"I love diving, its so quiet down there it makes me able to hear the voices in my head much clearer" anonymous
I was officially certified on July 29, 2006. I set a goal for myself of 100 dives for my first year.
Today I did Dive #86. It does not look like I am going to make it. I have shared just about every dive with you guys. I know some were not all that exciting, but thanks for hanging in there with me. You have been my friends, mentors, teachers and dive buddies, and this first year of diving has been special. Thank you.
Inlet dives are my favorite. I love looking in all the little hidey holes and poking the fish and other marine life. I think that these are my favorites because the inlet was my very first real dive, not a training dive. It changed my view of the ocean forever.
Today the air was a warm 90 F and the water a comfortable 70 F. I have missed diving in just a 3ml and it was a treat. I had the pleasure of diving with some members of the Pt Pleasant Dive Team and we had a great time.
Seven divers went in the water with a combination of giant strides and Jersey Rolls and we headed out. Although the water was warmer here, we still didn’t see any mature fish but there was no shortage of smaller bait fish, blennys, cunners and little bitty flounder. The starfish abounded and I looked about hoping to catch sight of one of those blue starfish that was recently sited. I didnt find any of those but did see an abundance of crabs of various sizes, some small hermit crabs, a little sea robbin and a strange fish hiding in the security of an empty clam shell that I still have not identified. It is obviously a tropical that took a wrong turn and ended up in Jersey instead of Bermuda. It was a darkblue or black and had fan shaped fins like a sea robbin and an orangey-red thingy on its forehead reminiscent of an angler fish. Any ideas guys?
As we swam along we collected a few fishing weights, they were just about everywhere. The water was quite clear and ambient light provided all we needed for all but the deepest cracks and crevices as we checked to see who was home. Several times we stopped to break open a mussel and feed the local fish. They were shy for about 3 seconds and then they were all around us looking for more. I tried to coax several crabs out of their hidey hole with one but they wouldn’t cooperate. I love to watch them eat. Their claws are so agile, like little chop sticks, they are a treat to watch when you can.
As the tide changed we headed back in along the wall thick with mussels and sponges, hydoids, algae and aneomes, and along with the obligatory sinkers that were collected, one diver picked up a fishing pole. Someone topside was not paying attention.
I am sure we could have stayed longer just relaxing and enjoying the sights, but at 58 minutes we went up and........... I got out.........up the rocks .............. on my own .......... With just a little struggle. I am getting better. A day in the water.... The best.