Wacky Wednesday West 4/11 - 4pm!

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Mon Apr 09, 2012 2:51 pm

This is the early week! Come gambol in the (predicted) sunshine and watch the Sound refill with water! 4pm at Cove 2, when the traffic isn't nearly as bad and there is almost always parking

As always, please post if you want to borrow or try any gear, or if you want a "big buddy".

And as always, there will probably be a few latecomers diving a bit later, if you can't make the early meet time.

See you there!

kdupreez · Post by **kdupreez** » Mon Apr 09, 2012 7:27 pm

AWESOME!

I'll be there Lynne!! with some extra canister lights and BP/wing setups to spare if anyone cares to try some out.

I have some spare LED and HID lights, if you care to try it, plus my spare halcyon cinch bp/wing system is a one-size-fits-all, in a matter of minutes system!!

come spend some daylight hours with us and we can do some fun in the sun diving and show you the biggest giant pacific octo's you've ever seen!! plus if you want help you develop that ever elusive back kick, i'd be happy to oblige!

Third dive is for some tacos happy hour at MAtador ?

see you there!!

Koos

spatman · Post by **spatman** » Mon Apr 09, 2012 7:30 pm

Hey Koos, which LED lights do you have as loaners? I know someone that may be interested in trying one out, depending on brand and size.

kdupreez · Post by **kdupreez** » Mon Apr 09, 2012 10:55 pm

It is a Halcyon EOS 12 Watt LED with the new strain relief and sealing glands and a 9 watt canister.

I also have the new Haclyon Mini-Explorer if you'd like to give that a go.. Its a pretty bright "No-canister" LED light with goodman style adjustable handle.

Then I have a 35 Watt HID and a 21 Watt HID as well if you wanted to try either of them too

just let me know and i'll be happy to bring 'em along for people to try out..

Koos

Mortuus · Post by **Mortuus** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 5:35 am

Koos, any chance I could give the halcyon cinch bp/w another try? And one of those XEN depth gauge/bottom timers? Possibly an HID can light too for the 2nd dive. Depends on how well I master the bp/w setup for the first. Oh, and this is Dylan fyi. I dont use the forum much these days so I dont think any of you knew my forum name....

kdupreez · Post by **kdupreez** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 6:44 am

absolutely! the halcyon cinch bp/wing + hid + xen is yours for the dive

Mortuus · Post by **Mortuus** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 6:47 am

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:50 am

I'd love to buddy up with somebody using an LED light -- I haven't had a chance to see how they are coming in quite a while!

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:27 pm

Definitely bring your lights and your compasses for tomorrow! This gorgeous weather we're having has a price . . . we're back to summer viz.

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 12:20 am

Very nice turnout tonight, considering the traffic and that the evening began with rain.

I did the first dive with DAve Mercer and a fellow named Nick Heaton, who was one of Peter's students. Nick was getting over a bad experience that shook his confidence, and I think we had a very pleasant 40+ minute dive that put him on his way to being happy again in the water. Thanks, DAve, for the help!

The second, night dive was with Kees Beemster Leverenz. What a pleasure! Kees is just a delight as a dive buddy, and viz had cleared up a bit at depth, which helped me find the cutest little red octo, trying to emulate a pile of pebbles and doing a right good job of it. Until we started watching him, which flustered him enough to turn purple and be quite visible.

We also found a huge leopard dorid with rhinopores and gill plums out, and a big Monterey dorid which had just finished laying a whole rosette of yellow eggs on the bottom of one of the Honey Bear pilings. There were no GPOs anywhere, but that big ling cod who likes to room with them was under the stern of the HB. We were accompanied through much of the dive by the most laid-back seal I've ever seen -- he didn't really seem to be hunting, he was just gently kicking along and keeping us company. Until he committed the faux pas of going after one of my beloved vermilion rockfish at the I-beams -- I kicked him for that! The dive ended with a beautiful mixed school of tubesnouts and shiner perch in about 9 feet of very, very murky water, and then we were back up on the cobblestones and it was sadly time to stand up.

Thanks, Koos du Preez, for the loan of the Halcyon LED light. I was very impressed with it, and even more convinced that, if and when one of my lights needs replacing, LED will be the ticket.

And the die-hards repaired to El Matador on Calfornia Street for some absolutely fabulous nouvelle Mexican food. All in all, a great night!

John Rawlings · Post by **John Rawlings** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 6:30 am

LCF wrote: We were accompanied through much of the dive by the most laid-back seal I've ever seen -- he didn't really seem to be hunting, he was just gently kicking along and keeping us company. Until he committed the faux pas of going after one of my beloved vermilion rockfish at the I-beams -- I kicked him for that !

Yanno....I think that I read somewhere once in some book written by somebody edumacated with pictures and everything that <gasp> seals eat fish....

bucknaked · Post by **bucknaked** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 6:37 am

I thought all the seals in Seattle were vegetarians.

Jeff Pack · Post by **Jeff Pack** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 7:26 am

I bet thats the same seal that followed us around our night dive there last weekend.

Matt named him "silty"

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 7:57 am

John, they're welcome to eat fish. They can eat all the shiner perch and striped perch they want, but they are to leave my vermilion rockfish ALONE!

This seal was quite distinctive, because he looked as though he might have tried conclusions with a boat prop or something at one time -- he had several almost parallel, long scars over his back and left side. And I've never had one so laissez-faire accompany us. Usually they're kind of frenetic, darting in and out of the dive lights in pursuit of fish. He just looked like he'd decided that being a third teammate was a nice way to spend a half hour! (He was swimming so gently that he didn't even kick up any silt, which was appreciated.)

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:45 am

Did you feel better after you kicked the seal?

And I agree, Kees is very very awesome.

John Rawlings · Post by **John Rawlings** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 9:07 am

LCF wrote:John, they're welcome to eat fish. They can eat all the shiner perch and striped perch they want, but they are to leave my vermilion rockfish ALONE!

Hee Hee Hee....Lynne, let me know how your "command presence" works out!

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 9:13 am

John Rawlings wrote:..... "command presence"

Now there is a term I haven't heard in a while.

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 9:51 am

"Leave those fish alone, or I'll fry you with an HID light!"

Hmm. I don't think it will get me very far . . .

renoun · Post by **renoun** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:10 pm

LCF wrote:"Leave those fish alone, or I'll fry you with an HID light!"

Hmm. I don't think it will get me very far . . .

Especially if you are test diving an LED.

Nice to see everybody last night even if it was just for

. I've got to get myself back in the water again.

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 10:06 pm

Yeah, it would be kind of like threatening the 800 pound gorilla with a water pistol

And yes, Ross, you need to get back in the water!

Northwest Dive Club