OP
neve
Contributor
- Messages
- 296
- Reaction score
- 3
- # of dives
- 500 - 999
Hi Bruce,
I dived with Aquarius on Oct 10, 2010, Wesley Sawyer took my booking. I still have the email from Wesley dated 9/18/10 acknowledging my booking.
The DM I had was excellent. The only problem I had was with the amount of lead I was forced to carry, despite explaining to the shop staff that I wouldn't be comfortable with so much lead. I admit I'm not very experienced with cold water diving, but in retrospect I should not have let anyone second-guess my own judgment about weight configuration. I didn't want the shop to cancel my dive, so I went along with the excessive lead.
At the time of the dive, I've had over 400 dives, some in temperate waters (as low as 60F), so I was sure I didn't need 28lbs of lead AND a steel tank. I bargained it down to 24lbs and I still sank like an anchor during the dive. I was wearing a 10mm wetsuit with hood and gloves. I dived with my BCD half full at all times just so I don't walk on the seafloor. Although I was not very comfortable throughout the dive, it was still a good dive. When I exited, however, a huge wave knocked me down to the soft sinking sand. I literally flopped down, and had to ask the DM to help take the gear off me so I could stand.
So, in general, it was not a very pleasant experience for me. I'm sure it was partly my fault, but I don't think underestimating my experience and ignoring my discomfort were right either.
