It has been forever and a bit more, since I was under water. The reasons are manifold and I don’t wanna go into details, but the Dive Monster was on the dry. However, after my little one became Dive Monster Jr., I simply got highly motivated to get back on track, somehow.
Search and Rescue – My Equipment, that is…
We searched the house from head to toe and saw what was still in order. Surprisingly, a lot of stuff was in great shape. Of course, an Apeks regulator is just one of that brilliant creations, pair that with a Halcyon Wing and you have a rig which is nothing short off Dive Monster worthy. Anyway, I needed to have some maintenance done. Chris Heim of Sea Explorer offered me to get the regulator serviced, I happily took this offer. I saw their workshop before, and it is state-of-the-art. My Apeks will be in good hands. My Halcyon needed a replacement bladder, which I got from Asia Divers Dive Supply.
Mask, fins and other things were all just dust covered and some cockroaches found my booties a great place to die. Actually, it made me thinking… Aren’t they supposed to survive nuclear disaster, world wars and space travel when riding the rocket??? And then, they take their last breath in my boots… Guess, I should get a new pair of boots, too. My wetsuit was in top/shape, something I am missing out on, so a old neoprene top with cut-off arms has to work. Guess I need to lose some weight soon, to fit in the great waterproof shorty I have laying around.
Waiting to get back under water
We were just loaded with work and it took a time until I could check my gear. Well, finally we caught up in the office and I packed my stuff, strapped it all on my bike and went out to Mike’s Beach Resort in Dauin. I contacted Corri and Jonathan, the managers ahead and asked them if I could get a tank to check my equipment in the pool. They had no courses and I had the pool all for myself, well almost, some cute bikini teenagers were splashing around in the pool and it was a good sight from below.
Before I actually got there, I had some issues with my inflator. For non-divers reading that, an inflator is important to add and release air to your buoyancy control device, to make yourself float sink or hover under water. After Gabriel, one of the Dive Masters of Mike’s, gave me a hand an new O-Ring, all was sorted and I was ready to enter the water.
Dive Monster Sr. & Jr. Blow Bubbles
Of course, my Dive Monster Junior was with me and took some pictures, before jumping in the pool and joined me on my alternate air-source for the next 20 minutes or so. I am absolutely excited, that my equipment worked as well as my ears, and nothing stands in the way to go diving soon with Dive Monster Jr.
Cheers
Rhoody
PS: Of course, I did not go alone into the ocean to check my equipment there. That would be dangerous to dive without a buddy…. At least officially and according to some dive associations.
