Galapagos... Yippee!

[Andrewboden]

[Carl]

Mark, All,

I really am more enthusiastic about the full face mask than I was before the trip. Really it is so amazingly comfortable it is as if not wearing anything. I have always leaked like a sieve because of my mustache, and got used to breathing in my mouth and out my nose to nearly continuously clear the mask. With the OTS set up there was absolutely no leakage at all.

As to your significant other and you having communication underwater, be careful what you ask for ! I spend a HUGE amount of energy ignoring Brenda on land and I really do not want to have to do that underwater !

My original plan was to have these running with Daniel or Andrew and myself, as we are much more likely to do something stupid and want to share that stupidity with each other. I have still not gotten to try the communicator but there was just a TV show on cave diving with OTS units and the sound was monitored top side and the sound was very clear.

I think the technology is sound (sorry). Is it a great idea for a NEW diver? Perhaps. My adaptation to it was fast, but still a learning curve, though I found myself studying it more than anything else while I was in it. What it did well, how to handle this, that and the other thing.

What I do not know is what that big momma Tiger lady in Bahamas would think of it and whether she would go for the mask instead of my camera next time !

Hey Andrewl, thanks for the post with the OTS, so that eveyone can get their laughing out of the way ! I think I look pretty damn special !

[Jonathan Bird]

Originally Posted by Carl

I think I look pretty damn special !

Yeah, special is the word!

Andrew, you should tell the red-lipped batfish story. That's classic.

Mark, I'm watching this wildfire on CNN....holy crap man. I really hope that big hurricane turns north and puts it out. For once, it would be nice to see a hurricane do something POSITIVE.

Also, I tried a full face mask years ago. The audio quality sucked (but it has probably improved) and the air consumption was really high because there was no surface bypass valve. So as soon as you put the mask on, you were breathing from the tank. So you put it on, walk across the deck, hop in, wait for your camera--all the while breathing down your tank.

The bypass valve seems to fix that.

Jonathan

[sorvju-f]

Originally Posted by Andrewboden

only somewhat decent shot I got of the mola. Oh and the kind sealion that brought me a redlipped batfish!

Andrew...it is great that you have an evidence that we met this wierd looking creature... close enough to get picture...I didn't. I also know that your dad captured it to video.

You are the only person I know, who have had redlipped batfish as a gift from sealion...

Here is the picture how this redlip is looking like:

]



Jukka

[sorvju-f]

Originally Posted by tarczy

Ha ha!! I can't wait to see pics of Carl in a full face mask.

However, now that mah girlfriend is a certified diver, I am seriously thinking about acquiring two full face masks with the communication feature. That said, I'm concerned with the "downsides" that Carl was so considerate to post. The bale-out issue I can live with, but the increased air consumption bothers me. I just wonder if Carl was attributing his being outta shape to increased air consumption.

BTW, I know everyone has probably heard about the massive wildfires we're having here in Los Angeles. I realize this is a Galapagos thread and I'm way off-topic, but I thought I'd share my view of the fire from my living room . . .


This fire has been burning for about five days now and has consumed nearly 100,000 acres of a forest that is only 650,000 acres large. The Firefighters have been working in temperatures over 100 degrees during the day and two have already died trying to outrun the fire. This fire is burning a forest that hasn't burned in over 60 years and it doesn't seem like the end is in sight until this Friday when potential rain from a hurricane in Mexico arrives in L.A. Today, firefighters expect the fire to double in size again, which means the fire will have consumed one-third of the forest.

This was my favorite playground. Oh well!

Mark

Wow, great pic...looks like volcano is preparing for explosion....some connection to Galapagos.

It is some how ironic that it is needed another nature power to kill otherone ( hurricane killing the fire )

Jukka

[Jonathan Bird]

I'm just trickling out a picture here and there to keep the discussion going....

[Jonathan Bird]

Another couple fun ones....mobula ray and Pierre.

[sorvju-f]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Bird

Another couple fun ones....mobula ray and Pierre.

For sure...fun man...with ferrari red housing...

Note also that red-white thing hanging from BCD...it was sort of teleskope flag, which you opened when surfaced...to get yourself to be seen from the boat.

I remember once when Jonathan surfaced...opened his flag and trying to lift it as high as possible....we were with the donki 2 meters behind him



Jukka

[tkelly]

I have not seen many shots of Darwin's Arch yet, so I figured I would post one.

I like the batfish pictures Jukka! I didn't manage to get any stills of them.

-Todd

[David White]

Todd,
You should scan your drawing of Darwin`s Arch and post a link to the image. You have certainly got some talent.