Last Poster #7

[Gyakuto]

It’s actually a learned phobia. I was fearless as a young man, body surfing big summer waves on North Shores of these islands when we visited as young crazy people.

Yes, I was never scared of the sea until a couple years ago. Perhaps it’s the fear of my own mortality as I get older.

Over the years, with too many near drownings and one “almost swept out to sea”
that was only saved by a rare rogue wave, I decided to rethink my path for entertaining things to do.

Crikey you have good reason to have thalassophobia!

 

[granfire]

Use a light or pig blanket.

I was experimenting with it.
we are Ok, heat wise.
I mean, the temps did dip down to 14 degrees last night but we were snuggly warm inside.
the chickens are getting warm mush and fresh water
and plenty of otherwise ill-advised food, like sunflower seeds.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I will get to grips with this as soon as the weather warms up!

You're in England, so... never?

I had family visiting once. They asked when it would get warm. I said "Well last year, summer was on a Tuesday..."

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

They are so expensive! I have a friend who’s offered to teach me so I might take her up on that offer.

I have no problems with swimming pools, but the open sea

Kelp forest? The Meg could be hiding in there!

I will get to grips with this as soon as the weather warms up!

Kelp forest helps with the wide open water agoraphobia. I don’t like night diving or going more than 50-60 feet down. I’ve been involved in a deep dive equipment malfunction so I don’t do deep or dark.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Kelp forest helps with the wide open water agoraphobia.

So do really healthy reefs, with lots of soft coral and sponges. Without posing an entanglement risk or triggering claustrophobia.

I don’t like night diving or going more than 50-60 feet down.

You wouldn't like diving with me, then. I love night diving. My deepest is a bit over 400 feet. And caves. Caves are AWESOME!

I’ve been involved in a deep dive equipment malfunction so I don’t do deep or dark.

Incredibly rare, and if you're following the rules, depth shouldn't really impact the severity of the malfunction. Details?
I've seen exactly ONE malfunction with any serious danger potential, and that wasn't very. A total o-ring blow out at about 80 feet. I handed her my primary, switched to my secondary, collected the group, shot my SMB and we ascended normally. No big deal.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

So do really healthy reefs, with lots of soft coral and sponges. Without posing an entanglement risk or triggering claustrophobia.

You wouldn't like diving with me, then. I love night diving. My deepest is a bit over 400 feet. And caves. Caves are AWESOME!

Incredibly rare, and if you're following the rules, depth shouldn't really impact the severity of the malfunction. Details?
I've seen exactly ONE malfunction with any serious danger potential, and that wasn't very. A total o-ring blow out at about 80 feet. I handed her my primary, switched to my secondary, collected the group, shot my SMB and we ascended normally. No big deal.

400?!!! No thanks. Caves?! No thanks. I’ve never been tangled badly in kelp, it’s easy to break, even easier to bite it to get free. I don’t get claustrophobic, so that’s no issue. I’ve seen exactly one malfunction, at 120 ft. Thirty five years ago. One of our 4 person group suddenly experienced loss of air even though his gauge showed he had plenty. We were at the end of our bottom time. We grouped up and shared air from octopus. No harm done but it was very scary for a group of 17 year old greenhorns. There wasn’t much to see down there, so I never had any drive to go down to the dark again. Totally different denizens at night, I don’t love being totally blind without a light. My only night dive involved a high speed encounter with a large but harmless leopard shark passing me within inches of my face. I could not stop thinking about all the blue dogs around there at night. I’ve seen them attack and eat plastic jugs before.

 

[Dirty Dog]

400?!!! No thanks. Caves?! No thanks. I’ve never been tangled badly in kelp, it’s easy to break, even easier to bite it to get free.

That's why it's good to carry one or more cutting tools.

I don’t get claustrophobic, so that’s no issue.

Neither do I. That would be a real problem for caves. But lots of people do.

I’ve seen exactly one malfunction, at 120 ft. Thirty five years ago. One of our 4 person group suddenly experienced loss of air even though his gauge showed he had plenty. We were at the end of our bottom time. We grouped up and shared air from octopus. No harm done but it was very scary for a group of 17 year old greenhorns.

Regulator failure. Problem with an octopus is that you have to be nose to nose. Which means forget about shooting an SMB. And current/waves/surge can be an issue. This is one reason why I dive with tech gear even on rec dives. Life is just easier with a 10' hose on your primary.
Of course, if you were really greenhorns, you shouldn't have been there in the first place. Basic OW certification is 60' max. Diving beyond your training and experience is a good way for someone to get hurt.

There wasn’t much to see down there, so I never had any drive to go down to the dark again.

Most of the deep stuff I do is either caves or wrecks. Depending on your location, you'll find lots of reef life in the 100-150 FSW range, but not much really deep.
Besides, if you're not a tech diver, you're limited by NDL. At 120', your NDL is 3 minutes, so what would you expect to see in 3 minutes?

Totally different denizens at night, I don’t love being totally blind without a light.

Why wouldn't you have a light?

My only night dive involved a high speed encounter with a large but harmless leopard shark passing me within inches of my face. I could not stop thinking about all the blue dogs around there at night. I’ve seen them attack and eat plastic jugs before.

Sharks just don't bother divers. They do pass us really close to get to the food critters that are in our lights. Tarpon and other large fish do the same thing.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Sharks just don't bother divers. They do pass us really close to get to the food critters that are in our lights. Tarpon and other large fish do the same thing.

