# Let's see MkII in action



## heebs

Hi All,

Putting a challenge out there to post pics of your MkII watches in action. Not sitting at your desk and no safe queens. Wabi is welcome here! Doesn't matter if it's underwater, at the beach, or what. But since we all agree that Bill designs pieces that are not only beautiful but also incredibly useful, let's show that they can be used too!

A few of my favourite things: Rope by Blue Water, shoes by 5.10, hardware by Petzl and Black Diamond: 









Stopping for a moment on the way out to enjoy the view. Gotta head home and BBQ some burgers with good friends. OK, maybe a beer or 2 as well.


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## sschum

Kingston on Ka'anapali Beach


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## Fullers1845

Dove hunting in a Kingston.


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## heebs

sschum said:


> Kingston on Ka'anapali Beach





Fullers1845 said:


> Dove hunting in a Kingston.


Love it. Thanks for sharing.

I didn't take any pics of the watch, but I wore my old Blackwater (now gone and replaced) on a mountaineering trip to Mount Athabasca several years ago. I remember receiving it in the mail the evening before we left and thinking that it would be a great reliable piece to take on this adventure. Couple pics here:


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## AlphaWolf777

***** said:


> Love it. Thanks for sharing.
> 
> I didn't take any pics of the watch, but I wore my old Blackwater (now gone and replaced) on a mountaineering trip to Mount Athabasca several years ago. I remember receiving it in the mail the evening before we left and thinking that it would be a great reliable piece to take on this adventure. Couple pics here:


You've done some STUFF! Sounds like you've had a lot of outdoor adventures, man. That's awesome! :-! b-)


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## 66Cooper

Not quite up to the level of most but here is my Kingston on "island time"


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## 66Cooper

Wait, maybe this could be seen as a bit more "extreme". 
If you look closely, you may be able to make out the Kingston's big crown sticking out from under my fire suit.


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## Ninjastar

***** said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Putting a challenge out there to post pics of your MkII watches in action. Not sitting at your desk and no safe queens. Wabi is welcome here! Doesn't matter if it's underwater, at the beach, or what. But since we all agree that Bill designs pieces that are not only beautiful but also incredibly useful, let's show that they can be used too!
> 
> A few of my favourite things: Rope by Blue Water, shoes by 5.10, hardware by Petzl and Black Diamond:


Awesome. Where is this? Squamish?

I just got into climbing this year. It's actually what has put a halt to my watch collecting and flipping for the moment.

I'm also a fan of 5.10 shoes and wear the Anasazi VCS. I don't have a favorite rope yet since I've only used one type - Sterling. I love my Petzl Sama harness and the Black Diamond White Gold chalk is my favorite. 

I wuss out on wearing my Blackwater with me on climbs though. I'm afraid I will bash it into the rock. I know Bill's pieces can take a licking, but I just baby them too much.

I went cliff jumping the other day at the beach and I also wussed out on wearing the Sea Fighter or the Blackwater even though there was very little chance they would've been damaged doing that. Why do I even buy dive watches? lol


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## heebs

66Cooper said:


> Wait, maybe this could be seen as a bit more "extreme".
> If you look closely, you may be able to make out the Kingston's big crown sticking out from under my fire suit.


Love it! That looks like an exciting ride and certainly a more exciting life for a watch as cool as the Kingston. Definitely beats getting stashed away in a safe!



Ninjastar said:


> Awesome. Where is this? Squamish?
> 
> I just got into climbing this year. It's actually what has put a halt to my watch collecting and flipping for the moment.
> 
> I'm also a fan of 5.10 shoes and wear the Anasazi VCS. I don't have a favorite rope yet since I've only used one type - Sterling. I love my Petzl Sama harness and the Black Diamond White Gold chalk is my favorite.
> 
> I wuss out on wearing my Blackwater with me on climbs though. I'm afraid I will bash it into the rock. I know Bill's pieces can take a licking, but I just baby them too much.
> 
> I went cliff jumping the other day at the beach and I also wussed out on wearing the Sea Fighter or the Blackwater even though there was very little chance they would've been damaged doing that. Why do I even buy dive watches? lol


Very cool that you've taken up climbing. I've been at it for many years and I've met some great people and had some amazing experiences. These pics are from the Kananaskis area in the Rockies at a crag called Wasootch. Lots of limestone out here, and this particular area is known for its slab routes. It's a really accessible area and the routes are mostly single pitch, ranging from easy to moderate. This means it's a good spot for beginners and groups but also means that the rock is pretty polished from years of use.

The shoes in the pic are 5.10 Arrowheads that a friend gave me last year. My fave shoes overall are the Anasazi Velcros and I've been through many, many pairs of them but I've also worn shoes from Scarpa, Evolv, Sportiva, and Boreal as well. It's not visible in the pic, but I usually climb in a Petzl harness of some sort - Adjama for days outside and a Sama for the gym. I just like the fit, although the most recent generation of Black Diamond harnesses looks really good and I will try them out next time I'm shopping for a new one.

Thanks for sharing the awesome pics and stories guys. I hope we can keep this one going.


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## Ninjastar

Very cool. It's still early for me, but I feel like I will continue climbing for years to come. I really enjoy it. Also I know what you mean by meeting great people doing it. It's by far the most social sporting activity that I've ever tried.

I feel like I didn't really contribute to the spirit of the thread so I snapped some quick gear pics. These will have to do until I can take some real in action shots.

The Sea Fighter with the rash guard I wear for water activities.









And my Blackwater with some of my favorite climbing gear.

Petzl Sama harness, climbing shoes by 5.10 and La Sportiva, approach shoes and chalk bag by Evolv, and the Sanuk flip flops give my feet a rest between climbs.


