SCUBA Hangover

[Tangfish]

No.... this thread isn't what you all probably thought it was about, given that I'm posting it.

I'm having a tough time dealing with my Nootka Sound Hangover. While I was up there and heading home, I kept thinking about how I couldn't wait to go diving again, after doing multiple dives per day. Now I understand why Ole Man Rawlings never dives with me here. I just can't get myself to put together my whole rig and drive out to one of my local dive sites to do a dive, given that I was completely spoiled with all of the amazing diving up in BC and the (relative) ease of flopping myself off of Scott & Jude's boat each day.

Uggggh.... okay, well I hope to dive this week to clear out the cobwebs and re-acclimate myself to the effort:reward ratio of diving my usual spots again.

[ljjames]

Have you been to Florida or Mexico and done the caves yet? I hear it's even worse...

[enchantmentdivi]

I totally get it. I fall into quite a funk after returning from any diving destination in British Columbia. It doesn't keep me from diving locally, but I do get a bit depressed.

[Tom Nic]

I totally get it. I fall into quite a funk after returning from any diving destination in British Columbia. It doesn't keep me from diving locally, but I do get a bit depressed.

Never thought I'd say it, but I totally understand...

Woke up last week and actually didn't feel like diving TTN.

I need a diving intervention.

[LCF]

I know the feeling. My local diving is WAY down this year. I didn't dive for almost a month after coming home from Florida in August (of course, that was a different KIND of hangover). I've had dry suit issues, but in the old days, I'd have been scrambling around, borrowing a suit from SOMEBODY, and now I kind of shrug and say I'm leaving for Mexico in a week, anyway.

[spatman]

i'm with you, man. i realized it within the first day of diving in nootka: i'd been ruined and local diving would never be quite the same. i'll still love the experience of weightlessness and the way in which diving focuses me internally, but the local landscape will certainly seem less amazing, especially the man made objects we often swim around...

[John Rawlings]

Muwahahahahaha! My evil plan is succeeding!

[nwscubamom]

No kidding, this hit me years ago after diving BC or even places in the San Juans...somehow I can't just get horribly motivated to drive 3 hours up to Seattle so I can swim around a toilet or PVC pipe structure or dive along a sewer pipeline.

However, I DO still get excited about driving 3 hours up to North Hood Canal to dive there. The Knuckle, Pulali Point, the Pinnacle...those still lure me in!

I'm glad you guys got a chance to see what Tahsis is all about! I first went there ten years ago, on only my 20th dive! Luckily I didn't realize at the time how amazing it was, and the newness of diving hadn't worn off yet, so I didn't get spoiled.

- Janna

[Dusty2]

I experience the same thing on my trips to Port Townsend. I dive every day for a week or more and when I come back to the south end I have problems getting motivated to dive the local haunts. I'd really hate to go up to BC and get really spoiled! (please don't throw me in that brier patch)

I seriously think part of it is an issue with the freedom of spending time in a place where diving is the only thing you need to think about. All those other mundane things that get in the way when your home are non issues when your diving away. I spent over a month diving in the Florida keys and really had a tough time turning around and heading back west. It was almost 2 months before I could face getting back in the water here.

[Joshua Smith]

No.... this thread isn't what you all probably thought it was about, given that I'm posting it.

I'm having a tough time dealing with my Nootka Sound Hangover. While I was up there and heading home, I kept thinking about how I couldn't wait to go diving again, after doing multiple dives per day. Now I understand why Ole Man Rawlings never dives with me here. I just can't get myself to put together my whole rig and drive out to one of my local dive sites to do a dive, given that I was completely spoiled with all of the amazing diving up in BC and the (relative) ease of flopping myself off of Scott & Jude's boat each day.

Uggggh.... okay, well I hope to dive this week to clear out the cobwebs and re-acclimate myself to the effort:reward ratio of diving my usual spots again.

I told you! I still love the fact that there are several decent saltwater dives 20-40 minutes from my house, but after you've seen something like Browning Wall or had an epic dive on the Governor.....yeah. The toilet at Redondo, or the I beams @ cove 2 just don't have the same allure as they once did.

[Tangfish]

Have you been to Florida or Mexico and done the caves yet? I hear it's even worse...

Mexico yes, several times... still need to make it out to FL.

Muwahahahahaha! My evil plan is succeeding!

Yes, it is working. For some reason, I don't get this hangover as bad after tropical dive trips. I guess it's because tropical is so different, whereas diving up in BC is similar, but much better than here.

No kidding, this hit me years ago after diving BC or even places in the San Juans...somehow I can't just get horribly motivated to drive 3 hours up to Seattle so I can swim around a toilet or PVC pipe structure or dive along a sewer pipeline.

However, I DO still get excited about driving 3 hours up to North Hood Canal to dive there. The Knuckle, Pulali Point, the Pinnacle...those still lure me in!

I'm glad you guys got a chance to see what Tahsis is all about! I first went there ten years ago, on only my 20th dive! Luckily I didn't realize at the time how amazing it was, and the newness of diving hadn't worn off yet, so I didn't get spoiled.

- Janna

I gotta get out to the Hood more often. There are plenty of sites I haven't done yet out there. I can't believe you did Tahsis on your 20th dive. What the heck were you doing out there?!

