Yorkshire Divers

Martin Burnard · #1 (**permalink**) 11-08-05, 09:14 PM

Ok I have now learned not to accept a challenge from an experienced skipper who is also an experienced diver!!!

Pete from Venture wanted to dive from the Scllya to the JEL, so last night he issued the challenge and Brian from Aquanauts and I accepted.

So this morning we set off the intrepid foursome and an additional skipper. The sea was so flat, no wind, bright sunshine and lots of jovial banter.

Basking shark on route a nice distraction.

We arrive at the Scylla, choose our bearings and over the side the two teams go, and the race is on.

Pete stirrs up so much silt and sand at the bottom that all vis is gone (sneaky). Who cares compass bearings are go

We know its a third of a mile, but I don't work well in miles so I work it out in metres as we go. I know my pace in general conditions and decide approx 25 minutes is impact time with the JEL.

On route Brain and I find a dive flag, but no sign of the other team... but then at 4m viz thats not surprising!

A nice gurnard distracts us for a few seconds, part way, but on we go.

At 30 minutes I am pretty sure we have blown it, at 50 minutes we know we have.

The skipper was hopefully doing his surface cover bit. But if he wasn't, no worries, we'll be on the beach soon.

Oh well rock bottom on gas now, so time to end the dive.

I send the blob up and we ascend nice and slowly, silhoutte of a boat comes into view, ahh surface cover. Hang on some muppet is pulling in my DSMB, " leave it alone you TW3T!", Ok throw spool away before the boat motors of with me getting dragged along behind it!!! I am sure my surface bubbles were bursting with obscenities in them.

B#st#rd, a slate then slides down the line with "YOU F#CKED UP! We did it!!!!"
written on it. arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Credit to Pete he did it. 24 minutes.

Good call Pete, and good fun.

Thanks