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Click To Enlarge
From Tom Pritchard . . .
I'm assuming that if you don't how to get somewhere, then you can't be charged with getting lost. Gerhard Maree and I decided to make a trip to the caboose last night. The trick to finding the caboose is finding the stone arch entry along the south wall of the quarry. We started well by compassing from the lobster shack to the Quest, a significant feat for a pair of directionally challenged divers. We roped it to the fire truck and then swam off its stern and tracked the wall at a depth of 40 ft. After kicking up a lot of silt, we turned it and came back at 30 ft., still looking for the arch. At one point I thought we wandered though the arch and found the caboose, but this caboose had tires and looked a lot like a certain fire truck. On the way back via the Quest we took a side trip on the "new" rope that heads south from Bubba across the bowl. After crossing the boat that turned up last year in the center of the bowl, the rope ends at the uprighted boat between the VWs and the Minnow. This wasn't good news for me. Unlike Gerhard, who is sporting double hp 120s these days, I had a single hp 100, with a Smokey's fill no less. We backtracked to Bubba, froze at the safety stop, and slipped our way up the steps at 62 minutes. Viz was up to 10 ft. last night, at least in front of us. Even with the water temp up to 43, I was glad I left my boyz in the lobster shack snuggling next to the world's largest wood burning stove. And a good time was had by all!
From Darth Vern . . .
Well it seems we wrapped up the Ice Diving season this past Sunday. I am thinking the ice will be gone by this weekend, but you never know!
What a great dive day on Sunday, ice was pretty thin, so we cut in from shore, well actually Dennie cut in from shore. By the time help arrived he was all but done. His only regret was not needing his newly acquired "Ice Chainsaw"! I could see the Bainbridge Chainsaw Massacre coming, so I am glad we didn't use it. After Cindy and Palmer helped finish sculpting our hole [no pun intended], we paired off and got geared up! Cindy and Sharon Slieker-Jones [our York import] teamed with Wild Bill. Rock, Mayo and Nate were a "menage." Palmer stayed to dive last with Dennie and Me, Mark and Huck were off to see the hole! Luckily Jim Weakland and his buddy were nice enuff to run us a white nylon rope from the hole to the platform where the Xmas tree was laying over. So everyone followed that line, then wreck reeled from there [well we did at least - AND I GOT PICS TO PROVE IT] We tied off at the metal crap holding down the platform and we were off to the Pennsy. Decent viz[10-12ft] there and were headed to the dozer where we encountered the same viz, mostly clear but dark as night! We then shot for the deep boat and over the ridge into the hole! Clear but very dark, my DiveRite HID did very well down there. I felt a little "narced" around 115ft, been awhile since I had some good pressure on me! We spent a minute or two tooling around and we headed back to the dozer, and on to the platform to retrieve the tree!
Now this is where the "fun" started! We stayed on our plan till this part! Since we really didn't have a plan from here, we winged it - which was probably quite the sight. We placed Diver Dans xmas ornament on the tree and took a few pics! I then decided to use my 100 lb. liftbag and lift the cinderblock that was the base for the tree. So I got it up and pretty neutral, then my buddy Mark decided to kill it with some more air. A good 20' elevator ride to the ice. So I go get it and dump some air and ride it back down a few feet and Huck decides to kill it with some more air [thanks] and back up we go. So by this time I am pissed and cursing pretty good. So I leave it there, tie off my wreck reel to it [to give me finning room] and I tow it back to shore. Mark helps by pushing and Huck of course does nothing [real surprise there, huh] So we finally make it back to shore and I am tired as all heck. We solicit some help to get it up the steep path, but of course it ends up me helping to pull it up the steep path, with Rocks help! We strip the tree of ornaments and misc. things and we dispose of it! Another successful year for Breast Cancer fundraising!!!!!!
We then returned to the hole to have some fun with Dennie other new toy - these HUGE ICE TONGS!!!! We were trying to pick up ice and then each other of course, to no avail! It just proves my theory "have a bunch Smokeys divers stand by a rock pile and a rock fight will ensue." We then waited for Dennie and Palmer to return so I could try and tong one of them. I got Dennie pretty good, but couldn't lift 'em! So anyway a great warm day and plenty of fun had by all!!!!
Keep on diving and LIVE THE ADVENTURE!!!
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