I told you! I still love the fact that there are several decent saltwater dives 20-40 minutes from my house, but after you've seen something like Browning Wall or had an epic dive on the Governor.....yeah. The toilet at Redondo, or the I beams @ cove 2 just don't have the same allure as they once did.

Underwater toilets do seem to lose a bit of their luster, after epic Canadian journeys.

[PeninsulaDiver]

I have dove a few epic NW sites (Duncan Rock, Fuca Reef, Waadah Fingers, “The Knot”, Race Rocks, Saanich Inlet Cloud Sponge, BC Wrecks, most Hood Canal sites not to mention warm water Caribbean sites) and I still get a kick out of being below the surface as often as possible blowing bubbles looking at sunken toilets.

-Mark

[nwscubamom]

Which is why I like diving with you, Mark. You have low expectations and still like diving toilets!

- Janna

[Gooch]

I have to agree-- I know that diving here won't be like diving in the San Juan's or BC and I don't expect it to be like Bonaire or Roatan or Hawaii...it's just a matter of getting wet. Folks all over the world have shown that but maybe none more than places in the midwest where they dive abandoned rock quarries and lakes just to do it. Thank goodness we have some decent lakes, the Oregon Coast, Puget Sound, Hoods Canal, Straits of Juan de Fuca and BC in our backyard so we don't have to dive some mudhole or fly to paradise to dive all the time. Whether it's lake Merwin, Lost Lake, Clear Lake or the best that the SJ amd BC have to offer, I'm happy to be blowing bubbles and seeing what there is to see. I dove Lost Lake this summer just to see what there was and I was surprised to see a fair bit of cool stuff; the biggest crawdad I have ever seen, salamanders in romance, and my wife almost hooked a trout with a spinner she was showing me in her hand.

It's all about the experience and what you make of it.

[ORDiver]

Yeah, after diving Lake Merwin down here it can be pretty hard getting back to the salt water. After diving somewhere where there is something amazing around every turn like a golf ball or a Coors can Puget Sound can be pretty boring. I'll never forget the time I found two old fishing lures within five feet of each other, or the time that a bullhead seemed to just sit there. I'll just have to work through it.......Man, it's tough though .

[renoun]

Isn't admitting that you have a problem the first step.

[Huskychemist]

I understand, Calvin. My SCUBA Hangover happened after 35 dives in 9 days in Lembeh Strait. Of course, I was shelved from diving for about three months after that due to knee surgery...so my hangover came with medicine. If that makes sense...

[Tangfish]

I've been to Lembeh, so I understand! Strangely enough, the only other place I've seen as bizarre of creatures is right here in Puget Sound - many of the things I've seen or shot photos of I still don't know what they are. Wow... I'm talking myself back into it!

[no excuses]

Yeah, after diving Lake Merwin down here it can be pretty hard getting back to the salt water. After diving somewhere where there is something amazing around every turn like a golf ball or a Coors can Puget Sound can be pretty boring. I'll never forget the time I found two old fishing lures within five feet of each other, or the time that a bullhead seemed to just sit there. I'll just have to work through it.......Man, it's tough though .

Yep have the same problems when diving Battle Ground Lake, the two or three trout or bass you see every dive will just blow you away ..

[nwscubamom]

Wait 'til you guys try diving Moulton Falls, (East Fork Lewis River, I think) if you think Merwin and BG lake are sensational. I found $1.37 in pocket change, a butter knife, a pocket skate board, and dead deer bones on that dive.

You'll never go back to marine water diving after that!

- Janna

[Huskychemist]

I've been to Lembeh, so I understand! Strangely enough, the only other place I've seen as bizarre of creatures is right here in Puget Sound - many of the things I've seen or shot photos of I still don't know what they are. Wow... I'm talking myself back into it!

True enough. Any of the poachers would fit right in on the muck of Lembeh. Or Ratfish...on a night dive...creeping people out.

I guess it's time to get wet (or dry) again, Calvin.

[PeninsulaDiver]

Yeah, after diving Lake Merwin down here it can be pretty hard getting back to the salt water. After diving somewhere where there is something amazing around every turn like a golf ball or a Coors can Puget Sound can be pretty boring....

See, now that's the spirit! :shootself:

Which is why I like diving with you, Mark. You have low expectations and still like diving toilets!

- Janna

I find that by having low expectations greatly "reduces the chance" of disappointment. Besides, most toilets I find underwater are lid-less thereby "reducing the chance" of me getting into trouble for not placing the lid in the downwared positon upon leaving them.

It's all about reducing chances when blowing bubbles and diving near toilets.

BTW Janna, not to raise your expectations but... there is new graffiti located on the "BBBB" (Boat-Bottom-Bulletin-Board).

I'm having a tough time dealing with my Nootka Sound Hangover.

An old-timer fisherman once told me that "A day spent on the water adds another day to your time on land". I believe "A day spent on or under the water adds another day to your time on land". Now shake it off and jump back in!

[smike]

You have low expectations and still like diving toilets! - Janna

Anyone need a tag line?

[ORDiver]

Wow... I'm talking myself back into it!

Go! Go! Go! Just wait for the full on beat to kick in and then go jump in Puget Sound and look at a toilet. You won't be disappointed. Underwater toilets rule!

[Gooch]

Sounds like a great name to put on a "T" Shirt--Toilet Divers of Puget Sound-- Here are some logo ideas. I know, I know, they are all in very bad taste but I will stoop to any low to get a laugh.