My personal experience with getting the bends – (hint: it sucks!)

October 29, 2015 · by John Hanzl

Diving Orange Grove cave system

On July 4th I was five days into some intensive dive training in the caves of north central Florida. Unfortunately that particular day had a less-than-desirable outcome: I ended up getting fairly seriously bent.

Long story short, I ended up getting transported to Southern Georgia Medical Center where I spent five days alternating between the ICU and a hyperbaric chamber. My wife Amy had to fly down to drive me the 1,300 miles home, after which I spent six weeks recovering. Just this past Friday I had a heart procedure that I hope is the last step in my recovery.

Though this was an intensely personal experience, I am sharing it because not only is it a somewhat interesting story, but I think it could be a some benefit to others who share a passion for diving… So if you want to hear about what happened, and why, check out this presentation I recently gave to the staff at the New England Aquarium:

ICW 27 – Moving Into a New World – Sequel’s new threads…

June 28, 2015 · by John Hanzl

Life After the ICW

Yes indeed, there is life after the ICW. As almost a full year has passed since our 25 day voyage, I can attest to that fact first-hand. And I’ve been itching to share them with whomever I can. But, rather than endlessly tacking on an infinite trail of entries into the ICW blog, I think this shall be the last official “ICW” post – as well as the first of the series from now on known as the “Sequel Life” series.

Sequel Life – Summer of 2014…

Boy oh boy did we enjoy our summer last year. I won’t blog you down with details of all the trips and experiences we had (heh heh!) – suffice it to say that, with my sabbatical and Amy’s flexibility with her own work, we sure did maximized our time on the boat and tacked on another 1,000 nautical miles to the 1,600 we racked up on the ICW trip. And Bella! She’s an entry unto herself (literally, stay tuned) – she took to Sequel like a, a, well like a coonhound with wonky knees and a skeptical eye towards the water would – fantastically!

Bella, Amy, and I cruised from our marina – Pirate Cove Marina in Portsmouth, RI – and explored our aquatic world every chance we got. From sunsets like no other on a beach in Menemsha on Martha’s Vineyard, to biking on Block Island – from sniffing horses’ noses (Bella did this, not Amy or I) in Greenwich Cove, to relaxing in Cuttyhunk’s inner harbor while snacking on oysters and shrimp cocktail delivered by the raw bar boat – we had so many great experiences, and Sequel brought us through them all…

Thank you boat for giving us such a great Sequel Life!

Here’s some sights and experiences from the 2014 summer. Stand by for more Sequel Life…

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<– Back to ICW 26

ICW 26 – Wrapping It All Up

May 18, 2015 · by John Hanzl

A SEQUEL TO A SEQUEL

Most of the posts of this blog series has been written from Sequel, but this one is written from the heart… It’s been an honest pleasure for me – and I know the same resonates true for Amy – sharing our experiences on Sequel with all of you.

Even to my own ears that sounds somehow contrived, but it’s true. The trip has been an amazing experience for us, even beyond what we had hoped for. And though it feels nice to be home, we are also both sad to close the door on our now beloved Sequel – even if it’s only temporarily. We know there is plenty of life to live on her in the future – actually, to be honest, this post has been on the shelf for a few months as we were so busy logging many (many) more nautical miles on Sequel over the summer and into the fall. So like it or not, we already have many more stories to share!

But for the time being here’s where we were during the 25 day, 1,600 mile trip north from Jupiter, FL to Portsmouth, RI. I’ve added links to the blog from the various stopping points, you know – to help relive the experience. That I did just for me – I miss this damn trip!

DAY	MARINA	LOCATION
1	Blowing Rocks Marina	Jupiter, FL
2	“	“
3	“	“
4	Titusville Municipal Marina	Titusville, FL
5	St Augustine Municipal Marina	St Augustine, FL
6	Golden Isles Marina	St Simons Island, GA
7	Windmill Harbour Marina	Hilton Head Island, SC
8	“	“
9	Leland’s Marina	McClellandville, SC
10	Carolina Beach Mooring Field	Carolina Beach, NC
11	Sea Gate Marina	Newport, NC
12	Alligator River Marina	Columbia, NC
13	Dismal Swamp Visitor Center	South Mills, NC
14	Norview Marina	Deltaville, VA
15	City of Annapolis Mooring Field	Annapolis, MD
16	“	“
17	Utsch’s Marina	Cape May, NJ
18	Liberty Harbor Marina	Jersey City, NJ
19	Oyster Bay Marine Center	Oyster Bay, NY
20	Village of Sag Harbor Mooring Field	Sag Harbor, NY
21	“	“
22	Dodson’s Boatyard	Stonington, CT
23	“	“
24	“	“
25	Pirate Cove Marina	Portsmouth, RI

Till some time in the future… Thank you!

Oh, and lest you think that “some time in the future” is, you know, far away – it’s not…

The future has already happened, so if you want to see what’s been going on, well, you don’t have long to wait. And to prove it, I leave you with this…

Bella!

Soon we will move into a whole new world…

<– Back to ICW 25

I’m going to the test firing of the world’s most powerful solid rocket booster – what?