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## heebs

I was going through some older photos and came across these.

1. I don't recall taking any pics of the watch, but this was a day or 2 after receiving my LRRP. At the time I thought I was a bit crazy, but it was worth waking up at 3am and heading out to the mountains for sunrise.

5 minutes after I took this photo I watched a wolf run across the meadow into the mist. I have a pic of that somewhere, but can't find it ATM. 



























2. Another early morning but this time it was much closer to home. I was up well before sunrise and rode my bike to one of the regional parks not far away (didn't have to ride, but the nesting area was decently far from the parking lot, especially with a heavy backpack full of camera gear. 3+ hours of waiting and stalking at temps around freezing for a measly 4 minutes of good light, but it was pretty amazing to see these little guys. 









And my faithful companion - once again, the Blackwater: 









3. Lastly. I'm not sure if this really qualifies as "in action", but it was certainly a fun night:


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## AlphaWolf777

***** said:


> I was going through some older photos and came across these.
> 
> 1. I don't recall taking any pics of the watch, but this was a day or 2 after receiving my LRRP. At the time I thought I was a bit crazy, but it was worth waking up at 3am and heading out to the mountains for sunrise.
> 
> 5 minutes after I took this photo I watched a wolf run across the meadow into the mist. I have a pic of that somewhere, but can't find it ATM.
> 
> 2. Another early morning but this time it was much closer to home. I was up well before sunrise and rode my bike to one of the regional parks not far away (didn't have to ride, but the nesting area was decently far from the parking lot, especially with a heavy backpack full of camera gear. 3+ hours of waiting and stalking at temps around freezing for a measly 4 minutes of good light, but it was pretty amazing to see these little guys.
> 
> And my faithful companion - once again, the Blackwater:
> 
> 3. Lastly. I'm not sure if this really qualifies as "in action", but it was certainly a fun night:


Amazing photos!


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## Fullers1845

Beautiful shots, *****!


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## heebs

AlphaWolf777 said:


> Amazing photos!





Fullers1845 said:


> Beautiful shots, *****!


Thanks Gents! I am pretty lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world. The owls were inside city limits, and the mountain shots were about an hour away from home.

Couple more from that same morning: 


















The area where I took these shots has been closed for awhile due to grizzly bear activity. One of the well known local griz killed and ate a black bear earlier this year (the second known one for this particular griz) and it's pretty close to some major hiking and biking areas. Guess I won't be going back to that specific spot for awhile but there are lots more places I can go.


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## Dr JonboyG

66Cooper said:


> Wait, maybe this could be seen as a bit more "extreme".
> If you look closely, you may be able to make out the Kingston's big crown sticking out from under my fire suit.


Chumpcar?


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## gwold

Gorgeous shots, *****. Thanks for sharing!

Greg


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## JFingers

Dr JonboyG said:


> Chumpcar?


I think it's "24 hours of Lemons," judging by the sticker on the dash. I've heard its a lot of fun.

-Jake


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## 66Cooper

Yep! 24 hours of Lemons. It's an amazing thing this. I recommend it to all


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## Dr JonboyG

Ah, so it is. Being a Chumpcar racer I'd normally start trolling now but we're all MkII fans so carry on


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## spikynbaby

*****, thanks for sharing all the wonderful shots. cheers.


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## serdal23

Indeed, wonderful fotos in this awesome thread!

Thanks for sharing, Comrades . . .

Capt. Serdal

Note: Don't forget to check out my another MKII arrival thread ;-)


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## heebs

serdal23 said:


> Indeed, wonderful fotos in this awesome thread!
> 
> Thanks for sharing, Comrades . . .
> 
> Capt. Serdal
> 
> Note: Don't forget to check out my another MKII arrival thread ;-)


Would you mind posting a couple seabus photos for us? That's certainly MkII in action.

Looking forward to seeing the next reveal even if I do know what it is - I still share in your excitement!


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## flatout05

Dr JonboyG said:


> Ah, so it is. Being a Chumpcar racer I'd normally start trolling now but we're all MkII fans so carry on


And I'm an SCCA Club Racer, so I refuse to acknowledge either of you! ;-)


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## serdal23

Dear *****,

Thank you very much for your very kind words. The fotos are coming very soon . . .

Capt. Serdal


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## serdal23

So, you'd like to see some action! Hmmm, there you have it!:

This is one of the Seabuses I drive in Vancouver Harbour:

http://emob464.photobucket.com/albums/rr6/serdal22/P1080189_zpscd472252.jpg?t=1377724352

Driving Seabus with Seafighter day/date on:

http://emob464.photobucket.com/albums/rr6/serdal22/P1070761_zpsb7d7e96f.jpg?t=1373772422

Driving Seabus with Stingray on:

http://emob464.photobucket.com/albums/rr6/serdal22/P1070756_zps37094202.jpg?t=1373772420

Fotos will continue...

Capt. Serdal

Capt. Serdal

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## serdal23

Sorry Comrades, I tried to post some action fotos, but my lovely cell phone didn't let me.

Ok, here they are:

This is one of old Seabuses I drive in Vancouver Harbour:



Driving Seabus with Stingray on:



Driving Seabus with Seafighter day / date on:



Driving the new car with LRRP UTC on some time ago:



Driving Seabus with LRRP UTC on:



Some celebrations with Stingray:



Driving Seabus with my ex Seamaster:



Emergency radio communication with LRRP UTC on during an emergency drill:



Size comparison:



Very Best Regards . . .

