Browning Pass trip coming up!!!!

John Rawlings · Post by **John Rawlings** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 5:08 am

Well, in 7 days I shall be winding my way up to BC for another trip to wonderful Browning Pass! I have a bunch of fellow NWDC members going along with me, so I won't be lonely. ADM's Curt Bowen is also flying up for the trip, so things certainly won't be boring, either!

It looks like we'll have some great tides during the week, so that if the weather permits we shall be able to head over to the Nakwakto Rapids across the strait to dive that incredible site, (which is like being on another planet!).

I'm packing up my gear a little at a time each day, and getting more and more excited the closer we get! I'm really looking forward to seeing the photos that everyone is going to produce!

- John

Tom Nic · Post by **Tom Nic** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 7:08 am

This should be amazing! If I didn't have another trip scheduled at the same time I'd be there. As it is, this trip is definitely on my bucket list.

Have a fabulous time!

Peter Guy · Post by **Peter Guy** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 7:49 am

Have a great trip John. I hope your hip doesn't give you any problems! (Just read about your dive at Redondo on FB.)

We're headed up there the 10th (to G.P.) and I hope we get to visit the Rapids also.

Say hi to Curt from Lynne and Me.

spatman · Post by **spatman** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 8:14 am

Have a great trip, John! I really, really wish I could go with you, but I'll just have to dive vicariously through your trip reports and photos.

John Rawlings · Post by **John Rawlings** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 8:16 am

Peter Guy wrote:Have a great trip John. I hope your hip doesn't give you any problems! (Just read about your dive at Redondo on FB.)

We're headed up there the 10th (to G.P.) and I hope we get to visit the Rapids also.

Say hi to Curt from Lynne and Me.

Thanks, Peter!

We're definitely going to miss you on this trip - last time was wonderful, even with the bizarre weather we had! Quite an adventure, and one that I will remember and cherish forever! You tend to remember chipping ice off your gear in order to dive, eh? HA!

Once again we're going to be diving out of the "Hideaway" with John deBoeck (himself a NWDC member) only minutes away from Browning Pass itself - http://www.vancouverislanddive.com/ There will be plenty of photographers along on this trip, too, so I'm sure that in the days following our return there are going to be some great pics posted here on NWDC.

As for the hip....time will tell, but I'm packing a mini-pharmacy to help! I'm having hip replacement surgery in November, so hopefully this trip won't be my "last hurrah"!

- John

nwscubamom · Post by **nwscubamom** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 8:32 am

John, have a great time!
I am hoping your hip will have recovered enough from Redondo to get you through - and boat diving is way better on your hip than shore diving, so that's good. Would getting out of your gear in the water and not carrying it up the ladder help?

Maybe we'll bump into you guys somewhere on the island

We're heading up to Hornby, but will be doing some shore dives in Victoria and Nanaimo along the way.

POUTINE, here we come!!!

- Janna

John Rawlings · Post by **John Rawlings** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 8:38 am

I'm sure that it will be a great time....even if my hip acts up the worst case scenario is that I will still be able to dive a bit, (although maybe not as much as I'd like to!), pack down some great food, marvel at marvelous scenery and wildlife, and thoroughly enjoy the company of delightful friends. Nothing can be bad about that!

- John

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 9:25 am

John, have a wonderful time, and please say hello to Curt for me. I so enjoyed the company of both of you on our prior trip.

Curt Bowen · Post by **Curt Bowen** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 9:42 am

I am ready to get the hell out of this boring-ass flat state of Florida for another great PNW Browning Pass adventure!!!! If I have to dive one more white sand beach with palm trees I am going to shoot myself in the head.

I am positive, "with luck", John and I along with the other divers will come up with some excellent photos and video for those not attending to watch, and then wish they were there.

http://www.advanceddivermagazine.com/ar ... eaway.html

See above link for the last article from 2009

WylerBear · Post by **WylerBear** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 10:28 am

I hate that I had to pass on this trip once again. Maybe next time. I hope you have great weather and wonderful dives and that that dang hip doesn't give you that much trouble.
Good diving!

John Rawlings · Post by **John Rawlings** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 6:01 pm

As I mentioned earlier, we're planning on hitting the Nakwakto Rapids (weather permitting) and have some great tides to do it on! Because of the huge tidal flow, (16+ knots), there are creatures there found nowhere else.

Here's a shot of my buddy, BJ, (Maverick here on NWDC), with some Nakwakto Gooseneck Barnacles...click on the pic to expand it for better viewing...

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 6:26 pm

That was my one disappointment from our former trip -- not getting to do Nakwakto. I don't think we'll be able to do it this time, either; the exchanges when we're there are too big. I guess I'll have to plan to go back!

Curt, just when those white palmy beaches get to you, remember Florida DOES have caves . . .

Dusty2 · Post by **Dusty2** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 10:40 pm

John, hip replacement is like a new lease on life. My Grandmother had both of hers done at 80 and said that the only thing she regretted was waiting so damn long!

Curt Bowen · Post by **Curt Bowen** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 10:13 am

Thank god it has caves, it is about the only thing good about it.

LCF wrote:That was my one disappointment from our former trip -- not getting to do Nakwakto. I don't think we'll be able to do it this time, either; the exchanges when we're there are too big. I guess I'll have to plan to go back!

Curt, just when those white palmy beaches get to you, remember Florida DOES have caves . . .

Grateful Diver · Post by **Grateful Diver** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 11:12 am

You guys have fun ... wish I was going, but my time and resources aren't for diving at the moment. I'll make up for it in a few months though ... in the Maldives ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Jan K · Post by **Jan K** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 1:08 pm

Yes, have a great time, wish I was going ...

Looking forward to pictures and trip report .

Curt Bowen · Post by **Curt Bowen** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 11:16 am

http://curtbowen.smugmug.com/Scuba/BC-2 ... 84_4NtscGx

Above are some of the land photos from the browning pass trip. Some of the images are from the 3 days prior I spent in the BC mountains hiking and shooting.

More whale, orca, sea lions, and underwater wall stuff to come.

John Rawlings and I will be working up a nice ADM editorial.

If you did not make it on this trip, you MISSED OUT......

Northwest Dive Club