SheriffDiver
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Re: Fall Colors at Fortune Pond September 28th - 29th

Wed Sep 19, 2018 3:40 pm

SurfLung wrote:
Wed Sep 19, 2018 9:42 am

- I used the Vimeo embed to re-post Jims video above. :)
- Looks like it will be just Rich and Me coming this time. My wife Jill has a sore knee.
- Looking forward to this trip with both excitement and sadness... Probably the last chance to dive Fortune Pond for this season. So, I'm planning to make the most of it... Bringing my favorite regulators: The "Bless-ed" Voits. Also bringing two sets of Twin 38s. I'll be re-filling them from AL80s and plan on at least 5 dives.
- I usually dive my BARE back zip wetsuit. But I think I'll bring the smooth skin Sea Hunt Forever suit, too.
I'll make sure to have a few of my blessed Voit regs along too. Time for some theme dives again SwimJim and Surflung.

swimjim
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Re: Fall Colors at Fortune Pond September 28th - 29th

Wed Sep 19, 2018 6:47 pm

Really looking forward to it. A regular cavalcade of regs ready to go. Chili ready to go. Reservations made! :D :D :D

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SurfLung
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Re: Fall Colors at Fortune Pond September 28th - 29th

Fri Sep 21, 2018 9:51 am

swimjim wrote:
Sun Sep 16, 2018 12:26 pm
SheriffDiver wrote:
Sat Sep 15, 2018 7:09 pm
Come with Eben to the Newspaper stand at 130 ft...

For divers who haven't been to Fortune Pond. At 1:58 in the video you see a yellow real estate flyer box and Eben ( yellow tanks, yellow hoses) is about 20 feet below it at that point. That yellow box is 120 feet down! At the beginning of the video, Eben passes a ledge with the action figure carrying the American flag. That is 70 feet down. These guys are diving wet. The first 25 feet, no problem, the water temp that August day was around 65F. Down at the real estate flyer box your looking at 42F. Brrrrrrrr................... Fortune Pond is such a neat place to dive though, it's worth the trouble. Personally, I only dive dry. I'll save the swimmin' suit for the Florida springs!
- We've had some gatherings at Fortune where you could see all ages of Scuba equipment from the 50's to modern re-breathers. SwimJim and Eric P use Fortune to practice for deep wreck diving. I've seen them decked out in HUGE twin tank blocks with multiple side mounts including Nitrox and Tri-Mix, etc. They have pre-planned their dives and decompression stops meticulously. And they go even deeper than the yellow newsstand. We've also MET divers there who were practicing deep diving with re-breather systems. I think Fortune lends itself to better safety with deep diving because the visibility, light, and wall/terrace structure gives a diver definite references. In contrast, I remember going down 100 feet to a wreck in Lake Superior and when I got there it was almost pitch black darkness and very easy to get disoriented... I didn't like it. That was in the 1970s.
- Being a central Minnesota lake diver, I rarely get the opportunity much less a reason to go deeper than 15-30 feet. So at Fortune, I always approach deep diving as an amateur, proceed with caution, and I don't stay there for more than a minute. The whole rest of the dive is a gradual ascent and (essentially) a drawn out decompression at ever decreasing depths. I use my ZOOP computer, set for medium altitude diving and 2 levels of compensation for being old and out of shape. And, I stay WELL within the No Deco limits. As Clint says, "A man has to know his limitations".
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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SurfLung
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Re: Fall Colors at Fortune Pond September 28th - 29th

Tue Sep 25, 2018 2:06 pm

It Won't Be the Water Temp...
- Forecast for Fortune Pond is 48-52 degrees F with a low of 33. Looks like it'll also be rainy and cloudy with a 10 mph wind. So, the challenge won't be to keep warm while diving. It will be to GET WARM between dives. I'm thinking to bring along a Buddy Heater and put it in the latrine... Someplace warm and out of the wind... But stinky?
- We brought the wives up for Fall Colors last year and got this same type of weather. Colors don't look so great in dark rainy weather. Did anyone notice we have no wives along this time?
- Last year our diving got cut short by the cold wind... Standing soaking wet in a wind swept parking lot in 40 degree temps is scary. Putting on a cold wet wetsuit just adds to the fun. It took a lot of the enthusiasm out of yours truly, that's for sure. This time I'm bringing three wetsuits so at least I'll have a dry suit to put on for each dive the first day. I think I'll bring a fan to help dry out the suits in the motel room Friday night. Maybe I'll dress in the motel room Saturday morning?
- Bringing lots of warm dry clothes of course. I'm also bringing my North Korea war surplus EVAC sleeping bag and Sniper's hide sleeping bag (it has a hood and sleeves). Did I mention I'm bringing my Buddy Heater? It would be great if we could get one of those Ice Fishing tents...
- Oops... I thought I was only THINKING about this stuff and here I am typing it. Hmmm... :wink:
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

swimjim
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Re: Fall Colors at Fortune Pond September 28th - 29th

