For the newer divers

dsteding · Post by **dsteding** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 8:55 am

Lynne (TSandM on Scubaboard) asked me to cross post this here:

Bob (Grateful Diver) had the brilliant idea of organizing monthly mentor dives a while back, and Lynne has taken initiative to keep them going. Next dive will be August 22nd at Cove 2, they are usually after work, show up, get paired up with a mentor, and splash. About 5:30 start time is the usual window-in the past people would show up from about 5:30 to 6:30 and Bob would pair people up as they came.

This used to be primarily a group of really great DIR types, but it looks like it will expand a bit to non-DIR mentors as well. If you are at all interested in what DIR is about, it is a good opportunity to dive with some people that are quite willing to mentor you. However, if DIR isn't your thing, don't be driven off-there will be many types of divers there, and the primary goal is to get some bottom time and experience for us newer divers. They aren't going to task load us with no-mask OOA drills and ascents . . .

I've done these dives a couple times now, and I've found them to be very helpful and loads fun-some of the coolest dives I've done. Everyone has been very friendly and super helpful.

I've even met some great dive buddies through them.

Hope to see you all there, post here, or over on Scubaboard's Orca Bait forum so we can get a headcount.

Nwbrewer · Post by **Nwbrewer** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 9:14 am

I've done one of these buddy dives and will say I had a great time. If nothing else if you've never dove cove 2 it's a good chance to go with some folks who know where all the cool stuff is to point out to you. Saw my first GPO under the honeybear when diving with one of the mentor divers, all in all a good time, and a good chance to meet folks.

Jake

BASSMAN · Post by **BASSMAN** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 10:33 am

I would like to be there on Aug 22nd. (Tuesday!)
I have just over 50 logged Dives( 51 as of today)
And now I'm learning more and more on each dive.
I would like to learn more about DIR So, count me in ! (if my schedule permits it).
I'll take all the mentoring I can get!

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 11:38 am

i would like to come. right now i am scheduled to be in town, but my work travel can be somewhat unpredictable. perhaps put me as a conditional yes, and i should know for sure by the friday prior.

dsteding · Post by **dsteding** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 12:38 pm

thelawgoddess wrote: i would like to come. right now i am scheduled to be in town, but my work travel can be somewhat unpredictable. perhaps put me as a conditional yes, and i should know for sure by the friday prior.

Conditional yes it is-as Sounder notes it is sort of a show up thing, but it is good to have some idea (roughly) of head count.

BTW, meet up time that Lynne set over on Scubaboard is 6 pm, it probably doesn't hurt too much to show up earlier and I'm sure there will be some people showing up a little after 6 as well.

ppiecuch · Post by **ppiecuch** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 3:04 pm

UPDATE:

I have a Divemaster class on the evening of Aug 22, so I won't be able to make the Cove 2 dive. Crap.

Looking forward to the next dive!!!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I can mentor ( Divemaster Candidate ) and am looking forward to meeting you all.

Paul Piecuch

dsteding · Post by **dsteding** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 10:30 pm

So, this is next week, Lynne has scared up a bunch of great mentors, including, quite possibly, the board's own Lamont (providing he follows Bob's advice and lays off the chili-cheese fries), and Bob (Grateful Diver) . . .

In fact, Lynne is a bit worried we don't have enough newer divers. So, if anyone is looking for bottom time with a great group of divers, come out to Cove 2, this coming Tuesday, the 22nd at 6 pm.

Lynne will be driving a red Audi wagon, I'll be in a black infiniti QX4, Bob is going to be in his Orange Honda Element Dive Machine . . .

Reply here or over on Scubaboard in the Orca Bait forum if you are interested, it will be a great time.

lamont · Post by **lamont** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 11:33 pm

dsteding wrote:So, this is next week, Lynne has scared up a bunch of great mentors, including, quite possibly, the board's own Lamont (providing he follows Bob's advice and lays off the chili-cheese fries), and Bob (Grateful Diver) . . .

I'm an efficient offgasser... =)

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 10:01 pm

hey, this is still on for tomorrow, right? i dropped my tanks off at nwdc for fills at lunchtime and hopefully they had time to fill them since. i had two great dives with calvin and nailer on sunday and am feeling a lot more comfortable than i was a couple of weeks ago, so i'm really excited to go again. $\:D/$

Grateful Diver · Post by **Grateful Diver** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 6:45 am

thelawgoddess wrote:hey, this is still on for tomorrow, right? i dropped my tanks off at nwdc for fills at lunchtime and hopefully they had time to fill them since. i had two great dives with calvin and nailer on sunday and am feeling a lot more comfortable than i was a couple of weeks ago, so i'm really excited to go again. $\:D/$

Yep ... we're diving this evening. See you there ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Zen Diver v1 · Post by **Zen Diver v1** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 7:27 am

dsteding wrote:.
Bob is going to be in his Orange Honda Element Dive Machine . . .

Otherwise known as the Bob-mobile

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 1:11 pm

well, when i called at 11:30, my tanks weren't ready. i was planning to get my tanks at lunch time, but that didn't work out too well. i just called again ... still not filled, but they're going to top them off with air so i can at least go diving.

so, i have a question ... how many tanks do you guys own to avoid having to go through this every time you want to dive? i mean, if i didn't already own two tanks, there are several times i've gone diving that i'd have been shit out luck (for eanx anyway) because they didn't have any rentals available. (well, i suppose i might not have been entirely shit out of luck if i had time to run around and look for a rental elsewhere, assuming it was during business hours.)

