On Saturday, February 15, 2003 3:10 AM, Fred Brown wrote:

> Hello everyone.
>
> I have just signed up to this list yesterday and thought it polite to
> introduce myself.  I have just moved to Sarasota from the UK. I've been
> SCUBA diving for about two years and am totally adicted to the sport.
Before
> moving I was usually diving most weekends in the cold waters off southern
> England. I've also been on diving vacations in Bonaire, St Lucia and
> Antigua. I hope this list is the right place to meet other divers from
this
> part of the world.

G'Day, Fred!  Welcome to SCUBA-SE.  ('cause my mail-server's currently
"experiencing difficulties" yours is the only post to come down the pipe
today thus far, but I've seen the other welcoming posts from Bob and Lee via
the internet archives.)

I also saw that you mentioned something about water temperature of 8 deg. C!
As another confirmed warm water wimp, I have to say that that sounds like
something you'd store frozen fish fingers in! :-)))))))

Bob mentioned his not diving at Shelly Beach, (a place that Huw - also from
the UK - described as, "the Wembley of Diving" the first time that he dived
there on a visit to Sydney) 'cause the water was too cold for him!  As I
recall - it being November and our Spring - the water was still cool at
about 19 deg. C. when he visited.  :-)

A few of us are about to meet up there in a few minutes time for an early
morning dive - and temperatures that hopefully will be about 22 deg C.  (but
that, on Thursday morning's dive, had dropped back to 20 deg. C.)

We're all busy writing out our "shopping list" of critters we'd like to see
to give to Julian - another former pom who hangs around on the SE list -
who's proved himself to be an outstanding critter spotter .... thus far!
(There's nothing like a bit of pressure to bring out the best in a bloke!)
:-)

Strike