Team Clown take on the elements. And lose.

[Captain Deco]

My days off coincided with lots of planned diving so imagine my dismay when the stupid weather bollocksed it all up and blew 2 of the 3 days of awesome wreck diving right up the poo-er. Oh well - it's early days yet in the calendar.

So with the options being: sit at home on my fat arse or doing something dive related I chose the latter.

When I say the latter I mean that Trebor persuaded me that the inshore viz would be ace and that razzing around on the Club RIB would be ace with cherries on top.

I met Rob at his place at 1130 thinking that we would go, load up, enter the water and dive. Oh silly me. First we had to construct the boat/fuel/electrics and schlep all over small town Kent to get the launch point in Herne bay. Once the boat was settled thanks to Rob heroically leaping in the water up to his waist whilst clothed - (I did the reversing the boat into the water bit) - we finally got ready for action. The plan was to dive the life filled pilings of ye olde pier so off we razzed.

Rob blasted through the water which thoroughly scared the shit out of me, especially when a rogue wave nearly had us over. Anyway, after much yelling and general being knocked to crap in the unstable mentalness that is a fast rib + johnny speedmueller we got to the pier and moored up. Once ready we got in and descended down the steps to see......

Feck all. I managed to dive 4 minutes in 1.4m of water and used just 10b of air. No viz. No life. Massive surges knocking the shit out of me. Buddy separation. No idea which way was up or down. Screw this - I binned it. Rob surface nearby and I told him of MY ace plan - let's get the hell home and forget the stupid diving.

After a mad razz back to base, and then a little more mad razzing about which my now aching kidneys and knees are moaning about we went through the rigmarole of getting the damned rib out of the water and then dragging it round all the tiny roads to finally get it back the lockup where I had to wash the damned thing as well.

Once done a little matey time at Dovershark's made up for the day I will not log.

Thanks to Rob for the good times, Aide for the respite from Rob's mad plans and Paul Oliver who added a nice touch to his stealing my porthole by coming over and asking me to sign his ROW form. Nice touch.

[Paul Oliver]

So a typical days diving in the Thames Estury then

Have you never wondered why when i can see the water from my road we drive to Dover to dive?

[Captain Deco]

Originally Posted by Paul Oliver

Have you never wondered why when i can see the water from my road we drive to Dover to dive?

Weeeelllllllll....Rob did make it sound rather brilliant. Once I was there I was trapped so I just went along with it.

[Buoyant Babe]

At least you've actually managed to get salt on your kit this year. More than I have

Originally Posted by scubajay

I managed to dive 4 minutes in 1.4m of water and used just 10b of air.

I'd work on that SAC Jay

[Steve S]

Originally Posted by scubajay

Feck all. I managed to dive 4 minutes in 1.4m of water and used just 10b of air.

Gas chuffin' hoe, you'd not got Si on the long hose again had you?

Safe diving,
Steve

[Getafix]

When I was very young (and desperate for dives) I managed to log a 2 minute dive to 6m in the same location........





....... I never bothered to go back!

[trebor]

Originally Posted by scubajay

Weeeelllllllll....Rob did make it sound rather brilliant. Once I was there I was trapped so I just went along with it.

It was/is brilliant. Rhib diving is the most fun you can have on the water. I had a great day. I was frankly abit amazed that we canned the Dover dive. But there you go. The wind had pick up by 4pm but soon slackened. The wind whipped up the sea every now and then but it was pretty flat really..!

Our club rhib can run at 35+ knots unloaded our max speed was 24 knots.. I had afew issues triming the boat so asked Jay to stay at the bow. The odd wave nothing that bad. I did ask him to sit behind me several times?

The in-shore viz has been very good around the south east coast. The information about the north east coast came alittle to late. Black as your hat came the reply. I did tell Jay this before we left

I was just happy for a day out at sea in the rhib bloody amazing fun. The diving was just a added bonus (Didnt tell jay this ).

Thanks to Jay for coming out, the only one who could be bothered. Nice one mate

Thanks to Doversharks for the Cider and ting

Rob

[Paul Oliver]

Rob if you are surprised that dives get canned when a Force 6-7 is on the cards for dive time then you need to stay away from Dive Marshalling and organising.

[trebor]

I Don't know which is more insulting being a member of team clown or a crap Dive Manager.

[Captain Deco]

Originally Posted by trebor

I Don't know which is more insulting being a member of team clown or a crap Dive Manager.

Being a member of team clown is an honour mate. It means you get to dive with me!!