Dive Report 25 September

If you didn't mind riding the commuter train at rush hour, you wouldn't have minded diving at Blue Heron Blvd. Bridge. Carrie, a diving friend, Jan, an open water student and I entered the water about forty-five minutes before slack high tide. Off the beach the vis was maybe fifteen feet in eighty-four degree water. None of us were in wetsuits for our one hour, nineteen minute dive. (Carrie and Jan did an hour, twenty-nine minutes). I wasn't even cool; it was very comfortable. But once the Mongolian hordes came crashing in from across the Asian steppe, the vis fell off dramatically as did the elbow room. It was so crowded at the boat channel we opted to not go through "the canyon" for fear of becoming wedged in there with the four hundred twelve other divers who were all trying to go through at the same time. We'll have to establish a maximun occupancy for that area. Ah, for the weekdays! Anyway, despite the somewhat crowded conditions we saw some pretty interesting critters. The little web burrfish kept posing for me. "I'm ready for my close-up." It kept turning offering me different angles. I'm used to them skittering away as fast as they can go. Not this one. It was in love with the camera. Great fun. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 9 September

It was a two-seahorse day, one black and one orange. The water was eighty-four degrees; none of the six of us had a wetsuit on and we were all fairly comfortable for our one hour, thirty-two minute dive. Carrie and I were showing a newly certified diving family how we navigate at the bridge. They did the compass work and they carried the reel and dive flag. We entered the water well before slack high tide and had to deal with the current, but the twenty to thirty feet of vis on flood tide was worth it. One of the girls was carrying the reel and flag while her sister took pictures. The seahorse pictures are hers. A weekday 9:33 high tide was a sweet time to dive the Bridge. Very few people were there. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 4 September

Better conditions have returned! The water is a toasty eighty-six, but more importantly, the vis was between ten and fifteen feet. HOWEVER, it is Labor Day weekend and parking is at a premium. We arrived two hours before high tide and got the last two spots at Phil Foster. For our one hour, twenty-one minute dive we were all comfortable without wetsuits. As a few intoxicated locals started a heated argument that had all the potential of blowing up into a fight I remembered why I try to avoid bridge dives on weekend afternoons. The weekday early morning high tides are absolutely the nicest times to dive the bridge. So, if you have the option, skip work to dive the bridge; it's worth avoiding the weekend. Get in the water, Ham (The photo: The kids had played hooky if you missed that episode. If you do not know who these people are you have had a deprived childhood. I'd complain to my parents.)

Dive Report 3 September

It was a great day for compass work; we had 5' of vis! There were actually some other lunatic divers in the water. This is a picture of them. At least we had a good reason to be there. Advanced open water navigation work does not require much vis. Why the others were there is beyond me. In five feet of vis we had a very difficult time keeping track of each other let alone seeing anything that did not bump into us. The eighty-six degree water was pleasant. Again, no wetsuits were required for our one hour, twenty-eight minute dive (no, it did not take us that long to find our way out!) A pre-dive electric storm cleared the parking lot that contained only a few cars in the first place. My students had a great dive being very successful at following compass bearings. The dive turned out much better than I expected. It is not surprising to be surprised at the Bridge. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 2 Sept

The short vis was bound to come after all the turmoil offshore from Danielle and Earl. We had only between 6' and 8' of vis, but that did not affect the enthusiasm of a very excited twelve year old who just wanted to dive, no matter what. I love that kind of energy and I really enjoy diving with children who are so excited to be on this great adventure. This motivated young boy brought his father along with him into the open water class. I much prefer to see the child bringing the parent rather than the parent bringing the child; it makes an enormous difference in the experience for the child. Anyway, everything we saw, including a bandtail searobin and a sharptail eel, was up close. My young buddy pointed out EVERYTHING with great excitement. He was a very good buddy, staying by my side throughout the dive, but not on top of me. My young student was in a 3mm wetsuit for our one hour, three minute dive and was very comfortable. His father, Carrie, and I did not wear wetsuits and were very comfortable in the eighty-six degree water. We can learn much from children; it can all be new if we see as a child sees. Get in the water, Ham