Injury Update
From my post “Off to Film The Spike” you learned of the accident I was involved in while on the way out to Document Spikes progress after her placement a little over a year ago. I am writing to update anyone reading this, on my current condition. As of Tuesday August 24, 2010 I am still at home, taking pain meds as needed and sleeping often. I have very little appetite and I’m not sure why. My back is still very very sore and it is difficult for me to be on my feet more than 10 minutes without my legs getting wobbly, my body begins to shake and I become nauseous. This Thursday I have an appointment with an Orthopedic Surgeon. It was the soonest they could see me. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Report
Annual Cozumel Trip Cancelled
On August 20, 2010 while heading out to film “The Spike” 25 miles off the coast of Jacksonville, Fl. I sustain a fractured vertebre and more I’m sure. This morning I packed my truck with the one bag, I went down two bags because I am no longer diving, as well as one backpack. I found it difficult to carry the light backback, my legs were shaking, I didn’t feel right. So I head out to the airport. It is 05:45 in the morning. As I am driving North on 9A, I decide it would be prudent not to go and schedule time with an orthopedist this week, if possible. and I turn around and head home. Until next time, keep checking back for more news. Larry … Read entire article »
Filed under: Report
Off to Film “The Spike”
It’ 6:30am on a Friday, August 20 and I am waiting for the rest of the gang to show up at Mayport Docks. The sun light is just starting to show itself. Two of the other divers show up around 7am. we setup our gear while we’re waiting for your boat and captain to arrive. At around 7:45am all four of us head out, three divers and the captain, who is also a diver towards Spike. Spike sits about 25 miles almost due east of the Mayport Jetties. It is a very nice day. Almost no clouds and the weather report calls for temps in the 90’s, sea condition show to be 2-3 feet (on the NOAA website) yet other boaters are reporting 2 feet or less with about an 11 … Read entire article »
Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Emergency/FirstAid, Reefs, Report, Trip Report
Full Face Mask check out
Today, Joe Kistel and I took off to Blue Grotto at 8am. Joe is the founder of TISIRI. My goal this trip is three fold. First, a checkout dive to see how I feel on my first dive after surgery. I felt great! Buoyancy was spot. I wore my usual, drysuit, Zeagle 911 BCD, slipstream fins, gators and 10 pounds of weight. I ended up being over-weighted. I couldn’t believe it. I was adding air to my BCD and my drysuit at 30 feet. Kewl. I can drop some weight from my belt! The second goal was to speak with Ed, the owner of Blue Grotto about putting together a video of Blue Grotto. Well, Ed and Judy are out of the country at the moment. The third was to test out the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Adv. Open Water, Cavern, Events, Instructor, Reference, Report, Training
Underwater Photography 2
Time to expand my experiences. Time to try Underwater Photography. I have been making underwater video for some time. When I first started, I was learning the camera, lighting, techiniques, editing and so on. It is time consuming and at the beginning I didn’t mind. I was absorbing everything, understanding new things when it came to editing. Things that “IF I did this while filming or did that” that would help me during the editing process. I have come to the conclusion that I love to do the filming part and not so hip on the editing portion. Both are important, but the filming also means the diving for me and the adventures. So during trips I’ve made, I watch folks who take pictures, download the pictures to a PC, and perform … Read entire article »
Filed under: Photography, Reference, Report
Delays causing longer surface interval
Sorry for not posting more. After upgrading, I have intermittent trouble with posts. I lost 4 that was in Draft status and I will start over. Keep checking back, I’ll get this resolved. Thanks for the safety stop Larry … Read entire article »
Filed under: Report
This is Larry at early stages of his life.
