Posts by Don Paul

  • What I have learned

    I have not suffered the pain his best friend Lyle has or his training partner Carla Hanson.I shift my mindset like a coward when I drift to the thoughts of Rick's kids and family. I am very lucky to have the Neptunes as my extended family along with my wife and boy. My new wife Mandy will never understand why we do what we do,
    she is not a ocean person but a soul mate non the less.


    My friends are going back to the cave to rewind Ricks last time there and try to learn more about that horrible night, then tell the story so we will know and remember. I have done this with a few friends I have lost.


    Sorry to ramble guys, thanks for your reflections on the sea.


    Don

  • What I have learned

    What have I learned? What have I learned?


    We come to this life in the sea with childhood myths of creatures that will harm us and currents that can sweep us away.
    Then... with the first taste of salt and a fin stroke we are seduced.


    I have learned I am hopelessly addicted to this mistress mother ocean. I have lied to my family to be with her with out guilt or remorse. I will go alone in the cold of night to meet her. I lie to myself she can be lived with.....if I'm strong, healthy, deeply experienced, and lucky. I lie that the lessons learned from the 23 friends I lost over the many years will teach me to survive.


    The passing of our brother Rick Hadley shows this myth not to be true. No amount of training and experience will keep us safe from a rocky shoreline with seas and a death trap beneath her dark waters.


    I shall continue my love affair with her..... but pray I have a crew like Lyle, Robert, Jeff and Steve to bring me home someday. I love you guys and will always keep Rick's angel on my shoulder to whisper to me. Bless you.


    Don

  • Hi from Pensacola Fl

    Welcome Nick, glad you were able to gain some knowledge from here, that's what it's all about, some good guys to have a little fun with as well.



    Cheers, Don

  • Aqualung buys OMER and Sporasub

    Alas,breathhold spearfishing and Cousteau have come full circle after completely denouncing us in the 70's till now.
    Eco tourism must be down, and if Calypso was still afloat the crew could start eating fish again.:rolleyes:


    Cheers, Don

  • Hello from Dayton, OH???

    Quote from hank

    Amazing. I'm from Cincinnati.....a long time ago. And I live in Belize. Better here than there....spearfishing anyway. Welsomce.


    You, me and Hau, the three musketeers :thumbup: I was born on Lockbourn AFB in Columbus and spent a month there before shipping out to New London Conn.
    Twenty years ago I dove a Caddy cross country and went out of my way to stop in Columbus. It was snowing when I pulled off the freeway at 2am, woke the wife up and said here it is honey. Than I turned left under the overpass and headed East bound to the Catskill mountains.


    Cheers, Don

  • Makin' sawdust...

    Quote from Blt

    That dyed timber looks sensational too! Any idea of how they do the dying process? Water based?


    I have a friend that builds hi end guitars, I'll see what he uses.


    Some times one can dye black or dark brown then sand it all off leaving the dark in the low spots, then readying
    and top coat.


    Cheers, Don

  • Makin' sawdust...

    That's a looker mate.:thumbup: Thanks for the info on the Northern and Southern lace wood, mine is the reddish one, i didn't know about the lighter one. When Greg Pickering came over to dive with my club(20years ago) he was surprised by my gun. I was tellin him how rare the wood was here. Then he said ''well back home they build shite houses from it some times, it's common''.


    Cheers, Don

  • Makin' sawdust...

    Thanks, that is sexy wood mate. I'm fond of the Lace wood (Cardwellia sublius) as well. I used it in a gun build many years ago and fell in love. Now I have end tables and picture frames to match.I'm hoarding the few boards I have left for when I retire.


    Can't wait to see your blanks take shape.


    Cheers, Don