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 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

Fame! I'm Gonna Live Forever... - 02/03/2015

Front Cover

"..I'm going to learn how to dive!"

Now that I've dropped that cheeky little earworm into your head I'll get down to business. Scottish Diver, the official ScotSAC magazine have published an amalgam summary of Posidon's Parlour's Jordanian adventures with Aqaba's Anchor. I've known it was going to be in for a wee while, but quite unlike me I kept it quiet.

So it was with baited breath that I waited for the latest March/April edition to fall through my letterbox. Thus far, it has not arrived, but I knew it was out there as blog readership briefly spiked on its release and TDFKAMF sent me a blurry photograph of it taken on his mobile phone. However, yesterday, the kind chaps at Aquatron gave me a pre-thumbed edition while I was in getting fills (Thanks Mark & Chris). I didn't expect to be quite as tickled as I was to see it in the flesh. 

I eagerly thumbed through it and there it was. The red anemone glowing out from the page. I never wrote the headline, had I done so it would have been far more narcissistic. :) 

I've included a fairly low res version of the article below, but I'd encourage you if you aren't a member of ScotSAC to invest a few quid in either a subscription to the magazine or join the organisation for a free copy. Seriously, it's like £12.50 for 6 issues a year and this month the article "Dougie's Picture Perfect" is accompanied by some amazing photographs.

Remember, you can like Poseidon's Parlour on Facebook too!

The article