Posts filed under 'SCUBA'
This dive site is well worth the grueling walk from the car to the dive site, and even better if you can dive it from a boat. There’s plenty to see among some concrete formations that form an artificial reef. Octopus, rockfish and a healthy anemone population are standard sights. Careful planning should be done though, due to the current-intensive nature of the site. Vashon Island is a short ferry ride from West Seattle, and the KVI Radio Tower is not far from the ferry terminal.
Continue Reading March 13th, 2006
Sorry for the departure from all things SCUBA, due to the recent launch of Newsvine.com to the general public. Now that the launch is behind us, I can get back to writing about my underwater adventures again. In this entry I’ll be detailing Sunrise Beach, an amazing dive site near Gig Harbor that has recently captured my attention and favor. Even though I haven’t been writing much about diving lately, I have been in the water quite often and have tried out a smorgasboard of new equipment, with buddies from the NorthWest Dive Club. Now, onto the goods….
Continue Reading March 6th, 2006
The SeaQuest Pro QD is about as traditional of a BCD design as you can find. However, after using other new-fangled BCs, I’ve come to appreciate the proven model of a jacket-style buoyancy control device. For a brief description of the difference between the two styles of BCDs, read my post on the SeaQuest Balance. Though the Pro QD does not pack as tightly as the ultra-lightweight Zeagle Stiletto I wrote about earlier this year, it does have advantages that make it a better option to go with if you’re using it in the same locale most of the time, mostly due to its solid stability at depth and on the surface. Also, by giving up the compact form factor, this SeaQuest offers a plethora of attachment points and comfort padding in the right places.
Continue Reading December 19th, 2005
I’ve logged about 40 dives on my O’Neill 7000x drysuit thus far, and its treated me well despite a few annoyances among the many reasons I think this is a terrific suit for the money. Lets start off with the vitals. The O’Neill 7000x drysuit is a 7mm neoprene suit with neoprene seals. The suit has been overhauled for 2005 and sports an impressive set of features for a very reasonable price. It also looks sporty, as most O’Neill products do. Read on for the in-depth review.
Continue Reading December 13th, 2005
Atomic Aquatics has quickly become known for superbly crafted diving equipment. The Atomic SS1 is the Ferrari of combination Octopus/Power Inflators. Coming in Ruby Red and Stark Yellow, this baby delivers more air than most primary regulators. If you’re looking to eliminate another hose from your setup and have the cashflow to spring for the best in class, then look no further.
Continue Reading November 14th, 2005
Over the years I’ve spent a lot of time tracking down the best products at the best prices. I’ve done the whole internet thing, which was great at first. I saved a few bucks here, a few bucks here, and didn’t mind waiting a week for my stuff to get there. However, all it took was one bad buy on the net for me to erase all those savings. Also, over time I discovered that buying from a real dive shop has benefits beyond the dollars and cents, and that in many cases the shop could match or beat the e-tailer if I bought multiple items.
Continue Reading October 24th, 2005
The SeaQuest Balance has proven to be my most trusted BCD while traveling abroad. With its streamlined fit and durability, it shows hardly any signs of wear 100 dives and 10 countries later. With integrated weights, back buoyancy and pull dumps, this is a mean little package despite its small frame and good looks. ScubaLab has rated it the top performer among all travel BCDs and I have to agree from my experience. There is not an inch of material wasted on this quality product, and very few features that can be improved, which is why I’ve used it for longer than any other BCD.
Continue Reading October 20th, 2005
The Pentax Optio S5i comes on the heels of what has been one of my favorite lines of digital cameras for underwater photography. The S5i is the third Optio I’ve had in a row, and that’s saying a lot since I am a fair weather fan when it comes to digital technology. At an impressive 5 megapixels, the camera is still small enough to fit in a tin of altoids, is very light and all of its controls are amazingly intuitive and easy to use. Its only weakness is in low light situations when shooting a subject at distance, its internal flash has its limits. However, this minor shortcoming is more than made up for by the fact that the Pentax Optio S5i is superb at imaging small subjects using its macro setting at 6mm.
Continue Reading October 9th, 2005
A few of us did a dive off of Alki last night, we were looking for the same pipeline I did a couple of months ago, but instead we ended up on a smaller line that goes out from shore tangentially. It was an average-ish sort of dive on the way out, with a huge current at the end of the pipe, followed by some jewels in the rough on the way back in. We saw some skates, lots of crab, some shrimp and what I can only guess is called a mousefish. I’ve added a few new photos.
Continue Reading October 6th, 2005
Looking for a dive light? Underwater Kinetics has been making some of the best torches on the market for recreational divers. Two models stand out head and shoulders above the rest: the Sunlight C8 eLED and the Light Cannon.
The Light Cannon has long been touted as the brightest, whitest HID torch on the market (within a reasonable price range). When I first started night diving with the Light Cannon, a whole new world opened up. Instead of fumbling around in the dark, trying to get a glimpse at anything more than that yellowy glow your traditional dive light can offer, the Light Cannon blasts a huge swath of ultra-white light that penetrates all but the worst visibility. Its as if you took a Xenon headlamp out of a car and strapped it to 8 C cell batteries and made it submersible. This is truly one of the brightest lights available and does an amazing job of illuminating even the darkest depths. Fish and other animals are paralyzed into a stupor when confronted with its fiery photons and will sometimes literally lay there as if dead, even as you approach to within inches of them.
Continue Reading September 27th, 2005
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