Tue Sep 25, 2018 7:23 pm

Just a thought Eben... How about bringing a box fan to help dry out wetsuits in the motel room? Saturday for lunch, the chili will definitely thaw you out! Lol

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SurfLung
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Re: Fall Colors at Fortune Pond September 28th - 29th

Wed Sep 26, 2018 2:24 pm

- I'm bringing a Stanley Squirrel Cage fan to dry our wetsuits Friday night. We may also need Claudia's clothes dryer to dry our regular clothes after a full day in the cold drizzle! I think I'll bring my rain suit and rubber boots for getting around between dives.

- Updated forecast has 30% chance of rain Friday BUT Saturday will be "Mostly Sunny" after an early morning frost. The diving is always great at Fortune... And it'll be great on Friday, too. But the promise of SUN on Saturday is encouraging! :)
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

swimjim
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Re: Fall Colors at Fortune Pond September 28th - 29th

Wed Sep 26, 2018 10:04 pm

The chili for lunch on Saturday will thaw you out for sure! :D :D :D

SheriffDiver
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Re: Fall Colors at Fortune Pond September 28th - 29th

Wed Sep 26, 2018 10:17 pm

I have my canopy packed so I suppose if you have any tarps you could swing them around the canopy legs to give shelter and maybe keep some warmth. I will have a dry wetsuit for each time. I believe I have 7 wetsuits packed and if that doesn't do it I'll unpack the drysuit.

SheriffDiver
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Re: Fall Colors at Fortune Pond September 28th - 29th

Thu Sep 27, 2018 8:09 am

I'm off to Fortune Pond. Gonna meet SwimJim there today. Got 12 double hose regulators along. Two UDS-1 units, an ABS triple tank system, triples, two sets of doubles, my Jaws tank, Voit tank, 8 wetsuits, my compressor, awning and a generator. Whew, that was a lot to pack. Oh yes technidiver, I got 2 aluminum 80's along too.

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SurfLung
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Re: Fall Colors at Fortune Pond September 28th - 29th

Thu Sep 27, 2018 10:55 am

- I charged up the UV-26 scooter for you Ron. Also bringing the Go-Pro so I can shoot video of YOU shooting video from the back of the scooter!
- Rich and I will be driving half way tonight and the rest of the way tomorrow. Arriving before noon hopefully.
- I'm bringing 3 wetsuits and I think Rich is bringing 2... So we'll have a few (hopefully) dry wetsuit suit-ups Friday.
- We're bringing our Bless-ed twin tanks along. I'll have the USD yellow 38s and the Sea Hunt gray 38s and will re-fill from AL80s. Rich is bringing his two sets of Twin AL50s plus his 3 Faber "STEELs".
- Regulators? Probably 5 different double hosers... One for each dive. Haven't decided which ones yet.
- I think I'll also bring along my wife Jill's 1800 psi 38... I serviced and installed a 1/2" NPT J-Valve with a brand new reserve seat from my friend the Captain. I'd like to set the reserve, then breathe this down to 0 psi and pull the reserve lever. It's been working perfectly in the garage but I'd like a good wet test before I turn Jill loose with it.

P.S. Don't anybody look when I put on my 5mm BARE wetsuit. It's got lime green colored panels... Hey, I got a good deal on it! :)
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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Re: Fall Colors at Fortune Pond September 28th - 29th

Mon Oct 01, 2018 11:09 am

Ron's Thunderball Theme Dive!

