Strangers to Buddies in one splash

[Arduous]

Sometimes that which makes a good dive, is not the weather or the water, but the company doing the diving. On 01/26/2003 I met for the first time, with 3 members from the board to do some diving on Cape Ann. It is amazing how a commonality like diving can bring together strangers from different age groups and walks of life. It’s also amazing that 4 grown men can get together and jump in the ocean in the middle of winter in 38 degree water. But that’s another issue.

All three divers seemed comfortable and confident in their equipment and their abilities. All demonstrated good buoyance skills. Although we entered the ocean as a group of 4, we exited the ocean in 2 groups of 2. This was of no consequence, because the bottom line is, no one surfaced alone and we all came home.

The last time I had been in the water before this dive was in November. I have been itching to go diving, but have not had much time on my hands and buddies in January are hard to find. If it were not for these three board members I would not have been diving on the 26th.

So my thanks go out to AaronBBorwn, decapoddiver and garyd for giving me the opportunity to get back in the ocean and do what I love best. Special thanks to garyd for the underwater photo. Anyone on the board looking for a dive buddy, wont go wrong diving with any one of these guys.

 

[Soggy]

SCUBABoarding it at 3am, eh? That's dedication.

It was a wonderful time and I would love to dive with any one of these guys again. What possesses four grown men to jump in near-freezing water, I don't understand, but we did it and we liked it. At least the pictures make it appear like we are in beautiful cyan water in the tropics.

I think we helped prove that a group of people can do a nice easy dive without hours of preplanning and drills.

BTW, the dive shop I got my suit "fixed" through is going to take care of me...someday...someday I'll be dry.

Even though we didn't see much, at least I can tell a war story on the dive boat in the Bahamas next month...

Me: "Yep...last time I went diving was a couple weeks ago. The water was 38 degrees and the air was 25 degrees with a wind chill of 15."

(W)arm (W)ater (W)eenie: "Oooh...that's waay to cold for me. Didn't you freeze?"

Me: "Nah...we live for that stuff up there."


I won't tell them that the second I got my drysuit off, I went and hid in my car for 10 minutes with the heat on full-blast before I had enough courage to go outside and talk with the guys again.

 

[shellbird]

Of you thread.

SCUBABoard is awesome isn't it? I have met and dove with some really great people and divers. Hope to finally meet you too though Arduous. Perhaps in the spring - too cold for me diving wet and all. So until then, let us who dive wet live vicariously and keep posting your winter dive experience!

 

[mer]

Great to hear about the dive guys. I wish I had been able to make it... but turns out I got a killer cold this weekend and even missed my weekly skiing fix.

I'll brave the almost-frozen brine yet... I got an enviromentally sealed reg for this reason dammit!

 

[decapoddiver]

I might try to convince my drysuit to stay dry one more time. I haven't given up yet (but I'm close).

 

[Soggy]

decapoddiver once bubbled...
I might try to convince my drysuit to stay dry one more time. I haven't given up yet (but I'm close).

I'd go, but my suit is definately out of commision until they figure out what they messed up.

 

[Adam Samansky]

I might be up for that. Lets chat a bit closer to the weekend.

Adam

 

[Soggy]

How's the ankle?

 

[PK]

Hey Aaron,
Did you post your pictures somewhere? What kind of life did you guys see during your dive?

 

[decapoddiver]

Can't speak for Aaron but I was with him. It was devoid of marine life. So little stuff in fact that I was almost tempted to put my gear away for a couple of months (I got over that ASAP when I heard the temps might rise for Sunday). I got some video but no marine subjects = lots of divers waving at the camera.

I checked my dive log and it looks like the end of March is when I usually start seeing critters again.

It only takes one bug to make it worthwhile and I'm a patient hunter so I'll probably keep going whenever I get a chance. This is all dependant on how well my talk goes with my drysuit regarding it overwhelming desire to be a wetsuit.