February 27, 2015 · by John Hanzl

The human race is going to Mars – that’s an amazing statement all to itself. As a matter of fact, it’s so cool I’m going to say it again…

The human race is going to MARS!

Sure, maybe not this year or next, but it’s going to happen and it’s going to happen within our lives. After years and years of what perhaps could be called the “winter of spaceflight advancement”, we are looking at the spring of humanity’s next great push. And the greatest thing? It’s just now becoming tangible – there are things you can touch, and see, and experience. There’s Orion – the “crew vehicle”, and then there’s SLS…

Space Launch System – aka SLS.

The Space Launch System is the next generation rocket, and it’s massive. It hearkens back to the days of the mighty Saturn V that hurtled astronauts to the moon – big and massive and powerful.

But the SLS has a much more ambitious goal in its sights – Mars. So it has to be that much more ambitious in its scope.

Part of the SLS assembly is a pair of solid rocket boosters. Think space shuttle boosters, but bigger and badder. These guys are the heavy lifters, the sledgehammers of the system if you will. And they’re being built and tested right now.

That’s where I come in. I’ve been invited by NASA to be one of a small number of “social media content providers” to attend the test firing of one of the boosters at ATK Aerospace Group’s test facilities in Promontory, Utah on March 11th. And I’ll be granted a tour of ATK Aerospace’s assembly facility as well, along with a press conference that will be aired live on NASA TV the day before the test. It’s an honor to be selected for this experience – and one that most applicants weren’t picked for – and I’ll be doing my best to relay the experience to you guys…

Below is a short video of the building and firing of one of these boosters. I’m pretty excited to get the opportunity to experience it first hand!

So stay tuned and see what I have to share about rockets.

Freekin rockets!

My chat with Pod Diver Radio on diver communications

February 22, 2015 · by John Hanzl

A really cool dive that happens every day at the New England Aquarium is the 2:30 Diver Communications Dive. Not only do we provide visitors with the unique opportunity to participate in a question and answer session with a diver, but we share what the diver sees, broadcasting it in high definition onto two giant screens at the top of the Giant Ocean Tank.

(Here’s a quick video showing the system at work – I was the comms diver that day)

I was tasked to develop this system when the exhibit was closed for a major, year long, renovation in 2013-2014. A task that definitely presented many interesting challenges and required some rather unique solutions.

Joe Cocozza of Pod Diver Radio what going to stop by the Aquarium a few weeks ago to talk to me about our diver communications program, but as luck would have it, a blizzard shut down the Aquarium and I ended up doing the interview over the phone. Such is the life in Boston these days!

And, towards the end of the interview he did manage to get in a few questions about my writing, my rEvo rebreather, and the sequel to Out of Hell’s Kitchen – entitled Into the Devil’s Throat… (as if you didn’t know!)

So sit back, relax, pop open your favorite bevie, and have a listen…

An insider’s look at a snow day at the Aquarium

February 14, 2015 · by John Hanzl

Ever wonder what happens when the weather turns really (really) crappy and your favorite aquarium is forced to close (ahem – which of course you are all thinking, “New England Aquarium!”)? What about what happens to all the critters on Christmas or New Years or Thanksgiving? Well, if you’ve ever lost sleep worrying about who’s taking care of those aquatic dwellers, worry no more.

And to prove it, I got together with Boston.com to show you what happens at NEAq when snowmageddon strikes. Check out the story here…

(and be sure to check out the video in the article – especially if you want to know what Chris – my co-aquarist – can’t find…!)

http://www.boston.com/news/weather/2015/02/10/behind-the-scenes-snow-day-the-new-england-aquarium/SGvhcLw1I4xH7jLZt7cWHI/story.html

ICW 25 – Home

July 7, 2014 · by John Hanzl

…

Day 22 – Stonington, CT to Portsmouth, RI, 46 miles, 2.5 hours

There’s one post left after this one, but for now, we’re home…

Till I wrap it all up…

<– Back to ICW 24

ICW 24 – On Our Very Last Leg…

July 6, 2014 · by John Hanzl

…AKA THE BITTER END

Day 21 – Stonington, CT to Stonington, CT in more slow wind-driven circles, 0 miles (super educated guess), all day

After reading, and rereading, and loving with a true passion, the works of absolutely my favorite author, Patrick O’Brian, you can’t but help absorb something.Tons of somethings actually. He is simply brilliant, and his intellect shines through his words in a way that pains me for my own paltry writing. But beyond that, the seafaring world he writes is a study in etymology, the adoption of nautical terms in everyday language is quite surprising. But there’s one phrase in specific that I want to deal with tonight.

The bitter end.

Technically, the bitter end is the part of a rope that’s tied off. And from that definition has sprung more dire meanings. But for Amy and I, its meaning is something else altogether. Touch wood, but tomorrow we will be home. We will create several bitter ends as we secure Sequel in her new slip in Portsmouth, RI and then we’ll pack up the car and head back to Boston – after being on our boat for 25 days and being away from our home and “the kids” for 27 days. It’s going to be bitter sweet for sure. We miss our home and our dog Bella and our two cats Sal and Jersey. And we can feel the pressures of “real” life beginning to weigh on us – demanding our attention. But it’s been one hell of a great trip – experience – and we’re sad to see it draw to a close in a mere collection of hours.

