Cold research in Sommerset

[frosty the snowman]

I wouldn’t say it was cold at Vobster today, but rather than swimming, the ducks stood on the side smirking contemptuously at anyone foolish enough to brave the frigid abyss. Odin and I grabbed the chance to bump up our rebreather hours ably assisted by the future Mrs Frosty who, too besnotted to dive, provided ace shore cover and regular runs to the indigestion generator (or burger van as it’s known locally).

We had planned to seek a bit of depth for the first dive (it’s all relative, this IS Vobster) so we swam out to the freediving platform and descended the shotline to 30m where we discovered a new colour. There’s black, then there’s Vobster at 30m black. This total inkyness was so dark that even my mighty salvo in lightsabre mode was like the interior light of a 1971 Hillman Imp. Tiring of such sensory deprivation and remembering the advice given in the film ‘poltergeist’ we swam towards the light. Odins splendid (as he later modestly proclaimed it) navigation took us over to the wreck from which we could clearly see the wheelhouse some 15 m away. We then did the tour of the shallower attractions such as the aircraft and tunnel before emerging into the wind and rain.

I had a surfacing code of ‘B’ for burger and Odin had a code of ‘C’ for cheeseburger. I had wanted a code of ‘H’ but they were out of hotdogs by then anyway. Having fortified our coronary arteries with some high quality cholesterol, we were ready to dive again. We stayed slightly shallower this time, choosing to stay around the area of the wall beyond the aircraft wreckage for another 35 minutes.

After finishing this dive, the skin was peeling from my hands (note to self. You’re not as butch as you think you are and 2mm gloves in 6 degree water for an hour and a half is dopey). We quickly dekitted and I hugged my warm scrubber to reanimate my frozen hands but Mrs Frosty caught me and made me drink tea instead.

After 25 years diving I still enjoy learning on every dive. Here are todays lessons.

• 2 sets of hoods and gloves are a great idea and not 2mm ones either.

• Unless you enjoy sensory deprivation 30m at Vobster holds little attraction.

• Medical science is wrong. Ingesting sufficient cholesterol to grout a small bathroom is a very good idea.

• Ducks are cleverer than people.

[Scubee]

Your a braver man then me... I can count the number of times I have been to Vobster and enjoyed myself on the fingers of one foot.

Nice report,... Didn't you fancy catching one of the ducks for dinner?

[B]

Very funny.. poor Mrs Frosty she must have been so cold on the surface.. never mind you men in the water.. you are hard as nails (cough cough)

Vobster sounds great, but I will take a miss to the sensory depriviation if it is all the same to you when we come down in the New Year...

B xx

[applepie]

[quote=frosty the snowman][*]Unless you enjoy sensory deprivation 30m at Vobster holds little attraction.[/list]
QUOTE]

and it also covers your kit in some funny muck which takes quite a while to get off, or permanent in the case of my buddy's drysuit.

[Odin]

Originally Posted by frosty the snowmanHere are todays lessons.[/SIZE

[/font]

• 2 sets of hoods and gloves are a great idea and not 2mm ones either.

Yep, I had the spare hood and gloves (5mm) He! He!
[*]Unless you enjoy sensory deprivation 30m at Vobster holds little attraction.[/list]I enjoyed so much I did it again on the second dive!

• Ducks are cleverer than people.

Speak for your Qwak qwak self...