Big in Japan

Dive Number: 140
Date: 28/06/06
Location: Maeda
Time in: 18:39
Time out: 19:21
Bottom time: 42 mins
Max depth: 17.4m
Weight: 4kg
Exposure protection: Shortie, booties
Type of diving: Salt, shore
Temperature: Air - 28C, water - 28C
Starting air pressure: 173 bar
Ending air pressure: 91 bar
Dive buddies: Lindsey
Comments: First dive with Linds after her Thailand trip.  Once again she seemed a lot more confident in the water with her new gear.  Vis wasn’t great at Maeda, partly due to the low angle of the sun at this time.  We saw 2 huge shoals of fish - around 500 in each group.  One group of fish was around 15-20cm long.  Approaching them looked just like going into a black hole - you couldn’t see a thing but darkness until they got close
Total dive time (hrs:mins): 100:16

Dive Number: 141
Date: 29/06/06
Location: Maeda
Time in: 18:54
Time out: 19:44
Bottom time: 50mins
Max depth: 22.4m
Weight: 6lbs
Exposure protection: Shortie, booties
Type of diving: Salt, shore
Temperature: Air - 28C, water - 28C
Starting air pressure: 187 bar
Ending air pressure: 67 bar
Dive buddies: Lindsey
Comments: The start of a long evening of diving with Linds.  Great conditions, although the vis is still not very good.  Headed left along the wall for around 20 mins.  Went out with a current and had to swim hard in a couple of patches on the way back.  The water was nice though and it set the scene for a good evening.  I feel really well weighted now, even with only 6lbs.
Total dive time (hrs:mins): 101:06

Dive Number: 142
Date: 29/06/06
Location: Maeda
Time in: 20:45
Time out: 21:33
Bottom time: 48mins
Max depth: 16.1m
Weight: 6lbs
Exposure protection: Shortie, booties
Type of diving: Salt, shore
Temperature: Air - 28C, water - 28C
Starting air pressure: 182 bar
Ending air pressure: 85 bar
Dive buddies: Lindsey
Comments: My first night dive with Linds.  Headed riight this time due to a lower current.  Vis was bad I could see enough to navigate.  Good job I know the site well.  Saw some cool nudibranches swimming around and a pretty big lobster.  Felt very calm in the water and Linds did too - it showed in our long bottom time and air remaining.
Total dive time (hrs:mins): 101:54

Dive Number: 143
Date: 29/06/06
Location: Maeda
Time in: 22:17
Time out: 23:18
Bottom time: 61mins
Max depth: 16.3m
Weight: 6lbs
Exposure protection: Shortie, booties
Type of diving: Salt, shore
Temperature: Air - 28C, water - 28C
Starting air pressure: 189 bar
Ending air pressure: 83 bar
Dive buddies: Lindsey
Comments: I saw a manta - my first in Okinawa!!!  It was about 1m long and 60cm across and was in full flight.  Spotted it and managed to get Linds’s attention so she could see it too.  Also, saw a small octopus and some other big sleeping fish.  A great long dive, and a good way to end the evening.
Total dive time (hrs:mins): 102:55

Dive Number: 144
Date: 05/07/06
Location: Maeda
Time in: 19:04
Time out: 19:51
Bottom time: 47mins
Max depth: 17.2m
Weight: 6lbs
Exposure protection: Shortie, booties
Type of diving: Salt, shore
Temperature: Air - 30C, water - 29C
Starting air pressure: 179 bar
Ending air pressure: 95 bar
Dive buddies: Lindsey
Comments: Manta-ville, Tennessee!!!  What an awesome dive.  Headed left (south) along the wall, and swam against the current a little.  After 5 minutes I saw 3 mantas swimming below me at about 20m.  They were in a line and looked like a family, with the smallest of the 3 at the back (baby?).  A minute later, I saw another one swimming up the reef… straight at me!  Had to swim out of the way in the end or it would have gone straight into me.  It came to within 50cm of me, looked at me and then swam away.  A beautiful experience and I was smiling for the rest of the dive.
Total dive time (hrs:mins): 103:42

Dive Number: 145
Date: 05/07/06
Location: Maeda
Time in: 20:48
Time out: 21:48
Bottom time: 60mins
Max depth: 17.7m
Weight: 6lbs
Exposure protection: Shortie, booties
Type of diving: Salt, shore
Temperature: Air - 29C, water - 29C
Starting air pressure: 179 bar
Ending air pressure: 78 bar
Dive buddies: Lindsey
Comments: The only way the 2nd dive would have beaten the first, would have been if a whale shark had come and kissed me!!!  But I did see a blue octopus and Linds spotted a cuttlefish at the start of the dive.  But it was a nice peaceful dive with a long bottom time to boot.
Total dive time (hrs:mins): 104:42