Hooked up to the Hookah

[Arkie John]

I hooked up the hookah and headed for Lake Ouachita this morning at sunrise. It stormed last night and I cancelled THAT dive so I was determined to get in the churned up 40,000 acre lake regardless.

I was in the water and on the bottom three and a half hours, no deeper than 20 feet, probably. I looted a mere $2.80 in clad, six large split-shot (one at 8-10 inches). I also found about six or eight pull tabs and one bottle cap. The vis was about 12" max today.

The prime lootin' took place at about 15 feet down. I was just goin along, horizontal, minding my own business with the Exal sniffin' out the trail and I saw something on the bottom, just to my left. I looked closer and to me delight, it was a silicone diver's mask in great shape, probably dropped within the last week or two. I was needin' another one for brother Tom anyway.

So, all in all, I had a pleasant, solitary hunt with nice 70-80 degree water. Would have appreciated a little more vis and a little gold loot, but am thankful for the experience. Will dive again next week, hopefully. <><

aj

 

[WillyP]

How long do you get our of a tank of gas? Any notice of weak air supply? Very near buying myself one. Would like to get a hookah that will support two divers at 25 to 30 feet. Any suggestions?

 

[Micheal_R]

Great to hear that you got out. I have used a hookah... but I almost exclusively use tanks. I can go deeper [not that you should have to worry about that... I am chasing wrecks so some of those are deep],.. and the freedom of that tank. I can go around wharves and stumps with no fear. However, there are a LOT of places where a hookah would excel. But I have my compressor and 5 tanks... so I will go that way for now.

Going out on Tuesday with my son. We are going the Gallatley Bay [where Willy and I went] to try our luck.. We will be using the sea scooters [in reverse] to blow away the overburden. There are just too many pull tabs there so the scooter is the best way. One other thing you may want to consider in your arsenal.

Good luck

By the way, do you want an Aluminum handle for the excal. With the TIG welder, I can snap one out for you if you wish.

fair winds

Mikie

 

[George-CT]

new Hookah unit Arkie. Gives you a lot of bottom time for sure. Much the same in this area. Limited visibility in a lot of the freshwater lakes here if you start stirring up the bottom. I always wanted to get one of those but ended up just using tanks all the time. Most of my diving was in salt water. Can't do it anymore but if I could I'd have a Hookah unit in a flash.

Keep us posted on your dives. Got to be some hot spots around there untouched.

George-CT

 

[Arkie John]

...that was capable of filling five tanks with diver-class air, I would never have purchased the hookah. Tanks are complete stealthy and I like that. I like the hookah but I don't like the noise. So I dive during inclement weather or early in the mornings.

Thanks for the offer, but I have rigged the Excal up with the short dive shaft and that seems to meet my requirements. When I got the detector the dealer sent me a "lightning rod" for wade detecting. It looks JUST like the one you made me a couple of years ago. So I'm set all the way around. Now I just have to find some loot. It was my first dive with the Excal II that didnt return with a ring or two.

They have scooters at the dive shop for a remarkable $300.00 bucks or I could fashion a tool to blow away the overburden from an old trolling motor. Maybe later. I'm only diving about once a week right now and can fan until I decide I want to do something different.

Be careful. You can have the wreck diving (unless they're like some I've seen on TV--on 30 feet of clear 150' vis ocean water.

You all take care.

aj

 

[Micheal_R]

More like 180 feet with 20 foot vis!! :

fair winds

Mikie

 

[Arkie John]

They currently have a 280 that (I think ) will support three divers.

Since my unit will support four divers to about 60', I have PLENTY of air, even when laboring on the bottom. The main advantabe is I get four hours + out of a tank of gas. FOUR hours! I had a dive last week-end that went four hours. I came up and I had a tea cup of fuel left in the tank. This week-end and on future occasions, I will only dive a max of three and a half. Although I don't dive deep, I STILL want that thang running when I'm down there.

