31st October “Why do you think we stayed down longer?”

**Freef** · 3rd November 2007, 20:50

Halloween and a day off work meant a chance to play silly buggers at Stoney with Mal, Lesley, Patrick and new bloke Toby. Plans were hatched a few days before for various spooky fun and games, and saw me hitting the local shops for a selection of goodies, including a 5 foot glow in the dark skeleton.

Preparing the Dolphin revealed a problem with the 50% jet, whose flow rate was closer to .73 L/min than 7.3 L/min. This may put the kybosh on the planned trimix dive as that was the jet I was planning on using to keep the loop fO2 [and more particularly fHe] close to the cylinder ratios.

Arriving at the gate at 0800 let me be first in the queue, and the time before the gates were opened was put to good use by prepping the skeleton for securing to the hydrobox. A balloon was partially inflated to give some lift and loops put around the ankles to keep it secured to the box. Spotting Lesley with her back to me I don my version of a full face mask and pop up to say hello. She introduces me to Toby, who has a more than slightly concerned look on his face at someone who would wear a skull mask would be in his diving group.

Once the gates opened we headed in and started sorting the kit out for the days games. I check the Dolph and then the camera, before packing the skeleton in a goodie bag to make it a bit more manageable. Patrick arrives as we park up, which is a good thing as he has the drysuit Toby will be using in his car. Mal, Patrick and I are to dive together, and Lesley and Toby will be planning a gas and deco friendly profile for their adventures.

I decide to carry the skeleton with me, and to lead the way with Patrick and Mal following and keeping an eye on things. In we get for dive one, with the pit the intended target. Submerging was ‘interesting’ with the extra buoyancy offered by the balloon attached to the skeleton, but the deeper we go the easier it will be. Mal, Patrick and I have oodles of gas to play with so take the long way down of the road, BOP at 22m and rope to the box. It takes a depth of 20m before the lift from the balloon becomes more comfortable. The Dolph seemed to be venting a little on the descent, but I put this down to the fact that I was descending quickly, working hard and trying to pull a couple of kilos of extra buoyancy with me.

The skeleton in place, the message reads ‘happy halloween’ and was signed by all of us.

We got to the rope that leads from 23m to the hydrobox where we met up with Lesley and Toby, and we began our descent to the pit. Soon we were at the box and work began in earnest. I put the camera in a place of safety and unrolled the bag to get the skeleton out. The error of putting a balloon on the top of the skull soon became evident as the foot bone disconnected from the leg bone under the stress. A knife sorted the balloon out and it was evident that the skeleton was self supporting.

Mal thought he had found Kate Moss underwater and filmed away.

That sussed, I decided that the ‘Happy Halloween’ sign that we signed earlier would be a good indivation as to who had played the fool at depth, and that was attached as well. As Lesley and Toby were on single OC they had disappeared by now to the Cessna where we were going to meet up. Mal filmed Patrick and I as we set up the skeleton and attached a couple of light sticks to the skill for maximum amusement and then I took a couple of pics before we headed off to join the others.

2/3 of Team Plonker, the other member is holding the camera.

I was a bit concerned as we ascended as the Dolph was venting a lot, and almost OC in that when I breathed in the ADV activated and when I exhaled it bubbled. After I took a photo of a resting pike, I found that on checking the gauge I had used about 20% more gas than I should have. Although there was no gurgling I was concerned so told Mal and Patrick that I had a problem and headed up to 20m so I could switch to my 50% mix. I did have 21% as bail out, but I was not having any other flood symptoms so I decided to stay on the loop. At 20m things were no better so I bailed out onto the deco mix and we ascended to 6m. Once back on the ledge I plonked myself down and swapped back to the loop, reaching back and checking the OPV setting as well.

3 feet of fearful predator…asleep.

The lack of volume was still evident so I went back to OC and we finished the dive. Patrick was giving me one of Paddington Bear’s ‘hard stares’ as we surfaced. He has dived with a dodgy Dolphin diver in the past and looked at me like I was that chaps brother. Back at the car I open the Dolphin flaps to find that the inhale CL is folded over on itself, which reduced the loop volume by at least 5L, hence the semi SCR breathing I had. I soon sorted the problem, after showing Patrick and Mal the folded lung. I’ve not had that problem before, and it seems that the

Les and Toby were up 20 min later and complaining that we hadn’t shown up at the Cessna. Les crowed ‘Subby 1-Drager nil’ on hearing of my problems, until I asked her where her Subby was [it’s been poorly for a while] which quietened her down. Toby was asking how I was able to dive without gloves on. It was easier to manipulate the skeleton with bare hands, and I don’t suffer from the cold too much, and at a water temperature of 10 deg C in the pit and 13 deg C at the surface I was warm enough. When it gets below 10 deg C I will be gloving up, especially if the air temperature has dropped as well.

