Sunday, June 8 Dive Report

[shellbird]

Well, the day was nice, not too many divers in the water.

Met up with bhapps, Devils_Advocate and notabob, my friend Tom came along to bubble watch.

Devils_Advocate and notabob buddied up and I hit the water with bhapps. New wetsuit caused some buoyancy issues so we went back and I ended up putting 30 lbs on the weight belt. So because of this equip. prob. we missed out on the first dive.

Second dive, did surface swim out and I was able to descend but when we got near the wall the surge popped me back up and I couldn't get back down. My buddy Steve is the best... he swam back to shore with me and my friend Tom kayaked him out to notabob and Devils_Advocate so he could get some semblance of a dive in...

The few minutes I was down about 25 ft., vis was about 6 - 10 ft., water temps in low 50s.

I decided I do not like my new suit, too hard to don a bit too tight. I needed a lot of help getting the shorty on over my maryjane and I don't like that aspect at all. It restricted my movement too much as well, I couldn't reach back to my emergency dump valve on my bc so that didn't help.;-0

All in all, got to meet bhapps and Devils_Advocate, wish notabob happy birthday and get some sunshine and a bit sick from overexertion.

Bhapps was an excellent buddy, very patient and understanding.

After dive beers on Narragansett Street and we were on our separate ways.

So congrats to bhapps, he is now an official NELD!

 

[epconti]

Shell,

Sorry about the suit. Was this the one you waited so long and were so excited when it came in? Kind of a downer. Better luck next time!

- eric

 

[MSilvia]

Sorry to hear the dive didn't go well, but I hope it was at least a good time. Sorry I couldn't make it, but I'm afraid I wouldn't have made a very good dive buddy at the time, and let better judgement rule.

I'm hoping you wouldn't mind sharing a few details about getting popped up by the surge so that I and anyone else interested might be able to learn something from your experience. I'm trying to work on mastering my trim and bouyancy, so getting popped up is something I'd like to do everything possible to avoid.

First, which beach were you at when you had the trouble with the surge? Could you describe the location? I'm not familiar with the wall at Ft. Wetherill, but I've only done at the righthand beach and I usually keep to the righthand side.

Any thoughts on what happened in the surge? Were you pushed by an upward current, have to ascend to dodge boulders, have a bouyancy problem from unfamiliarity or discomfort with the new suit or conditions, or something else altogether?

For what it's worth, my two piece 7mm suit restricts the b'jeebus out of my mobility too, and it's a custom tailored suit I'm very happy with the fit of. Feeling like the Michelin man is the price I pay for staying warm in 45 degree water without putting up the bread for a drysuit. You definately don't want a suit that's too tight though... tough break. That suit would have been a great find if you liked it!

 

[Devils_advocate]

I'd love to fill in the gaps for you MSilva but Roman and I couldn't see much of it from 'underwater'

 

[shellbird]

Well Matt, I wasn't surprised not to see you. I figured you dove into a few beers at your block party on Saturday.

Regarding the surge,

1. I don't have a lot of experience in it
2. We were following the bottom after descending at about the middle of the left hand cove after surface swim out, max. depth 28 ft.
3. Close to the wall there was a huge boulder, the minute I saw it the surge hit us, I tried to grab it to keep me from popping up but no way, in the low vis I don't think we realized how close to the wall we were until we were upon it, one second we were at 20 ft next 10 (I think, It all happened quick) and the water swirled us right up in a circular-upward type motion, no fighting it. When we hit surface simultaneously, I said geeze, we popped up kinda fast!!! We got away from the wall but I couldn't descend and ended up surface swimming back (a long swim and a struggle to try to GET DOWN>>>) but I think if we had just distanced ourselves a bit from the wall and boulders we would have been fine. Inexperiene and lack of knowledge of the area at work... We were directly across from the insertion point at the beach (my navigation was pretty good!) One point I was kinda vague on, once I hit the beach, I was really sick but I think it was overexertion and just being out of shape from the lazy winter... Very light headed, dizzy, sick to stomach (fed the fish a couple times) very embarrassed. Took a good hour and a half (and a beer ) for me to finally feel better.

The suit was a bit small in the arms, if I were a bit thinner or the suit a bit bigger maybe... but it was even too warm... I hated it. I hated having to don so much weight, I hated the confined feeling the neck and wrist seals. I am going to go for the Henderson Hyper-stretch. Was chatting with an old timer who was wearing one and he couldn't praise it enough.

Sorry for the long post. Missed you Matt! Hope to catch up with you soon!!!

 

[shellbird]

Devils_advocate once bubbled...
I'd love to fill in the gaps for you MSilva but Roman and I couldn't see much of it from 'underwater'

I was waiting for one of you guys to post but thought you were trying to spare me the humiliation of a botched dive, well, I am a newbie, never claimed otherwise, every dive or non-dive is an experience gained... best part was meeting Steve and seeing Roman and meeting you (I think).

 

[Devils_advocate]

It was very good meeting you Shellbird! (the beer wasn't bad either)

Every dive is a learning experience (just ask soggy, garyd and gmbaker about my first dive in the Northeast!!).

We will dive together again.


David

 

[shellbird]

I'm thinking, if we could get all the lobster hunters together, a NELD lobster bake sure would be AWESOME!!!

How 'bout it guys????

 

[gmbaker]

LOL, I am not sure which was funnier, your dive incident or your wife poking fun at Soggy at the last NELD meeting....tough call.

Devils_advocate once bubbled...
It was very good meeting you Shellbird! (the beer wasn't bad either)

Every dive is a learning experience (just ask soggy, garyd and gmbaker about my first dive in the Northeast!!).

We will dive together again.


David

 

[bhapps24]

It was great meeting you guys. Although the next dive should be in mass because thats where my lobsta lic is. The day wasn't a total loss because I tried out two new weight combos and learned I hated one of them. Also learned if you see a fishing line to cut it on the person trying to catch you instead of guiding it away. And best of all met some of you. Looking forward to more
diving with you guys and gals. Happy b-day roman.