Wolfeels like Sidemount too!

Nwbrewer · Post by **Nwbrewer** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 6:06 am

At last Monday's MMM dive I wanted to try out some changes that I made to my ghetto sidemount rig, and Pauli and Kelvininin were kind enough to oblige me with a little single tank sidemount goofing off.

Somehow I managed to unclip the right side bungee so it was dangling during most of the dive (thanks team for noticing that one!) The left side bungee wasn't tight enough, so the nose of the tank was hanging a little too low, and the waist strap was sliding around, so the butt was a little too high but overall it felt really stable and was fun, even though I find a single al80 depressingly small for dives in the PNW.

Towards the end of the dive I found myself getting molested by a wolfeel that came right at us out of a pile of tires. I know they're usually not dangerous and all that, but having any wild animal come right at your face, then start wrapping itself around your body is (for me anyway) disconcerting.

Thanks to Paul and Kevin for shooting video for me.

[vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/29351654[/vimeo]

Jake

Grateful Diver · Post by **Grateful Diver** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 7:00 am

... she thinks she's a remora!

They're so much like humans ... really cute when they're young, then all wrinkly and scary looking when they get older ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Kelvininin · Post by **Kelvininin** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 7:40 am

Awesome! Thanks for posting, you will have to let us know when the little baby wolf eels come along.

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:09 am

What fun! Did you know he was there?

Nwbrewer · Post by **Nwbrewer** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:22 am

LCF wrote:What fun! Did you know he was there?

I knew he was there, he came out of that pile of tires straight at my face, swerving under me about 3" from my mask.

Unfortunately my camera was clipped off when that happened, otherwise I'm certain the video would contain the sound of me screaming like a little girl through my reg....

CaptnJack · Post by **CaptnJack** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:45 am

Cute video.
Too bad she didn't bite your butt :p

dwashbur · Post by **dwashbur** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:47 am

That video has the wrong music. It should have been Vanity Fair's "Hitching a Ride"

Nwbrewer · Post by **Nwbrewer** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:01 am

CaptnJack wrote:Cute video.
Too bad she didn't bite your butt :p

I thought she was going to!

Dave, I'm lazy, notice no title or credits? I have six or so royalty free songs I downloaded a while ago that I use for most everything.

CaptnJack · Post by **CaptnJack** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:23 am

Nwbrewer wrote:
CaptnJack wrote:Cute video.
Too bad she didn't bite your butt :p
I thought she was going to!

Dave, I'm lazy, notice no title or credits? I have six or so royalty free songs I downloaded a while ago that I use for most everything.

No wonder you were so still!

60south · Post by **60south** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:40 am

That's amazing! Sensuous... :luv:

Norris · Post by **Norris** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:47 am

Nwbrewer wrote:
CaptnJack wrote:Cute video.
Too bad she didn't bite your butt :p
I thought she was going to!

Dave, I'm lazy, notice no title or credits? I have six or so royalty free songs I downloaded a while ago that I use for most everything.

Ya know posting on YouTube they will let you use whatever song you want. They will just assure that credit is given to the artist and then there is a link placed near the video allowing people to purchase it if they desire. Kinda cool if you ask me.

Nwbrewer · Post by **Nwbrewer** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:50 am

Norris wrote:
Nwbrewer wrote:
CaptnJack wrote:Cute video.
Too bad she didn't bite your butt :p
I thought she was going to!

Dave, I'm lazy, notice no title or credits? I have six or so royalty free songs I downloaded a while ago that I use for most everything.
Ya know posting on YouTube they will let you use whatever song you want. They will just assure that credit is given to the artist and then there is a link placed near the video allowing people to purchase it if they desire. Kinda cool if you ask me.

I didn't know that Norris, thanks for the tip. Maybe I can use cooler music from now on.

mjachetta · Post by **mjachetta** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 7:27 pm

Thanks for sharing, too cute

Dashrynn · Post by **Dashrynn** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:27 pm

awesome!!! hitchhiking wolf eel!! looked kinda lazy to me...

Blaiz · Post by **Blaiz** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 12:03 am

That was awesome... but I think Ross and I met that little eel a few weeks ago... and yes, i screamed in terror too!

spatman · Post by **spatman** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 8:21 am

fun vid, jake. encounters like that are always great, and even better when you can film it!

you're looking really comfortable in your sidemount rig. have you sidemounted two bottles yet?

Nwbrewer · Post by **Nwbrewer** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 9:24 am

spatman wrote:fun vid, jake. encounters like that are always great, and even better when you can film it!

you're looking really comfortable in your sidemount rig. have you sidemounted two bottles yet?

A few times, but I only own 1 Al80, and Pauli's was empty on Monday so I couldn't steal it. The main thing I came away with from that dive was that putting my weight belt under my waist harness isn't a good idea. It winds up shifting and leaving the waist strap loose, which is why the bottle was high in the back. I made some more tweaks last night and I'll try and bum a 2nd al80 and go with 2 bottles.

spatman · Post by **spatman** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 9:59 am

Nwbrewer wrote:A few times, but I only own 1 Al80, and Pauli's was empty on Monday so I couldn't steal it. The main thing I came away with from that dive was that putting my weight belt under my waist harness isn't a good idea. It winds up shifting and leaving the waist strap loose, which is why the bottle was high in the back. I made some more tweaks last night and I'll try and bum a 2nd al80 and go with 2 bottles.

We should get together for a couple dives. I might have a second pair of hp100s you could borrow, or I can at least bring my al80 for you.

ArcticDiver · Post by **ArcticDiver** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:37 pm

Cool!

renoun · Post by **renoun** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 10:34 pm

Blaiz wrote:That was awesome... but I think Ross and I met that little eel a few weeks ago... and yes, i screamed in terror too!

We still haven't come up with a signal for Don't let the wolf eel get inside my hood!.

Northwest Dive Club