January 5, 2003: Boynton Beach, Florida

"Finks"

Diving in the Atlantic Ocean:

• Directions from Tampa: I usually head down HW60 to Yeehaw Junction, then take the Turnpike south. I get off of the Turnpike at Lake Worth Road.
• Conditions on the day of my visit: Very cool ... cold to someone returning from Belize. Sunny though.
  
  
• Personal Notes: I only did one dive this day and didn't take the camera. Too bad too because I was amazed that, compared to Belize, there were a *ton* of fish. We saw a very large ray (at least six feet across) and at least one shark that went unspecified.
  
  Only one dive though, because of many miniscule factors ... no one or two alone would have caused me to cancel a dive, but the collection of them made it unneeded:
  • Diving aluminum tanks, because my steels were in Tampa. As such, instead of being able to use just 4 or 6 lbs of weight, I ended up with 16.
  • With the different tanks and the extra weight, I felt wierd while I was down there.
  • The zipper to my hooded vest was right underneath 8 lbs of lead in a weight pocket. Very uncomfortable.
  • Due to the way I've traveled with gear, I nearly forgot my regulator (first time I forgot something in like two years) and forgot my mask. The one I borrowed leaked, even though it seemed to fit properly.
  • The first dive was really an excellent dive - I didn't see the need to dive any more.
  • The water was cold (though I didn't get cold because I had enough thermal protection), and the SIT felt colder until I got dried off and dressed.
  • I just got done doing 23 dives the week before in Belize ... in 75 degree air and 81 degree water. So I was a bit spoiled.
  Like I said ... none of them were really that much of a big deal, and really, the temptation to reach my 200th dive was there ... but I'll get to it eventually.