Dive 1 profile, with notations.

As I had been a bit hopeless at getting any pumpkins, we had to make do with orange peppers to carve during the surface interval. Toby was a bit confused about what he objective of a knife and pretend pumpkins was, and drew a chicken on his. Various food items were scoffed, and coffee drunk as we killed a couple of hours to let Lesley and Toby off gas.

Mal mincing about the car park in his undersuit doing the ‘I’m a little teapot’ song always raises a smile.

I spent my time modifying the skull mask so that I could use it with my Dolphin. I could get it on over my mask and only had to open up the mouth a bit more to enable me to use the loop. Some of the army rabble next to me were looking on in a mildly bemused manner as I carved away.

Lesley was also displaying her handicrafts by stitching a loop of elastic for Patrick to secure his pO2 meter. She was telling him that she left her loop in place, so I pointed out that hers stayed in place because she stitched the ends together while wearing her drysuit.

For some reason people thought I was Michael Stipe. [Pic: Lesley]

Further items to decorate the Cove were passed around, with Toby being given the honour of being chief cobweb spinner. I was hauling a goodie bag full of peppers and in theory leading the dive. I was ‘leading’ in the Army sense of the word, as I was the one who knew where we were going and what we were doing once we got there, but I was at the back of the group.

Going back onto the loop after taking the mask off [Pic: Lesley]

The lack of organisation was sorted out on the way to the blockhouse and I led off on a bearing of 210 degrees to the coach. After a bit I look around to see Mal and Patrick, but no Lesley or Toby. I turned us back to find the others, and saw Lesley confidently navigating away on a course of 240 magnetic. This is considerably different from the 210 degrees that I use to find the coach.

Toby inside the coach. “Tickets, PUR-leaseeee”

Following out of curiosity I keep checking the bearing, and it remains at 240. Sure enough we find the edge of the pit and Lesley and Toby turn South to the cairn and then left hand down a bit to the coach. We regrouped at the coach, and as Toby swam through it I check the bearings to the Stanegarth. I led off again to the main attraction of the dive, and we are soon there and having a bit of fun with our goodies.

My mask was scaring off the fish life.

While I handed out the mini pumpkins, spider man Toby got to web away on the mast, then with his homework done, got on with the fun of penetrating the wreck. Mal and Lesley were also securing their masks to the wreck, and I wedged the skull into one of the ventilation funnels that rises from the deck.

Abandon all hope ye who enter here.

We then went our separate ways. Mal, Patrick and I headed South to look for the Mini as Lesley and Toby headed back on their single tanks. The Mini was nowhere to be seen though, so we headed back. I was spot on for my navigation, so we [meaning me] decided to head to the APC.

Watching me watching you-Mal filming on the Stanegarth.

A bearing of 155 from the rudder of the Stanegarth saw us to the former Army vehicle, and a quick look for the naked ladies was in vain as they had gone. A series of loud bangs led us all to check our kit to see if we were losing stage tanks, but it was just the Army lot making a noise. After a couple of minutes on the APC we head back to the white van [due North] and then the Wessex before heading up. A quick check shows that Patrick and I have 4 minutes of deco, and Mal has 14.

Underwater hide and seek is no fun if the seeker peers through holes in the Wessex while counting to 100.

With that much time to kill we swam past the blockhouse and half way to the wooden wreck. I would have carried on, but Mal and Patrick were a bit low on gas, so we turned and ascended at the step. A bit of scoff saw me home, enduring Laurie Bloody Taylor on Radio 4 on the way from Stoney, rather than to it for a change. It’s a shame that the planned trimix dive never happened due to my dive 1 problems, but there will always be another day.

Dive 2 profile, who needs fancy side scan sonar when you have me?

Dive Data:

Dive 1

32.0 m
40 min

SI: 2 h 07 min

Dive 2

20.7m
1 h 26 min

Temperatures:

Air 14C
Surface 13C
30m 10C

Dsix36 · 3rd November 2007, 21:29

Looks like everyone had alot of fun. Thanks for all the pics!

puddleduck · 3rd November 2007, 21:33

Well done guys
I was the baby training on the sports kiss with Danny and enjoyed your antics no end inbetween co2 hit, O2 spike and a loop flood. Looking forward to catching up at Stoney and doing buoyancy circuit with lesley and patrick.

