UW Explorers Dot Net

More to Download

UWE is excited to announce there are two *NEW* videos on the download page for your viewing pleasure!  If you like what you are downloading be sure to let us know on the our Contact Page or leave a comment.

Thank you!

Tuwanek Abyss

Dive one back in BC, and out on the zodiac, and off to the Tuwanek Abyss. We rolled into the beach at the Abyss, and I took my time making sure all the equipment was set correctly…and I was amazed how heavy and 20 lbs weight belt feels again. Bob, took the customers out on the dive while Sammy was stuck with me…making sure I was alright.

We got everything situated, and short surface swim later we were descending into the deep. The vis was mucky, and dark…but still 20 feet or so, and the bottom came into view at about 45 – 50 feet. We slide down the wall and settled into the 100ft mark and proceeded along, and though the number of fish are far less then what it is in the tropics, but the topography is amazing. With about 8 minutes bottom time remaining, we slowly slide up to the 40 foot mark as our turn around started us back towards the beach.

Overall it was not as dramatic as I first thought my first cold water dive would be in the last 6 months. I am certainly looking forward to getting back at it.

[!AdServe:suncoast!]

New Downloads

UWE just up loaded the latest video. This one was taken by Sean of Canada Dive College. It is a great video…so be sure to check out the White Sided Dolphins, and see what I am saying.

Diving at Koh Rin: Pattaya

Another excellent day spent diving in Thailand and with Aquanauts Dive Center. Our first dive was on the south east side of Koh Rin, and it was a simple entry in shallow water, with a light swim around the south rocks on the island. We hit a max depth of 14 meters, but most of the coral and life was shallower then that. We were treated to two White Eyed Moray Eel a lovely File Fish, and Sting Ray. The dive was just short of an hour…but overall a good time.

Dive two was planned as a drift dive, and we entered on the North side of Koh Rin, in 11 meters of water. We head off on a drift, and directly ran in to a huge Crown of Thorns starfish, and then a couple of coral crabs. I lucked out and found two more White Eyed Moray Eels, and then a Blue Spotted Ray. We followed the reef to the right and made it out of the current and had a nice easy dive on the reef…though sadly if we had remained in the drift…we would have run into a huge sea turtle!

Uw Explorers Downloads

Uw Explorers is excited to announce that our downloads section is up and running.  We have so far included a deco planner software that I current use for my dives, though there are many out there…I have had excellent success using this one.  We have also included some best mix charts, and a video section.  It’s all free, so please give it a try…and let us know what you think!

Hard Deep: Pattaya

Monday had me starting DM Mike’s Nitrox course, Aquanauts was great to let us use their classroom, and Multimedia. So, we had to do the dives on the Hard Deep. The one wreck I have wanted to dive since the first time I came to Pattaya back in September of 07.

Tuesday morning had us being picked up from Angels Guest house at 7:30 for the customary trip to the dive center where we needed to analyze the Nitrox loads for the days dive. The Hard Deep is in approximately 28metres of water so a 34% mix should work out just nicely.

So we all loaded on to the dive boat and waited the 20 – 40 minute boat ride to the dive site. As we approached it was obvious that the current though indicated to be at about .3, it was ripping through the wreck area. After a briefing and many questions, we Siggy, Mike and I were grouped as a buddy team…and since we were on NITROX, we did the dive without a guide, even though it was our first dive on the wreck. As we entered the water, it was even more obvious that current was ripping. It was nearly impossible to pull ourselves along the tag line. Once at the decent line, the current was still riping along, and now I know what a flag feels like in a strong wind, since this is what it was like for me to pull myself down the decent line.

Our group met up on the bottom, the current was still to strong to swim against so we decided to let it push us to the stern of the boat, and we were able to make it around to the keel of the wreck where there was still some current, but it was manageable. As we swam from the bow to the stern along the keel, I had the plan to make it around and head back along the deck to the ascent line. However, as I reached the stern area, it was very obvious that it would be impossible to make it around the stern in order to reach the ascent line. We were, now in a bit of trouble as we were low on air, and had quite a distance to swim to get to the bow again, and hopefully around to the ascent line that way. Needless to say the tour was over, and swimming and air conservation was the order to the day. As the turn point at the bow approached, once again we could feel the strong current that was nearly impossible to swim against. I was able to make it to a large steel fitting resting in the sand, and reach back to pull Siggy and Mike along, then Siggy did the same for Mike and I as he reached another piece of the wreck near the ascent line.

As I started my ascent, I was down to 300psi and fully aware that I would most likely not be able to make my safety stop with out breathing my tank out. As I was making my ascent, I got caught in a very strong up draft, and with the ascent line being a nice smooth wrapped melt line, it was like trying to hold on to ice…and I was not able to stop the up welling which shot me from 18 meters up to 6 meters in a matter of seconds. Thankfully I was not alone ans the same thing happened to Mike. As I settled in for what should have been a 3 minute safety stop, my computer was making it a 6 minute stop. I certainly did not have the gas I needed for that. Mike being right there beside me, I was able to share air with him as required in order to clear my stop.

After that dive, I was very much aware why this wreck is called HARD DEEP!