The hookah model I have (a 460) with a 5.5 hp honda engine is no longer made. The 280 comes with a 2.5 hp motor I think, and it should get even better down time for you.

You'll like the hookah set up I think. The only drawback I have is the sound issue. The park rangers don't like it and it annoys folks that have to listen to the drone of the engine for four yours. So I try to be couteous and dive when there is no one on the beach.

HH

aj

 

[Arkie John]

I post to the Beach and Water Detecting forum as well so between the two, I'll try to keep everyone informed.

Never will do any ocean diving. I like being the biggest thing in the pond, if you know what I mean. It's just one less thang I have to worry about when I'm down there in dark water and 2'vis.

aj

 

[Arkie John]

...that was because I wasn't watchin' what I was doin'. I lost a fin on a cliff after we had surfaced and my dive buddy had already put his stuff in his bag. I told him I'd be right back that my fin had hit the water...wouldn't be long. With that I took the plunge and started down at a good clip.

I noticed it starting to get darker but then I spotted my fin on a ledge, just hanging there precariously waiting to take another 40' plunge. So I went down and nabbed it. I looked at my depth gauge and to my absolute surprise I was at 90' alone--what a dumazz! I eased my way back up--not to tary sos not to get bent. Never again. Ain't nothin' worth me goin' over one atmosphere--ever.

My hookah will take me to 90 feet but I won't be doin' it fer sur.

I WANT SOME CLEAR 25' WATER!

aj

 

[ojm bc]

n/t

 

[Micheal_R]

It also can depend on the zone [1, 2, or 3... these are height above sea level.. the higher you are, the less time that you can spend at depth]

However, the AVERAGE goes 60 minutes at 60 feet Longer than that , and then you have to decompress. At 100 feet, you have 25 minutes... and so it goes. The new dive computors really do simplify things for you.

One more, just for fun, complication is if you use nitrox or trimix. They can let you stay longer at depth since helium bubbles are smaller and release from the bloodstream more rapidly.

In my 50 years of diving, I have never been bent. Came close only once when I did a commercial dive for Butler Lafarge in salvaging [or not actually] a cement truck that had driven off the wharf. It was resting in about 180 or so and was so precarious that I told the owners no way. I maxed out my time and was good....... until I had to drive home over the Malahat. That little 1200 foot difference started the itching and joint ache. I almost turned around and came by the ferry but held on until I reached the summit and then I raced down the other side.

So I was good in my calculations... I just neglected to take into account the rise in altitude I would take afterwards.

These days, most of the wrecks I dive on are fairly shallow... say 60 -80 feet. There is one , however, that I was on last year... The ship is called the Anscomb and she sits in 180 to 245 feet. A very cool dive.

Fair winds

Mikie

 

[Rob/Windsor Ont.]

I'm with you on the depth thing too. 20 to 30 feet or so is plenty deep enough. I read Mikie's depth's of 180' and better and just shake my head. That guy's pure NUTS !.......in a good way.

 

[Micheal_R]

n/t

 

[ojm bc]

n/t

 

[Rob/Windsor Ont.]

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[Micheal_R]

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[Rob/Windsor Ont.]

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[Kelley (Texas)]

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[ojm bc]

n/t

 

[Arkie John]

This is the first dive I have taken with the Excal that I have not come back with gold and silver trinkets.

I know I don't cover the bottom very well, especially in extremely low vis. There is just no way for me to stay 100% oriented and "grid." With my dulled skills, it just isn't possible.

I'm going to buy me a Timex watch that has a compass built in and that will help in navigation. Eventually I will find a decent depth gauge. Until then I'll just dabble above the thermocline and be happy doing it.

I have a honey hole that I am reserving for after I retire. It is 70 miles away and so I will take the travel trailer and spend a couple of days camped there and assaulting the depths. It is a virgin swim site from the 40's thru the 70's. It was bought by private concerns and had been closed to the public for 25 years or more. Can't wait for that one.

Prayin' for 10' vis,

aj