Capt. Serdal


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## Hoppyjr

serdal23 said:


> Emergency radio communication with LRRP UTC on during an emergency drill:
> 
> 
> 
> Very Best Regards . . .
> 
> Capt. Serdal



ATTENTION: This is your Captain speaking, ALL HANDS ON DECK......_except my right hand, which is taking a wrist shot of my very cool MKii_..... :-d


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## 66Cooper

flatout05 said:


> And I'm an SCCA Club Racer, so I refuse to acknowledge either of you! ;-)
> 
> View attachment 1204466


Well, if it means anything I run my classic Mini in SCCA autoX events


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## OmegaCosmicMan

Today we are on a little fly-about. a wade-about, a walk-about....

Breaking over on-step....









Our happy and erstwhile crew....









Heading for destination....









Coming in for landing...Geographic Harbor on the Katmai coast......









Our eager crew establishing a beachhead from the sea.....









Some large brown critters up ahead....









And....We're Bear Viewing!









*The Coastal Alaska Brown Bear, a sub-type of the grizzly family, is the largest omnivore in North America....
*
That's Mom- (the lovely lady who lets me live with her), Daughter, Bear and Sea Fighter!









_We're having a *Good Time*, oh yeah......!!

_








These lovely critters are more interested in the salmon rushing upstream, rather than us....
.....as long as we don't interfere with the feeding....









I can get in a couple of quick snaps before I get the Real Camera out....







_

(and get some more MKII snaps too...)

_This Big Boy is the King! of the stream. *He Rules!*







_

He looks a tad cranky too as he checks us out..._

This little gal is a little more calm, and comes to within 15-20 feet to enjoy a salmon dinner....







_

Right in front of us! Yeah!

Well anyway, after about 300 or so photos of about a dozen different bruins....
....a lot of spectacular and beautiful scenery, 
...then a couple of hours flight-seeing in Katmai and over the Valley of 10,000 Smokes...

It's time to head back to home base....._ :-(







*

Men, Enjoy your time!

*Live life to the fullest you can manage!*

Have some Fun! And some Adventure!*_

-Our Best to All-

_|>|>


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## AlphaWolf777

OmegaCosmicMan said:


> Today we are on a little fly-about. a wade-about, a walk-about....
> 
> Breaking over on-step....
> 
> Our happy and erstwhile crew....
> 
> Heading for destination....
> 
> Coming in for landing...Geographic Harbor on the Katmai coast......
> 
> Our eager crew establishing a beachhead from the sea.....
> 
> Some large brown critters up ahead....
> 
> And....We're Bear Viewing!
> 
> *The Coastal Alaska Brown Bear, a sub-type of the grizzly family, is the largest omnivore in North America....
> *
> That's Mom- (the lovely lady who lets me live with her), Daughter, Bear and Sea Fighter!
> 
> _We're having a *Good Time*, oh yeah......!!
> 
> _
> 
> These lovely critters are more interested in the salmon rushing upstream, rather than us....
> .....as long as we don't interfere with the feeding....
> 
> I can get in a couple of quick snaps before I get the Real Camera out....
> 
> _
> 
> (and get some more MKII snaps too...)
> 
> _This Big Boy is the King! of the stream. *He Rules!*
> 
> _
> 
> He looks a tad cranky too as he checks us out..._
> 
> This little gal is a little more calm, and comes to within 15-20 feet to enjoy a salmon dinner....
> 
> _
> Right in front of us! Yeah!
> 
> Well anyway, after about 300 or so photos of about a dozen different bruins....
> ....a lot of spectacular and beautiful scenery,
> ...then a couple of hours flight-seeing in Katmai and over the Valley of 10,000 Smokes...
> 
> It's time to head back to home base....._ :-(
> 
> *
> 
> Men, Enjoy your time!
> 
> *Live life to the fullest you can manage!*
> 
> Have some Fun! And some Adventure!*_
> 
> -Our Best to All-
> 
> _|>|>


Amazing photos! I've been closer to bears...but I was separated from them by the car door, hah!


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## Thieuster

That's really some action! And my closest encounter with bears was in a Zoo... with a moat between me and the bear(s). Seeing your Alaska pictures, I get the idea that you're living some sort of Discovery Channel life! ;-)

Menno


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## OmegaCosmicMan

Thieuster said:


> That's really some action! And my closest encounter with bears was in a Zoo... with a moat between me and the bear(s). Seeing your Alaska pictures, I get the idea that you're living some sort of Discovery Channel life! ;-)
> 
> Menno


That's not so far off, Menno. The closest I had ever been to a bear before this was about 35 feet- when I was 15 or so - I threw my fishing pole and tackle box away and ran back around the bend in the stream the way I came, screaming like a little girl all the way...and didn't go back upstream for a couple of hours, when I had my Dad (and his .44 Magnum) along....He told me he was sure I was exaggerating the whole thing....but when we got to the scene of the retreat, and saw the distance between the tracks....Well, I wasn't embellishing things that much.

I was bouncing around in the Bering Sea when I was 19 years old....that was a long time ago. When Tricky Dick Nixon was bailing out of the White House under a cloud of suspicion and shame, I was out there doing what those 'Deadliest Catch' guys do (only for a lot less money and for a lot longer seasons). I have survived to tell the tale.... :-( Sadly, many of my close friends did not. That is why I got out of fishing for a living, and got a job on the beach. I was doing the 'Deadliest Catch thing' long before it was made a reality TV show.....

It has been a Hell of a Life. :think: *I have enjoyed every bit of it*....even the seconds that dragged on like hours. :-x And I wouldn't trade any of if it for something different. 

