Pacific Taco
09-19-2008, 09:02 PM
We did our pool dive a couple of weeks ago and the coursework wasn't too tough so today was the day for our first shore dive. Nate got sick and Eric was out of town so I figured that it was going to be called off another week. John Metzger (my instructor) said "Nah, let's bang one out anyway" and I met him at the OEX shop around 8:30am.
We did some equipment shakedowns, fixed some leaky regulators and then we were off to the beach.
Can I just say that I hardly slept last night with anticipation, anxiety and a touch of fear battling it out in my brain? My initial concerns were all about pressure and head clearing and breathing problems. Not to spoil the story but none of them became reality in the least.
A pre-flight check of all systems and we were stomping through the surf. Pretty soon the surf was stomping on me, too. Some comedic attempts at putting on my fins was followed up by a drinking contest, me vs. ocean. Ocean wins. Finally past the breakers we gas up the BCs and backfloat our way to 15' water.
Testing of the nerves begins here - spit clean the mask, clear the regulator, check the computer and down I go. Then back up. Then waving my arms around to push down...then back up. I'm a freakin bobber! Roll around and keep purging the BC to get alllll the air out this time and exhale and...I sink. Kinda. Now i'm upside down. John turns me around and gets me settled on the bottom. Clear the mask practice. Then he tricks me into giving him the thumbs up sign and I owe him (another) beer. OK. I'M OK. Thumbs up bad. OK good. I'll learn it someday.
That new map on the ground back up on shore is so awesome. John had stood on a YOU ARE HERE symbol and showed me Vallecitas Point, our destination. At this point of the dive, as we're slowly tracking downhill over sand dollar beds, I'd forgotten about that goal. The sand dollars were incredible in both numbers and their color. Having only ever seen them dead and bleached the purple was a surprise. Before I knew it we were knocking on 30' deep. All at once any thoughts of anxiety or pressure were gone.
Soon we were at the lip of the canyon and it....was....so....awesome. I swear those sea slugs were as big as my head! The sad truth of this dive is that I was breathing like it was my job and I'd rocked out from 2700 to 550 in a flash. We turned tail on the canyon edge after less than 2 minutes but I'd achieved a depth of 59' without even trying. Back at the shore I stumbled into the sand without too much embarrasment and we dropped our gear. My legs were jelly my brain was toast. I can't wait to do it again.
21 minutes
59'
Water temp 55F at the bottom.
--Drew
We did some equipment shakedowns, fixed some leaky regulators and then we were off to the beach.
Can I just say that I hardly slept last night with anticipation, anxiety and a touch of fear battling it out in my brain? My initial concerns were all about pressure and head clearing and breathing problems. Not to spoil the story but none of them became reality in the least.
A pre-flight check of all systems and we were stomping through the surf. Pretty soon the surf was stomping on me, too. Some comedic attempts at putting on my fins was followed up by a drinking contest, me vs. ocean. Ocean wins. Finally past the breakers we gas up the BCs and backfloat our way to 15' water.
Testing of the nerves begins here - spit clean the mask, clear the regulator, check the computer and down I go. Then back up. Then waving my arms around to push down...then back up. I'm a freakin bobber! Roll around and keep purging the BC to get alllll the air out this time and exhale and...I sink. Kinda. Now i'm upside down. John turns me around and gets me settled on the bottom. Clear the mask practice. Then he tricks me into giving him the thumbs up sign and I owe him (another) beer. OK. I'M OK. Thumbs up bad. OK good. I'll learn it someday.
That new map on the ground back up on shore is so awesome. John had stood on a YOU ARE HERE symbol and showed me Vallecitas Point, our destination. At this point of the dive, as we're slowly tracking downhill over sand dollar beds, I'd forgotten about that goal. The sand dollars were incredible in both numbers and their color. Having only ever seen them dead and bleached the purple was a surprise. Before I knew it we were knocking on 30' deep. All at once any thoughts of anxiety or pressure were gone.
Soon we were at the lip of the canyon and it....was....so....awesome. I swear those sea slugs were as big as my head! The sad truth of this dive is that I was breathing like it was my job and I'd rocked out from 2700 to 550 in a flash. We turned tail on the canyon edge after less than 2 minutes but I'd achieved a depth of 59' without even trying. Back at the shore I stumbled into the sand without too much embarrasment and we dropped our gear. My legs were jelly my brain was toast. I can't wait to do it again.
21 minutes
59'
Water temp 55F at the bottom.
--Drew