Advanced Open Water Dive 3: Underwater Navigation
Portsmouth Olympic Harbour, Kingston ON			N 44° 13.0', W 76° 31.1'
Dive Number 21		Buddy Mike	Surface temp 15°C	Starting pressure 3050psi
Depth 30ft	Visibility 20ft	Time 44m	Water temp 16°C	Ending pressure 1000psi
Notes:	For the third of my five Advanced Open Water dives, I got caught up to Sylvain, who had already completed his Navigation. After the review session with Mike (which was enriched with a discussion of dissolved gases in blood that has been depleted following blood donation), we got over to Portsmouth Harbour (despite the rain) and began. After travelling three times along a 100-foot length of rope, my calibrations are as follows: (20,19,19) kicks over 100ft = 5 ft per kick (73,70,65) seconds for 100 ft = 1.3 ft/sec or 7 seconds for 10 ft Mike was generous with praise for my attempt to navigate a 100 ft square with the compass. My first attempt landed me within 10 feet of the target, which was gratifying. I continue to be weighted in a way that leaves me bottom-heavy. We'll have to try affixing some of the weights to my shoulders sometime. Oh yeah - we also took a surface bearing of the stopsign, from which the tower over Kingston Pen is 60 degrees (Northeast), and the line through a smokestack and right edge of a footbridge is 300 degrees (Northwest).

Advanced Open Water Dive 2: Peak Performance Buoyancy
Kingston Psychiatric Hospital, Kingston ON			N 44° 12.9', W 76° 31.3'
Dive Number 20		Buddy Sylvain, Mike	Surface temp 21°C	Starting pressure 2600psi
Depth 40ft	Visibility 20ft	Time 45m	Water temp 17°C	Ending pressure 1100psi
Notes:	For my second Advanced Open Water Dive, Mike took Sylvain and I to the KPH, where we followed the pipe out to about 30 feet and did some fine tuning of buoyancy. I learned that while 20 pounds is the right amount of weight for me, I ought to carry about 4 of it on my shoulders if possible; else I return to a feet-down position when resting. People throw a lot of junk off the pier at KPH. We saw a computer, a printer, a lawn mower, and several cafeteria trays. Mike also spied a cigarette lighter, and Sylvain picked up a golf ball.

Advanced Open Water Dive 1: Night Diving
Marine Museum, Kingston ON			N 44° 13.4', W 76° 28.2'
Dive Number 19		Buddy Sylvain, Mike	Surface temp 23°C	Starting pressure 3000psi
Depth 36ft	Visibility 10ft	Time 36m	Water temp 21°C	Ending pressure 1800psi
Notes:	This was the first of my training dives for my PADI advanced open water dive. I learned that although $9.00 Wal-Mart lights are cheap, they're no substitute for bright underwater lights. Also learned a couple more things that I ought to add to my wishlist: a noisemaker, a light beacon, a whistle (I may have a suitable one of those already). I already knew I needed an underwater compass. We managed to find the line and the wreck, saw a few fishies, including a medium-sized pike (about 50 cm?) which swam right past us. Overall very relaxed.

Stacked Hulls, Kingston ON			N 44° 13.0', W 76° 31.1'
Dive Number 18		Buddy Sylvain	Surface temp 30°C	Starting pressure 3000psi
Depth 32ft	Visibility 5-10ft	Time 47m	Water temp 21°C	Ending pressure 1200psi
Notes:	When choppy water resulted in our evening dive being cancelled, Sylvain and I decided to take another try at getting to the stacked hulls. Our strategies included: surface swimming as far as we could while still seeing the line swimming above the lines instead of on the lines to use less air swimming slowly as to reduce air requirements Our attempts worked to a degree - we made it as far as we had on the first dive, but had overexerted ourselves and were out of breath, so turned around. We'll try again another day. The visibility was miserable anyway, so it will be nice to try again when we can see more.

Stacked Hulls, Kingston ON			N 44° 13.0', W 76° 31.1'
Dive Number 17		Buddy Sylvain, Kevin	Surface temp 30°C	Starting pressure 3000psi
Depth 45ft	Visibility ~30ft	Time 38m	Water temp 21°C	Ending pressure 1400psi
Notes:	Sylvain and I were joined by Kevin from the Dolphin Club, and we attempted to find the renowned "stacking hulls" which are reputed to rest at the end of a long line. We collectively decided to persist until one of us reached a pressure of 1750, so that we'd return with ample air. Unfortunately, this meant we did not make it to the stacked hulls. Also, I revised the log to include a little more data. I hope you love it.

Marine Museum, Kingston ON				N 44° 13.4', W 76° 28.2'
Depth 30ft	Time 20m	Temp 20°C	Starting pressure 3000psi	Ending pressure 1400psi	Buddy Jason
Notes:	For our second dive, Jason and I went around to see the underside of the Alexander Henry. Jason felt unwell, and we returned to shore in time for him to throw up in the water. We returned his gear to Limestone Dive around noon

Marine Museum, Kingston ON				N 44° 13.4', W 76° 28.2'
Depth 35ft	Time 40m	Temp 20°C	Starting pressure 3000psi	Ending pressure 1400psi	Buddy Jason
Notes:	Jason and I got up to do this shore dive from the Marine Museum off Ontario Street. We followed the line out to the wrecks and returned to shore by the logs and what appeared to be a railway truss.

Robert Gaskin, Brockville ON				N 44° 35.4 W 75° 40.6'
Depth 62ft	Time 27m	Temp 22°C	Starting pressure 3000psi	Ending pressure 1300psi	Buddy Sylvain, Jason
Notes:	Jason came to Kingston to dive, so he, Sylvain and I attempted a plonge à trois with the Dolphin Scuba Club. While the dive was good, there was some discomfort with the three of us trying to manage together. On the plus side, the dive itself was excellent, and the $9.00 lights I picked up at Wal-Mart for Sylvain and I worked very well.

Wolfe Islander II, Lake Ontario, Canada				N 44° 13.5', W 76° 24.9'
Depth 75ft	Time 30m	Temp 15°C	Starting pressure 3200psi	Ending pressure 1200psi	Buddy Sylvain
Notes:	When the buoy was reported missing from the wreck at the KPH, our charter went instead to the Wolfe Islander. Although Sylvain and I have been before, it was a good dive. A chilly thermocline between 50 and 60 feet was incentive enough for me to get a beanie hat afterwards. Sylvain amused us all when he tossed the bowling ball over to Sylvia - not anticipating the weight, she tipped right over!

S.S. Keystorm, Lake Ontario, USA				N 44° 25.8', W 75° 49.3'
Depth 71ft	Time 34m	Temp 17°C	Starting pressure 3100psi	Ending pressure 1250psi	Buddy Sylvain
Notes:	This was my first dive of the season and my first ever with the Dolphin Scuba Club, the club at CFB Kingston. Sylvain gave me all the info and they have great membership deals and cheap rentals. On the advice of the club VP, I rented a hood and bought gloves since the club didn't have any. The gloves were a necessity, but I did without the hood. The wreck was pretty cool to check out; Sylvain and I went into one of the great holds and swam out another. Hopefully, this will be the first of many dives this summer. Other club members seemed friendly, and Sylvain and I ought to get out with them more. I ought to get a light, and the right amount of lead for my belt.