October 15-16, 2005
Bainbridge Scuba Center
EANx & UW Navigation Specialty Training

 

It was a great weekend on the dive site at Bainbridge.  The sun and blue sky put everyone back into the dive spirit and helped us launch two days of dive training.  Congratulations to Steve Craul, George Dunlap and John Sokso for completing their PADI Enriched Air Diver Specialty training.  Their new happy gas rating will enable them to enjoy all the benefits and myths of enriched air diving, especially as we head for North Carolina wrecks and sharks in November.  All three of these guys were very well prepared and ready for both classroom and dive site training.  Thanks guys!  Recognition goes to John Sokso for also making his way toward his Advanced Open Water certification.  John completed three Adventure Dives over the weekend: EANx, Deep and UW Nav.  His AOW training will be completed on the NC trip as we add Boat and Wreck Adventure Dives to his experience.  John is new to the PADI system as he holds a YMCA Scuba Card from 1988.

Congratulations to Joe Dormer for completing his PADI UW Navigation Specialty.  We're now confident Joe will be more proficient in finding his way into MORE trouble.  Seriously, Joe did a stellar job of running the nav tasks.  I mentioned only casually that the Nav-Finder was a cool UW nav tool and that I would be showing Joe how to use it.  He took the initiative to acquire his own Nav-Finder and become familiar with its use before class.  It took two attempts during the UW multi-point (5 or more points) compass run for Joe to find his way home but it is not an easy job; maintain depth, maintain heading, steady and appropriate number of kick cycles, read new heading, document course on Nav-Finder.  If you might be interested to learn more about UW nav and the Nav-Finder, I'll be glad to teach you during your very own UW Nav Specialty class.

Many thanks to Mark Muenzen for joining us as a PADI DM candidate in training.  Mark is working with Kathy Stevens to complete his DM work and used this OW continuing education class toward his Practical Application requirements.  For those who know Mark, he is a great guy to have on the dive site and is very good in the water with students, with positioning and communication.  We recounted the day way back when, when we dealt with his free flow at 95'.  I was sure the nickname FreeFlow was going to stick; little did I know "Slice" would trump that deep water experience.  Thanks Mark, come back soon!

Pic:  Jim Brown, John Sokso, Joe Dormer, Steve Craul, George Dunlap

 

Check your Calendar!

 

I have one oyster dive scheduled for Saturday, December 10th, in the Bay; the captain is pretty busy!  The boat takes six divers to about 10' or so and we harvest those little darlings right off the bottom.  This trip has Pritch, GMan, JoeD, Ralph & me already committed (Ralph, are you IN?).  We can take two more, call or email me.  We leave York about 4:30am to arrive Kent Narrows by 6:30am.  The boat pushes off by 7:00am.  We're back at the dock by noon, home by 3:00pm.  $60pp, paid to me in advance.  If the harvest delivers, we each bring home one bushel of oysters.  I have my name on the waiting list for cancellations so we can book another oyster day, hopefully in November.  Little known facts: http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/egg/egg0298/oyfacts.html  and another interesting read: http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/oysters/

Pic: Oyster Dive October 2004 - Ralph Spayd, Joe Dormer, Jim Brown, Gerhard Maree, Tom Pritchard

 

 

Sunday, December 11, 9:00am at BSC - Smokey's UW Christmas Tree Event.  Anyone interested to help sink and secure the tree, arrive at 9:00am.  Decorators (especially wet suiters) are welcome to arrive later to minimize exposure but you're sure to miss out on half the fun.  Vern and I are coordinating this family event.  More details to follow regarding food/drink/decorations but for those who know this annual buffoonery, lots to eat & drink and whacky & tacky decorations are the norm.  We'll have a bonfire roaring so we encourage bubble watchers to join us (moms may want to keep kids away from the decorations bag!).

Pic:  Smokey's UW Christmas Tree 2004

 

Descending Again!

Jim Brown
PADI OWSI 183347