Vobster - even the ducks hated the rain...

Nick, Julie and I braved the elements.

Now Julie is a very intelligent woman (why she's with him I'll never know...) and decided she was coming down with a cold and would do shore cover.

I'm not saying it was raining hard but even the ducks were sheltering!

There were waves at Vobster!
Drysuits on - then unpack the rest of the kit. All checks completed and into the water.
Over to the deep hole bit and down to the trapeze. Bubbless checks OK so down the line.
Water temperature is 9 degrees at 12m.
Nick's Salvo became a glimmer at 25m and just about disappeared by 30m!
Water temperature of 3 degrees!
My HID torch just about showed the shotline 6" away.
Bugger this, back up the line to 20m, and the warm, clear water and swim over to the cruiser.
Viz here was good, we could see the Wheelhouse thingy from the cruiser.
The usual tour was completed and after 50 mins we got out.

Ducks still sheltering from the rain...

Dive two. Usual trip through the tunnel, but in reverse!
The crushing works looked very good in the clear water.
I then decided to see if it goes dark on the wall by the 15m platform. 20m OK. 25m urrghh, Nick stops at 26m and loses sight of me 4m deeper!
Back up the wall and along to the exit point.
Gear packed away - Julie is rewarded with the promise of a trip to Clarkes shopping village on the way home with Nick.

I just came home...So my final dive of 2006, and it was a bit of fun!
I'm now off to decompress with a pint or 3 of Doom Bar in the Globe...

Solstice

The Standing Still of the Sun.
A poignant day for me. I contemplate the past, present and future.

I called upon the Air, Water, Fire and Earth Spirits from the North, South, East and West.

This year I was deeply moved my perspect on the future. I did not realise how important a certain person was to me, and how much support I wanted to give her.

Post Christmas plans

This will probably be the last dive of 2006 for me.
The plan - Vobster quay
Why? because I know I will be able to get in the water, achieve a depth of 30m and get a bacon butty post dive!

Car parking space booked, Nick and Julie are coming. It will certainly be better than doing the "sales"

Drysuits..

I'm a big fan of O'Three suits.
My 2.5mm Lycra being the Dog's!
It has finally - after over 500 dives - come to the end of its life...
Bubble checks when diving now have to exclude the bubbles of air coming through the suit material!

Well on Saturday, I collect my new suit! a R200/1! Unfortunately not in black...

I was looking forward to trying it on Sunday.. but the weather gods are going to be against me!