So...it has become obvious to me that you not only work for the Bacon Commission but the brotherhood of man-eating sharks too

 

[Gyakuto]

Conversely, I have relatively little issue with throwing myself out of a plane or flying a glider in lumpy air. In fact I crave the latter…

 

[HighKick]

I don't
but they are doing fine. It was colder Christmas before last.
I do need to rebuild my setup though.

Are they still laying? Ours stop in the cold unless we put up heat lamps. I am one state above you.

 

[HighKick]

I also have a tinge of submechanophobia…big things really. Going for a wee is terrifying for me

It sounds like your thalassophobia is quite rational, but around the U.K. coasts it’s irrational for now. On consulting experts, it seems exposure therapy is my task for the summer: getting out there on the sea and dealing with the increased heart rate and controlling my breathing. Learning to swim might help (

Well, when I am piloting our boat, I suppose I have this condition. We operate on rivers, and you never know when there is a partially sunken log.
For the latter (thalassophobia), it is all about acclimation. Just ease into it.
Or jump in the deep end. You will figure it out. Or not.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Conversely, I have relatively little issue with throwing myself out of a plane or flying a glider in lumpy air. In fact I crave the latter…

I have a real issue with jumping out of a perfectly good airplane or using a kite to fly around

 

[granfire]

Are they still laying? Ours stop in the cold unless we put up heat lamps. I am one state above you.

I get an egg or so per day, some days none.
Totally fine. I was getting too many for what we eat. I had planned on 3 people eating the eggs, and one passed away, the 2nd does not trust them, I guess.
The hens are in molt, going into their 2nd year laying.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

That's why it's good to carry one or more cutting tools.

Neither do I. That would be a real problem for caves. But lots of people do.

Regulator failure. Problem with an octopus is that you have to be nose to nose. Which means forget about shooting an SMB. And current/waves/surge can be an issue. This is one reason why I dive with tech gear even on rec dives. Life is just easier with a 10' hose on your primary.
Of course, if you were really greenhorns, you shouldn't have been there in the first place. Basic OW certification is 60' max. Diving beyond your training and experience is a good way for someone to get hurt.

Most of the deep stuff I do is either caves or wrecks. Depending on your location, you'll find lots of reef life in the 100-150 FSW range, but not much really deep.
Besides, if you're not a tech diver, you're limited by NDL. At 120', your NDL is 3 minutes, so what would you expect to see in 3 minutes?

Why wouldn't you have a light?

Sharks just don't bother divers. They do pass us really close to get to the food critters that are in our lights. Tarpon and other large fish do the same thing.

We had lights but they only show so much. We dove to 120 to see a wreck. It wasn’t that impressive. Just a sailboat. We were all about 17 years old so that should explain the mindset we had. I’ve done lots of stupid things once, and a few stupid things more than once.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

So...it has become obvious to me that you not only work for the Bacon Commission but the brotherhood of man-eating sharks too

He is actually a polymorphed Sahuagin Chieftain. The children of Sekolah recognize their brethren.

 

[Dirty Dog]

We had lights but they only show so much.

You need a better light. My primary light puts out 30,000 lumens. It will show SO MUCH.

We dove to 120 to see a wreck. It wasn’t that impressive. Just a sailboat. We were all about 17 years old so that should explain the mindset we had. I’ve done lots of stupid things once, and a few stupid things more than once.

Kids are stupid. Yes.
I wouldn't expect much if you were diving to see something like this. On the other hand, with the 3 minutes of bottom time a rec diver has at 120FSW, a wreck like this is about all you'd have time for.

When I do a deep wreck dive, it's more likely we will be exploring something like this. If I'm going to spend hours decompressing, I'm going to make sure it's worth it.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

You need a better light. My primary light puts out 30,000 lumens. It will show SO MUCH.

Kids are stupid. Yes.
I wouldn't expect much if you were diving to see something like this. On the other hand, with the 3 minutes of bottom time a rec diver has at 120FSW, a wreck like this is about all you'd have time for.
View attachment 30617

When I do a deep wreck dive, it's more likely we will be exploring something like this. If I'm going to spend hours decompressing, I'm going to make sure it's worth it.
View attachment 30618

Yep that first one is pretty close to what it looked like. Remember the lights of 35 years ago weren’t that great, plus I was a kid so I only had a very basic set up. We never should have been down there but hey I’m still here so…

 

[Dirty Dog]

Yep that first one is pretty close to what it looked like. Remember the lights of 35 years ago weren’t that great, plus I was a kid so I only had a very basic set up. We never should have been down there but hey I’m still here so…

That's pretty much how the rules were developed. Did stupid stuff, realized it was stupid, and figured out how to do it in a less stupid way.

 

[donald1]

Feeling kinda fancy. I got Barber 1833 reserve cheddar. I got this havarti with dill a few days prior which I initially gave a 7.5/10, but honestly after that cheddar, it's more like a solid 6/10. Got some Smoked gouda and it's always top tier one of my favorites. I did not like the brie. A very disappointing 3/10. Texture was not very enjoyable. Grana padano is a funky name but I give it a solid 6/10.

 

[granfire]

Feeling kinda fancy. I got Barber 1833 reserve cheddar. I got this havarti with dill a few days prior which I initially gave a 7.5/10, but honestly after that cheddar, it's more like a solid 6/10. Got some Smoked gouda and it's always top tier one of my favorites. I did not like the brie. A very disappointing 3/10. Texture was not very enjoyable. Grana padano is a funky name but I give it a solid 6/10.

you might have to revise your choice of beverage to consume with that.