Hard Hat Diving NDAC Chepstow........

[Forest Diver]

The phone rang yesterday, Mike the chap on the pontoon at the NDC tells me that Barry and Mike are going today and did I want to go for a dip... (beautiful sunny day chores v diving)... 10mins late I'm on my way.

I arrive and am immidiatley confused, Barry and Mike tell me they are having a 'hard hat dive' (I being somewaht niave think this is a dive with the ubiquitous yellow buiders hat on) bemused I kit up and we go to the pontoon. On arrival Neil Brock (manager and vastly experienced commercial diver) is already there with a selection of commercial divers equipment and the day becomes more interesting....

After a breifing on the different types of helmet, a scubapro full face, a positive pressure AGA and a Kirby Morgan MK10 we set about the first task.
On the broad end of the pontoon clipped to a 'lifeline' wearing a blacked out mask we were using the commercial divers 'pulls on the rope' system to guide each other around and recover simulated lost items.
(1 pull OK, 2 pulls towards or away from the tender depending on tension, 3 pulls face tender turn right, 4 pulls face tender turn left etc)

Needless to say we made a very comical sight three of us stumbling around and very nearly falling in.

Next the diving, we tried each mask in turn then with Neil using the lifeline from the pontoon to guide us around a simple (well it should have been) course.

The first strange thing about it was getting out of the water with a perfectly dry face, diving in pairs being able to talk to each other underwater, being able to breath through your nose and different ways of equalising.

The Kirby Morgan has a demister valve which when operated essentially clears condensation away using a compressed air stream accross the glass.

The final test was to remove and refit the AGA or Scubapro whilst in the water, ... mask off (bloody hell the waters cold!!) standard reg in, find standard mask fit & clear, remove mask, remove reg, fit full face purge and seal.

All in all I had a great time, learned a little and had lots of fun....diving at its best!!

Neils going to do some more try days so if you fancy something different.....