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>
> 2. [A harder problem] I'm also looking for a source for dive slates that
> DO NOT use pencils attached by small rubber tubing that always comes off.
> My wife and I go through at least a slate every 2-3 dives because the
> pencil either comes loose or breaks, etc. I'm guessing there must be a
> better writing utensil that someone has invented for serious underwater
> use (real marine life ID, etc.). I would prefer it to be small, compact,
> light-weight, and eco-friendly, but I'll settle for any information
> people may have.
> I'd like to solve problem #1 before 1 week from today when I venture off
> to the cold low-vis. water in Cabo san Lucas...
>
I have heard that Mylar sheets work well, but I have never used any. I
assume they would work in a clipboard type of system. As for pencils and
tubing that break, here are some ideas.
1) Drill 2 small holes in one corner of your slate and tie off a small piece
of tubing through them so that it is fairly tight to the slate. You might
want to do this again a few inches/cm down from the first set too. You can
insert the pencil between the slate and the tubing without having to hassle
with dangling tubing. This also frees up the hand from becoming tangled in
tubing. I've done this on a couple of my larger slates, and it seems to
work fairly well. Remember, howvere, that you will probably need to change
out the tubing occasionally because it will "go bad."
2) If you search far and wide, you will be able to find a really nice type
of pencil. It's brand name escapes me at the moment. It is plastic with
plastic lead-holders about 1.5cm each. When one lead breaks, you take the
lead from the front out, and put it in the back, which pushes another lead
foreward. It is similar to a mechanical pencil, but the leads are short and
squat, not long and thin. It also is not mechanical... you have to do the
lead exchange. I found the at Walgreen's Pharmacy here in Texas. I think
they usually come in packs of 3 pencils. One bit of warning, the leads have
a bad tendency of accidentally falling out, which leaves you one short in
the pencil. This effectively disables the pencil.
Sorry that item 2 is so vague, but that's about all that I can remember
about them. I use them almot exclusively now.
Carl W. Meilahn
NAUI Instr. # 14470
cmeilahn@cc*.cc*.ut*.ed*
cmeilahn@cs*.ut*.ed*
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