Me in the US Navy, Charleston SC. I am standing on the Stern of the US Destroyer, DD989 USS Deyo. I believe this is 1982. Here is a picture of me apparently on my birthday. Which one, I don’t know. The next picture is my opening a present. What year is this? … Read entire article »
Filed under: Photography, Report
Wes Skiles Passes away
Wes Skiles, known for his adventures and cinemetagraphy has passed away while diving off Boynton Beach Florida, Wednesday July 21, 2010.Cause is unknown or unannounced at this time. The phrase “Wes Skiles” was the 11th-most searched term on Google between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. on July 22, according to google.com/trends. Larry … Read entire article »
Filed under: Report
Pizza Pizza
I know this isn’t diving related, so I’ll make it diving related. After a good day of diving, wink (that’s the diving part I added), I decided to try Dominos Pizza. Seeing their commercials on their new and improved pizza and all. NOT! First bite and I thought, “New?, Improved?” I noticed right away too much parmesan cheese. I also noted too much salt. I thought back to when I use to order Dominos and wondered what it was I liked about their sauce. Pepper! The sauce was missing that distinct flavor of pepper. One of the distinguishing characterists Dominos Pizza use to have when compared to other establishments such as Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, Little Ceasars and others. Each pizza supplier has their own good pizza. For example, I like the Pan Pizza … Read entire article »
Filed under: Report
Site upgrade
Today, Divetalking.com went through a Web based upgrade. I presume the interruption was unseen or so brief you may have thought a refresh may help. I hope this upgrade will provide me with better tools to serve this site, hense you. Regards,Larry Davis … Read entire article »
Filed under: Report
Sebatical
Hello, My appologies for stepping away from this site for a bit of time. Three weeks prior to June 28, 2010 I have been having some pain in my lower right quadrant of my abdomen. I went on with my daily life just accepting the pain, thinking it was something spicey I ate. I left the country, went diving, basically leading my normal life. Then Sunday June 27 something wasn’t right. I was sleeping ALOT, sweating and the discomfort was more consistent and became concerning. Monday June 28 I phoned my primary Dr. made a visit and it was determined with high probability I had something wrong with my appendix. I was directed to the hospital. During the Hospital visit, a CT scan shows my appendix had ruptured. It now about 8pm and … Read entire article »
Filed under: Report
June 18 – 21 2010 Grand Bahamas trip
The trip began at 6pm Thursday June 17th. Picking up Jason and Tara, owners of Scubaextreme dive shop in Middleburg, Florida, we start the trip down to Ft. Lauderdale. We stop about 30 miles North of Ft. Lauderdale to spend the night at a friends home. Up and out the door by 6am Friday morning to continue our route to Port Everglades to catch our boat to the Bahamas. Grand Bahamas is the destination this day. We hopped, skipped and jumped to our boat. OK, some walked. Discovery Cruise Lines was our carrier. A pretty cool boat. The passage ways wind and do not follow the same path on either side. You will have to walk outside and take ladders up as you find them. I lost more than 1/2 our guest the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Report, Travel, Trip Report
BP gets OK to burn off captured oil, gas at sea
By RAY HENRY and BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writers Ray Henry And Brian Skoloff, Associated Press Writers – 1 hr 18 mins ago PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. – BP won permission to start burning oil and gas piped up from its broken seafloor well as part of a pledge to more than triple how much crude it stops from spewing into the Gulf of Mexico. Federal authorities gave permission late Monday for BP PLC to use a new method that involves pumping oil from the busted wellhead to a special ship on the surface, were it would be burned off rather than collected. The British oil giant announced Monday it hopes to trap as much as roughly 2.2 million gallons of oil daily by the end of June as it deploys additional containment equipment, including the flaring system. The … Read entire article »
Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Emergency/FirstAid, Events, Reefs, Reference, Report
current Trajectory Maps – BP Oil Gulf of Mexico
NOAA maintains a current trajectory map of where the BP oil spill is going. Click on the TRAJECTORY link to view. Larry … Read entire article »
Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Emergency/FirstAid, Events, Reefs, Reference, Report
NOAA Announces to their Divers
To All NOAA Divers, In response to several requests from NOAA divers for clarification on acceptable areas for diving in the Gulf of Mexico, the NOAA Diving Control and Safety Board sought advice from several agencies including the US Navy, EPA and NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R). Based on this advice, the Board decided to establish a "diving exclusion zone" extending 30 NM beyond the furthest boundary line shown in the 72-Hour Nearshore Surface Oil Forecast for the Deepwater Horizon (MC252) incident which is produced and updated daily by OR&R. As the boundary line may change daily, it is imperative that all NOAA divers wishing to dive in the Gulf of Mexico consult the OR&R webpage to view the projected location of the surface and near-surface oil over the next 72 hours and then extend it outward 30 additional … Read entire article »
Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Events, Open Water, Reefs, Reference, Report
Florida Springs Tour Guide for Hire
Are you looking to dive the Springs of Florida and don’t know where to start? I’m the guide you’ve been looking for. If you are planning a visit to Florida and would like to dive Springs like Ginnie, Blue Grotto, Devils Den, Paradise, Troy and others, send an email to lars2923@divetalking.com with your interests. I’m sure we can arrange a weekend of guided diving at a reasonable cost. Feel secure and safe diving with a professional of over 33 years in the industry as well as very familiar with the sites mentioned. If diving off the East Coast of Florida is something you would like to do, arrangements can be made to dive from the Georgia coast all the way to the keys. Send email to lars2923@divetalking.com for more information. Larry … Read entire article »
Filed under: Cavern, Events, Open Water, Photography, Promotions, Reference, Report, Travel, Trip Invitations, Videography