and then the Winds came
When you have a hobby that occupies your time and keeps you busy alot of your problems are temporarily forgotten, and just when you think you are addicted to yours you meet someone more in tuned with theirs.
We had a wind storm in Kingston Monday afternoon and night too much waves to get a boat out the Windsurfers took to the lake. It wasn’t long before the newbies got out of the water, but the godfather of windsurfing in Kingston was all over the harbour while his students and team mates watched as waves crashed over the breakwater.
One thing about a good wind many people head to the lake to see the waves.
Photos from the waterfront here.
More divers diving in Kingston
Well after a month of training divers it just doesn’t seem to stop with 2 more OW courses, an Nitrox, AOW and rescue course all to be done by the end of Oct I guess I will be in the water more then I expected. I have already surpassed 200 dives this year and still counting.
This weekend due to winds we finished off in the quarry and ran drills for the AOW students, Search and recovery, Navigation and Peak Performance Buoyancy and 15 OW students from around town this week is enough for me to take a break, thanks to JJ whom came from out of town to assist me a few times in the last couple of weeks.
Photos from the Quarry here.
Some UER stuff – BCATP Hanger
During the second world war the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan was in full swing in Eastern Ontario, with at least 10 stations providing pilot and gunnery training. Kingston was of no exception.
The aerodrome hosted the Royal Air Force No. 31 Service Flying Training School, which provided advanced flight training in Battle and Harvard aircraft not with incident several aircraft crashed into the lake and still haven’t been recovered. Two were recovered and built into one at the entrance to the airport to pay tribute to the airmen that trained and lost their lives in the fight for justice and freedom for all.
Over the years the Hanger played host to many military related tasks and storage duties till 1972 when the property was turned over to the city for a municipal airport. Named after a popular politician Norman Rogers was ready for business.
The hanger was then used for aircraft maintenance, Training School, Tennis Courts, Fitness centre and finally a golf centre.
Pictures from the building in a state of demolition here.
Peak Performance Buoyancy
So we decided to up the ante and add some more bang for the buck what we decided to do was after the OW checkouts was to have the students and community at large attend a free buoyancy clinic in the local training hole. I had instructors and DM’s from other agencies as well attend to give input.
As well we have started constructing a platform to teach skills on keeping the students off the wrecks. Sort of a no touch policy from the start.
So if your visiting the quarry bring some milk crates to build on to the platform.
The night went well and all the students learned at least one new thing, and the quarry is still at 70 so lots of diving left there. Lots of photos of the quarry here.
Three New Divesites in Kingston
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So this week has been good for the diving community at large. The first site is a coal barge in 20 feet of water on the north side of a hundred foot sunken dock. Located in Barrett’s bay on Wolfe Island this 5 min swim from shore from the boat launch. Lots of fish and fishing tackle litter the site.
The second site made open to the public was not my idea but that of the community at large Adam and his friends lined the Tinto and I-Ho sailboat on the south side of Cedar Island in 40 feet of water. The swim though is 20 mins between sites and quite uneventful I image with more exploration items around the dive will be added.
Now the latest find of course the old guard has stated they have been diving for years, even though they couldn’t find the site with Dan and I 7 years ago on Side Scan Sonar. This little gem is located 487 NNE from the Tug Johnson was brought to our attention again this weekend. Mistaken as a sub trainer it appears to be a lifting barrel for wreck recovery at the turn of the century. Now three new sites and 4 wrecks in all to see.
Photos from the Barrel
When your down your down.
So after a very busy week of diving 21 of them btw yesterday we headed to the store and I took a few good customers out to go diving. Much to the shirgrin of the operators which actually turned a little ugly and embarrassing for them as now more regulars are keeping away due to the banging of the help.
I had forgotten a dose or two which I thought shouldn’t have any effect but yet another reminder that I lead a medicated life to stay off the edge and just enough to life day to day. The unfortunate part of this is that some people are just a little bit slower then everybody else and refuse to believe that people can suffer a mental illness and not function properly in certain aspects in life.
So the nightmares returned and the midnight strolls around the house are back as well as the raging blood pressure leading to more restrictions on what I can do and will do for the time being.
I used to be heavily involved in wreck preservation and for two weeks I posted pictures of peoples art sketched into a historical wreck which for 100 years had no autographs from it’s owners, now the mast is covered in graffiti. Guess what no response from the peanut gallery on an action plan.
I guess things only get done if someone else is making money other then me.