And I'm not done yet! Ha Ha.....:-d:-d

Not by a long shot. ;-)

It is getting a bit more difficult to haul these old bones in and out of those great planes and on and off of boats, etc....but as long as I can, I'll still be doing it....!

-Best to You, Thanks for the comments!

|>|>


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## heebs

OmegaCosmicMan said:


> That's not so far off, Menno. The closest I had ever been to a bear before this was about 35 feet- when I was 15 or so - I threw my fishing pole and tackle box away and ran back around the bend in the stream the way I came, screaming like a little girl all the way...and didn't go back upstream for a couple of hours, when I had my Dad (and his .44 Magnum) along....He told me he was sure I was exaggerating the whole thing....but when we got to the scene of the retreat, and saw the distance between the tracks....Well, I wasn't embellishing things that much.
> 
> I was bouncing around in the Bering Sea when I was 19 years old....that was a long time ago. When Tricky Dick Nixon was bailing out of the White House under a cloud of suspicion and shame, I was out there doing what those 'Deadliest Catch' guys do for a lot less money and for a lot longer seasons. I have survived to tell the tale.... :-( Sadly, many of my close friends did not. That is why I got out of fishing for a living, and got a job on the beach. I was doing the 'Deadliest Catch thing' before it made a reality TV show.....
> 
> It has been a Hell of a Life. :think: I have enjoyed every minute of it....even the seconds that dragged on like hours. :-x And I wouldn't trade a bit if it for anything different.
> 
> And I'm not done yet! Ha Ha.....:-d:-d
> 
> Not by a long shot. ;-)
> 
> It is getting a bit more difficult to haul these old bones in and out of those great planes and on and off of boats etc....but as long as I can, I'll still be doing it....!
> 
> -Best to You, Thanks for the comments!
> 
> |>|>


Excellent shots and commentary. It's great to see MkII out in the field.

Thanks for sharing your adventure! What was the purpose for this trip- academic, pleasure, photographic? You mentioned breaking out your camera gear. What did you use for this adventure? Any more photos to share?

I'll be heading out in search of grizzlies soon, now that the summer tourist season is declining. Just to watch and maybe take some photos.


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## Fullers1845

Awesome shots; awesome trip, OCM!

Did anybody warn you to put your watch-arm down so it wouldn't keep geting in the way of your bear photos? Some people just don't have their priorities straight, right? ;-)


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## OmegaCosmicMan

***** said:


> ...What was the purpose for this trip- academic, pleasure, photographic?


Yes. (Short answer; Long answer is much, much longer) 



***** said:


> ....You mentioned breaking out your camera gear. What did you use for this adventure? Any more photos to share?


Sad to admit, I once considered myself a fair amateur photographer and my preference in the 'old days' was for Nikon gear (because of durability of camera bodies and quality and wide availability of many unique types of lenses.) So here is the 'I'm-ashamed-to-admit-part': I have a lot of old Nikon gear I never use...because I have a couple of not-so-old Kodak digital cameras that are so easy to pick up and use and they do what I want or need them to do. One is a 3 mega-pixel 'weatherproof' that Kodak recalled several years ago because the battery hatch cover can break and cause problems. I figured out a way to fix it so it stayed 'weatherproof' and it hasn't gone on fire yet so I still use it. It has big buttons; I can use it with gloves on in slush, mud, snow whatever- and it works as long as I feed it batteries. The other is a Kodak Z812; 8.1 megapixel 'consumer' digital. It has a panoramic stitch-together feature that is very easy to use and (for me) produces good results. (I got sidetracked with all of the action of bears going here and there etc that I didn't get any panoramic shots, even though I originally intended to. The other thing about yesterday was; it was good in one respect: It wasn't blowing rain sideways (Happens very frequently in these parts...) but the light was pretty gray and even because of thick clouds that were low over the landscape- filtered the light so the colors looked very flat.)

All of the pictures I have posted on the forum come out of my trusty Samsung Galaxy SII 8 MP cell phone camera. It has some great features; it is intuitive and very fast. I took around 120 pictures with my cell phone and over 200 pictures with the Z812. (I just retired from my 'regular occupation', so my hope is that I'll be able to spend more time on the amateur photography part of life, and develop and retain those skills by USING them on a regular basis.) One in our party had a Samsung Galaxy S4 with 13 MP camera; and that one was producing pictures that were much, much better than my SII.



***** said:


> Just to watch and maybe take some photos.


Well; I am not a 'Bear expert' by any means, although I have lived and worked in 'bear country' most of my life. So I say 'Go for it - *But be careful*!' The last thing you would want to do is get yourself into a situation where you or the bear are hurt or killed because You (most likely) broke one of the inflexible rules of nature and bear behavior.

We had the expert guidance of a fantastic guide-lady that has spent many years in this same area around these same families of bears - she knows them as individuals, and knows what to look for from them as far as signals that they are becoming upset. Bears feeding in a salmon stream as these were, have unique types of behaviors that allow them to work out their territorial requirements in much, much closer proximity to each other than they would *ever* do under *any* other set of circumstances - Our guide lady has spent a long, long time studying and learning how they communicate with each other, what each one will tolerate, and how they will react to a bunch of humans grouped very near to them. We would move carefully from spot to spot, following the distance rules set down by the Park Service, and then let the bears approach us - *Never* us sneaking up or anything like that; always letting the bears determine what the distance should be and whether to come closer to us or hang back. After a little time, and close observation, you can really see that these animals have personalities and personal habits. The way they fish, the sounds they make (alone and to each other), 'body language' -how much space each one will demand etc. And the only way to learn about that, is to get close enough and spend the time to observe and learn that behavior. You can trust them to follow their rules; that is all they know. You just need to try and figure out what those rules are. The trick is; how close is too close (?)

