February 17, 2023 03:27AM
Cuz generally all the stuff that makes it murky comes from the floor.. when the floor is 5 miles down, it gets pretty clear up top.. We've had 200-300 foot of visibility easily before.. In the boat, yes, you can see sharks down a 100 feet - as long as they're big enough.. the first time I ever jumped in the water with sharks thee wee maybe 30 Black Tips and 10 Lemons circling the boat.. it IS unnerving the first time you jump in, but it gets easier and easier..

I know I've told the story before about our new friends on their first dive in Belize.. dropped their GoPro while getting into the boat.. water there was 120 feet deep, but we were right no a slope where it went from 120 feet to as much as 5000 feet deep - you couldn't see the bottom.. Nobody watched to see where the GoPro landed.. the family who lost it asked for volunteers to go find it.. I jumped at that chance - another free dive? You bet!

So, he and his wife and me and my wife went looking for it.. we split up into two groups: girls and guys.. then us guys went our own way to cover more ground.. not particularly smart being at 120 feet deep alone.. if something were to go wrong, you'd be toast.. Nobody would see you, nobody would know..

As I'm searching at 120 feet for the GoPro - I didn't ever find it, but I did find a fishing pole and a couple of other things - I just looked up and looked up to WHERE I actually was.. I could see the ocean floor at 120 feet and I could easily see the ocean surface 120 feet up.. I could probably see 300 feet ahead of me - at least.. nobody else was in sight, the boat was gone.. it was just me in this HUGE and humbling expanse of open ocean.. I was SO insignificant to the overall picture.. it was definitely a life-altering moment for me..

We never did find the GoPro.. its still there.. I scoured the area, so I'm pretty certain it went over the edge into the 5000 foot deep area, where it will stay for either eternity or until someone with a remote operating vehicle finds it by accident..



Friendship is like peeing your pants.. Everybody can see it, but only you can feel the warmth..


SubjectAuthorViewsPosted

  Any of you World travelers ever been to Midway Island?

Ramgator304February 14, 2023 02:00PM

  No, sure haven't...

sstrams71February 14, 2023 02:05PM

  really???

ferragamo79103February 14, 2023 06:14PM

  Geesh! Did you REALLY think I was talking about a Romantic getaway???

Ramgator96February 15, 2023 01:42AM

  ROTFLMAO !!!!

RAMbler92February 15, 2023 10:21AM

  no I know

ferragamo7961February 15, 2023 11:45AM

  Love this topic... or rather...

JamesJM56February 15, 2023 12:31PM

  Germany Attachments

IowaRam71February 15, 2023 01:18PM

  On behalf of England....

JamesJM57February 15, 2023 02:31PM

  Never been..

sstrams188February 15, 2023 02:53PM

  No, you have it right....

JamesJM60February 15, 2023 07:05PM

  Maybe not quite as mysterious as the great pyramid's

IowaRam58February 16, 2023 01:32PM

  Everything the ancients built is a mystery to me...

JamesJM57February 16, 2023 01:39PM

  Its a mystery, for sure..

sstrams58February 16, 2023 03:05PM

  If you do Tahiti...

sstrams53February 15, 2023 01:23PM

  Re: If you do Tahiti...

waterfield63February 15, 2023 05:01PM

  Yeah, we did Rangiroa in 2006... Attachments

sstrams55February 15, 2023 05:25PM

  Beautifull photos Steve

waterfield52February 15, 2023 06:11PM

  Yeah the restaurant was over

sstrams56February 16, 2023 02:29AM

  I consulted my own photo..

sstrams157February 17, 2023 06:32AM

  Rangiroa for anyone interested..... Attachments

sstrams59February 16, 2023 02:49AM

  amazing place, and photos....

JamesJM65February 17, 2023 05:20AM

  Well, you could explore that strip..

sstrams52February 17, 2023 06:26AM

  Almost

waterfield79February 15, 2023 04:33PM

  I read the book "Sole Survivor" by Ens George Gay.

Ramgator80February 17, 2023 02:38AM

  Yeah, its crazy clear in the depths..

sstrams51February 17, 2023 03:27AM

  Crazy. I had no idea it could be THAT clear THAT far.

Ramgator71February 17, 2023 06:39AM

  Yeah, man screws up everything he touches..

sstrams85February 17, 2023 06:53AM

  SST...I hear the places you like..The Bars / Watering Holes....

Ramgator192February 17, 2023 02:17PM