- We had an unexpectedly HUGE turnout for our Fall Colors dive trip to Fortune Pond. When Rich and I arrived at 11:00 Friday morning, there were SwimJim and Sheriffdiver Ron waiting for us. But the parking lot was full of tech divers, too. Our buddy Eric P was suited up full technical with a friend. The rest of them we didn't know but they were quite interested in our vintage gear. A couple were quite enthusiastic about having seen our videos. Others hung around asking questions about our gear... I showed off five of my favorite double hose regs I had brought along. These tech guys seem to have done one dive and then left... The cold 41 degree air temps were pretty chilly getting into and out of dive suits... Whether you were diving drysuits or wetsuits.
- Diving conditions were mixed. Near the pier where everyone was going in and out, the viz was terrible down to about 25 feet. Then it cleared up to 50+ ft. as you went deeper. The top layer down to 30 feet was cloudy for most of the pond, But below that were areas, of unbelievable water clarity. I took two scooter rides and flying over some of the deeper ridges you could look down and see bottom WAY below you.
- FOOD: Oh Baby... This was good, especially in the chilly weather. First day, Ron brought hot Sloppy Joes. You could feel the heat going down your throat and warming you up. Jim's relatives Phil and Judy came along and brought us a bunch of Subway sandwiches, too. Second Day, SwimJim fired up the Coleman and we had his award winning Chili with all the fixin's. I had three bowls! Man that was good. Judy got everything hot and prepared while we all went diving. Friday night we all went out to Alice's restaurant for a huge Walleye filet... The Friday night special!
- Dealing with the Cold Weather - Its funny because the water is always the same at Fortune Pond. 37-42 degrees F. What was worrisome were the cold temps at the surface. We've learned to get out of the wetsuit ASAP, dry off, and get dry clothes on... I repeat ASAP. This trip, the weather was dicey, threatening or delivering rain or drizzle with a nice 10-15 mph wind to chill us down. Ron set up his awning with a wind break and that helped a lot. I brought along a "Buddy" heater which we put into the Latrine building and turned it into a heated changing room. I brought an extra wetsuit so I could have a dry one to put on for the second dive. Then at the motel, we had a fan we used to dry the wetsuits overnight.
- Ron's Thunderball Dive - Oh man, I would have skipped a 2nd dive on Saturday if anybody would have given me half an excuse. I was cold! Ron had this beautiful red wetsuit and freshly painted Voit tank and Polaris reg... With his heart set on doing a Thunderball video. So, we suited up and went in. SwimJim had yellow aqualung twin 72s and Ron had his red wetsuit with white tank and my scooter. Rich had his Phoenix with dog bone back pack... So we were ALL diving Vintage Double Hose! When I caught up with them all at 70 feet deep, I was wondering who the guy with the black suit was, driving my scooter. MY gosh, that RED wetsuit had completely lost all of its color at that depth. He looked like one of the BAD GUYs in Thunderball rather than the good guy James Bond!
- As usual, our dive buddies made this trip a huge success in the enjoyment department. Many thanks to SwimJim and Ron for bringing the delicious food. Thank you BIG TIME to my buddy Rich for his willingness to freeze alongside me and bail me out when I can't stay awake at the wheel. Chalk up ANOTHER great dive trip to see the Fall Colors at Fortune Pond! :D
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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antique diver
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Re: Fall Colors at Fortune Pond September 28th - 29th

Mon Oct 01, 2018 12:52 pm

Sounds like a great time. I'm kind of envious of the group outings y'all have up there in the cold country! There doesn't seem to be anyone around here with enough interest in Vintage diving to get more than two of us out at the same time. Maybe I shouldn't be so picky about who I dive with. :?
The older I get the better I was.

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SurfLung
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Re: Fall Colors at Fortune Pond September 28th - 29th

Fri Oct 05, 2018 10:04 am

- Thanks Bill. Yes I am pretty fortunate to have these hard core diving buddies to go on these trips with me. I forget sometimes, how many of our VDH Forum friends know about these dive trips and can't come along with us for various reasons. Usually, the complaint is about the cold water. But anyone who dives at this latitude will have to deal with thermoclines and cold water.
- The real challenge (for me, anyway) is warming back up between dives. It's easy on sunny 80+ degree days. But in early Spring and late Fall, the cold air and wind make it difficult to get warm. I used to try and leave the lower half of my wetsuit on just to save on the effort of suiting up. But, I found that it took a lot of shivering before I warmed up for another dive. Then I read how a wetsuit in the cold wind will act as a refrigerator. Since then, I get out of the wet suit, dry off, and put dry clothes on ASAP. And THAT, has made a huge difference. Huge.
- Looking back on this trip, the weather didn't turn out as bad as we were expecting and thanks to some of our preparations: Ron's awning and wind break, my buddy heater, hot food, etc... Dealing with the cold weather topside wasn't bad.
- The diving in Fortune Pond was the same as it always is... Fabulous! :)
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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simonbeans
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Re: Fall Colors at Fortune Pond September 28th - 29th

Fri Oct 05, 2018 4:23 pm

Back when I was a lot younger and actually liked diving cold water, we would pour warm water into the suit before and after the dive. Helps heat up the body both times. Evaporation is your enemy when trying to stay warm.
Check out my website: www.vintagescubastuff.com

swimjim
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Re: Fall Colors at Fortune Pond September 28th - 29th

Sat Oct 06, 2018 9:14 am

My Uncle, who does not dive, made this video during our weekend up at Fortune Pond.

https://vimeo.com/293570090

It will give you a better feel for the surrounding area and the parking lot which we use to access the Pond. There is NO entrance fee and from where you park, the pond is literally "right there"

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