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Post by tomcatpc on Sept 11, 2019 19:35:58 GMT -8
 69385133_2723431611042101_3130856117391851520_o by Mark Lodge, on Flickr Not much to say really, just took my US Divers Mistral for a dive today. It dove just great, nothing to complain about, other than the dive was too short...ha. 45 minute dive over a "rock slide" area in a local quarry, looking at old steel tractor seats, Striped Bass, Bluegils, etc. Just a fun dive in the warm water of late Summer. Wore a beavertail wetsuit jacket over shorts with 8 lbs...weight was almost perfect. No BC, no SPG...just a pure soul dive. I had 800 PSI left over which I burned up with my yet untested Healthways Scuba Star "hybrid" (tilt-valve second stage replaced with downstream). I dove that till the J-Valve started to whinge and tell me to get topside. I wore my early/mid 70's era Dacor "Turbo II" Fins which worked "normal", not outstanding, not bad either... They seem to be the easiest fins to put on, so that is a plus. Ironically, another Diver had a pair of Dacor Turbo Fins from the '60's. Did not expect someone to "out-do" me...he also wore a beaver tail wetsuit. So there is hope... Mark |
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Post by nikeajax on Sept 12, 2019 7:32:40 GMT -8
Mark, sounds like you had a good time then--good for you! How big and what color were the bluegills?
BTW: I see you're approaching 1,500-posts--good for you sir!
JB
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Post by tomcatpc on Sept 12, 2019 8:01:44 GMT -8
Yes, had a great soul dive!!
The Bluegil were smaller than a Gariballdi, and dull grey-ish. Sort of like a negative of a Gariballbi! Maybe the size of a large human hand?
Mark
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Post by SeaRat on Sept 12, 2019 8:27:12 GMT -8
I also enjoy watching the smaller things underwater. I was able to watch things with my last dive last Saturday, using my Pilot regulator too. I was happy to see the Mistral get wet. It is a simple-to-maintain, very reliable and very good-breathing regulator.
I may get wet in the next two days or so, but today I'm on my bicycle and doing a lot of cleaning up here at home.
John
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Post by nikeajax on Sept 12, 2019 9:14:54 GMT -8
Maybe six years ago I went snorkeling in one of our local quarries: I remember seeing Striped Bass too. After I got out the life guards b***hed at me because snorkeling isn't allowed--GRRRR!
JB
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Post by vance on Sept 12, 2019 11:23:14 GMT -8
I need to find a lake to dive that isn't a million miles away and has some decent visibility. I still haven't done Lower Bear River Reservoir. But it won't be decent until next spring and I've rented out my cabin so no place to stay up there.
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Post by nikeajax on Sept 12, 2019 11:45:10 GMT -8
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2019 12:58:51 GMT -8
If the weather doesn't get cold enough in winter for long periods of time, the vis drops off a lot every year as debris tends to float.....I was told this is due to a thing called 'turning over or inversion'.........surface water gets so cold from air temps, it sinks, taking the floating silt and debri with it. The lower or bottom layer, which would be warmer than the surface layer floats up and degasses.........thus the stink in some lakes in winter......if it gets cold enough, long enough that is.......That bottom layer is also clearer. We haven't had a good long cold spell in Texas for years..........lakes are dirty and if one goes down to the bottom, passing thru the last thermocline, it gets drinking glass clear (unless your fins stir up the decayed silt), and stinks like a sewer. I suspect it is that way with other lakes in the nation, except the ones around the Great Lakes region.
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Post by tomcatpc on Sept 13, 2019 13:21:37 GMT -8
I love my Mistral! It is my first double hose regulator, my first one i put back together, etc. Very easy to rebuild and a great diver too!!!
Mark
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Post by scubalawyer on Sept 14, 2019 7:47:40 GMT -8
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