Sigh.

However, It’s not over yet! It’s been a beautiful day here at our mooring off Dodsons Boatyard in Stonington, CT. Clear skies, gusting winds, and warm dry air. We were originally planing on heading to shore for a dinner out, but as the day started drawing to a close we simultaneously realized we wanted to spend our last night aboard Sequel. There’s so much life going on in this harbor, it’s fun to just sit and watch. Blue water sailboats abound and there’s at least a dozen DownEast style cruisers like Sequel. It’s our kind of place.

So I’m about to set up the grill and we’re going to enjoy the last sunset of our trip. I thought perhaps I’d leave you tonight with a tour of the home we’ve lived in for almost a month…

Till tomorrow, when we head home…

Night!

<– Back to ICW 23

ICW 23 – Weather On The Hour

July 5, 2014 · by John Hanzl

AS GENTLE AS A YOUNG ELEPHANT…

One of my fondest childhood characters growing up is that of Babar the Elephant, created by Jean de Brunhoff. I loved that trouble-making elephant in a green suit, loved his world, and the characters that populated his world. And I still love elephants today, including Babar, Celeste, wrinkly old Cornelius, and Arthur. So how could I be worried about a hurricane named Arthur?

Day 20 – Stonington, CT to Stonington, CT in slow wind-driven circles, 4 miles (uneducated guess), all day

I woke up around 5:00am this morning and checked the marine and terrestrial forecasts for Stonington. It was saying wind speeds of 40 mph and torrential rains.

Humm. Could be interesting.

Then, later on, when Amy and I were watching Budapest Hotel in the saloon, both our phones started emitting a crazy tone and we both had this on our screens.

Okay. And then when we looked at the Weather.com radar we saw this heading for us (with ‘us’ being the blue dot sorta in the middle)…

Right. So today’s post is simple – we’re going to present you with a short montage of Weather On The Hour, By John and Amy Hanzl. Was Arthur all that he threatened to be, or was he gentle like a properly dressed French elephant? You be the judge…

Tomorrow is another day. Till then…

John

<– Back to ICW 22

ICW 22 – Leghorn

July 4, 2014 · by John Hanzl

WHEN THE FOURTH BECOMES THE THIRD

My mind is in a fog…

Day 19 – Sag Harbor, NY to Stonington, CT, 28 miles, 2 blind hours

Though to be honest, my mind is usually in a fog, so why should today be any different? Regardless, we made the dash from Sag Harbor to coastal Connecticut in order to find a good refuge for potential future weather. We’re tucked in good at Dodson Boatyard, behind two breakwaters and on a good strong mooring. Plus when we arrived this morning we fueled up, pumped out and loaded in 100 gallons of water. We’re stocked!

And to keep things par for the course, we had to arrive in a complete fog, everything shrouded in a swirl of mystery. It would have been awesome if it wasn’t so damn stressful. But awesome. And stressful.

(Yeah, I look a bit like Popeye in that sequence, but it was just that kind of light!)

Anyway – we’re a mere collection of miles from Sequel’s new home in RI. We’ve traveled an umpteen number of miles (don’t really know how many that is, but it’s a LOT), and we just can’t seem to make that last bit to complete the voyage. I don’t know – perhaps it’s kismet. Maybe we’re having too much fun. Regardless, we’re here. Tucked in for Arthur (Amy just pointed out that I spelled it ‘author’ – ironic). Or whatever remnants Arthur has to throw at us. All we know is that we don’t want to deal with seven to ten foot seas, so we’re here. Sorry Bella. But soon, we promise!

So today was all about zero visibility and the density of fog – which ironically isn’t dense at all. If you were to use our dinghy’s gas tank as a barometer for the weather we’ve been dealing with, it would have gone like this…

HOLY CRAP! The gas tank is about to explode it’s so puffed out…
OMG – WTF!? – The gas tank is so sucked in it’s permanently deformed. Looks like a Kardashian’s cheeks.
YIKES!! – Freekin’ thing is huge! Well, guess it’s a good thing the tank’s so puffed out again – it’s no longer deformed…

Point being – it was FOGGY on the run to Dodson today. As in “I think this damn autopilot is turning us in circles but apparent;y it’s not” foggy. As in “I now fully believe in ghosts” foggy. It was that foggy. And we crept into the harbor in Stongington in complete blindness, with a huge anchorage to navigate, all blind. It was cool!

So our trip is almost over – but it’s not done yet. Amy’s sitting beside me watching a Facebook video of a dog who is now cancer free getting to unwrap a huge box of toys, and she’s crying. Life is good and we still have tomorrow to look forward to…

And we had fireworks tonight! TWICE!

Oh boy – the skies just opened up! It’s pouring out – Sequel is finally going to get a bath. Night all…

Till the winds blow fair for foul in the morn…