Dover Port Closed

[trebor]

Think this was the icing on the cake as high winds have stopped all diving out of Dover for over 1 month, with the promise of some quality wreck diving in 50 metre of water. I must have changed my backgas about 4 times to get the best mix for the next blown out dive..This week's diving was no exception with full boats on tuesday, friday and saturday. The weather gods are not smiling on Dover at the mo... However as we divers are bloody crazy we book on them and hope that all the info we have received is all rubbish and hope for great calm blue seas and sun (OK, Its December I know, all ready, remember the 3 Full trip this week, its not just me...!!!

So, I'm 90% sure that friday's dive won't go. My dive companions book on anyway. However scubajay has a cunning plan to dive regardless of weather and suggests Stoney Cove. My mind starts to race and cold sweat trickles down my spine. The Devils Pit with dying and dead corpses on the bottom with Alan tichmarch with a hugh garden fork.. Its great he said..?
ER...! my mind recoils. May I suggest Leybourne lakes " premier dive centre of the south east ".. Everyone seems happy with the change and a Skills day is proposed..

Dovershark, Scubajay and me arrived. Big Si did not make it due to winter-blues. Its very windy but the temperature is ok for a ten a.m meet at Leybourne lakes Maidstone... We all agree that we need to practise skills..
1) removal of stage, drop stage, pick up stage, 2) swop stage with other diver. This was achieved, looked abit messy... Shutdown drills again with mixed results and Dsmb to end the dive. The water temperature about 8 degrees every one had had enough after 50minutes of the 1hour planned dive time.

I had explained to both of my buddies that an extra undersuit would be required, in a email sent to all about the lake temperature. As both were bloody freezing and considering going home after the first dive. This was music to my ears. As I've been listening to Scubajay all year about how he does'nt feel the cold. Great..! However my half crooked smile would be short lived after the next dive...!*!.

On the second dive I decided to add an ali 7l to my twin15s and steel 7l. It took a while to kit up but I felt in good spirits. Adie had a few hose routing problems and decided to change a few about. Jay was content to laugh at my ever increasing kit..

The second dive continued like the first. Stage removal and passing stages about went really well. Adie signaled for an out of air drill. Myself donating a 2metre hose and reaching for my neckless reg. Pulling the reg from my mouth the hose catches on a stage and is ripped from my hand. My other hand is in conflict trying to stuff my neckless reg into my mouth through my hood which is over my mouth. I'm in a mess, buoyancy has gone and I crash to the floor. Adie makes eye contact with me to check I'm still alive as I'm almost buried in silt.... We try this skill again and end up on the surface wondering what the hell is going on. There's some training needed in this area me thinks....??????? Buoyancy Buoyancy and Buoyancy. Scubajay said Dsmb and we all returned to the deep (5 metres) to destroy another skill (not to bad as it goes).

There not that much to say as I know there is room for mega improvement in my diving so im keeping quiet. So please don't tell anyone. Oh I forgot to mention that I fell over getting out of the lake.. Thanks to Adie and Jay for picking me up.....

Quote of the day Dovershark " What the hell are we doing here its a lake"

Rob

[big_si]

Sorry I didn't make it Friday Rob. I'm almost out the other side of the cold and sinuses are returning to normal so all being well I'll manage to get in the water again soon!!!

[trebor]

No worries mate I think Js got plans to dive the devils pit next week

Rob

[Dovershark]

Rob, nice report matey.
You forgot to mention that we are the poshist divers around, i mean who else has premium sausage and steak baps at the half time interval? Oh yeah and washed down with a lovely bottle of bud post dives!!!
Nice day, alittle cold,however, im convinced i need a new drysuit with space to allow multiple undersuit choice as my shut down drills have suffered due to cold weather and extra layers. Already tapped up the misses and she is fine with me spending some cashola.... mmm the choice!
Definately need to spend time going over drills and re-arranging my kit setup.

Nice day out

Adie

PS will try and upload my video footage.

[colinicky]

Nice report Rob . Glad you all enjoyed it & at least you only hit the surface from shallow ( still dangerous I know ) & not from the bottom of the death pit
At least you got to dive ,I've lost count of the number of times I've checked the ccr & then had it all blown out . I even had to throw a scubber fill away that had not even been prebreathed ,it had sat that long !

[trebor]

Originally Posted by colinicky

Nice report Rob . Glad you all enjoyed it & at least you only hit the surface from shallow ( still dangerous I know ) & not from the bottom of the death pit
At least you got to dive ,I've lost count of the number of times I've checked the ccr & then had it all blown out . I even had to throw a scubber fill away that had not even been prebreathed ,it had sat that long !

Yes it is dangerous. I usually test new kit in the pool first and then into open water. I feel pissed off that it happened but I have learn't from the experience. Thats what the whole day was for to practise and learn

Rob

[colinicky]

Sorry Rob
Wasn't having a dig, I only added that so nobody had a go at me ! & I know how you & Adie dive .

[Madfish]

Have a green for such an entertaining report! We'll have to speak to Dave about upgrading the grub on Neptune - Premium Pasties perhaps.......

Di

[daveb0000]

[quote=colinicky;822365]Nice report Rob . Glad you all enjoyed it & at least you only hit the surface from shallow ( still dangerous I know ) & not from the bottom of the death pit
At least you got to dive ,I've lost count of the number of times I've checked the ccr & then had it all blown out . I even had to throw a scubber fill away that had not even been prebreathed ,it had sat that long ![/QUOTE]


and what does it do in the tub ?

[colinicky]

Originally Posted by daveb0000

and what does it do in the tub ?

I know but the problem is that all my dive kit sits in the room that has my hot tub in it ! So hot humid air outside of unit with fast temperature changes so after 6 - 8 weeks I would rather play safe