Saturday, September 01, 2007

Rescue Diver Scenario # 1
Portsmouth Olympic Harbour, Kingston ON N 44° 13.0', W 76° 31.1'
   Dive Number 51 Buddy
Phil
Surface temp
21°C
Starting pressure
3000psi
Depth
23ft
Visibility
fair
Time
20m
Water temp
22°C
Ending pressure
2300psi

Notes:

For the first rescue scenario, Mike paired me with Phil and Theresa with Sylvain (who is not taking the course presently, but agreed to participate in the capacity of "victim"). We were told to spend about fifteen minutes swimming around and then meet up where the line meets the pipe. Phil and I made it to the stop sign and back where we eventually found Mike and then Theresa and Sylvain.

In the role of "victim", Sylvain started grabbing at his right calf and communicated via his slate that he was meant to be bleeding badly from a cut. We made a controlled ascent together and Phil applied pressure as we swam him [no small distance] to shore. Teresa called help while Phil and I dragged him ashore and then applied a bandage and waited for EMS. There were no major mishaps, and all in all it was a good rescue.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

George T. Davie, Kingston ON N 44° 6.8', W 76° 34.8'
   Dive Number 50 Buddy
Sylvain
Surface temp
24°C
Starting pressure
3000psi
Depth
89ft
Visibility
fair
Time
26m
Water temp
13°C
Ending pressure
1200psi

Notes:

For my fiftieth dive, I was joined by Sylvain for the weekly club charter to the George T. Davie, a wreck that neither of us had been on before. The 1898 Coal barge features an interesting lifeboat and a crane for the viewing pleasure of divers, but it lies in 94 feet of water, and a chilly thermocline rested between 70 and 75 feet.

Sylvain and I had the good sense to wear head protection, but we probably ought to have opted for our heavier gauntlets as well.

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Stovin Island Drift, Brockville ON N 44° 33.3', W 75° 43.0'
   Dive Number 49 Buddy
Sylvain
Surface temp
28°C
Starting pressure
3000psi
Depth
89ft
Visibility
~50ft
Time
29m
Water temp
23°C
Ending pressure
1200psi

Notes:

Our second dive was as good as the first; Sylvain got off to a rocky start when the aforementioned experienced but careless [ie ought to have known better] diver descended on top of him and kicked him repeatedly when trying to swim away. Sylvain and I had a relaxing dive and saw lots of medium sized walleye. The other [400 dive] diver failed to follow the directions and ended up on the wrong side of Stovin Island.

Lillie Parsons, Brockville ON N 44° 33.3', W 75° 43.1'
   Dive Number 48 Buddy
Sylvain
Surface temp
26°C
Starting pressure
3000psi
Depth
89ft
Visibility
good
Time
32m
Water temp
23°C
Ending pressure
1200psi

Notes:

On the Treasure Hunt Dive two months ago, I won a two-tank dive from Martin Dive Charters as my prize. This weekend, I took the chance to get two dives in with Sylvain.

Most of the other divers were from Ottawa or Gatineau, most of whom were friendly; one kind of loudmouthy guy was present; I feel bad for the person who got buddied up with him.

The Lillie was interesting to see, lots of people seemed to be filling their bags with charcoal, but we just enjoyed getting the views of the wreck and the drift.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Pumphouse, Kingston ON N 44° 13.4', W 76° 28.2'
   Dive Number 47 Buddy
Scott
Surface temp
25°C
Starting pressure
2900psi
Depth
33ft
Visibility
fair
Time
56m
Water temp
21°C
Ending pressure
1250psi

Notes:

Scott and Kim made plans to have a night dive tonight, and I seized the opportunity to join them. Kim buddied up with Pierre, and Scott and I went together. We lost the line out to the wreck, so instead, we "explored".