Keep up the good work n catch up soon.

Mark
(SK 124) [with the narked at 90 stand]

SBOD · 4th November 2007, 18:38

nice report and good pics too!

Darren A · 4th November 2007, 19:03

Excellent report. Loved this piccy

4ster · 5th November 2007, 16:36

Sounds like it was a lot of fun. Can I come next year?

**Freef** · 5th November 2007, 18:52

You're more than welcome, bring a drysuit, the rest we can sort between us!

Oh, FFM's optional.

**Freef** · 5th November 2007, 18:53

Quote: (Originally Posted by Darren A)

Excellent report. Loved this piccy

There is a black mesh that covers the eye sockets that once wet holds the water and makes you think that you have cataracts on the surface!

mriopel · 5th November 2007, 22:35

Cool pictures looks like everone had fun.

Mike

**Freef** · 6th November 2007, 15:27

Malc's 8 min video:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu947thQ7HE" target="_blank">http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu947thQ7HE

3rd November 2007, 20:50	#1 (permalink)
Freef Custom Title Disallowed! Current Rebreather/s: Dolphin Other Rebreather/s: Dolphin Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Land of the Freef, UK. Posts: 1,411	31st October “Why do you think we stayed down longer?” Halloween and a day off work meant a chance to play silly buggers at Stoney with Mal, Lesley, Patrick and new bloke Toby. Plans were hatched a few days before for various spooky fun and games, and saw me hitting the local shops for a selection of goodies, including a 5 foot glow in the dark skeleton. Preparing the Dolphin revealed a problem with the 50% jet, whose flow rate was closer to .73 L/min than 7.3 L/min. This may put the kybosh on the planned trimix dive as that was the jet I was planning on using to keep the loop fO2 [and more particularly fHe] close to the cylinder ratios. Arriving at the gate at 0800 let me be first in the queue, and the time before the gates were opened was put to good use by prepping the skeleton for securing to the hydrobox. A balloon was partially inflated to give some lift and loops put around the ankles to keep it secured to the box. Spotting Lesley with her back to me I don my version of a full face mask and pop up to say hello. She introduces me to Toby, who has a more than slightly concerned look on his face at someone who would wear a skull mask would be in his diving group. Once the gates opened we headed in and started sorting the kit out for the days games. I check the Dolph and then the camera, before packing the skeleton in a goodie bag to make it a bit more manageable. Patrick arrives as we park up, which is a good thing as he has the drysuit Toby will be using in his car. Mal, Patrick and I are to dive together, and Lesley and Toby will be planning a gas and deco friendly profile for their adventures. I decide to carry the skeleton with me, and to lead the way with Patrick and Mal following and keeping an eye on things. In we get for dive one, with the pit the intended target. Submerging was ‘interesting’ with the extra buoyancy offered by the balloon attached to the skeleton, but the deeper we go the easier it will be. Mal, Patrick and I have oodles of gas to play with so take the long way down of the road, BOP at 22m and rope to the box. It takes a depth of 20m before the lift from the balloon becomes more comfortable. The Dolph seemed to be venting a little on the descent, but I put this down to the fact that I was descending quickly, working hard and trying to pull a couple of kilos of extra buoyancy with me. The skeleton in place, the message reads ‘happy halloween’ and was signed by all of us. We got to the rope that leads from 23m to the hydrobox where we met up with Lesley and Toby, and we began our descent to the pit. Soon we were at the box and work began in earnest. I put the camera in a place of safety and unrolled the bag to get the skeleton out. The error of putting a balloon on the top of the skull soon became evident as the foot bone disconnected from the leg bone under the stress. A knife sorted the balloon out and it was evident that the skeleton was self supporting. Mal thought he had found Kate Moss underwater and filmed away. That sussed, I decided that the ‘Happy Halloween’ sign that we signed earlier would be a good indivation as to who had played the fool at depth, and that was attached as well. As Lesley and Toby were on single OC they had disappeared by now to the Cessna where we were going to meet up. Mal filmed Patrick and I as we set up the skeleton and attached a couple of light sticks to the skill for maximum amusement and then I took a couple of pics before we headed off to join the others. 2/3 of Team Plonker, the other member is holding the camera. I was a bit concerned as we ascended as the Dolph was venting a lot, and almost OC in that when I breathed in the ADV activated and when I exhaled it bubbled. After I took a photo of a resting pike, I found that on checking the gauge I had used about 20% more gas than I should have. Although there was no gurgling I was concerned so told Mal and Patrick that I had a problem and headed up to 20m so I could switch to my 50% mix. I did have 21% as bail out, but I was not having any other flood symptoms so I decided to stay on the loop. At 20m things were no better so I bailed out onto the deco mix and we ascended to 6m. Once back on the ledge I plonked myself down and swapped back to the loop, reaching back and checking the OPV setting as well. 3 feet of fearful predator…asleep. The lack of