Diving

[CALDIGR2]

Diving is pretty lucrative out here in CA, too. The local rivers are a treasure trove of killer artifacts from as far back as 10K yrs. Everyone dumped in the streams back in the day.

 

[diverdown2]

hey Wayne, whats a North East diver doing sugeesting someone consume that stuff called Miwaukees Best, He would be better off dring the water out of his wet suit.

 

[capsoda]

Hey Bill, I keep trying to tell Wayne that.[sm=lol.gif]

 

[mrbottles]

Hi Wayne,

We used to dive wet any time we could find open water. In December January and February that means rivers and high energy rivers too. There were times after two tanks where I couldn’t talk because my face muscles were not working right. I would take a bath in scalding hot water and after sitting in it for a half hour and getting out I would be cold again. Diving wet is one thing but diving wet when the current is at the pace of a fast walk and when the air is ten above zero is brutal! There is no shame in a dry suit. In fact the only reason Bob was diving wet this weekend is he tore his dry suit sleeve pulling out a pier. Honestly the water flowing like that is brutal in a crushed neoprene dry suit! I’m glass to hear there are other people that are as zealous as us. Do you have any secrets for staying warm? Some buddies from Illinois always dumped got water in their wet suits but I almost think that makes it worse. My brother had a lot of gear on but he was shivering cold after less than a tank.

Ya bottleboy Fondulac is one of many names that you have to wonder about around here. Back when Europeans took the land from Indians around here they must have felt guilty because they kept the Indian names. Oconomowoc, Fond Du Lac, Wauwatosa are just a few in a long line of city names you can read but you can’t pronounce correctly from this area.

Miles it is a lot of fun to do that. I can’t say for sure why but it’s a thrill to set those bottles up and send them off. A lot of times we leave old bottles at boat launches or on the sea wall or on peoples piers in front of their lake houses. People love it. They get a little bit of discovery just going about their business. Another fun trick is to throw junk bottles around fellow divers or right in front of where they are headed. We manage to get a great deal of entertainment value out of the worthless bottles.

Caldidigger the only thing we find beyond about 150 years old are rocks round here. A couple of bottle hunters with metal detectors found some old copper arrow heads last summer in a river some where top secret but other than that we have nothing that old.

That Milwaukee’s Best is poison. I don’t even think it’s made in Milwaukee. I think you have to drink some wet suit runoff to make that stuff palatable. There are some good microbrews from Milwaukee though. Milwaukee’s true best is pretty good!

Warren I’ll have you know I cried myself to sleep when I heard you just gave that bottle away… I don’t care if she is your wife! Did you see the size of Bob’s gallery? People are going to need to link to the nations fiber optic backbone to open that sucker when he is done. Hey speaking of fiber are you getting enough? I know you “Retired†guys some times need help to stay regular!

Whatever dude!

Steven

 

[capsoda]

Tips For Staying Warm.
1. Don't swim in water where icebergs live.[&:]

2. Always follow tip #1.[sm=rolleyes.gif]


Hey Steven, I didn't give the bottle away, she took it from me and I aint arguing with her.[] She loves the bottle and besides I got a great rootbeer amber Graf.[]

 

[southern Maine diver]

Steven... I like Warren's idea of diving, but that just doesn't cut it up in my northern world or in yours. Icebergs abound out here, small ones that you can float on and get some sun, but they are still here.

I learned a long time ago, that there are a number of things you can do to keep warm:

1) get your suits custom made, make sure the hood is an attached hood to the top (and get rid of the velcro beaver tail on the suit. The don't work worth a damn... use the nickle twist locks)

2) use the thickest suit you can dive, 7mm

3) get a farmer john bottom with spine pad

4) use a 2mm thick lycra (that's right Warren, Lycra) undersuit

5) use a neoprene turtle neck style "chicken" vest under the lycra to keep as much warmth in the chest area.

6) the ankles on your wetsuit bottoms should have "NO ZIPPERS"

7) wear a pair of cotton or lightweight woolen socks under your booties

8) always keep your suit in good repair. If you get a hole in it, make sure it is
fixed properly

9) use three finger cold water mitts for your coldest water. (I try to stay away from the attached gloves and latex cuff ring combinations. A little pin prick in one of your gloves and the dive is over.

10) One of the biggest secrets I can pass on to you is, use a "hot box" a well insulated styrofoam cooler with a tight lid will work well. Fill it up before the dive with hot , hot water and bring it with you. Keep spare pairs of gloves and booties in the box and when you get out of the water, swap these items over with the hot gloves and booties from your "hot Box" Makes a huge difference. If you don't have an attached hood on your wetsuit top, put that in the "Hot Box" as well.

11) After the dive and you get home, make sure to wash the suit ad hang it up to dry. There's nothing worse than getting into a cold, wet, smelly suit to start your dive. Part of being cold is a psychological thing as well... if you start out cold, you'll end up up cold somewhere through the dive[&:]

I have three wetsuits that I rotate into/swap out every other day, so I always start the day off dry, warm and comfortable. But again, I'm doing this for work, so I can justify the costs. The key to diving, most of the time and for me at work is comfort. If I'm not comfortable, I'll end up rushing the job and doing crappy work. If you do anything, spend the money on a good, properly fitting wetsuit, with an attached hood and layer up with the lycra and chicken vest. Mine are all custom Harveys, Rhino-hide suits and I get three or four years out of them depending on how much diesel and gasoline I jump in during a salvage job.[8|]

I stay in the wetsuit as long as I can because the neck seal on the drysuits are very painfull if you wear them all day.[:'(] As far as the "hot Box" idea goes, find a nearby Army Navy store and look around for the old aluminum shelled, super insulated field kitchen food container. Mine keeps the water hot all day long!!! Hot hot hot hot hot[] I'll get a photo of it so you know what I'm talking about. Also, if you're on a boat with even a small cabin, a tiny propane space heater, used with plenty of ventilation, will take away the chill.[&:]

You might want to print this version out and pass it on to some of your friends, they'll love ya for it![&:]

Stay safe ... stay warm and know when it's time to get out.
Now, go out there and find yourself another "iceberg" and take some more pictures...

Wayne[] Sorry this was so long, but you asked...

 

[capsoda]

Damn Wayne, You should write a book. Underwater bottle hunting 101, gear, safety and methods. I aint kidin man you should.[]

 

[DiggerBryan]

Thanks for all the info guys it really helped. I know plenty of places within a 25 min drive from my place. How much do you think start up costs are, not including certification?

Hey Wayne, I finally found a place where I can get certified to dive. It's still about a 30 min trip one way but it will be worth it. They also have gear and stuff so I'm gonna check it out this weekend. I called and they said I could be certified in two weeks? I was like whoa that's cool. I believe their prices were around 375.00. They also gave the option of private lessons which I think would be a better choice but it's more expensive. [&o]

Has anyone done any diving in Lake Erie??

 

[mrbottles]

Ha Warren,

Tip two is awesome but tip one doesn't make any sense! SHE TOOK IT?!!! Will I ever be able to sleep? She better be six eight and weigh 380!

Thanks Wayne,

I'll pass that on to Bob. He is the wet one for now. I might bring a cooler for my spare gloves though.

Don't forget pictures pictures and more pictures!

Steven

 

[DiggerBryan]

Oh yeah one more question for you divers.... do you ever have any encounters with snakes? I HATE snakes and just that would make me not want to get certified. [&o]