Dive Report 18 April

I've been so busy I have not had the time to post the bridge reports. No kidding, this is the first time in several days that I actually have a few minutes to report what the conditions WERE (this is obviously a day late). GET DOWN THERE! We had 40' of vis yesterday in seventy-nine degree water. I wore a 3mm suit as did two of my students. Another student didn't wear an exposure suit and was fine for our one hour dive. With vis so exceptional it was easy to find the upside down wreck, see almost all the way across the boat channel, and see fish and critter activity for quite some distance. We watched a big southern stingray followed by several blue runners. There were two octopuses looking out of holes at us. Sharptail eels foraged about under the fishing pier. Conditions are absolutely fabulous! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 9 April

I wasn't able to dive the bridge today, but Carrie accompanied three friends for a one hour dive. The water temperature was seventy-seven; Carrie reported that she was too warm in her 5mm fullsuit. The three friends in 3mm suits were comfortable. Vis was ten to fifteen feet depending on whether they were off the beach or out by the channel or close to divers who were unaware that they were almost walking across the bottom. Parking was challenging as a beautiful day attracted many picnickers. If you can only be at Phil Foster on a weekend and the tide is in the afternoon, it is prudent to get there early. The parking challenge on the weekends only gets tougher as we get into warmer weather. Get there early and get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 7 April

The water temperature was back to seventy-five after having been in the sixties for a few days. Vis is still rather short, no greater than ten feet. My students were in 3mm suits (one in one suit, the other in two) and both were comfortable for our one hour, twelve minute dive. I was dry in anticipation of cold temperatures. Thanks to Tobin for pulling the flag and taking the accompanying photograph. It was a beautiful day to be there. Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 3 April

Warmer water made for a very nice one hour, one minute dive. At seventy-seven degrees we could have stayed longer, but one student really enjoyed almost all the air in his aluminum eighty so we had to call it quits. Vis was in the fifteen feet range BEFORE the 3,712 (official count) students entered the water. Admittedly, a couple of my students helped contribute to the shorter vis until I used the stick. We blew bags at the channel as part of the advanced open water course and reviewed open water skills such as mask removal and alternate air source ascent. We had a very successful dive, pushing our students to reach a greater comfort level. Get in the water, Ham