May dive
I just got back late from Panama City Beach yesterday evening around 11:30 p.m., I had a good size class this weekend so we had to split it into two boat trips. The first boat trip left the dock around 8:30 a.m. We had 15 people on that trip and on the afternoon trip we had 13 people. The boat is only allowed 15 max besides the captain and one dive master.
Lets talk about the morning dive. We got to the dive shop at 7:30 a.m. and got all the legal paperwork signed, we met over at the boat at 8 a.m. We got the tanks loaded onto the boat and signed the boat roster. Every student and my divemasters got our gear set up and checked. Once the gear was checked the Captain gave his safety briefing he headed out of the dock. While on the way out to the channel, the boat divemaster gave his briefing.
It took about 30 minutes to get to the dive site which was the Dan Safety Barge. The dive is a 62 foot dive to the bottom so its perfect for open water students. The conditions of the water where almost perfect with no real waves or current at the surface. The bottom visibility was only about 20 feet with little or no current. The surface water temperature was about 79 degrees but once you got past 40 feet the temperature was 74 degrees.
One of my students was a 10-year-old young lady and I was really apprehensive because she had trouble clearing her ears in the pool and in the jetties on Saturday, I had her and her dad go in last in front of me in case any issues came up with her ears not clearing. She was also a little afraid but she did her giant stride behind her dad then I quickly jumped in behind her. As I followed her down I noticed she seemed to have little or no problem clearing her ears and we got to the barge without any problems.
We swam around the wreck until her gas hit 1000psi then they headed back up the anchor line, did their 3 minute safety stop and climbed back on the boat.
The second dive we stayed at the same site but this time after she got her gear on all she said was, “Come on, dad - let’s get into the water!” She was very excited.
I will finish the dives for Sunday next week. I can tell you one of my divemasters made his bones on that dive.
Until then keep making bubbles.
Russell Miller
NAUI #59999
IANTD #224715