The World through our Lenses

So on my Dr’s advise I headed to the Swine Flu Clinic after my workout and arrived about 1115 about 20 mins later they closed the line and stated there was a 4 1/’2 wait.

So a few anxiety attacks and sweating bullets for most of it I came out alive. The whole thing was a total cluster fuck. They handed out the questionnaire and didn’t even tell you if you choose yes to any of them if you would be treated. Imagine if you waited 4 hours to find out you couldn’t get the shot.

Waiting in line for 4 hours is something a solider is use to so it wasn’t that bad, but there was people in the 350 lb range (women) dragging chairs and not letting the elder sit down. Two people brought dogs with them as they pissed on the floor they ignored it. One even took out a hearing aid label for her dog, and with no hearing aids she was carrying on pretty good. I spent the afternoon twisting to get people to talk to my good ear.

The came the needle the nurse jabbed me pretty hard, and I could help telling her so as well. I guess after 500 people that day you get sloppy. But it’s all good now and just have to wait for the regular shot now.

Here in Kingston, Ontario we normally know the end of the wetsuit season is closing when we host the annual underwater Pumpkin Carving contest. This years event like most was held in the quarry. Surprising the water was a full 5 degrees warmer then last week when I ran the OW checkout dives.

Upon arriving to the quarry the base club was exiting so we missed them, we would have been there at the same time but a few customers came in.

Also most of the moorings are now down with the exception of the Munson and Wolfe which we will drop his week after a photo shoot take place.

So thanks to all those this season that enjoyed yet another great season, and for those coming with me to Grenada at the end of Nov the countdown has started. Don’t forget about the night dive on the Munson this week.

So yesterday was my birthday and my regular dive buddy, John and Pat Coyne from Pat’s Charters in Kingston took me out to the Comet and Marsh for some birthday diving. That was after my Dr’s appointment where he announced that it was time for a drug shakeup. I got my ticket paid for to head to Grenada and some apple pie to boot. Life yesterday was simple and today when I finally crawled out of bed I went for a drive instead of the Gym.

I also started uploading pics to the site mostly Scuba ones and soon more then that but little bit at a time.

So what do you do with 10 divers after all the training is done. Go diving of course and yesterday we did just that. Off to the Marsh which was supposed to be the Comet but due to some waves which made the jug hard to see we stubbled across the Marsh first. After lots of discussion and time and depth lectures off we went.

We got treated to some good visibility and with the good control of the gang the wreck saw no silt. Marsh pics like always here.

Then off to the Comet and man oh man at least 60 feet of vis and fish in the millions or so. I took Ross as buddy on this one have being on it a few days before knew what to expect. So everyone got in the water and I took ross down 5 mins before the rest and showed him what diving is all about. For those that havent seen a wreck in Lake Ontario covered in fish have a look at this video clip.

Thanks for all that helped, assisted or took part in the last couple months of dive training it was a long road but like always the diving make up for in the end. Ross your a good sport and I wish you the best in the future, you can come diving with me at any time.

Pictures for the Comet like normal located here.

So the weekend is here and it’s cold as winter. However I have a bunch of students that still wanted to dive in the quarry and lake. First up Thursday Michelle and Scott finished off the OW program in the Quarry.

Then Friday off to the Comet and Davie for the final dives of Kelsey’s AOW course and she nails the drills like an old pro. Congrats to her.
Then for her wreck dive she choose the comet and Michelle joined her as I took photos of the pair of them,
The coolest thing about the dive was the appearance of about a million fish give or take one or two.

Congrats Scott and Michelle for finishing the OW course and Congrats to Kelsey for nailing the AOW course. It was cold and hard but it paid off in spades in your skill levels.

For the first time in a while I played with my video editor and made a short video of the students in the quarry this past month. I still have about 20 more students to finish off this month so hopefully it will be still doable.

Enjoy

So Saturday we dove the Comet and Marsh lots of fun and two of the advanced class finished up. Like troopers they have have decided to stick around and finish off their mates. Some of them have even completed upwards of 20 dives for this cert.

Sunday came and we all got our fill of turkey and family fun then back to the lake on Monday for more diving.

First Dive was the Kattie Eccles. Dark and clear the wreck and offering lots of new goodies as divers keep looking off the stern and sides finding artifacts and placing them on the wreck. Off to the Sheyboygan for more diving and then on the way back in I decided a third one on the Comet was in order. Afterwards we met up with the zodiac crowd and off to home for some well deserved rest

Again congrats to the students you worked hard and earned id.

So I get ready to take out some students for open water check outs and I state to one of the advance candidates to work on skills hovering. Well much to my surprise my OW students take note and complete all of their drills hoovering. Well done Kelcy and Michelle. Part 2 next week

I got on the bike with Sean and drove around the county for the afternoon stopping in Napanne for lunch. We decided on the chinese restaurant called NEW YORK dining. Well the service was kinda old fashion and right out of a bad movie. Whadda want, whadda like no manners needed but the food was plentiful and ok.

Napanee was in full swing of the Halloween spirit and merchants had started dressing up dummies and lining main street with them. Pictures are here.

So looking for some fun in Kingston try Fort Fright at Fort Henry lots of stuff to see and enjoy, I am only going to make the trip once this year making my trip total 2 for this year vice the 12 or so I normally make, 5 bucks for parking is a little steep. Pictures here.

Soon I will finally get a break but sometimes being busy helps the mind for the time being. I haven’t much time to myself the last couple of months and now am feeling the run down feeling I suffer from. At least I have been able to get the students trained and ready to go for the upcoming school year classes being held in Florida and Bahamas.

So this weekend is the start of the end of the student season and off to get some personal diving in as well. The best part of this year has been the absence of the local clowns raising, stirring and spreading rumours.

I have also open a few more sites for the diving public and plan on revealing a few more before the boats come out as well for shore diving access providing we get the line in for safety reasons.

This class was just like the good ole days and the students learned and made the course for me. Ross who took the blunt of the punishment was a solid stand up guy for the weekend and almost became the diver of the weekend, but I have to give that to the 2 girls who on the last dive just nailed it. For the AOW students I shedded a tear of pride when Serge was flat and knees up watching the students go through what is now known as the circle of death.

The circle of death is the name of the new line laid in the quarry, what I have been doing is bringing them to the small hole at 8 feet. The start off doing a fin pivot and when ready to swim follow the line, stopping at the car hood, toilet, boat, car, boat, boat, boat, table all doing a drill at each stop. By the third time around all where hovering and flat.

Thanks for making my weekend good as the winter sets in I will reflect on it.