[Fondueset]

Another fine day for Snorkey. After work came home, did some Taiji - checked in with the family units and embarked for the harbor.

I just park my truck in a nice little parking lot that noone uses next to the power plant - , grab my stuff outta the back, saunter across the 'open space project' and gear up. The OSP terminates at a nice iron breakwall, with a railing and an old iron ladder a hundred meters or so out into the bay. A big limestone breakwall connects with this artificial jetty and goes out 100 meters or so, then makes a right for another 100. I cruise along these rocks usually.

Today there is a Great Blue Heron standing on the rock breakwall right at the bend. It's funny to watch the people on the dock inside the marina going about their business completely oblivious to the 4 1/2 foot tall bird just a few meters away. He takes off and, despite the prehistoric 8 foot wingspan, they continue washing their boats or whatever. A couple anglers are standing on a small boat in my freediving territory - the heron freaks and evades; allmost buzzing them. They gradually move off as they see me getting ready, without catching any of my bass.

Suit on I grab fins, flag buoy, mask and neoprene socks and walk over to the ladder. The water is an invitingly lucid deep blue/green and smooth. I get the long fins on and work my way onto the ladder with some heron-like stepping. The water is oddly temperate for this time of year. Mask on and the space below the surface opens up. Diving down and out in an open field of sand at about fifteen feet- dark zebra muscled rocks behind me - to my right about 50 feet away - the lighter limestone rocks of the breakwall. Scores of smallmouth come out to great me - swimming quite a ways out from the shelter of the breakwall. Self-important crawfish wave pinchers and back away as I glide along the bottom with small movements, working the last of the air out of my suit, and surface near the limestone.

After breathing up a bit I again head for the bottom and note a layer of milky water as the depth increases. Next dive I am past it and approaching the bend in the breakwall; I pass the school of small suckers that tend to turn back at this point in their avoidance of me - they like the shallow face of the breakwall but seem reluctant to go much past the bend - they are generally not curious like the bass and take a bit more creeping up on.

Just past this point I often find fine clouds of freshly stirred silt on the bottom. I suspect the presence of carp but have seen only one in this area. Now it's about twenty or twenty-five feet deep - the imposing limestone boulders on one side, a deep blue debri field on the other - with scattered waterlogged planks, rope and stray boulders. I breathe up well but just ate 45 minutes or so ago and am not at optimum endurance wise. Going vertical a couple of kicks take me to the bottom where I get as low as possible for my approach; carefully adjusting my kick to avoid any noise from fins colliding or neoprene socks chaffing against the foot pockets; clinging to the edges of the rocks.

Again a small area of raised dust - I investigate it and look around for any further sign. Nearby is what looks like a gallon jug full of sand with a small rope attached. Not quite neutral I grab hold in hopes it will hold me down while I remain motionless to see if whatever stirred the bottom will return. Above me along the breakwall a large fish approaches - the culprit - a medium sized carp, glides steeply down toward a spot a short distance ahead. He's very relaxed - tail hanging limp as he settles on the bottom just in front of me. Breath time and I try to float the 22 or so feet to the surface without much motion. Breathe up again and make for the bottom. There may be two now as I see one approaching the mess my fins have made of the bottom. This one spooks on my approach and I see it edging out into the open water past the debri field. Getting right down against the bottom I make my way out with long, slow fin strokes - to my left, very close, are the two large Bass I often see in this area - sillouetted beautifully against the early evening sunlight. One is larger - probably 16 inches - with hansome vertical striping - the other probably 14 and less distinctly marked - possibly they are male and female. When they are around they just seem to school up with me as a matter of course - if I focus too much on them they get a little cautious - but here they've just accompanied me out into the open water; formed up at arms length along my left side.

I hear boats and at depth it is very difficult to determine the distance - so I turn back toward the rocks in order to surface near their protection. Satisfied with a visit with the carp and the big bass - whom I've not seen in a couple weeks - I make my way back toward the ladder. As soon as I'm able to see the Iron breakwall I dive and do a power run along the bottom just for fun - small bass and suckers split off in front of me - unable to stay ahead. Still not quite used to these fins I surface much closer to the Iron breakwall than I'd have guessed. A female jogger is stretching against the railing ahead - the late sun reflecting along the smooth, nicely muscled surface of her thigh as she bends over her leg. She sees me and I upend with a single mighty porpoise kick to the bottom - they get warey if you focus too much on them... That last quick breath easily takes me the remaining 80 or so feet to the ladder. The jogger edges off into the urban debri field...

I'm happy with the incremental return of my submarine stealth.

Just the thing after a day of network administration.