We saw catfish, lots of bass, and a couple large pike. There was a couple smooching on a park bench as we got out of the water, but like the other wildlife, they scattered when we got too close.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

The Comet, Kingston ON N 44° 08.35', W 76° 35.1'
   Dive Number 46 Buddy
Phil
Surface temp
26°C
Starting pressure
3200psi
Depth
80ft
Visibility
good
Time
26m
Water temp
17°C
Ending pressure
1900psi

Notes:

Our club dive got rerouted to the Comet tonight because of good conditions - the clam water isn't always there, so we went half an hour out to the Comet. The water was clear and it was warm above the thermocline, about five feet off the bottom.

My buddy was not someone I had been out with before; he had some difficulty with his ears getting down, which may have led to some increased air consumption. We came up with 2000 still in my tank, but the dive was still excellent.

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Wolfe Islander II, Kingston ON N 44° 13.5', W 76° 24.9'
   Dive Number 45 Buddy
Jean-Olivier
Surface temp
17°C
Starting pressure
2950psi
Depth
79ft
Visibility
good
Time
31m
Water temp
11°C
Ending pressure
950psi

Notes:

Jean-Olivier and I were the first on the wreck of the Wolfe tonight (the Queen Mary dive was rerouted because of weather), and we quickly descended on the bow and navigated around the base of the ship. We looked for the open door at the front of the engine room from the outside, but got disoriented, so instead we went in from the chimney and swam out from there.

We also ventured into the salon before coming up.

There was agreement about the cool temp at the bottom; I had been diving with a beanie instead of a hood. Mike was diving wet for the first time in over a year (his drysuit is under repair).

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Marine Museum, Kingston ON N 44° 13.4', W 76° 28.2'
   Dive Number 44 Buddy
Sylvain
Surface temp
26°C
Starting pressure
2850psi
Depth
37ft
Visibility
good
Time
35m
Water temp
15°C
Ending pressure
1550psi

Notes:

Sylvain had suggested that after our charter dive to the Munson tonight, anyone interested should consider a night dive at the Marine Museum. Our usual entry at the museum was unavailable, but Scott and Kim (who had been on the Munson with us) joind us for some supper at the Lone Star, and we all joined Jim and Tracey after sundown for the dive.

The dive was gentle and uneventful; we saw lots of perch (or were they walleye? Scott thought so), some mudpuppies and some catfish. Feeling a bit of a chill, Sylvain and I turned around and navigated back to shore neatly.

Also a footnote, I have started estimating the quality of the visibility instead of the length, so instead of writing things like "~25ft", I'l put more useful info like "excellent", "good", or "crap".

The Munson, Kingston ON N 44° 12.6', W 76° 36.5'
   Dive Number 43 Buddy
Sylvain
Surface temp
30°C
Starting pressure
3050psi
Depth
108ft
Visibility
good
Time
24m
Water temp
8°C
Ending pressure
1250psi

Notes:

Only six of us came out for the club's charter dive this week.

It was Sylvain's first dive on the Munson and my first dive with my new gear: BC, reg, and my own weights. All in all it went well, but I was a little frazzled going down the line (with a little water creeping in my mask as well), and after 14 minutes in the cold, I was ready to turn around and come up.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Wolfe Islander II, Kingston ON N 44° 13.5', W 76° 24.9'
   Dive Number 42 Buddy
Sylvain
Surface temp
28°C
Starting pressure
3000psi
Depth
75ft
Visibility
~30ft
Time
31m
Water temp
11°C
Ending pressure
1000psi

Notes:

I am beginning to think that the Aloha/Effie Mae doesn't exist. This may be the fourth time that I have been on a dive to it which has been changed to the Wolfe Islander because of high winds.

Fortunately the Wolfe continues to offer us new excitement. In a break from our usual convention, we were the first ones off the boat, and saw no one else on the wreck for a while. We used my line to navigate each other through the engine room, and also found the bubble of stale air in the salon. It's kind of surreal to be at a depth of 50 or 60 feet and take your reg out of the mouth to speak. You have to put it back in to breathe though!

I remember feeling last year like I had been on the Wolfe so many times that it had nothing more to offer me, so it's a treat to discover so much more!