I would advise, Please use Un-Common Sense on this one and be careful. Seek out advice from local people who know the way bears in that area will respond, follow their advice, and start learning.

And the ultimate rule: Hungry bears storing away calories for the winter need to eat; and if you are the best food source around...well, you wouldn't want to end up like Timothy Treadwell. We had the ability to be present; so close, because there is a much more abundant and plentiful source of food for the bears right there (other than us). And that is the salmon. Those humpbacked salmon are *everything, the key,* to this particular ecosystem, and the only reason that those bears allowed us to be present. :think:

_(Whew, that was way, way too long....Sorry.) _;-)


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## OmegaCosmicMan

Fullers1845 said:


> Awesome shots; awesome trip, OCM!
> 
> Did anybody warn you to put your watch-arm down so it wouldn't keep geting in the way of your bear photos? Some people just don't have their priorities straight, right? ;-)


Hey Thanks, We had a Great Time -exceeded all of our expectations...Just over the top. No words.....etc. b-)

 Yeah...Um....  How about that?? :-s

W_ife to Daughter: There he goes again; taking pictures of his MKII watch...."

Daughter: "What for?"

Wife: "He belongs to this 'watch forum' and takes watch pictures all the time - Its just like Facebook."

Daughter: "Oh."_ :roll:

|>|>


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## heebs

OmegaCosmicMan said:


> Yes. (Short answer; Long answer is much, much longer)
> 
> Sad to admit, I once considered myself a fair amateur photographer and my preference in the 'old days' was for Nikon gear (because of durability of camera bodies and quality and wide availability of many unique types of lenses.) So here is the 'I'm-ashamed-to-admit-part': I have a lot of old Nikon gear I never use...because I have a couple of not-so-old Kodak digital cameras that are so easy to pick up and use and they do what I want or need them to do. One is a 3 mega-pixel 'weatherproof' that Kodak recalled several years ago because the battery hatch cover can break and cause problems. I figured out a way to fix it so it stayed 'weatherproof' and it hasn't gone on fire yet so I still use it. It has big buttons; I can use it with gloves on in slush, mud, snow whatever- and it works as long as I feed it batteries. The other is a Kodak Z812; 8.1 megapixel 'consumer' digital. It has a panoramic stitch-together feature that is very easy to use and (for me) produces good results. (I got sidetracked with all of the action of bears going here and there etc that I didn't get any panoramic shots, even though I originally intended to. The other thing about yesterday was; it was good in one respect: It wasn't blowing rain sideways (Happens very frequently in these parts...) but the light was pretty gray and even because of thick clouds that were low over the landscape- filtered the light so the colors looked very flat.)
> 
> All of the pictures I have posted on the forum come out of my trusty Samsung Galaxy SII 8 MP cell phone camera. It has some great features; it is intuitive and very fast. I took around 120 pictures with my cell phone and over 200 pictures with the Z812. (I just retired from my 'regular occupation', so my hope is that I'll be able to spend more time on the amateur photography part of life, and develop and retain those skills by USING them on a regular basis.) One in our party had a Samsung Galaxy S4 with 13 MP camera; and that one was producing pictures that were much, much better than my SII.
> 
> Well; I am not a 'Bear expert' by any means, although I have lived and worked in 'bear country' most of my life. So I say 'Go for it - *But be careful*!' The last thing you would want to do is get yourself into a situation where you or the bear are hurt or killed because You (most likely) broke one of the inflexible rules of nature and bear behavior.
> 
> We had the expert guidance of a fantastic guide-lady that has spent many years in this same area around these same families of bears - she knows them as individuals, and knows what to look for from them as far as signals that they are becoming upset. Bears feeding in a salmon stream as these were, have unique types of behaviors that allow them to work out their territorial requirements in much, much closer proximity to each other than they would *ever* do under *any* other set of circumstances - Our guide lady has spent a long, long time studying and learning how they communicate with each other, what each one will tolerate, and how they will react to a bunch of humans grouped very near to them. We would move carefully from spot to spot, following the distance rules set down by the Park Service, and then let the bears approach us - *Never* us sneaking up or anything like that; always letting the bears determine what the distance should be and whether to come closer to us or hang back. After a little time, and close observation, you can really see that these animals have personalities and personal habits. The way they fish, the sounds they make (alone and to each other), 'body language' -how much space each one will demand etc. And the only way to learn about that, is to get close enough and spend the time to observe and learn that behavior. You can trust them to follow their rules; that is all they know. You just need to try and figure out what those rules are. The trick is; how close is too close (?)
> 
> I would advise, Please use Un-Common Sense on this one and be careful. Seek out advice from local people who know the way bears in that area will respond, follow their advice, and start learning.
> 
> And the ultimate rule: Hungry bears storing away calories for the winter need to eat; and if you are the best food source around...well, you wouldn't want to end up like Timothy Treadwell. We had the ability to be present; so close, because there is a much more abundant and plentiful source of food for the bears right there (other than us). And that is the salmon. Those humpbacked salmon are *everything, the key,* to this particular ecosystem, and the only reason that those bears allowed us to be present. :think:
> 
> _(Whew, that was way, way too long....Sorry.) _;-)


I'm with you 110% on this one. I'd much rather enjoy the experience of watching a bear from a distance (or any other animal, for that matter) than venture too close to either interfere with their natural behaviour, infringe on their "personal space", or put myself at risk. I travel in bear country quite a lot and am familiar with their traits and behaviour and don't take any personal satisfaction in making any sacrifices of my safety just to get closer for a photo. I've been shooting with Nikon gear for a long time and picked it initially because of the ability to use lenses that were decades old on most bodies. I have a full frame DSLR now so I'm reasonably current there, but still use lenses that are up to 30+ yrs old.

