nice photos : )

did you see pictures from my trip to belize a few months ago? i didn't make it to beaches, but it was pretty elsewhere. we hit orange walk, san ignacio and tikal in guatemala (+ the town where we stayed in guatemala, El Remate)

http://www.liscentric.com/photo/beguat

hope the rest of your trip is/was fun.

woooowww.
it looks like you are crazy :)

It was a crazy trip, with a bunch of crazy people. :)

I started out using a jacket-style BC for classes but I hated the squeeze so I tried a Halcyon backplate-style BC at a gear demo day and loved it. Two shoulder straps and a waist strap. The stainless steel version is 6lbs negative and you barely notice you're wearing it.

It's geared toward the tech-diving crowd but I loved it when I used it in Belize a few years ago with a single tank.

I started out with Volo fins as well. They seemed nice but I kept breaking the straps so I switched to Jetfins that I could get spring straps for.

Nice Pix.

Volo "Quick Release" Straps == teh suck, I just adjust em every time. I should see if they make any spring straps yet.

Backplate-style BCs == Rad. I don't understand why people complain so much about face-planting with them.

There's no problem that the QR straps are solving by coming apart so easily when you don't need them to. Rubber straps are too fragile and need to be replaced too often. It looks like someone took notice and made spring straps that fit on Volos:

http://www.blueseaadventures.com/store/accessories/save-a-dive-kits.htm


I've never seen anyone faceplant with a backplate. I love mine. Totally comfortable/adjustable and helps distribute the weight better so that I'm not wearing a 30+lb belt in cold water with a drysuit on.

When I dove with it in Belize, I didn't wear a weight belt with an AL tank and no wetsuit. I had no problem holding a 15' stop at the end of each dive with the tank at 500psi.

Durable too. After 70 dives in it the only sign of wear is the straps looking a tad dull instead of shiny black. The plate itself is indestructible.

I like my Volos but need to get some of the spring straps. They're beginning to wear a bit at the ends of the flippers, but nothing major as long as it doesn't continue to rip at the plastic/rubber seam.

For BC, I've got the same as Brad... ScubaPro Knighthawk w/ Air2 and integrated weight. Totally a fan, never had problems. Comfortable, durable, out of the way. : )

drinking a beer underwater is the best picture ever!

fff

Good times - Whe diving in the Bahamas, we once baited a fishing line with a Budweiser to let a guy know that he was taking a little too long running up bottom time on his decompression stop while we were already cracking cold ones.

You will drive me to an early grave. I guess I had 27 years with you so far, so we will see which one of us goes first.

heh

Heh, best post I've seein in a while. : )

Nice work.

Even though I didn't take it... I'm printing out that pic of you with the beer and tacking it up on my "favorite photos of all times" cork board.

There are kung fu pics from the last day.

Great pictures, especially with the beer!

I love how clear the water is even with all the vegetation. Belize is so beautiful, it just might be worth risking botflies for... :-)

A few of those photos are so funny, I am laughing myself silly! Brad...with and without snorkle gear...drinking a can of beer...in the pristine waters of Belize... it is almost poetry. :)

I suggest SCUBA sex.

Looks like fun! :D

wow! cute photos :)

when you will come to Moscow? :)