Deep Six Divers Service, Inc.
Dive Reports
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Deep Six Joins Capt. Slate
In His Trip of a Lifetime By Leigh Vinzant
On board this trip were: Slate and his lovely wife, Annette; Wes Skiles of Karst Productions and his wife Terri; Scott Braunsroth, who works with Wes; Hal Watts, world record holder and owner of Forty Fathom Grotto and his wife, Jan; Mark Evans from Sport Diver UK and his wife, Penny; Mike Hanna, scuba equipment sales rep. and his wife, Linda; Doug Counts from Florida SCUBA News; Slate’s cousin, Rodney and his wife Amye, George Rice, Giselle Jones, Justin Lowd, Linda Valestin, Nichole Strumpfler, George Muszynski, Alan Roberson, Nelson Longtin, and Chuck Micale, as well as “Boomer” and Leigh of Deep Six Divers. Bruce Purdy, owner of the AquaCat also joined us, along with a crew of 11. Upon arrival, we set up our SCUBA gear and did not have to assemble it again for the rest of the week. Donning our gear and the diving couldn’t have been made any easier. The crew were always nearby to offer a helpful hand. They assisted with our entries and exits from the water, offering a hot water rinse as we climbed to the top of one of the two sturdy ladders. Fresh fruit and drinks were available on the dive decks at the end of each dive, as well as hot cocoa after the night dives. During our surface intervals, the crew would refill our tanks with our preference of breathing gas, air or nitrox. A typical day aboard the AquaCat consisted of breakfast at 8:00. Coffee was available for those who awakened early to watch the awesome sunrises. The sleepyheads who were not up yet at 8:00 would get a wake up call from Chef Jim via the intercom. For breakfast, Jim and Silvia offered a selection of hot and cold cereals and fruit. Eggs were cooked to order. In addition, there was an assortment of French toast, pancakes, bagels, or muffins and bacon or sausage. After the morning meal, we would assemble in the main salon for a dive briefing of the morning’s site. Twenty minutes later we were making our giant strides into the beautiful, clear water. Dives lasted around an hour, then we would relax on the sundeck or visit with friends. A second morning dive was usually offered at the same location, which was followed by a delicious hot lunch. Lunches always included soup and salad, as well as a wonderful entrée. During the noon meal the twin-hulled yacht would cruise to a new location. We were briefed on the new site and back in the water again. Often after the first afternoon dive, an island excursion was offered aboard the SeaDog, a 28 foot motor launch that was towed along. A fourth dive would take place in the late afternoon at a place near the last site. After surfacing from that dive, we would enjoy a hot shower, put on dry clothes, and assemble for our evening meal. Dinner included Bahamian specialties and seafood, fresh fruits, wine service and a delicious dessert. The dinner hour allowed guests to chat about the day’s diving and adventures. Once the sun set, there was one more opportunity to slip into the water. The night dives in the Bahamas are a real treat. I can’t recall ever seeing so much life in one small space! The main salon and alfresco deck are equipped with bars, so when the diving was done, it was time to relax and unwind with friends. As we slept, the boat would move again to another choice location. There is a variety of diving offered in the Exumas and Eleuthera. We dived everything from deep walls to shallow reefs. We also encountered a shark dive, floated through a drift dive, and visited the Lost Blue Hole. Utilizing both nitrox and computers, we were able to log up to five, hour-long dives each day! On our first dive of the trip, we spotted a couple of Caribbean Reef sharks. Large sea turtles were a common sight throughout the week. One of our greatest highlights, however, was the 6-7 foot Manta Ray that cruised by under the boat. Those who geared up quickly were fortunate enough to swim with it. The night dive at Jake’s Hole kept us busy. We were spotting creatures everywhere! Crabs and lobsters abounded, as did sea cucumbers, flamingo’s tongues, and puffer fish. Basket stars uncurled and parrot fish bedded down, but the most fun was the octopus that played with us for a good fifteen minutes. Every dive was memorable, but I’ll never forget the shark encounter. With all divers in place, our dive master swam in with the chumsicle and the feeding frenzy was on! About 20 reef sharks averaging six to eight feet in length showed up for a bit of the tasty bait. They’d swim right towards us and over our heads, then circle around and come in for another bite. Friendly groupers, yellowtail snappers, and schools of jacks joined in and gobbled up all the scraps. Silt was stirred up everywhere, but when the last of the bait was snagged, the dust settled and everything was calm again. Another dive that will remain in my memory was the drift dive at the “Washing Machine.” The AquaCat crew was well-prepared and organized for this dive and everything went off without a hitch. Our group of fifteen experienced divers, plus two crew members was in the water within seconds after the, “dive, dive, dive” command was given. Our lead dive master, Gavin led us into the washing machine, where the currents took total control of our bodies. Good buoyancy was out of the question during the few minutes that we were spun around inside the 50 foot deep hole. When the washing machine was finished tossing us around, it spit us back out into the current, and we continued on with the drift dive, following Gavin and being shepherded by Paul. Forty-five short minutes later, all seventeen divers were hanging on the float line behind AquaCat, ready to board. All dives and land activities were optional and guests could pick and choose those in which they wished to participate. Island hikes, ocean kayaking, snorkeling, lobstering, and beach combing where among the activities we were offered. Land excursions to the islands were fun for all who chose to join in. One pleasure trip ended up reminiscent of Gilligan’s Island when the group set sail for a short tour and ended up stranded for hours. Another land trip that was great fun was to the Exuma’s Land and Sea Park. Here, we observed the remains of a sperm whale; waded through mangroves; visited “BooBoo Hill,” where Wes educated all of us on the formation of the islands; got a blast out of the “Blow Hole”; and snorkeled with lemon sharks. The final island journey was a visit to the Rock Iguanas of which there are only two islands in the world where they exist, both in the Bahamas. The hungry reptiles came running to the beach to greet us and grab a bite of broccoli or French toast. Three people on board had birthdays during the week, so there was lots of celebrating going on. Our last night aboard the AquaCat was spent in port and after the farewell cocktail party, we were on our own. Many guests had a good time on that last evening, celebrating a great week of fun and friendship. In the morning we said good-bye to an awesome week of memories and the wonderful crew of the AquaCat. For more information on the AquaCat log on to: www.aquacatcruises.com.
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