Visions of Cloud Sponge
Dancing in my Head- by Don Dorosh
Christmas vacation 1997 - 1998. Not bad weather thanks to El Nino! Four
boats headed out for some winter cruising, partying, and diving over Christmas.
My family headed out on Christmas eve to McEnery Cove where we met Mom and
Dad on their boat. We spent Christmas, Boxing day, and the following Saturday
there. We had a great turkey dinner, some bubbly, and pigged out on some
nice fresh Howe Sound prawns.
On Saturday Howie & Dee Dee joined us on the Booms; then Sunday Dave
and Alison joined us. We went to Plumper Cove for Sunday night in hopes
of being able to find good weather to travel up the straight. We managed
to get to Pender harbour Monday afternoon and worked our way up to Egmont
the next day.
After a bite of lunch on Tuesday Dad, Howie, Dave, and I were able to talk
Gloria and Mom into handling 'Bout Time for us while we dove Captain's Island.
This was a good dive for some and a great dive for others. It was quite
choppy on the surface, but Mom and Gloria handled it really well. The vis
was fantastic - 100ft. to the surface on a cloudy day. Winter diving is
great if you can stand to brave the cold - it never even got above 10 degrees
out side, and the water was as cold as 42. Poor us!
The next day we ventured over to the "Power Line"! Giant Cloud
Sponge all over the place, and Gorgonian Coral just within arms reach. I
was cold, quiet, and clear until the sounds of happy laughter burst through
the regs of my dive buddies. The surface to 130ft on a cloudy day - even
harder to believe. For some this was the dive of a lifetime, these were
great buddies; every one of them.
We only did the two dives on this trip, we really took it easy. It was a
time to relax, and enjoy the company. It seems when you're out on the water
time flies. Before we knew it we were back in Squamish with only memories
of Cloud Sponge and Coral dancing in our heads.