Where did you dive this weekend?

[Zept]

Warren, the viz near Singapore averages 1.5m all year round. I don't think the monsoon has much influence, it's the land-reclamation projects that produce the silt. Once the monsoon is over, we can go to dive sites north of Indonesia or east of peninsula Malaysia, where conditions are much better.

Hadn't come across your silt signal before. We use the thumbs up signal to ascend, and point with a thumb for specific directions. Around here a 'gun' signal usually means 'triggerfish, watch out'.


Zept

 

[VTWarrenG]

Zept,

Yep, that silt sign is a standard one among cave divers (where silt is an obvious concern).

- Warren

 

[kellie]

My buddy and I ran up to Hood Canal to a popular location called Octopus Hole. The site was just loaded with divers. We figured it would be empty due to the Super Bowl.

Beautiful weather topside, but expected silt due to the amount of divers already in the water. However, the viz was about 15 feet which is not bad. We visited our first Giant Pacific Octopus in his den and shook his hand on the way by...41 deg. but without a glove felt like a lot less. Then stopped and said hello to the local Wolf Eel. The next stop was at the Female Octopus in her den with her eggs. I am sad to report...she was dead and her eggs were being eaten by ling cod. We figure old age or starvation must have taken their toll. Three weeks ago she was alive and protecting her eggs. It is sad to see that she was dead.

We turned around and said tried to get the Wolf Eel to come out and play, no dice. Then stopped and attempted to get the Octopuse to come out a bit. I think there were just too many divers.

I motioned for two other divers to come over and have a look at the Octopus. One of them reached out and grabbed my hand, or so I thought, next thing I know he/she had my flashlight and was looking into the den. I guess I would never have thought to go diving in these mostly dark waters with less than two flashlights. But I was happy to lend a light so others could see my favorite sea creature the Giant Pacific Octopus.

We returned to exit in about 10 feet of water which we use as a safety stop. We played around in the eel grass and looked at the small stuff.

It was a great dive.

 

[DiverInAk]

...41 deg. but without a glove felt like a lot less.

That seems :cold: cold to me! Are you saying you dive in 41 degree water without gloves?

 

[kellie]

Only if I am feeling mean!!!!
HEHEHE!!!!

Oh heavens no.....no glove no diving! I don't even like putting on wet gloves to go back in for a second dive.

I took my glove off to see if I could get the Octopus to send an arm out to explore. I am sure this is just repeating the obvious....but you should not touch Octopus with anything but bare skin. It will remove the natural coating on their skin and leave them open to infection. And I always let them come to me, they should never be roughly handled.


I had a friend that forgot his hood and attempted to dive without his hood! Lasted about 5 minutes and it was over. Talk about brain freeze!!!