Florida and the Keys

[puddlejumper1]

Just heading out for my trip to Florida! A week of sun fun and oh a heavy dose of class. When I return I will be freshly certified in Advanced Nitrox, Decompression Procedures, and Helitrox. I will let you all know how it goes and maybe throw in some pics. :o

[Omicron]

So how did it go??

Any good plans to see some new wrecks with the new skills??

[puddlejumper1]

OK so I have not responded in a while. This has more to do with my job problems than anything else.

The trip was a mixed success. I drove down and took my camper. Stayed the whole week at the Miami Zoo (This is a old Navy base and some land was set aside for camping.) The campsites are nice and clean and the bathrooms are to.

The classes I took were great!!! The scuba shop we used was awsome as well (). I really learned a lot while down there.

The bad news was the weather. Blowing all week long and nice high seas. We were the only idiots out on the ocean that I could see. I got a couple of dives in at a lagoon that were ok. The one thing I will say is that I had hell of a time getting my bouyancy dialed in for down there.

The drysuit worked ok (hot as hell) but I had a lot less undergarments than I usually wear. I have not done my diving in the ocean and was unsure of my weight that should be used. The next time I am going to spend a whole dive dialing in my weight. Lots of bouyancy problems and only the two shallow dives to correct them did not get me to where I wanted to be.

The one dive I got to do was in 5-7' seas with a 2 1/2 - 3 knot current. This is a hell of a lot of current. We were stuck on the line due to the dive boat operator being uncomfortable with trying to spot our bags on the high seas. I mean it was hold on for dear life and watch your bubbles go straight down your bodies, cuz they were flapping like a flag in a hurricane. The one highlight was the 20'+ whale shark on the ascent line.

The next day the seas were the same and my confidence in the boat operator was not good so I thumbed the dive.

I left before the last dive (it was pushed back to Saturday cuz of the weather & I had to get on the road).

Long story short I had fun but have to finish some skills and dives for my deco prcedures card ( The weather did not help). I did pick up Helitrox and advanced Nitrox though.


Over all I am glad that I took these classes in the Ocean. I really got to learn how different an animal it is. I am really comfortable in my enviornment but have to start over when diving a new one.

My plans are for a couple of dives in the 150 -180' range this summer to hone up my procedures.

I am thinking about the

Walter B Allen 158-170'

Rouse Simmons 155 - 168'

But mostly I am diving in the 130 - 150' range for the summer.

I don't know if I am going to finish up my class in Florida or just see if I can finish it up here. This would only be because of fundage though. 8)