Written 4-11-07:

It has been an insanely busy past few weeks.

During that time, I think I've only managed to dive ONCE and it wasn't a good one.

I am glad, glad, GLAD that I am learning some much needed lessons in the relative safety of local quarries though.

When you start certifying and getting into diving you start hearing this phrase: task loading. And you say, in a easy breezy manner (as a very new diver) *pshaw*!!! It'll be okay.

No. Not really. Task loading while diving is NOT something to take lightly.

Example:

I thought I was doing A-OK and added a camera for underwater pictures to a dive down in Alexander Springs. You would not believe what trying to take pictures, underwater!, does to your buoyancy and breathing techniques. Just a camera!!!!!

It makes a big difference.

So. Here I go with my stupid self again.

Situation: after two days of very intense seminar/instruction stuff, being tired, being frustrated and a bit stressed, deciding to dive by God, before I left that quarry.

Add to that: a new BC from the Aeris line that I was trying out instead of my regular Reefrider BC.

Add to that: a new dive site.

Add to that: almost no visibility in the water AT ALL.

I did not do well. Not at all.

So now, I've had a few dives in a row that just weren't all that great and I'm just really starting to doubt my abilities. Seriously. I need a day to get in the water and have a decent dive.

I probably should have called the dive but I thought that once we got down past the initial 30' or so that it would clear up a little bit. It didn't though. And I was way nervous because that quarry drops pretty quickly in depth and I didn't know the max depth and I was overweighted. I was wearing a small fleece instead of a medium size and the BC was different with the weight distribution being different.

Thankfully, the person I was diving with is very experienced, saw I was not in a good frame of mind, took hold of my hand and kept it and turned the dive. I don't know if I was just overstressed but I don't remember much about the dive. I know we had to swim with one hand in front of us so we didn't crash face first into a rock or something. Visibility was seriously 3' at most, 12" for the majority. Lots and lots of pollen and stuff making it all murky. I've not ever been in that kind of viz before and that was also an added stress.

BUT. These are things that I will take into account for any future dives. I didn't really want to write about this because I feel completely stupid and well, nobody likes to talk about being an idiot. But I'm doing this because it helps me remember and I'll have this to look back on when I become an instructor. (long time from now, but yeah, that's where I want to go.)

The good things about the seminar and stuff though:

Michael got the chance to dive with the brand new, not even released to the public yet, Datamask HUD from Oceanic. I knew I was diving a new BC and didn't want to worry about a mask that may or may not flood, fog, etc on top of all that.

It was pretty cool though. He filled out an official evaluation form. AND the viceprez of TDI was there and went diving as well so we got to meet him.

The seminar itself was absolutely intense and frustrating and I learned SO MUCH. Unbelievable. I've never in my life actually taken apart something that works and put it back together. But that's what I did. With regulators, first and second stages. I had some frustrating moments but managed to do quite well. I think I was the only one in there that had never taken apart any regulator before. Most of them had some level of experience already.

But it was well worth the time, money and effort and Ronnie, who taught most of the seminar (it was hosted by Blue Stone Quarry) is a great regulator fixer/cleaner/instructor dude. Very smart. The guy knows his stuff.

The only thing that sort of sucked about the whole thing is that I was like, the ONLY FEMALE there. And it's co-ed bunk room sleeping accommodations. I didn't realize that at first. That could have been a bit uncomfortable if I'd been by myself. No reflection on the guys there...it just would have been weird.

Photos:

Didn't take any underwater of course but a few of the quarry, really early in the morning.

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