Grendel and Me 12/06

I was talking to Grendel the other day, and the topic was teamwork. He agreed that it was important, as sometimes he uses me as an unbeknownst beater to drive game into his pounce zone. Well, maybe not always unbeknownst…OK willing beater. The moves he can make in hot pursuit are really something to watch. Cats are nothing if they are not liquid in their flexible twists and turns while closing on frantic prey. And so quickly on to the point.
It is the perpetual consternation of the Eboard that we have so small a core of frequent divers. As we close out the New England diving season we look south to warmer waters and less hostile water. But there are some opportunities to challenge the elements and achieve that heightened rush of boosting yourself onto the ice after an invigorating sub ice dive in February. These are short dives as a rule but exciting, really exciting.
Brownstone Quarry is offering courses in ice diving for those among us who like PADI credentials, but there is a group of club members that do it at least once each year just for the fun of it. The ice dives have been done in wetsuits and in drysuits. Admittedly you can have a longer dive in a drysuit, but on the bright side you get out and to your rush sooner in a wetsuit.
Norm has been kind enough on these occasions to provide shoreside shelter, changing room, hot tub and always a byo feast. This is often followed by an Eboard meeting. It is a wonderful divers’ affirmation that we live even when the less hearty burrow under the rocks in dark holes. (Read that couches.)
The Frozen Fin dive organized by SECONN on January first is another affirmation that the diving life goes on. Again a short dive, but a full day of celebration and prizes and good food and best of all another chance to rub shoulders with the best folks on earth. You can go to dive or just to spend the day as “shore support”. Shore support members are frequently owners of fragile heads and queasy stomachs. It’s almost as if they are seasick. Go figure.
A couple of winter dives sharpen the skills, builds confidence, and forges friendships even if you just go as shore support. I’ve always thought that diving in New England (any time of year) prepares us for the big trips south. If you can dive here you can do it with confidence anywhere. And it never hurts to have friends with you when you are intruding into our favorite environment.
As Grendel always says, “You can’t beat teamwork, but you’ve gotta show up!” Be advised that he does not endorse outdoor activities after the snow flies, preferring the daily sport of pursuing the sun’s rays across the living room rug.

Hope to see you at the Frozen Fin dive; maybe I can score another Richard Marcenko (Rogue Warrior) action figure!