Oceans of Opportunity

Tag: Scuba diving

Dive #4000 this Sidemount Saturday

My technical beach excursions have gained some attention the last few weeks, and I suppose with reasons to be understood as I schlep a diver propulsion vehicle and a few sidemount bottles to the beach of our most popular local dive site where openwater training is the norm. Over the winter, I had the place…

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the ABC’s of a BC(D)

During my most recent dive outings, I decided to take a step back to the simple life and dive with only a backpack (no buoyancy compensator) This tends to draw some cross-eyed looks at the dive site, but in the mud diving world this is the norm. It also happens to be the way I…

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Swimming through a bowl full of jelly

Yesterday I spent a few hours at LURC to tidy up the place, and unpack from the recent journey to Hong Kong. Much as I do after many field excursions, I then headed off on a leisurely local dive in Jamestown for no other purpose than to keep some water flowing over the gills and…

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Diving Site Safety & Supervision

Diving itself, aggressively anyway, is very much a young man’s trade. To realize any longevity in the field, rising to some form of supervisory position is an inevitable path. While incredibly rewarding to facilitate productive work underwater, the stress that comes with being responsible for other people’s lives can be overwhelming. Diving Supervisors (commercial industry),…

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an underwater workforce

On a near daily basis, I end up engaged in inquisitive dialogue about my line of work as an undersea professional. My sense of normalcy is apparently a ‘wet’ dream for numerous others. While its far from all fun and games, the allure of the underwater world is indeed what keeps me motivated to explore its…

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lessons from day one | refraction in diving

Strike one, strike two, strike three – this was  how I started my morning as I was swinging a hammer topside to tack up a pile wrap system while working under a pier. I just plain missed the nail three times. I then switched to my left hand and struck out again. Hmmm…something’s up. Then it…

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back to black(water)

Back at it – last winter/spring I partook in what was the single longest stretch of commercial diving that I had experienced. The project ran nearly daily for almost 6 months, requiring upwards of 30 hours of underwater time per week. Aside from the sheer exhaustion, I faced a number of other quasi-health problems which…

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you guys have it made

‘Oh really?’, was my surprised response to the comment from a  well-to-do client as we reviewed the scope of work for a project from his 15th floor office overlooking Boston Harbor. Have it made? I guess you have to put life in perspective. Out on the water everyday, underwater most days, dodging the cold, constantly wet…

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descents are optional, ascents are mandatory

“Descents are optional, ascents are mandatory”. Those words have echoed in my brain continuously since reading them not long ago in Jill Heinerth’s Blog, Rebreatherpro.com, where she described a recent bad day of cave diving. Regardless of any mishaps or misfortunes, those words are so very true. What complicates the ‘ascents are mandotory’ part of…

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