(09-12-2023, 03:26 PM)sailorsam Wrote: in my younger days I would swim after dark @ state parks whilst camping.
verboten.
I remember seeing the rangers drive through looking for swimmers. one night they shone their spotlight on the water. I dove under, saw that light go right over me.
never got caught.
fun then. stupid now.
Did a fair amount of night diving in Hawaii. First and last dives of any diving day were always night dives. Diving in the dark freaks people right the eff out ... until they're under water. Then they comfortable and realize they can see things and don't really even need a flashlight if their eyes are given a chance to acclimate to the dark.
Only thing that ever 'got to me' was the moray eels. They come out of their daytime hidey-holes when the sun goes down. I'm 6'1" and those suckers were half again as long as I was. They'd "stand" on their tails in groups that looked like a loose collection of kelp and you could swim up on 'em before you realized it. I think it's just the way they fished ... but, who knows. I don't think I ever saw a moray that big inside one of their holes during the daytime. But, there were puhlenty of them to see after dark. Suffice it to say I would 'never' stick my hand into a hole where an eel might be taking refuge.
As for the rest of the 'fear': once you realize you're weak and puny compared to anything that might decide to eat you ... you can let it go. Doesn't mean I'd venture much beyond the first reef. No interest in doing it from a boat. And out there where the big fish swim? ... Nope.
No interest in diving fresh water like you were. There's a lot that can go wrong ... starting with snakes along the shoreline and gators that always seem to be hungry. If I had been the guy holding the flashlight ... I would have pretended not to see you.
