and it brought me back... my last post was Feb 06 I guess and I have to admit, I don't recognize many here and you likely not I but... After Alison and Colin departed us I left the sandbox of the Middle East for the US and things slowed down just a tad with the diving.
We settled in New England and no spearing now for a few years-although I am still maintaining gear and guns!
Maggie complains we have no fresh fish 3 x a week anymore and the temp was -16 C this morning-go figure. Positive note is we go ice fishing now-negative is we have to bore through 2+ feet of ice to get to the fish!!!
Island Sands, sorry it took so long on that confirmation! LOL haven't logged in for a bit:wave Looks like you are still where you were when I left-sent someone your way a year or so ago but can't remember the name. I take it you like it there since you did not go back to where you were before LOL. To the rest, hi gang and sorry its been so long.
Some of you from before I now see on TV here in the US which I have to say is a RIOT!!!! I am not sure if your all still active on the board or not, but... its a riot seeing up on the Outdoor Channel spearing like there's no tomorrow!!
I thought of you all last fall when, as I was attempting to recover a deer from an ice filled creek and others were moaning it was too deep, I threatened to pull out my speedo, go for a swim, and get me deer! (I suddenly had offers of assistance...)
This board has provided a lot of companionship and friendly chatter for the years time we spent in the sand and we do miss it and the life on the water.
I managed to bring myself tears today once again... speaking with someone about our lives overseas as expats (our priest interestingly enough) talk went to Sri Lanka, then to Bentota and the wonderful diving on the wrecks off the coast.
Then of course it went to the Tsunami and how we left a few days early but friends who were down the coast a few miles were staying... which of course led to Alison and Colin, their survival in the horrors of nature, Colins saving of Alison, the fisherman stumbling across them, followed by their air evacuation back to the UK and then their recovery-the calls of concern to them and their family in the UK from our home in the Middle East and all the folks here from the 4 corners of the earth represented on this board.
The happiness as they recovered, the talk on the board of dives in different places, and then not a year later the shock as they both left us so suddenly in a horrific accident.
It is strange how friends so distant but with simple shared loves can affect one so deeply in their departure. Only 1 other situation in my life ever affected me the way that Alison and Colin have, and that was the loss of comrades in fallen in battle so many years ago.
Sorry my first post in a few years is on such a note but had to let it out and the only folks that would understand are here. Hopefully in a few month, as Spring hits, I can get back UNDER the water again instead of on it and post here about New England diving... (gotta check on spearing-don't think its allowed here :vangry )
/anton
We settled in New England and no spearing now for a few years-although I am still maintaining gear and guns!
Maggie complains we have no fresh fish 3 x a week anymore and the temp was -16 C this morning-go figure. Positive note is we go ice fishing now-negative is we have to bore through 2+ feet of ice to get to the fish!!!
Island Sands, sorry it took so long on that confirmation! LOL haven't logged in for a bit:wave Looks like you are still where you were when I left-sent someone your way a year or so ago but can't remember the name. I take it you like it there since you did not go back to where you were before LOL. To the rest, hi gang and sorry its been so long.
Some of you from before I now see on TV here in the US which I have to say is a RIOT!!!! I am not sure if your all still active on the board or not, but... its a riot seeing up on the Outdoor Channel spearing like there's no tomorrow!!
I thought of you all last fall when, as I was attempting to recover a deer from an ice filled creek and others were moaning it was too deep, I threatened to pull out my speedo, go for a swim, and get me deer! (I suddenly had offers of assistance...)
This board has provided a lot of companionship and friendly chatter for the years time we spent in the sand and we do miss it and the life on the water.
I managed to bring myself tears today once again... speaking with someone about our lives overseas as expats (our priest interestingly enough) talk went to Sri Lanka, then to Bentota and the wonderful diving on the wrecks off the coast.
Then of course it went to the Tsunami and how we left a few days early but friends who were down the coast a few miles were staying... which of course led to Alison and Colin, their survival in the horrors of nature, Colins saving of Alison, the fisherman stumbling across them, followed by their air evacuation back to the UK and then their recovery-the calls of concern to them and their family in the UK from our home in the Middle East and all the folks here from the 4 corners of the earth represented on this board.
The happiness as they recovered, the talk on the board of dives in different places, and then not a year later the shock as they both left us so suddenly in a horrific accident.
It is strange how friends so distant but with simple shared loves can affect one so deeply in their departure. Only 1 other situation in my life ever affected me the way that Alison and Colin have, and that was the loss of comrades in fallen in battle so many years ago.
Sorry my first post in a few years is on such a note but had to let it out and the only folks that would understand are here. Hopefully in a few month, as Spring hits, I can get back UNDER the water again instead of on it and post here about New England diving... (gotta check on spearing-don't think its allowed here :vangry )
/anton