As for Timothy Treadwell... I'm not sure there's much that hasn't already been said on the subject. An old GF of mine did some extensive research on island wolves in the northern (Canadian) coastal region and these wolves would swim 10km or more to get to spawning grounds. She came back from the field with some pretty amazing stories too.


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## Chromejob

OmegaCosmicMan said:


> ... Well; I am not a 'Bear expert' by any means, although I have lived and worked in 'bear country' most of my life. So I say 'Go for it - *But be careful*!' The last thing you would want to do is get yourself into a situation where you or the bear are hurt or killed because You (most likely) broke one of the inflexible rules of nature and bear behavior.
> 
> We had the expert guidance of a fantastic guide-lady that has spent many years in this same area around these same families of bears - she knows them as individuals, and knows what to look for from them as far as signals that they are becoming upset. Bears feeding in a salmon stream as these were, have unique types of behaviors that allow them to work out their territorial requirements in much, much closer proximity to each other than they would *ever* do under *any* other set of circumstances - Our guide lady has spent a long, long time studying and learning how they communicate with each other, what each one will tolerate, and how they will react to a bunch of humans grouped very near to them. We would move carefully from spot to spot, following the distance rules set down by the Park Service, and then let the bears approach us - *Never* us sneaking up or anything like that; always letting the bears determine what the distance should be and whether to come closer to us or hang back. After a little time, and close observation, you can really see that these animals have personalities and personal habits. The way they fish, the sounds they make (alone and to each other), 'body language' -how much space each one will demand etc. And the only way to learn about that, is to get close enough and spend the time to observe and learn that behavior. You can trust them to follow their rules; that is all they know. You just need to try and figure out what those rules are. The trick is; how close is too close (?)
> 
> I would advise, Please use Un-Common Sense on this one and be careful. Seek out advice from local people who know the way bears in that area will respond, follow their advice, and start learning.
> 
> And the ultimate rule: Hungry bears storing away calories for the winter need to eat; and if you are the best food source around...well, you wouldn't want to end up like Timothy Treadwell. We had the ability to be present; so close, because there is a much more abundant and plentiful source of food for the bears right there (other than us). And that is the salmon. Those humpbacked salmon are *everything, the key,* to this particular ecosystem, and the only reason that those bears allowed us to be present. :think:
> 
> _(Whew, that was way, way too long....Sorry.) _;-)


Thanks for posting all that. I was sitting here with my jaw in my lap, aghast and amazed. Knowing the precautionary conditions you were in, heart rate returning to normal again.

And - great "Facebooky" pics, 'mate.

// Tapatalk HD for Android - Nexus 7 //


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## enraged4

Very cool


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## 66Cooper

*Re: Found a bug in our new E-boutique (let us know)*

Where the Kingston...I mean buffalo roam!!

















Sorry for the poor pix but my iphone focus was broken. Wildlife refuge in OK.


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## heebs

*Couple shots from the weekend - MkII above the treeline.*

Got out for a nice hike yesterday with my GF. She agreed to get up at 5am on her only day off all week so she must either really like me or hiking...

Up at 5, in the car by 6, trailhead at 8:30. We parked at Moraine Lake in the Rockies and headed up to an area called Larch Valley. It's well known for its fall colour, but with a bit of a twist because it's the larches (deciduous conifers) that change colour. They've just turned and are almost at peak colour and the weather has been nice lately. Except for yesterday. The car was indicating it was somewhere around freezing at the parking lot. Fortunately, I had packed well so we were prepared for almost anything we would encounter. It was grey and rainy for the first hour and the climb seemed like endless switchbacks through the trees with the occasional glimpse back at the beautiful blue lake.

The GF wasn't impressed with the rain. About an hour in the rain switched into snow. Nope, still not impressed. 









"This is not what I signed up for"









The sky lightened up a bit and the clouds lifted, occasionally giving us glimpses at the mist shrouded Valley of the Ten peaks across the way. We enjoyed the awesome colours and the fact that we were starting to dry out a bit. Praise Jebus for Gore Tex.

Here's a couple pics from closer to the treeline: 


















We got above the treeline and enjoyed some great Rocky Mountain views, and chatted with some fellow hikers. We had a great snack and enjoyed a bit of a rest and some coffee before we headed down. I may have snuck up a bottle of wine in my pack cleverly disguised as a water bottle. This probably helped too  At the uppermost lake, it was definitely colder but we layered up again and we were comfortable. Let's hear it for down jackets and toques (beanie to you 'mericans, I believe).

And above the treeline, looking up to Sentinel Pass. It's a real grind to get up there. Beyond is Paradise Valley, or you can turn right if you want to head up to the top of Mount Temple (11,624 feet). We weren't planning on going any further so after our break, we turned around here. 









Looking the other way: 









Back down to the bottom of the valley at Moraine Lake. Total ground covered, "only" around 10km (total) but it was 1800 feet vertical from the lake to the upper end of the valley. 









Almost forgot. Wrist shot of my trusted timekeeping companion on this trip. My LRRP performed flawlessly. 









Couple more photos here in my photobucket folder: Moraine Lake Sep 22-2013 Photos by dhiebert | Photobucket

EDIT: Guess I should add a photo or 2 of the actual Larches in the valley and show that the GF wasn't pissed off the whole time:


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## Hoppyjr

*Re: Couple shots from the weekend - MkII above the treeline.*

Great photos, looks like a nice hike. Glad the GF didn't stay pissed.....


