Josh's Blog

The Life Aquatic

Just returning from 10 days of technical diving in the Florida Keys. Dive trainer Richie Kohler, and co-instructors Gary Mace (of Conch Republic dive shop) and Cliff Diamond (of Empire Divers in NYC), were running a course for the past 10-days, and I tagged along for the fun.

As I’ve mentioned on Twitter and here, I need a certain number of hours on my CCR (closed circuit rebreather) in order to take the next level of training, so I had 8 days of diving with no real agenda except to enjoy the dives on the reefs and wrecks of the Upper Keys. Places like Conch Wall, Davey Crocker, and Molasses sprang to life with everything from large Spotted Eagle rays, Nurse sharks, Sea turtles and Goliath Groupers to small Sergeant Majors and nudibranchs like the Red-Tipped Sea Goddess. And then there were the artificial reefs—the wrecks!—that make diving the Keys so fun. I dove the Bibb, the Duane, the Spiegel Grove, the Eagle—enjoying the swim-throughs on some and doing proper wreck penetration on others (Note: you must be trained for this). And then yesterday, on my final dive, Richie and I went on a fantastic dive into the very bowels of the Bibb, heading as far aft as one could, to the deepest part of the ship. We suspect no one has been in that room since the ship was sank on November 28, 1987.

All in all, it was a truly memorable trip, and I’m hopeful I can do even more fun diving later in the year—including drysuit dives so I can start exploring Arctic waters. And, yes, I need to get an underwater camera so I can share more of the experience. Will do so before my next trip. Stay tuned…

Posted by ExplorerJosh on 05/03 at 11:17 AM

1. Now that’s a great way to spend your days.  Thanks for the update;  it sounds fascinating and you certainly saw a lot of interesting things! 

   Now off to look up all those shipwrecks!

   Posted by xtina on 05/03 at 02:17 PM

2. Nice to see you back, happy and good! I am curious about all these instruments ... It seems very weighty. How much?

   =]

   Posted by Sophydiah on 05/03 at 02:32 PM

3. Man.  You just made me so nostalgic.  We used to go to Key Largo every year when I was a kid.  We spent every day on the ocean snorkeling and spear fishing.  Then my mother would cook our catch (kill?) - fresh fish every night.  I found out a couple of weeks ago that the man who let us use his private marina to dock our boat died last year.  You can never go home again…

   Also, your Tweets on your flight home cracked me up.  The last celebrity I saw in an airport was Carrot Top.  I’m thinking you won the game of “cool celebrity sightings.”  But then again, you basically beat me at that game every time you look in a mirror. 

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/03 at 07:01 PM

4. Thank you for sharing your diving adventures with the forum. I love the sea detectives. It’s so nice to see that your diving adventures has lured others to get into diving too. My biological daughter wants to take diving classes, as well as my newly adopted daughter who just started her first diving class this evening.Thanks for bringing joy into their lives. You are an inspiration to them. It makes me smile

   RB

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/04 at 02:52 AM

5. Just want to add. I enjoyed your flying adventure today, back from Florida. I IMAO big time. Thanks for the laughter. Nothing like a being on a plane and sharing with us. Thanks again.

   RB

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/04 at 03:04 AM

6. OK.  Now I am truly hooked on needing to learn to dive.  Your descriptions are spellbinding.  It feels magical simply hearing about it.  Must go to Florida…

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/04 at 10:09 PM

7. 5-5-10
   WED

   JOSH-

   THANKS, FOR THE PIC.  YOU LOOK, RELAXED & HAPPY.  AND ENJOYED THE TRAINING.

   NANCY FAULKNER
   .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/05 at 11:18 AM

8. Hi josh, thanks again for sharing ,your adventures with us,Ive always wanted to learn how to scuba dive,some day Ill conquer that dream. You are such an inspiration to all of us , you look great in that pic with your scuba diving friends.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/06 at 12:08 AM

9. Love this! Awesome experience! Also I hope your brothers book is available up here in Canada. Looks like a good one! 

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/06 at 12:24 AM

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