Madiera this Saturday

[DanL]

Changed topic since Wazee is still iced over.
Planning on leaving for the Madiera early this Sat morning, getting in by maybe 11 or so.
Need to return Sat evening, so I can't stay for the SD&T dive on Sunday.
Skruff, Jean - what do you think? Others?

[DanL]

No one responded yet for Sat - looks like Sat dives are off.

[tcjtn0]

Gads Dan , I would love to but I got stuck working for the Twins...Oh well...Sorry about that!!!

Jean

[Al]

I guess the diving last Sat. at the Madeira was terrible, dangerous and caused (almost) the loss of gear. Good thing you didn't make it! :o

I went up on Sunday and had a foggy good time. We found a fin washing up on the shore from the previous day and returned it to the thankful (to be still alive) owner!

It rained some but it didn't stop the dozen or so divers from checking out the wreck. There were some free flows, leaky seals and bad o-rings but I think we all were glad to be in the water and not sliding down the icy path! I found a good quick fix for a neck seal puncture - a small twig stuck in the hole keeps out a lot of water.

The visibility was good for the dark skies but the current around the point was pretty strong. I was sure wishin' I had one of those scooters swimming back to shore for the second time!

The fog got so thick at one point you couldn't see out to Gold rock cliff! But of course around four o'clock after everyone one was out it cleared up and you could see Wisconsin. The melting snow also made cool waterfalls all along the shoreline.

Till next time …

[ScubaDiveandTravel]

Scooter classes are bookin up. Sign up while there's still time!!!!!!!

Glad you guys had fun.

Happy Diving,
Richard

[scubafreak]

Thanks again for returning my fin Al, I was surprised to see you holding my fin as I came down the hill.

Saturday turned out to be the worst dive of my life, I will never attempt to dive the Mederia alone again.

The day started out ok, little waves, perhaps 1-2 feet in height, but nothing to be really concerned about. As I entered the water and started to put my fins on in waist deep water, I was suddenly pulled-out to deeper water without warning, thus loosing my fin, the other fin was still around my wrist, which really of no use to me now.

I found myself being pulled-out to deeper water at a fairly fast rate. My mask was on and my reg was over my soldier, so all I had to do was inflate my BC, which was done fairly quickly, but when I took a couple of good deep breathe from my Reg, I got an instant free-flow (Thank You ScubaPro).

The rest was just a nightmare as the water tossed me around what seemed to be like forever. I was probably out from shore a max. of 30 yards or so, but never thought I would get back to shore. Don't know how it happened, but somehow the waves ended up pushing me right back to my entry point.

So I sat out Sunday's dive while I regrouped.

Superior can really humble a diver, I know first hand, and I now have a greater respect for the shore diving at the Medeira.

[LKunze]

You were diving the Madeira solo? :o Man, I wouldn't have the nerve for that. Too many variables at that dive site (weather, cold water temps, etc.) to risk diving alone out there. Glad everything worked out and you made it out ok.

[scubafreak]

I learned my lesson.

I have this very clear "Image of God" in my mind right now.

[tcjtn0]

My goodness!!! Thank the Lord you are still with us , as you are probably too!!!

Jean :o

[gillenvy]

Scubafreak Dave, good thing you are alright.

I personally find this to be pretty serious, and think it should be re-emphasized to others as to what NOT to do. If your incident had turned out for the worst, all the forum here would be asking numerous questions and SPECULATING on what happened?

And to be devil's advocate here, aren't you a PADI Instructor? Didn't you sign an agreement to uphold standards that included not to solo dive among MANY other standards to be upheld? You may rip on PADI and your "PAY PADI" comments, but I dont know where they teach what you did? Maybe you should have PAID a little more attention to good diver behavior, choices, and site evaluation? What kind of impression does that leave on your teaching capabilities? Diving doesnt need it's teachers and instructors making stupid choices that could not only hurt themselves, but the dive community as a whole. We're not talking about a beginning diver here, you are accountable for more than that, step up to BEING a PROFESSIONAL.

Besides taking extra risk involved with extremely cold water diving and then chosing to do it without support, you know you can only look at yourself, not lake superior, your gear, the waves, or anything else, but your unintelligent decision to go against what every diver learns, as your own fault behind this mishap. Being a PADI Instructor, and one who says they have multiple certifications and has been on a dive safety team, what made you ignore what you should have been taught all along?

This may be a little harsh on you, try not to take it the wrong way, I'd just rather not read of your death. I'm glad you shared it with others and admitted to learning from the experience and to not do it again.
Thank goodness you had a chance to look at it with hindsight. No, I don't want you to ask to be teaching my kids SCUBA anytime soon, and you might want to re-evaluate more of your other diving choices before you opt to act as a professional.

I don't know you and I hope that you are a nice enough fellow, and I'm glad you're still with us. Learning can be done the hard way sometimes, but there's enough mis-information through TV, the movies, gossip, speculation, and self prescribed opinions on forums that I don't think we need a potential dive accident to add more bad fuel to what non-divers and new diver perceive of the risk or enjoyment of our sport.

Keep it SAFER out there please, for all of us - if it doesn't seem right, don't do it.

(I'll get off the soap box now)