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## heebs

Hoppyjr said:


> Great photos, looks like a nice hike.


Thanks Hoppy. The weather wasn't great, but it was still a beautiful day and it's hard to take bad photos up there. It's a relatively easy hike because the trail is well traveled and it's well maintained. Only challenging part is that you have to climb a good amount to get there.



Hoppyjr said:


> Glad the GF didn't stay pissed.....


You and me both. I think it was just some initial disappointment about the conditions and the fact that she's been feeling sick lately but once we got settled into a decent hiking pace and we were able to get out of the trees to see what it was all around us, things started to get better. The effort really is worth it and I think she's looking forward to seeing more of this part of the world. I'm hoping to get her more accustomed to this sort of thing so I can take her on some more challenging trips to more remote areas. She's in better shape than I am (recently retired from professional dance; currently a teacher, choreographer, professional dance company rehearsal director, etc.) but she's more accustomed to well lit studios with nice hardwood floors... I think she's starting to understand when I call something an "easy hike" that it doesn't just mean going for a stroll in the park.


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## Packleader

*Re: Couple shots from the weekend - MkII above the treeline.*

 This thread has put me to shame. I've got to get outside more and live up to my screename.


Cheers,
Packleader


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## gman54

*Re: Couple shots from the weekend - MkII above the treeline.*

Great pictures... oh, and a nice timepiece!


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## Aaron K.

Not sure that this counts as "action". LRRP hiking down to the beach.


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## Darwin

Like aaron, not sure if the following counts. Risked life and limb to walk the puglet, though!


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## heebs

gman54 said:


> Great pictures... oh, and a nice timepiece!


Thanks. (if you're talking to me!). It was a crappy day, but I've often said that if the light is decent even a blind person could take nice landscape photos out this way.



Aaron K. said:


> Not sure that this counts as "action". LRRP hiking down to the beach.





Darwin said:


> Like aaron, not sure if the following counts. Risked life and limb to walk the puglet, though!


Completely counts, guys. I see Darwin risking his life, and Aaron out there in the wilds of the LA region braving the elements! Thanks for your photos, gents. I'm hoping for some more fun in the Rockies this weekend so if I'm able to get out, I will hopefully have some photos to share.


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## heebs

I got out climbing again on the weekend and we had a great day. It was a beautiful day with my GF and a couple of our best friends. I've got a couple quick photos of my trusted old companion, the Blackwater, but there were other reasons for being there on Saturday.

Top of the pitch: 









Looking down: 









Robyn (my main climbing partner and friend of many years) had been planning on proposing at the top of one of the routes and had asked us to help with the set up and to take some photos.

Mountainside proposal: 

















The happy couple:


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## Thieuster

Great pics! And the weather is (still?) great, I see. Personally, I'm not happy with heights. As my sons say: 'He's getting dizzy already when he's standing near a high curb'. Well, that's not really true, but it is close!

Menno


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## mdwsta4

Not quite sure if I should post these in the 'action' thread or 'what I wore' thread. Either way, here are a few shots of my Nassau on Admiralty grey Nato strap from Phoenix during my trip to Oahu and Kauai over the past two weeks

Visiting Pearl Harbor once it reopened on Oahu









Watching the sun set on the Kalalau trail









In a helicopter touring the island of Kauai 









Cheers,
M


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## mesaboogie18

mdwsta4 said:


> Not quite sure if I should post these in the 'action' thread or 'what I wore' thread. Either way, here are a few shots of my Nassau on Admiralty grey Nato strap from Phoenix during my trip to Oahu and Kauai over the past two weeks
> 
> Visiting Pearl Harbor once it reopened on Oahu
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Watching the sun set on the Kalalau trail
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In a helicopter touring the island of Kauai
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers,
> M


I miss Hawaii! Awesome shots and awesome watch!


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## JFingers

First pit stop on a 300 mile motorcycle ride with a good friend and fellow pilot. This is by the west fork of the Carson river, at the junction of CA highways 88 & 89.










Another pic of what we (stupidly) got into a little later trying to reach Wright's Lake. This is just after we picked our bikes up after we both had slow speed crashes. Nothing hurt but our pride...










I got home from that ride to a new kangaroo nato strap from The Time Traveler, so more pics to follow with the new shoes.

Blue skies, 
-only Jake


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## JFingers

Last weekend my wife and I went on a short backpacking trip in Point Reyes National Seashore.










It was only a 2 mile hike to the Coast Camp, so it was a good shakedown of our gear again after a couple extended vacations to hot, sandy places.










Our campsite was only a couple hundred yards from the beach.










Nice, quiet campground.



















Absolutely beautiful area.



















Blue skies, y'all! 
-only Jake


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## serdal23

Beautiful timepieces, and beautiful fotos Jake.

Thank you for sharing . . .

Capt. Serdal


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## Gatt

serdal23 said:


> Beautiful timepieces, and beautiful fotos Jake.
> 
> Thank you for sharing . . .
> 
> Capt. Serdal


HI Serdal, remember me?  The ParaDive is just back from a one thousands miles leg from Gibraltar to Italy. Wind and sea up to 7-8 Beufort with thunderstorms. Our aluminium 50' foot sailing boat reached 16kts while surfing down the waves. The crew was only 2, me and my best friend. We were a little worried, the Paradive not


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## Fullers1845

Right. Kingston #151 just returned from 6 days of canoeing and camping in the Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande on the Texas/Mexican border. Wore it every day. BGW9 lume lasted all night. Still readable at 6:00AM. I LOVE THIS WATCH!