volume was still evident so I went back to OC and we finished the dive. Patrick was giving me one of Paddington Bear’s ‘hard stares’ as we surfaced. He has dived with a dodgy Dolphin diver in the past and looked at me like I was that chaps brother. Back at the car I open the Dolphin flaps to find that the inhale CL is folded over on itself, which reduced the loop volume by at least 5L, hence the semi SCR breathing I had. I soon sorted the problem, after showing Patrick and Mal the folded lung. I’ve not had that problem before, and it seems that the Les and Toby were up 20 min later and complaining that we hadn’t shown up at the Cessna. Les crowed ‘Subby 1-Drager nil’ on hearing of my problems, until I asked her where her Subby was [it’s been poorly for a while] which quietened her down. Toby was asking how I was able to dive without gloves on. It was easier to manipulate the skeleton with bare hands, and I don’t suffer from the cold too much, and at a water temperature of 10 deg C in the pit and 13 deg C at the surface I was warm enough. When it gets below 10 deg C I will be gloving up, especially if the air temperature has dropped as well. Dive 1 profile, with notations. As I had been a bit hopeless at getting any pumpkins, we had to make do with orange peppers to carve during the surface interval. Toby was a bit confused about what he objective of a knife and pretend pumpkins was, and drew a chicken on his. Various food items were scoffed, and coffee drunk as we killed a couple of hours to let Lesley and Toby off gas. Mal mincing about the car park in his undersuit doing the ‘I’m a little teapot’ song always raises a smile. I spent my time modifying the skull mask so that I could use it with my Dolphin. I could get it on over my mask and only had to open up the mouth a bit more to enable me to use the loop. Some of the army rabble next to me were looking on in a mildly bemused manner as I carved away. Lesley was also displaying her handicrafts by stitching a loop of elastic for Patrick to secure his pO2 meter. She was telling him that she left her loop in place, so I pointed out that hers stayed in place because she stitched the ends together while wearing her drysuit. For some reason people thought I was Michael Stipe. [Pic: Lesley] Further items to decorate the Cove were passed around, with Toby being given the honour of being chief cobweb spinner. I was hauling a goodie bag full of peppers and in theory leading the dive. I was ‘leading’ in the Army sense of the word, as I was the one who knew where we were going and what we were doing once we got there, but I was at the back of the group. Going back onto the loop after taking the mask off [Pic: Lesley] The lack of organisation was sorted out on the way to the blockhouse and I led off on a bearing of 210 degrees to the coach. After a bit I look around to see Mal and Patrick, but no Lesley or Toby. I turned us back to find the others, and saw Lesley confidently navigating away on a course of 240 magnetic. This is considerably different from the 210 degrees that I use to find the coach. Toby inside the coach. “Tickets, PUR-leaseeee” Following out of curiosity I keep checking the bearing, and it remains at 240. Sure enough we find the edge of the pit and Lesley and Toby turn South to the cairn and then left hand down a bit to the coach. We regrouped at the coach, and as Toby swam through it I check the bearings to the Stanegarth. I led off again to the main attraction of the dive, and we are soon there and having a bit of fun with our goodies. My mask was scaring off the fish life. While I handed out the mini pumpkins, spider man Toby got to web away on the mast, then with his homework done, got on with the fun of penetrating the wreck. Mal and Lesley were also securing their masks to the wreck, and I wedged the skull into one of the ventilation funnels that rises from the deck. Abandon all hope ye who enter here. We then went our separate ways. Mal, Patrick and I headed South to look for the Mini as Lesley and Toby headed back on their single tanks. The Mini was nowhere to be seen though, so we headed back. I was spot on for my navigation, so we [meaning me] decided to head to the APC. Watching me watching you-Mal filming on the Stanegarth. A bearing of 155 from the rudder of the Stanegarth saw us to the former Army vehicle, and a quick look for the naked ladies was in vain as they had gone. A series of loud bangs led us all to check our kit to see if we were losing stage tanks, but it was just the Army lot making a noise. After a couple of minutes on the APC we head back to the white van [due North] and then the Wessex before heading up. A quick check shows that Patrick and I have 4 minutes of deco, and Mal has 14. Underwater hide and seek is no fun if the seeker peers through holes in the Wessex while counting to 100. With that much time to kill we swam past the blockhouse and half way to the wooden wreck. I would have carried on, but Mal and Patrick were a bit low on gas, so we turned and ascended at the step. A bit of scoff saw me home, enduring Laurie Bloody Taylor on Radio 4 on the way from Stoney, rather than to it for a change. It’s a shame that the planned trimix dive never happened due to my dive 1 problems, but there will always be another day. Dive 2 profile, who needs fancy side scan sonar when you have me? Dive Data: Dive 1 32.0 m 40 min SI: 2 h 07 min Dive 2 20.7m 1 h 26 min Temperatures: Air 14C Surface 13C 30m 10C __________________ David. Diving the mahogany rebreather.
(Offline)

