I think my least favorite dive was about two years ago.
Uncle Pug was good enough to agree to dive with me, so we met up at Mukilteo Park and headed out toward the wall. The current was ripping and I was flutter kicking like a maniac trying to angle into the current, while Pug is easily frogging and watching me to see if I could keep up and make it to the wall. As a test for a SB member, UP is using a pair of Apollo Splits that he had duct taped up the middle, and I was using my big expensive Atomic splits (long gone, now).
I'm soon puffing like a freight train, and I can't manage to get forward enough into the current. The writing was on the wall that we weren't going to get to the wall, so thankfully Pug stopped kicking and we drifted for a bit with the current.
My breathing finally slowed, and Pug started us at an angle back toward shore before the flood dragged us away from the park, way down into a rocky shoreline it would be almost impossible to hike back on. We were back to kicking into the current at an angle toward shore, and soon I am huffing and puffing again, getting more tired every second, then over-breathing the reg, having a hard time getting a good breath, getting anxious, starting to see little sparkling spots in my vision... can't breathe... and I'm suddenly wanting out of there! Pug is just frog kicking along, watching me closely, and I finally give him the thumb.
We drift up to 15' for our 3 min. and I ease up on my kick, trying to catch my breath, but after 2 mins. I say the heck with this, stop kicking altogether and float up to the surface while drifting down current.
Now I'm on my back, taking huge gulps of air, kicking toward shore before I'm swept all the way down to Edmonds. I don't see Uncle Pug. Finally after about 2 mins (enough time for him to finish his SS and make a nice slow ascent) he pops up - about 200 yards up current!
He asks if Im OK, I signaled yes and continue into shore.
About 10 minutes later, Ive made it to shore and humped my way back up to where Pug is patiently sitting on a log waiting for me. I collapse down beside him. He makes a few comments about the duct-taped split fins not working so well, and asks casually if Id like to make the next dive at the T-docks.
We did.
Uncle Pug was good enough to agree to dive with me, so we met up at Mukilteo Park and headed out toward the wall. The current was ripping and I was flutter kicking like a maniac trying to angle into the current, while Pug is easily frogging and watching me to see if I could keep up and make it to the wall. As a test for a SB member, UP is using a pair of Apollo Splits that he had duct taped up the middle, and I was using my big expensive Atomic splits (long gone, now).
I'm soon puffing like a freight train, and I can't manage to get forward enough into the current. The writing was on the wall that we weren't going to get to the wall, so thankfully Pug stopped kicking and we drifted for a bit with the current.
My breathing finally slowed, and Pug started us at an angle back toward shore before the flood dragged us away from the park, way down into a rocky shoreline it would be almost impossible to hike back on. We were back to kicking into the current at an angle toward shore, and soon I am huffing and puffing again, getting more tired every second, then over-breathing the reg, having a hard time getting a good breath, getting anxious, starting to see little sparkling spots in my vision... can't breathe... and I'm suddenly wanting out of there! Pug is just frog kicking along, watching me closely, and I finally give him the thumb.
We drift up to 15' for our 3 min. and I ease up on my kick, trying to catch my breath, but after 2 mins. I say the heck with this, stop kicking altogether and float up to the surface while drifting down current.
Now I'm on my back, taking huge gulps of air, kicking toward shore before I'm swept all the way down to Edmonds. I don't see Uncle Pug. Finally after about 2 mins (enough time for him to finish his SS and make a nice slow ascent) he pops up - about 200 yards up current!
He asks if Im OK, I signaled yes and continue into shore.
About 10 minutes later, Ive made it to shore and humped my way back up to where Pug is patiently sitting on a log waiting for me. I collapse down beside him. He makes a few comments about the duct-taped split fins not working so well, and asks casually if Id like to make the next dive at the T-docks.
We did.
