Scooters a plenty

**Alastair** · February 12th, 2006, 09:32 PM

Just back from a fun day of diving with Clare and Mark.

Al & Clare

We decided to give three stages and a scooter a blast round.

Mark

Water is a balmy 5 degrees!

Clare

But we all had a blast.

Al

I'll stick some more pics in the gallery. I've also uploaded some clips to google video which I'll link to shortly.

Cheers
Al

Divingniknaks · February 12th, 2006, 09:55 PM

Bloody show offs !

Moi, jealous ? Non :D

Divingniknaks · February 13th, 2006, 12:15 AM

And here's what 5 mins on Photoshop can do.

*Clare Gledhill* · February 13th, 2006, 12:12 PM

Hi Al - thanks for the new avatar!

It was a really good day - This year is really about working up for a trip in September where we will need 3 stages and scooters so after playing in the sea last week it was time to do loads of skills. I'd had a play with my scooter weighting and at 10 meters it was bang on - perfectly neutral - not moving at all and completely trimmed out :D

We buzzed round getting a few pictures, and getting used to passing the torch of to the right hand when adding air to the drysuit and wing on descent – whilst staying on the trigger. We then went into valve drills, and s drills. Mark hadn’t sent the flashing light procedure when closing valves before so when I shut down my right post I nearly got a reg shoved in my mouth! All went well otherwise though. Al bagged up on this dive and we both gave a cheer when he remembered to attach the bag to the line (after last week’s effort

Dive two was more of the same really. Stage switching went OK ish and thanks to advice from Andy Kerslake and Rich Walker about the position of my hip D ring (too far forward) and the length of my leash (too long) and pictures of leashes from Ali Freeki from DIRX – I could actually move the bottles about without too much effort – and could unclip my gauge at last! On the long gradual ascent I felt really slick when I passed off my torch and dumped my wing - only then to realise that with the Gavin taking some of the strain I had dumped too much air and when I came off the trigger I plummeted down in a heap! Oh well :D

Dive three we dumped the scooters and had a swim round with just a bottom stage each – bliss after lugging multiple stages all day. After three 45 minute dives in 5 degrees (and in 3mm gloves) we’d all had enough so hot chocolates and warm changing rooms called. It was then that I mentioned to Al that my scooter was a bit heavier on the second dive than the first….

We opened it and, yup, water

Seems to be OK though – thank god it happened this week and not last week in the sea – I’ve probably got away with it but still have no idea why it happened.

MarkEm · February 13th, 2006, 11:51 PM

Cheers Al & Claire for a fun day of diving. Let's see this video then Alistair. I have cleaned up the above image of me and it is now my new avatar (and profile pic). I'm looking forward to the same again in three weeks if you guys are up for it.

from

I'm amazed with the result. Good old photoshop.

Regards,

Mark.

**Alastair** · February 14th, 2006, 03:46 PM

Mark - that looks excellent, certainly cleaned up nicely. As for the the videos well here you go. They aren't great quality but they'll give you the idea.

Mark Scootering

Me scootering

February 12th, 2006, 09:32 PM	#1 (permalink)
Alastair(Offline) DIRX Supporter Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: UK Posts: 693	Scooters a plenty Just back from a fun day of diving with Clare and Mark. Al & Clare We decided to give three stages and a scooter a blast round. Mark Water is a balmy 5 degrees! Clare But we all had a blast. Al I'll stick some more pics in the gallery. I've also uploaded some clips to google video which I'll link to shortly. Cheers Al __________________ Helium is our friend - GI3

February 12th, 2006, 09:55 PM	#2 (permalink)
Divingniknaks(Offline) Resident purveyor of shiney kit.... Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Midlands UK Posts: 1,038	Bloody show offs ! Moi, jealous ? Non :D __________________ Phill ----------------------------- Salvo Lights, DirZone Gear , Frog Wings Dive ? http://www.divingniknaks.com

February 13th, 2006, 12:15 AM	#3 (permalink)
Divingniknaks(Offline) Resident purveyor of shiney kit.... Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Midlands UK Posts: 1,038	And here's what 5 mins on Photoshop can do. __________________ Phill ----------------------------- Salvo Lights, DirZone Gear , Frog Wings Dive ? http://www.divingniknaks.com Last edited by Divingniknaks; February 13th, 2006 at 12:19 AM.

February 13th, 2006, 12:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
Clare Gledhill(Offline) GUE Instructor Site Admin Pacman Champion! Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: UK Posts: 1,541	Hi Al - thanks for the new avatar! It was a really good day - This year is really about working up for a trip in September where we will need 3 stages and scooters so after playing in the sea last week it was time to do loads of skills. I'd had a play with my scooter weighting and at 10 meters it was bang on - perfectly neutral - not moving at all and completely trimmed out :D We buzzed round getting a few pictures, and getting used to passing the torch of to the right hand when adding air to the drysuit and wing on descent – whilst staying on the trigger. We then went into valve drills, and s drills. Mark hadn’t sent the flashing light procedure when closing valves before so when I shut down my right post I nearly got a reg shoved in my mouth! All went well otherwise though. Al bagged up on this dive and we both gave a cheer when he remembered to attach the bag to the line (after last week’s effort Dive two was more of the same really. Stage switching went OK ish and thanks to advice from Andy Kerslake and Rich Walker about the position of my hip D ring (too far forward) and the length of my leash (too long) and pictures of leashes from Ali Freeki from DIRX – I could actually move the bottles about without too much effort – and could unclip my gauge at last! On the long gradual ascent I felt really slick when I passed off my torch and dumped my wing - only then to realise that with the Gavin taking some of the strain I had dumped too much air and when I came off the trigger I plummeted down in a heap! Oh well :D Dive three we dumped the scooters and had a swim round with just a bottom stage each – bliss after lugging multiple stages all day. After three 45 minute dives in 5 degrees (and in 3mm gloves) we’d all had enough so hot chocolates and warm changing rooms called. It was then that I mentioned to Al that my scooter was a bit heavier on the second dive than the first…. We opened it and, yup, water Seems to be OK though – thank god it happened this week and not last week in the sea – I’ve probably got away with it but still have no idea why it happened. __________________ Clare . "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions....Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you too can become great." Interested in DIR dive training? Always happy to chat/answer questions so get in touch via PM or visit www.dirdiver.co.uk

February 13th, 2006, 11:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
MarkEm(Offline) Site Sponsor Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Essex, UK Posts: 220	Cheers Al & Claire for a fun day of diving. Let's see this video then Alistair. I have cleaned up the above image of me and it is now my new avatar (and profile pic). I'm looking forward to the same again in three weeks if you guys are up for it. from I'm amazed with the result. Good old photoshop. Regards, Mark. Last edited by MarkEm; February 14th, 2006 at 10:41 AM.

February 14th, 2006, 03:46 PM	#6 (permalink)
Alastair(Offline) DIRX Supporter Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: UK Posts: 693	Mark - that looks excellent, certainly cleaned up nicely. As for the the videos well here you go. They aren't great quality but they'll give you the idea. Mark Scootering Me scootering __________________ Helium is our friend - GI3 Last edited by Alastair; February 14th, 2006 at 04:22 PM.