Dive report: DIW, a testiment to team-diving.
Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 11:44 pm
I don't usually write dive reports (maybe 1 in 50 dives), but today warrants one. Not for a rare find, epic conditions, or an extraordinary experience, but because of how awesome a dive can be with the right team. The right training, experience, gear, and buddy can take what seems like a so-so dive, or one that could "go bad," and makes it an epic dive I tell my family about.
Today I dove DIW with Kathryn, Lynne, Peter, Kam, Nils, and Greg... vis sucked, current was "ok" but did pick up in areas, and generally conditions were "less than stellar." Kathryn and I teamed up, and after a head-to-tow and bubble check, we were headed for the wall... 90 seconds later, we had arrived (scooters are proof that God loves us). The following 80 minutes would prove nothing but extraordinary.
Despite the awful vis, the current, and the cold water, the dive was one of the best I've ever had at DIW. Well over a dozen GPOs and well over a dozen wolfeels later (I stopped counting on both), we had covered the entire south wall all the way out to the "amphitheater" and the entire north wall all the way out to the "crags," and were back in the middle of the wall. We only left because I had to get to a 3 year old's birthday party in Bellevue. Otherwise, we'd likely have stayed another hour - neither of us were even remotely cold, and we both had more than half our usable gas left. I suppose adrenaline and excitement from an epic dive will keep you warm.
What made this dive so great? The critters and the ability to see the "whole site" on one dive thanks to the scooters. What allowed us to scooter so effectively, stay together, and SEE all the critters that made the dive so great... our training, experience, gear (especially can-lights), and buddy awareness. These factors took what could have been a marginal dive at best, and made it wonderful. They had a direct result on how far we could explore (I swear we must have been half-way to Titlow at one point), how many critters we found, and how comfortable we were throughout the dive despite the conditions.
So in sum, I love being a team-diver. It may not be for everyone, but it's definitely for me... the relaxation that comes with utter confidence and comfort in your buddy is irreplaceable by anything else. Today could have been marginal, but instead it was one for the record books. Thank you to Kathryn for being my Apex-Buddy today... she was the difference that made the early wake-up and long drive all worth it.
Today I dove DIW with Kathryn, Lynne, Peter, Kam, Nils, and Greg... vis sucked, current was "ok" but did pick up in areas, and generally conditions were "less than stellar." Kathryn and I teamed up, and after a head-to-tow and bubble check, we were headed for the wall... 90 seconds later, we had arrived (scooters are proof that God loves us). The following 80 minutes would prove nothing but extraordinary.
Despite the awful vis, the current, and the cold water, the dive was one of the best I've ever had at DIW. Well over a dozen GPOs and well over a dozen wolfeels later (I stopped counting on both), we had covered the entire south wall all the way out to the "amphitheater" and the entire north wall all the way out to the "crags," and were back in the middle of the wall. We only left because I had to get to a 3 year old's birthday party in Bellevue. Otherwise, we'd likely have stayed another hour - neither of us were even remotely cold, and we both had more than half our usable gas left. I suppose adrenaline and excitement from an epic dive will keep you warm.
What made this dive so great? The critters and the ability to see the "whole site" on one dive thanks to the scooters. What allowed us to scooter so effectively, stay together, and SEE all the critters that made the dive so great... our training, experience, gear (especially can-lights), and buddy awareness. These factors took what could have been a marginal dive at best, and made it wonderful. They had a direct result on how far we could explore (I swear we must have been half-way to Titlow at one point), how many critters we found, and how comfortable we were throughout the dive despite the conditions.
So in sum, I love being a team-diver. It may not be for everyone, but it's definitely for me... the relaxation that comes with utter confidence and comfort in your buddy is irreplaceable by anything else. Today could have been marginal, but instead it was one for the record books. Thank you to Kathryn for being my Apex-Buddy today... she was the difference that made the early wake-up and long drive all worth it.
with water and drink it, not snort the powder directly from the packet, right? 