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## JFingers

^ Is that around the Big Bend area? What a gorgeous area down there. Love it.
Great watch and great pics!
-only jake


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## Fullers1845

^Yes it is. We put on in the Black Gap WMA and take out near Dryden, TX.


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## White Tuna

Fullers1845 said:


> Right. Kingston #151 just returned from 6 days of canoeing and camping in the Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande on the Texas/Mexican border. Wore it every day. BGW9 lume lasted all night. Still readable at 6:00AM. I LOVE THIS WATCH!


Looks great on that strap.


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## heebs

Been awhile since I've been out and about in the mountains but I did get out today. The weather was perfect but it was mighty windy. It was warm enough in the sun, but as soon as the sun dipped behind the mountain it got seriously chilly.

My first day out on rock this year. Happy to be out with some good friends. We had a great day, and it was nice to be out in the mountains. I have a couple more photos off my camera, but I just have the obligatory iphone shot for now. Yes, that's snow piled up against the rock in the bottom right corner of the photo. We had to shovel out a platform to stand on and change into our climbing shoes.

I call this one Blackwater and belay parkas:


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## noxa

Literally just joined the forum, i want a MKii Paradive so much and all the MKii pics are not helping lol.


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## JFingers

Thread revival! Lassen Volcanic national park, paradise meadow:










Echo lake:










Blue skies, y'all! 
-only Jake


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## gman54

JFingers said:


> Thread revival! Lassen Volcanic national park, paradise meadow:
> 
> Blue skies, y'all!
> -only Jake


You'll be able to post your new to you LRRP Capstone soon!


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## heebs

Some recent life changes means that my adventures are switching gears. For the time being I will be closer to home so I'll have to find new types of excitement. At least until Junior is big enough to accompany me in the great outdoors.


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## Chromejob

Sooner than you might think. I had a very cool Madden baby/toddler carrier that I used only a few times before the marriage imploded and ex took daughter out of state. Pity, it was the Porsche Cayenne of baby backpacks.


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## heebs

Chromejob said:


> Sooner than you might think. I had a very cool Madden baby/toddler carrier that I used only a few times before the marriage imploded and ex took daughter out of state. Pity, it was the Porsche Cayenne of baby backpacks.


Sorry to hear about being separated from your little one. I have seen some Madden packs out there but didn't know they made a carrier. I've got my eye on the Osprey carrier as I have a couple other Osprey packs and they carry really well.

Here's a wrist shot with baby (just over 7 weeks old):


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## bbckfh

Took the kids to the beach yesterday... My Nassau actually sees quite a bit of ground; has seen two continents since I got it last fall, and will see at least one more before Christmas.


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## 66Cooper

Rode another "toy" of mine to work today...of course had the Kingston on.







The bike is a 1984 Honda Z50R...yep, like the ones you had has a kid. I know other countries have street legal Honda Monkey bikes but here in the US, we dont. I found a nice little loophole and was able to legally register this little puppy. I built it from the ground up with as many genuine Honda parts from that era as I could. I wanted it to be like what Honda would have built if they wanted to make a dual sport Z50R. Totally hand made wiring harness out of all Honda wires and connectors. Both headlight and tail light are off Hondas. Motor is now an 88cc with a manual 4spd gearbox. Topped her out at 63.5mph today


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## WarEagle007

I wear my Nassau in regattas with my local rowing club; however I never carry a camera in the boat so no pics! I mostly do it to intimidate the opposition, as I think it looks quite menacing on a black NATO strap. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Chromejob

WarEagle007 said:


> I wear my Nassau in regattas with my local rowing club; however I never carry a camera in the boat so no pics! I mostly do it to intimidate the opposition, as I think it looks quite menacing on a black NATO strap.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


 GoPro camera and selfie stick ... just heard on NPR quiz show that someone was rescued from a rip tide using a selfie stick and camera.


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## JFingers

Carr Lake up to Penner Lake today.

Island Lake was on the way.










Life is tough some days. Penner Lake.










Island Lake on the way back.










Blue skies, y'all! 
-only Jake


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## TheMeasure

Last weekend headed up to Arapahoe National Forest in the Rockies to see the aspen trees go through their annual color change. Couldn't think of a better watch to take than my Vantage. Of course my photos in no way do justice to showcase the actual beauty of this part of the Rockies..but hopefully you'll enjoy!!

































































..trying to capture the feeling of Autumn on a smaller scale..

























..felt obligated to snap a couple more wrist shots..

















..headed home..


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## Azilla21

Nice!


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## Arthur

Getting wet in Jamaica









Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## JFingers

Arthur said:


> Getting wet in Jamaica


That's what I'm talkin' about!
Great shot!


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## 66Cooper

For reals!!


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## MadMex

MKII New end-link action shot!


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## Chromejob

Got mine in the mail this week too...


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## ripi

Good to see these things getting some work 

Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk


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## 66Cooper

Did I miss something? What's with the endlinks?


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## sennaster

66Cooper said:


> Did I miss something? What's with the endlinks?


the nassau's micro-adjust link didn't allow you to use all the adjustment points. So Bill had correct endlinks made and offered up to those up here Mk II Nassau, link - Accessories


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## colebier

A little fire training with the Stingray


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## 66Cooper

Kingston coming along for the ride!


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## spartan6




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## patrickw

will post some pice of my paradive in March when I go to cozumel to dive.


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## 66Cooper

A dismal "spring" skiing day in New Jersey. Feels like I'm dragging an anchor behind my board and although there is little pretty winter left, at least I have something nice to look at


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## kkwpk




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## 66Cooper

Getting the last bit of snow this season.


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