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July 24, 2003
Training Continues - Shark's Cove
Pretty much been doing the training thing every other day for a the last 3-4 weeks or so. DEFINTELY been feeling improvement in my ability to hold my breath underwater.
I am now able to carry the rock all the way across the sand 2-3 times a session, which is 60 feet across according to Garrett. I can also go through all the free-divable caves. A lot of it has to do with relaxing and taking your time, not expending a lot of energy so you need oxygen.
Yesterday we went out and there was quite a bit of swell, well for cave diving anyways, cause lani's looked like it had about head high sets. We decided to charge the "Eel Hole" cave where you start in the ocean and go down about 15-20 feet, then follow the tube about 50 feet or so to a big hole that comes up inside on the dry reef shelf. There is an opening about 1/3 of the way through, kind of an "escape hatch" if you need it.
I went first, probaly right when a set was coming through. When I got to the part with the "escape hatch" above and a little behind me, a wave of whitewater came down the hole on top of me, pretty much causing a white-out, fire-hose effect, I couldn't see anything. I grabbed the bottom of the tube and held on, and continued on through, a little winded, but I kept my cool. It was pretty turbulent in there!
When we all got to the hole where the tube opens up on the shelf, it was just toilet-bowling, sucking up and down. This wave washes across the reef and drags me about 15 feet in, and down a cave 5 feet underwater. All of a sudden I'm 5 feet down in a cave and I can't see anything, whitewater whiteout. That is when I knew it was time to get outta there.
I'm gonna get some pics eventually as soon as it goes completly flat again, and crystal clear.
Good fun!!
I found this Arial Pic of shark's Cove that shows the "Eel Hole" Nicely:
Posted by hawaiisurf at July 24, 2003 11:17 PM