Grateful Diver · Post by **Grateful Diver** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 2:04 pm

thelawgoddess wrote:well, when i called at 11:30, my tanks weren't ready. i was planning to get my tanks at lunch time, but that didn't work out too well. i just called again ... still not filled, but they're going to top them off with air so i can at least go diving.

so, i have a question ... how many tanks do you guys own to avoid having to go through this every time you want to dive? i mean, if i didn't already own two tanks, there are several times i've gone diving that i'd have been shit out luck (for eanx anyway) because they didn't have any rentals available. (well, i suppose i might not have been entirely shit out of luck if i had time to run around and look for a rental elsewhere, assuming it was during business hours.)

I own nine tanks ... and sometimes it still isn't enough. Fortunately, I also keep my friend Jock's eight tanks in my garage.

Glad you're gonna make it, Kaia ... I'm hoping to dive with ya ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 3:33 pm

NINE???

lamont · Post by **lamont** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 3:47 pm

thelawgoddess wrote:well, when i called at 11:30, my tanks weren't ready. i was planning to get my tanks at lunch time, but that didn't work out too well. i just called again ... still not filled, but they're going to top them off with air so i can at least go diving.

so, i have a question ... how many tanks do you guys own to avoid having to go through this every time you want to dive? i mean, if i didn't already own two tanks, there are several times i've gone diving that i'd have been shit out luck (for eanx anyway) because they didn't have any rentals available. (well, i suppose i might not have been entirely shit out of luck if i had time to run around and look for a rental elsewhere, assuming it was during business hours.)

I had that problem and bought another two E8-130s and it really helped. I tended to have two full tanks I could dive off of while the other two were getting fills.

dsteding · Post by **dsteding** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 7:00 pm

I have four tanks, and it isn't enough. Six seems to be about right-that way you can have three tanks at the shop waiting to get filled and have three out for a cruise.

Of course, all the tanks in the world don't help when you have to work all the time . . . it is 7 pm, I am sitting at work and getting my diving fix by checking this board instead of being out at Cove 2 on such an awesome day.

I bet the viz is great as well. Oh well, at least I'm making some money to buy some more tanks.

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 11:10 pm

so, does anybody have 6 matching LP steel tanks they want to sell me for cheap? or trade for a cochran commander plus? or my first-born child?

i wanted to thank tsandm for organizing the buddy dive tonight.

i had a great dive with grateful diver (and friend) - my longest diver ever at 48 minutes! $\:D/$ the two coolest things i saw (thanks to bob's eyes) were a sailfin sculpin (i think that's what he called it) and a decorated warbonnet. the warbonnet was REALLY, REALLY cool!!! bob (and another guy whose name i don't know) gave me several pointers on my rig and were really helpful. i find that i do like diving with other people sometimes because i get to see the way other people do things and it helps me develop more confidence than i would if i were to just keep diving only with my boyfriend. thanks again, everyone, for being so nice and supportive of us newbs!

Grateful Diver · Post by **Grateful Diver** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:35 am

That was fun, Kaia.

Wes (the other guy) is an old friend who I haven't dived with in a long time.

Wish the vis would've been better (it was basically a night dive at 50 feet) ... but we did see some cool critters. Wish I'd have brought my camera (it's already packed for Bonaire) ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

John Rawlings · Post by **John Rawlings** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 6:52 am

One of the firm rules of diving is this......YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH TANKS.

I currently have 17 tanks out in my garage, ranging from the smallest at 6 cf to the largest at 112 cf....I got rid of my 130s a while back because my old, tired back couldn't handle them any longer. Singles, doubles, stage bottles, pony bottles, argon bottles, rebreather tanks.....the list goes on and on, and every now and then I STILL look with lust upon tanks that someone else has or look "real purty" in a catalog!

- John

Zen Diver v1 · Post by **Zen Diver v1** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:30 am

John Rawlings wrote:One of the firm rules of diving is this......YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH TANKS.

- John

That actually is a sub-heading of Valerie's Dive Rules #4; There's no such thing as too much dive gear.

-Valerie $\:D/$

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:49 am

](*,) dammit!!!

where can i find valerie's dive rules??? i have a feeeling i should have been given these before i signed up for this ...

Tangfish · Post by **Tangfish** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:58 pm

Yes, I have to agree on the tank-envy. Early on, I never gave a second thought to tanks, probably because I was diving overseas and all they ever have are AL80s. But, once I got my first tank, an LP95, I was hooked. Now I have 6 and I'm considering more.

lamont · Post by **lamont** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 2:57 pm

Calvin Tang wrote:Yes, I have to agree on the tank-envy. Early on, I never gave a second thought to tanks, probably because I was diving overseas and all they ever have are AL80s. But, once I got my first tank, an LP95, I was hooked. Now I have 6 and I'm considering more.

I've got double-119s, double-130s, two single 130s and now two Al40 deco bottles.

I think I need to bust up the 119s and make them singles, and setup two double-130s. I'd also like a single set of smaller doubles like HP100s or LP85s. Beyond that I'll just need to add a couple Al80 stage/deco bottles and maybe a couple more Al40s and I think I'll be fairly set for anything I'm likely to do around here.

The real expense seems to come when you start storing gear, including tanks, down in florida and mexico so you don't have to ship/rent tanks down there... And of course you need at least two or three sets of doubles so that you can be diving while the other ones are getting fills... eepsh...

Zen Diver v1 · Post by **Zen Diver v1** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 2:58 pm

Well, sheesh, I guess I'm gonna have to get more. I've only got four LP9s, one pony and one argon bottle...

-Valerie

dsteding · Post by **dsteding** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 3:16 pm

you know, this got me thinking that we should do a board group buy on tanks-if there is enough preliminary interest, I could approach my LDS and see if they'll give a break on tanks bought in bulk . . .

Northwest Dive Club

For the newer divers

For the newer divers

Aug 22 Cove 2 Dive