Sucessful testing Part II

[Digger]

Well, afte the delights of the first set of tests at Stoney (see down the page for the report) I thought it time I went and did it somewhere else. Just for a giggle like.

Duncan suggested I come along to meet some of his other crazy friends, so I did. And yes, most of them are either certifiable or at least slightly crazy.

So, off I pootle at 8am to the NDC. Nice drive down, easy enough to find the place, and less than 2 hours from Birmingham. Site staff were helpful and I liked the place. On a saturday this time of year it was very quiet, and we were on our own on the pontoon at times! Gas prices very good I thought, 3l of O2 to 200 bar £6.50. Very nice. I'll be doing that again. Another amusing one was that twin 12s of O2 would only be £18 I think. What I'd do with that much O2 who knows, but it might be worth considering if anyone's not got O2 locally.

So, to the dives. First dive was just to get to know where everything was, and have a pootle about. I went in with Fiona (cragcrawler) and we gained my mate Al, whose buddy had wandered off somewhere. Nice swim round, max depth 25 I think, found some big tubes to play in, and a boat which was a bit uneventful, but interesting enough to have a look round. Dive time about half an hour, it was a bit chilly at 25.

Second dive and it was rebreather time again. The CDG guys were all playing with stretchers and Fiona (in the best possible sense) got to play dead. Looked like great fun swimming about on a stretcher, with everyone else doing the swimming, but that's life - some people get all the easy jobs.

Hopped into a very shallow slope with horrendous viz thanks to all the activity with the stretcher, but soon found a patch of decent viz, and managed a few mintues of swimming about. Now, after about 5/6 minutes, there was quite a lot of gurgling. This is fairly normal for the P1SS, and isn't usually a major problem, so I carried on for a bit, flushing the loop a couple of times for good measure. Gurgling carried on, and I tried to flush it and it wasn't getting any better. So we came home. My buoyancy isn't nearly as good on this dive, and I was much more confotable with it in Stoney. Curious, but probably because we were in less water, and I was experimenting with less lead.

So, after the dive I told Duncan I thought I'd flooded the puppy again (packing the scrubber is an art I'm getting better at, but I'm still not overly certain of my skills) and felt a bit like this whole business was going to kill me soon, so I might can it. Then I get to the car and open the end of the scrubber. And it's dry. I mean slightly moist, but condensation would have created the same amount of moisture as was in there. So, with mixed emotions, I had some Chilli and rice, and looked forward to a few pints that night. The pints were had, including more exercise to get home than is sensible for drunken people, and stayed in a nice caving hut in Wales.

All in all, good day out, NDC is worth doing, but if you're playing with homebuilds it might be best to check with them. Questiosn were asked, and after the dive Duncan had a bit of a chat with one of the guys who didn't seem too happy. All sorted, and I'd happily go back, but I'd get in for food at lunchtime, as the rice at 4pm was starting to get a bit like rice pudding TBH...

And hey, the rep balanced itself out quite nicely last time, so maybe I don't need to appeal for no red blobs.

Digs.

PS - interesting mods to be made this week - twin hoses going on, with one-way valves. Much as I like the feeling that every breath could be flavoured with sofnolime, I think it's time to make this little lovely a bit safer. A decent water trap would make a big difference to my confidence in the thing. If anyone's got any old bits they want to give me I'm more than happy to trade stuff. Currently pretty high on my list are decent one way valves, and a nice headstone.

[Digger]

Oh, and it was good to see you lot again. Fiona, Duncan, Stuart and the rest of you as always, a pleasure. And no-one had to drag me out of the water!

[NotDeadYet]

Good to see you too Digger.

Try old drysuit valves for one way valves or posh dust masks from B&Q. Or alternatively, the Draeger Ray DSV is about £100 but worth it. Trying to make a DSV without access to a decent machine shop is a pain.

Glad you didn't die, the P1SS would never get its CE approval.

[narked at 90]

well done digger another dive completed with out dying!!
i would have loved to meet up with you lot but being on call is a right royal pain in the butt,
do ya think you'll have the new mods done for a dive in two weeks?
best john routley

play it as safe as poss mate

[Digger]

If I can getthe bits I need made up I can be in the water tomorrow! It's doing the same thing it was before, just better.

At the moment I have 2 functioning one-way valves, but I'm tempted to put a couple of extras in to protect the scrubber if it goes breasts skyward, and to make it less likely to be breathing high CO2 levels if the bag end goes.

2 weeks mind I'm going to be in Exmouth I think, all being well. How about a night dive? Might not be able to use the helmet and torches mind, you won't be able to see that I'm ok!!! First wed in Oct? It'll be dark early, but if the units still working fine by then I'm ok with a night dive in 6m of water.

Digs.

[Odin]

Let me know when you are in Exmouth! I might just pop on down for a night time bimble!
Paul

[narked at 90]

Originally Posted by Digger

If I can getthe bits I need made up I can be in the water tomorrow! It's doing the same thing it was before, just better.

At the moment I have 2 functioning one-way valves, but I'm tempted to put a couple of extras in to protect the scrubber if it goes breasts skyward, and to make it less likely to be breathing high CO2 levels if the bag end goes.

2 weeks mind I'm going to be in Exmouth I think, all being well. How about a night dive? Might not be able to use the helmet and torches mind, you won't be able to see that I'm ok!!! First wed in Oct? It'll be dark early, but if the units still working fine by then I'm ok with a night dive in 6m of water.

Digs.

i think i'll be up for a night dive...could be Worth a chuckle! do you like the pics? that grin! did you still have it this weekend??
john

[Digger]

I was grinning like a cheshire cat. I want to go out with a smile on my face.

Night dive means stealthy Digger. Might have to hide under the floor or something in the cockpit. I reckon I could scare pants off someone like that!!! John, you can hide in the cockpit if you take that wardrobe off.

[narked at 90]

Originally Posted by Digger

I was grinning like a cheshire cat. I want to go out with a smile on my face.

Night dive means stealthy Digger. Might have to hide under the floor or something in the cockpit. I reckon I could scare pants off someone like that!!! John, you can hide in the cockpit if you take that wardrobe off.

thanks mate but i like my wardrobe! i think it's in my colour and stile...
but its a real pain that i dont fit into doorways any more:-( let alone the cockpit)
not to worry i can just park it out side and go in on a stage! but might not be so stealthy
john

[Duncan Price]

Originally Posted by Digger

....

All in all, good day out, NDC is worth doing, but if you're playing with homebuilds it might be best to check with them. Questions were asked, and after the dive Duncan had a bit of a chat with one of the guys who didn't seem too happy.

....

Specifically I was told that although the NDC is OK with homebuilders playing in the shallows only CE approved rebreathers like the "Inspiration or KISS" (sic) are allowed to go deep*. All very amicable but firm. I tried to argue the toss with the oppo on the pontoon but when the big cheese rolled up later I just pleaded ingorance and said I wouldn't do it again. I won't do it again there because we ran out of bottom so I need to go elsewhere to take the D5 deeper.

Duncan

*Am thinking about getting the D5 CE marked.