REVIEW Waterproof H1 5/10 Sandwich - 24/03/2020

So with the snow melt starting to dramatically cool the seas near where I live and the first dive hood I ever bought starting to disintegrate, I decided to invest in a new dive hood. I mean, with coronavirus madness dive kit seems like as good an investment as any, right?

I'd seen an online discussion on a local Facebook page about a Santi hood and the Waterproof 5/10mm. The general gist of it was that there was little difference between them except in price. So I went to the local dive shop and made my order of a new Waterproof hood which I'd subsequently sneak into the house after its first use and my wife wouldn't even notice there'd been a hood switch. Smart.

The mission was deftly accomplished and I've now used it on three dives, so I feel qualified to comment on it. 

If you've used Waterproof H series hoods before it's essentially identical in terms of pattern. The face section is the more flexible section which makes tucking your mask skirt in pretty straightforward. The 10mm section doesn't feel any different to a 7mm  when you're wearing it on your head. So that should allay any fears about such a thick hood.

I suppose the one question I should answer is 'was it warmer'? Well the simple answer is yes. I certainly came out with a toasty head.

On each of the dives the water was a balmy 5 to 6c (that's 41-43f in old money.)

New Frontiers - 17/01/2020

Well, my new Mares XR Extreme Undersuit arrived. I sent a buddy to collect it for me from Aquatron. I had planned to dive in it slightly earlier than I did, but in the end Craig and I chose to dive an undocumented dive site on the western side of Loch Fyne.

The site was far less important than the dive. I set my self up with a thin baselayer and put on my new Starfleet uniform then my drysuit. I deliberately did not use my Mares XR Heated Vest. I wanted to see how I'd fair in just the undersuit.

The site was near the mouth of a river so it was always going to be cool at this time of year, but at 8c for most of the dive it wasn't too bad.

We headed down the muddy slope roughly descending at a rate of one metre per minute. Maxing out at around 30m, we turned and headed back at the same rate, stopping at 5m for a safety stop in cooler 6c water.

I emerged cool, but far warmer than I otherwise would of expected. By comparison, my buddy was physically shaking. So it must of worked.

Previously I've used Fourth Element arctics which I don't think is an entirely fair comparison. a better comparison would be the hard to find Arctic Expedition one piece, but I can say that I was far warmer in the new Mares suit.

Likes

• Deep hand warmer pockets
• Left and right catheter holes (useful depending what way you *coughs* tuck)
• Comfortable low collar 
• Nice length sleeves that match the drysuit
• Smooth material for ease of pulling on your drysuit
• Compared to my old suit it's a one piece which means the top doesn't ride up

Dislikes

• My only dislike is that it is bulkier around the calves and than my previous undersuit, but those who don't skip leg day may appreciate the extra capacity

Verdict

👍👍👍👍👍

As for the dive?

A feast of firework anemones and highland dancer nudibranchs, but not much else to report. I won't be rushing back.

Pachycerianthus Multiplicatus

Pleurobranchus Membranaceus

In the shop

Kitting up

New Year - 04/01/2020

OK, so last year - with the volume of dives I did - I found it difficult keeping up. In fact, the volume of diving somewhat overwhelmed my desire to write the blog. 

So for 2020, I'm taking a different approach. I'm not going to blog every dive, just the out of the ordinary stuff, the cool stuff, and maybe some product reviews as and when I invariably buy new kit. :)

So what did I omit in 2019 that I should of mentioned? Well:

• Lanzarote Technical Dives
• Scapa Flow, Orkney
• Clyde Wrecks, Glasgow
• A second trip to Kinlochbervie, Northwest Scotland
• Qualifying as a Seasearch Observer 

Aside from that, the usual run of the mill stuff totalling 113 dives in the calendar year. For some of you full time dive pros that's nothing, but for a recreational diver who has a full time job that's not an insubstantial number.

So I've dived twice already this year - once on New Years Day with Eastwood Divers and once with Deathbox Didier.

The latter turned out to a lovely swim around Anchor Point, Loch Fyne that ended up a glorious nudibranch hunt and, by deliberate coincidence, my 700th dive. I had quite intentionally selected a buddy who:

• was more competent than me (although this is highly debatable 😃)
• wasn't a club diver who would expect me, as an instructor, to look after them
• could help me make it a fairly lengthy memorable affair (70 minutes and ultimately limited by the cold water and not air)

Old Deathbox was the natural choice and what a fine choice he was!

700th Dive Montage

North West Bound & Down - 12/06/2019

I'd organised a dive weekend for the club and some friends to dive out of Kinlochbervie, with the ironically named North East Dive .

"Hey Frewbowski, where the hell is Kinlochbervie?", "Why ironically?", I hear you ask.

Well of you've ever looked at a map of Scotland, Kinlochbervie is at the top left hand side. Bar some midgie infested moorland its about as North WEST as you can go and still be on the mainland.

I've followed them on Instagram for some time. There well worth checking out, Cathy takes some great photographs.

We did four dives over the two days and they were all belters. Even diving with my relatively inexperienced buddy - the VHB. We saw some cool stuff and did some decent deep dives in beautidul crystal blue water,

We saw nudibranchs and anemones, schools of fish. We drifted through tunnels that felt like caves and enjoyed the experience. It was definitely reinvigorating.

Rescue Me - 6/5/2019

So we had decided that we'd do a rescue session at St Catherine's. I took a student did a lift. It was all quite uninspiring.

That's what I've discovered teaching people to dive isn't huge amounts of fun. I mean, for the trainee I'm sure it's all very exciting, but for me it's uninspiring. Fortunately my next few posts will be way more interesting.

Sausage Fest - 05/05/2019

With Leigh and Stewpatz celebrating their birthday's in close proximity, they organised Sausage Fest 2019.  I was initially sceptical. However, it turned out that Sausage Fest was an excuse for a bbq with a little bit diver training thrown in.

It all went swimmingly, as I was teaching I never took my camera. I did take this arty abandoned scuba kit by the shore shot.

So that about sums it up.

Arty Scuba Kit Shot

The Comeback King - 27/04/2019

It had been almost a year since the Kingmaker dived. I broke him back when we were in Egypt last year on a liveaboard.  I mean, I say "I broke him" but, some kind of stomach bug broke him. I was just the diving conduit there at the time.

Anyway with him about to come on a trip to Kinlochbervie with my club, we felt he should at least do a dive to see if his kit still works. So we headed to Anchor Point for a quickie to 30m. 

We pottered about looking for different nudibranchs. Well I was, the Kingmaker has no regard for nudis. He's a big life kinda guy. It all went.