Look Mommy, no hands!

I can remember thinking back to being a kid riding your bike or in the backyard on the swing, one of the biggest enjoyments (and sometimes scariest times) was when you did things on your own.  You let go of Mom or Dad's hand, and stepped out to try something without them being right there.  It was a nervous time but also one of realization that you have been taught well and will be ok.  It was that way yesterday when Scott, the close friend of mine who got me into diving, was finally medically cleared to dive and as a result we headed up to Porteau Cove for a day of diving without instructors, my first ever.

Upon arrival, it was site check as usual, confirm water height, surface visibility, look for visible debris that would affect entry or surface swim, etc.  Then discuss the dive plan, decide on our objective, review safety procedures and discuss signals.  Then back to the vehicle to put together our kits, suit up, safety check (BWRAF) and then off to the water.  Once in the water it's a gentle surface swim out to the Grant Hall marker and then time to descend.

This was the first time Scott and I got a chance to dive together and my first time with out the "training wheels."  Our descent was almost picture perfect, per our plan visually follow the chain from the surface marker to the subsurface marker, then from there straight down to the deck of the Grant Hall.  A short stop to look at the deck of the steel tug boat, scuttled in March of 1992 and fast approaching 20 years under water, then a quick signal and descend beside the tug to explore under the wreck. A calm swim around the bottom gives us a great view of the ship and and some of the amazing life that now calls this ship home.  No octopus out, nor even signs that he had been around recently but lots of cracks and burrows under the ship that would make for some excellent dens.  After completing our circle of the underside of the ship we ascended to take a little tour of the deck and exposed hold looking at the Sunstars and Decorator crabs that occupy the walls.  Finishing our tour and having some air in reserve we decided to tour over towards the Centennial III, a steel dredge, and do a short explore of that wreck before a slow ascent, our safety stop and our final ascent to the surface.

It proved to be an amazing dive, great communication, good buoyancy control and perfectly safe.  The only complication came when reaching the surface.  You see as my computer switched over to count down my safety stop apparently it stopped communicating with my pressure transmitter so that when the safety stop time expired I had no indication as to what my remaining pressure was.  Now this turned out not to be an issue as we were surfacing anyways, but this could have been a major issue had this happened at any kind of depth or during this upcoming weekends Deep Dive certification dives.  Unfortunately what it did mean though is Scott and I had to call it a day after only one dive.  It was a good dive and a great day and I can't wait to get back in the water with Scott again.