Open Water Dives with Jeremy, Jessica, Barbara and Ashley

Jeremy, Jessica and Barbara got to the apartment a little before 7:30 am. I was out walking the dog, but got back shortly after they arrived. They were working on the table problems. We went through their gear and got everyone fixed up with a compass then headed to the beach. Luis was there waiting. Leo got there right at 8:00 am. Ryan and Ashley arrived last because Ryan had to go to the shop to fill tanks.

We spent some time talking, then geared up and got in the water. We spent about 20 minutes struggling with weights and gear near the shore, but finally got fins on. Ashley, who was carrying 8 pounds; Jeremy, 4; Jessica, 10; and Barbara 6. I think. We descended in about 6 feet of water and went out slowly on the bottom to avoid equalization problems. We headed more or less East, but did not see much life. Lots of sand. I turned the dive at 25 minutes and we headed back to the beach. I thought about swinging by the Tower 3 swim buoy to get the anchor I left there yesterday, but decided against it. Too far out of the way and too many students with me.

Bottom temperature was 78 degrees; Dive time was 49 minutes; consumption was 27.27 psi/minute at an average depth of 15 feet and my SAC rate was 18.74 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.


Apparently the Lifeguard on Tower 4, Daniel, stopped Leo and informed him that Fort Lauderdale had a rule that there should be a dive flag for every two divers. We were a flag short, but it didn't matter since he knew us. We looked pretty rag-tag to me.

We did ultimately get in the water and swim on the surface out to the swim buoy, where we went through several surface skills: pulling the weights, taking the gear off at the surface and the tired diver's tow. Then we descended and tried to stay together as we made our way East. I found a sandy patch and had everyone kneel while we went through most of the other skills: cramp release, removing  and replacing weights underwater; removing and replacing gear underwater; purging the regulator; recovering a regulator; removing the mask. Everyone did well except I did not ask Ashley to remove her mask. Agreed to let her work on that in the pool and we could dive Monday and finish her up. I turned the dive after about 25 minutes and we headed back to the beach.

Bottom temperature 78 degrees; dive time 47 minutes; consumption rate was 21.72 psi/minute at an average depth of 15 feet and my SAC rate was 14.93 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.