2023 has been a tough year. My Dad passed away on April 7th. He was a SCUBA Diver in California. He dove alone and on a tank without a pressure gage. When no more air came out, your dive was over. He hunted for abalone and had a couple of Hawaiian slings.
I guess diving in cutoff jean shorts was the style! (or at least Dad's style)
I inherited his 1960s SCUBA gear which is now proudly displayed on my shelves at home.
He got officially certified in the 1990s with my sister Megan, but never really dove again after retiring back to the farm he grew up on in Kansas.
As his COPD progressed, one of his favorite things to do was to watch Ocean and Underwater Documentaries on National Geographic. He saved every single issue of National Geographic and kept them on the shelves in the garage. He made a point of telling me when there was an article about Nudibranchs with photos by David Doubilet.
I miss you Dad, but I hope this means you can now join me on all of my dive trips.
I had to delay my trip to the Philippines for Slugfest... again. I paid for this trip in 2019. It got bumped for COVID in March 2020 and the festival was rescheduled for May 2023. I just couldn't step away yet to dive, so I rescheduled it to Feb/March 2024.
I was able to sneak in a couple of dives when I was in Greece for a wedding in September. We found some funky fireworms, but no nudibranchs.
I have not been on a dive trip in 2023. So I cannot wait to head to Alor, Indonesia right after Thanksgiving. This will be my third time there. I am super-excited!
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