End of the 2012 Dive Season

Once December rolls around every year I like to look back at my dive season and note my accomplishments as well as gather ideas for how the upcoming year can be even better than the last.  This year I had planned to do a lot more diving but  I ended up with only about 30 dives to wrecks such as the Resor, Astra, Baleana, Flour Wreck, Arundo,  N. Lilian, Durley Chine, Somerstadt, Stolt Dagali, Granite Wreck, Sea Girt Wreck, Caribsea, Shurz, Atlas, Pappose an several dives to that well know quarry in PA.  Most of my dives were on deeper wrecks since I had the itch to dive those wrecks that are not dove very often.  I think the best two dives of the season were on the Durley Chine and Somerstadt, I hope to get back to these two wrecks again someday.  Thanks to the Independence II for creating such an exciting dive schedule this year and for encouragement by various crew to reach for the stars.  I did, achieve two great milestones that will no doubt go down in my log book...

One milestone was being able to introduce my daughter, Rebecca to the underwater world of NJ Shipwrecks.  I could not have picked a better day or wreck.  I can still visualize the outstanding visibility and the bottom of the ocean as it was covered with huge flounders.  This first dive on NJ wrecks was kind of like the first time your child drives a car, very scary and yet proud!  Rebecca will be furthering her dive education by taking Nitrox and Advanced Diving over the Winter/Spring of 2013.  I hope to have her join me next summer in North Carolina.  We will however, have to figure out what to do about her seasickness problem....

The other major milestone at least for me, was finally completing my NAUI Trimix Certification. This course was a long time in the making... I owe a lot of gratitude to Geoff Graham for taking me through the course and being my dive buddy on all of the dives.  This class of course did not come without complications, I received two undeserved hits of skin bends.  I am still trying to figure out why this is happening on Trimix only.  The two main reasons I have discovered is since I am always cold, I may not be off-gasing properly or sweat is reacting with the Trimix that I breathe causing a skin rash.  I will be spending a lot of time over the winter trying to figure this out because it concerns me greatly.  Even with these issues, I completed all of the required dives and endured.  Who said this diving thing is easy...

I finally finished editing the video and photos from the best dive I ever had, it was like a dream come true..I had sharks, sting rays and dolphins all in one dive on the Shurz Wreck in North Carolina.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did:

Since Christmas is quickly approaching I would like to ask that you all support your local dive shop this year. The Hurricane has effected so many businesses I am sure the local dive shops could use a little extra business to make up for those losses.   I know I have a Santi heated vest and an Aquatica Housing for my new Nikon D7000 on my list. I will be spending Christmas out in Utah skiing, hmmm... maybe I can use that Santi heated vest while skiing to keep me warm.  Wishing all my dive friends a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  As always Be Safe and Happy!!!