November dive, 197 months in a row
Location: Mermet Springs, IL
Date: Nov 7, 2019
Time: 11:02 am
Conditions: 38 deg. Overcast, rain, wind at 20mph
Equipment: Steel 120 (Grady’s), G2 dove computer (Grady’s), Galileo Sol (Grady’s), Galileo HUD computer (mine, yes I do have my own equipment), 5 mil wetsuit, hooded vest, 7 mil boots, 3 mil gloves.
Goal: Today I was taking a newly certified diver (not one we trained) for a couple of dives. He had just 9 dives and wanted to get more comfortable as a diver.
Heading to Nashville, Tennessee, and stopped in Metropolis, IL, to dive Mermet Springs. I can’t see getting this close to Mermet without stopping for a couple of dives.
I wanted my favorite dive buddy to be here with me today, so I asked to borrow some of his gear. Thank you, Deb, Justin, and Jared.
Checking into the dive shop, one of the first things Glen Faith told me was “Grady has your dives today.” Damned eye seals started leaking again. Glen and I talked about our mutual friend, Grady, for about 30 minutes. He told me I could use the special heated area to gear up.
Yup, we used the shower house to gear up. No wind and nice and warm.
First dive: was from the far left dock from where I normally dive from. Headed left to the train car and the plane. Water temp at 50ft was still a balmy 59 degrees and 20 plus foot of visibility. 30-minute dive, I was still nice and warm.
Second dive: after a 1 1/2 surface interval we headed to our normal dock and went down to the 80-foot platform then dropped to 100-foot. Visibility at 100 feet was the best I have ever had there. I could see to the end of my flashlight beam, at least 40 feet. The temp was a brisk 46 degrees F so we did not stay there long. We headed to the wall then worked our way back to the school bus and back to the dock on that side.
After diving, we went by Fort Massac, the first time I have been there. I did not realize it was a Revolutionary War-era fort.
Too cold to do too much touristing, but I will research and check it out sometime after the spring thaw.
2 wonderful dives today and I really loved having Grady there in my heart. And my damned eye seals are leaking again. Thank you, Grady, for being with me in my heart during these dives today.
#gradyiswithus. #extremesportsscubafamily