Day 15 Gear Class and Night Diving

Howard covers the compressor system.

After breakfast and morning briefing we completed and reviewed our enriched air nitrox exams.  It was challenging however it was satisfying to learn so much and really be able to grasp what we are doing when we lower the nitrogen and increase the oxygen in the air we are breathing and how it is accomplished.   

Derek enlightens the group.

We were planning a deep dive and a night dive so we had a quick lunch where we worked on gathering and organizing the data from yesterdays boat dives into a map and ecological survey then we headed to the dive locker.  We had a really amazing afternoon class that helped me really understand my gear a lot more.  First Howard covered the compressor and tank filing. Then we focused on our gear. We started with tanks, on the difference between steel and aluminum but more a focus on how they are marked for DOT or CT (CA transportation) then a real detailed instruction on what the hardware on the top is doing.  We worked from the tanks to our BCD’s where we removed and replaced the dump valves, looked our own BCD’s over closely.  Next we focused on regulators starting from the valve, then the first stage, and ending with us taking the basics off of our second stages down to the diaphragms and looking inside to see how they work. By then we realized we had run out of time today for a deep dive so we headed to town for dinner.  Effie and I headed out early and got treats at the patisserie and hunted down the post office by pointing to where the stamp goes on a blank postcard.  We all met up and had crepes or gyros and headed back to prep for our night dive.  I paired with Leslie and Lee and the dive as amazing!   

I love cut-aways!

We say so much more life at night including an octopus that played with us for a little while, many squid, huge shrimp, tiny shrimp, some mantis shrimp (!) many little crabs, and many different fish. Everyone was exhibiting different behavior than we observe during the day.  It was truly amazing!! Life changed so much after dark.  One squid really liked my light but then would freak out, it kept leaving to the edge of the light, then coming back, eventually it swam down my body, into my leg, inked and swam off.  When we got out, Effie sadly had a urchin spine in her foot so we all watched Dr. Begley try to get it out, entertainment for all. I then headed home to log my dive and get some rest. Additionally we addressed worries for both oxygen toxicity and nitrogen narcosis.

Best shop combination, gas station, bridal store.