3rd November 2007, 21:29	#2 (permalink)
Dsix36 Going Down? Current Rebreather/s: Optima Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Deerfield Beach, Florida Posts: 1,138	Re: 31st October “Why do you think we stayed down longer?” Looks like everyone had alot of fun. Thanks for all the pics! __________________ THE MORE THAT I LEARN, THE MORE THAT I STILL NEED TO LEARN!!!!!!
(Online)

3rd November 2007, 21:33	#3 (permalink)
puddleduck New Member Current Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: May 2006 Location: norfolk uk Posts: 26	Re: 31st October “Why do you think we stayed down longer?” Well done guys I was the baby training on the sports kiss with Danny and enjoyed your antics no end inbetween co2 hit, O2 spike and a loop flood. Looking forward to catching up at Stoney and doing buoyancy circuit with lesley and patrick. Keep up the good work n catch up soon. Mark (SK 124) [with the narked at 90 stand] __________________ As I lay in bed last night gazing at the stars I thought if I hadn't bought the rebreather I could afford a roof.
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4th November 2007, 18:38	#4 (permalink)
SBOD New Member Current Rebreather/s: Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Other CCR Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: uk Posts: 12	Re: 31st October “Why do you think we stayed down longer?” nice report and good pics too!
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4th November 2007, 19:03	#5 (permalink)
Darren A New Member Current Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Join Date: May 2005 Location: England Posts: 8	Re: 31st October “Why do you think we stayed down longer?” Excellent report. Loved this piccy
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5th November 2007, 16:36	#6 (permalink)
4ster Steve Sprague Current Rebreather/s: rEvo Other Rebreather/s: rEvo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Arlington, Washington Posts: 300	Re: 31st October “Why do you think we stayed down longer?” Sounds like it was a lot of fun. Can I come next year? __________________ Steve "My problem is that I have trouble reconciling my gross habits with my net income." Errol Flynn
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5th November 2007, 18:52	#7 (permalink)
Freef Custom Title Disallowed! Current Rebreather/s: Dolphin Other Rebreather/s: Dolphin Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Land of the Freef, UK. Posts: 1,411	Re: 31st October “Why do you think we stayed down longer?” You're more than welcome, bring a drysuit, the rest we can sort between us! Oh, FFM's optional. __________________ David. Diving the mahogany rebreather.
(Offline)

5th November 2007, 18:53	#8 (permalink)
Freef Custom Title Disallowed! Current Rebreather/s: Dolphin Other Rebreather/s: Dolphin Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Land of the Freef, UK. Posts: 1,411	Re: 31st October “Why do you think we stayed down longer?” Quote: (Originally Posted by Darren A) Excellent report. Loved this piccy There is a black mesh that covers the eye sockets that once wet holds the water and makes you think that you have cataracts on the surface! __________________ David. Diving the mahogany rebreather.
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5th November 2007, 22:35	#9 (permalink)
mriopel Sadly Missed (RIP) Current Rebreather/s: Optima Dolphin Other Rebreather/s: Dolphin Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: usa Posts: 167	Re: 31st October “Why do you think we stayed down longer?” Cool pictures looks like everone had fun. Mike
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