four (maybe five) dives a day so can decide to skip two for longer naps and still have a worth while trip. A hoard of little Egyptians will do all the heavy lifting.

Or you could come to Scotland now, 10 to 12C water, 12 to 24C air but every boat has a lift. Scapa skippers have cylinders and lead, you would need to bring the rest. Of course you’d have the piss ripped out of you if you dived sidemount.

Ken - we in the UK are pretty spoiled when it comes to the boats with most of them having lifts and personally I would think twice about using any boat that doesn't have one.

Red Sea wrecks are great and the temps (especially around winter times is actually pretty nice). We had deck temps of about 20C but with the winds actually felt a good bit cooler. With the boats being fully AC, it wasn't an issue. Agree 5mm is about the right choice for wetsuit (depending on time of year I might go for a 3mm). The 20ft walk to the dive is great and most of the boats will happily work with sidemount (seen quite a few SM divers of them).

I think SM is slowly being more accepted here but I think there is still the macho attitude towards them here "If you want two tanks, bloody well wear them backmount and suffer like everyone else" instead of just accepting them. Plenty of wrecks around the coast to have fun on - there is obviously something about our coast that boats just love getting up close to!

 

[admikar]

Marrie was a refreshment with her "youth" elan and eagerness. Unfortunately, as it is often a case, she seems to have burned herself out. I discovered snowboarding quite late in my life and went head first in it. Equipment, powder snow, black trails,all day all season riding. I burned out in two seasons. It took me two years to recover my liking of the sport.
One good thing that came out of that is that I have learned a lesson for my scuba passion. Take it slow!

Whatever happens, @Marie13 , I wish you a good luck.

 

[scubadiver888]

Had an attack of shingles a month ago. Affected my left leg. Significant muscle weakness. Have a hard time lifting it into the car. Climb a boat ladder? Nope! I’m in PT, but I’ve got a very bad gut feeling it’s not going to improve much. All my plans for the season are on hold. Some early charters have already been cancelled.

Tried diving this weekend at the quarry. Leg doesn’t kick well at all.

Unfortunately, it looks as if I may be hanging up my fins permanently.

Have fun diving while you can!

This sucks. Sorry I didn't see your message till now (been diving). Take it one day at a time. Maybe you have to take it easy for a while. I'd give it some time and see if things get better. Hold on to all your dive gear and see if things get better.

If you do want to try getting back into it, give me a shout and I'd be happy to go diving with you. If you don't have my email address, PM me and I'll shoot it to you.

 

[scubafanatic]

ScubaTombstoneTurtleAndRoses

• scubafanatic
• Jun 24, 2018

 

[Marie13]

Friends are not letting me go quietly. They said they don’t want to lose their most dependable, insatiable diving buddy.

One friend called me “indomitable.” I was dragged out to the quarry yesterday and today. Two decent dives each day. One friend is relatively new to drysuit diving and asked me for help.

Another friend gave me quite the arse kicking. Told me to step back from the Lakes for a month or so, build up my strength and stamina. The boat dives were kicking my arse. I did 3 miles in 3 consecutive days in the pool (1 mile each day) Tues, Wed, Thurs. Interestingly, my sciatica was not unhappy. Previously when I tried to do consecutive days, my sciatica was very unhappy and let me know that! Had to go get tanks filled Friday after work.

Alpena/Thunder Bay trip is still on for early August.

Friends are on a Great Lakes diving trip. Bucket list wrecks. Sparked something talking with friends evenings after they dived. Shared my knowledge of the wrecks from my reading (I’ve done a ton). I’ve decided my 50th birthday trip next year will be in the Straits of Mackinac, especially the Cedarville. No warm water for me!

Back in the pool tomorrow. I’m beat from this weekend, but it was a good weekend. Will try to swim every day I’m not diving. I’m clocking the mile at 45 minutes. Better than I used to.

 

[Landau]

Excellent news,

Also, I worry for anyone foolish enough to suggest warm water dives to you in person. I won't do it again even from the relative safety of the west coast.

 

[Marie13]

Excellent news,

Also, I worry for anyone foolish enough to suggest warm water dives to you in person. I won't do it again even from the relative safety of the west coast.

People who don’t know me that well have suggested it. I pretty much tell them to “F*** off.” One so-called friend had the gall to tell me to “grow up and get warm & salty.” This from someone who won’t dive unless viz is 100ft, 80F water temp, and she has someone to take her gear off before she gets on the ladder (and to put it together)! Told her that cold water doesn’t like her ilk. ;-)

 

[Bubblesong]

Did I mention trying Cannabinoid extract as CBD gummies? Creating Better Days brand works for me to keep inflammation soreness at bay. I ran out a week ago and the inflammation came back, so I have to stock up again. NOT intoxicating, for the record.
Edit, I just found another brand that makes CBD caramels, which are delicious! Giraffe Nuts, by Lion Brands, LLC in Walpole MA