DIR UK 13/14 May

*Clare Gledhill* · May 14th, 2006, 11:26 PM

DIR UK weekend - Weymouth 13/14 May 2006

Saturday morning found us at Wey Chieftain bright and early ready to head off to find some viz and hopefully a wreck to dive.

We had two divers with us who were doing their Tech 1 experience dives with Andy Kerslake so this would limit the dives to 48 metres, but the choice was down to Graham. We settled on the Iolanthe - and ropes off would be at 9 am.

Slight problem was Iain, who had dived with us the day before, as was doing his Tech 1 dives today, was still waiting for a fill at Breakwater who had a problem with their panel. When he eventually arrived his car was attacked by about ten divers and his kit made it on to the boat in about thirty seconds.

The trip out was a bit rough and several were slightly unwell by the time we got to the site. This lead our team to decide to leave scooters on the boat.

We jumped in and descended finding the wreck in about 5-7 metres of viz. The Iolanthe was sunk by a torpedo from UB-75 in January 1918. She was carrying a cargo of railway trucks and hay, she is known locally as the railway wreck. The wreck was generally at about 40m with the scour at the stern being 45m and the scour at the bow being 49m.

We meandered around as a team and Fraser found what he thought was a face mirror on the seabed. He and Al weren't that interested in 'girlie spidge' so rejected it but I took a fancy to it and carried it round for the rest of the dive.

We had a good dive. There were congers and a few wrasse about - one or two respeldent in their mating colours and lots of bits of wreck to hunt in and out of. I thumbed the dive when I started to get cold, knowing that there was a fair bit of time to the surface.

Graham the skipper asks for one bag per diver so that he knows that all are off the wreck before he pulls the shot out. I deployed the main bag and then took smaller bags from Al and Frase - but the current had pulled my line out by at least an additional ten metres and the small bags took the line up in a loop - nearly pulling the spool from me. Other teams lost theirs in the same way.

Uneventful deco run by Al and a trip back took us to Weymouth in time to get fills. Unfortunately, when all twelve divers turned up at Breakwater ready to order £600 of gas to find that the centre had no helium and the fill station guy was intending to go home early. So a quick trip back to Weymouth took us teh the Old Harbour Dive Centre wheer they were more than happy to help - taking care of the sets until the following day so we didn't have to wait.

Sunday

Sunday was to be a good day for diving weatherwise. Driving over the causeway from the island, I always look for the windsock to see what is in store - but today I nearly missed it - it was hanging like a dishcloth - not a breath of wind

We would push out a long way - to the Empress of India - a one and a half hour journey which was very pleasant indeed. Graham gets us there in good time and with flat seas the kit up process is smooth and trouble free. We decide to take scooters...

Me

Al

Fraser

Jump in, bubble check - no problems. Descend to about 9 metres and the lights go out, and the viz disappears. Close in to the shot line (we had been scootering down it) and get close hoping that the viz will improve - it doesn't and when we get to the wreck at about 40 metres it is clear that scootering is going to be impossible - and swiming won't be much fun either.

There are always three choices at the bottom of a shot line - right, left or up. We chose the latter - saving our gas for another day.

A minimum deco ascent found us back on the boat - shortly to be followed by the second scooter team of John Kendall and Mark Emery who thumbed it at the bottom of the shot as well.

Oh well, - they can't all be fun - and there will always be another day.

Iain and Owen passed though - the dives were certainly 'an experience'

Owen and Iain- new Tech 1 divers.

General consensus of opinion though was a good weekend... especially for me as my 'mirror' which I clutched all the way round the dive and held on to as I deployed three bags on deco is actually a complete brass bridge compass holder on a dolphin mount - and will restore really nicely.

What a lovely memento of my first DIR UK dive - girlie spidge indeed

On the boat:

Andy Kerslake
John Grogan
Rich Walker
Bob Cooper
Andy Carroll
John Kendall
Mark Emery
Alastair Pooley
Fraser Jordan
Clare Gledhill
Iain Smith
Owen Petchy

iainmsmith · May 15th, 2006, 01:44 AM

Great weekend - Many thanks to Clare and Bob for organising the three days. Many, many thanks to all for their patience on Saturday morning and for the speed with which my kit got transferred. And, of course, for the general abuse, mikey-taking, laughs, advice and encouragement that were such a hallmark of the trip.

Thanks to Andy for putting up with me for what must be the longest Tech I course on record and above all, to Owen - one course, two Hump Days, having to interrupt the course for several months while I out of the country, having to pass Hump Day for a second time when I got back and, eight months, three weeks and a day after we started, we finally made it.

Cheers, buddy!

Iain
GUE Tech I
(...well, I had to get it in somewhere!)

jamesd · May 15th, 2006, 01:05 PM

Hi,

Sounds like you had a good weekend. I dived the Iolanthe a couple of years ago and am looking forward to diving the Empress although this will wait until I can dive using helium. The variable viz is really puzzling at the moment. One day it seems fantastic and the next it is rubbish.

What were you asked to do with regard to SMB's and what did you do. I don't understand what caused the problems you experienced?

Well done on passing Tech 1...I am pretty sure that it is not the longest on record, I know a pair who have been 'doing' it for longer

jd

*JohnKendall* · May 15th, 2006, 01:12 PM

Thanks All for a good weekend. I only got 1 picture:

I think We're gonna need a bigger boat!

J

***Bob Cooper*** · May 16th, 2006, 12:07 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by jamesd)

What were you asked to do with regard to SMB's and what did you do. I don't understand what caused the problems you experienced?

We prefer to operate a system whereby the number of SMB's on the surface equals the number of divers in the water. That way, the surface cover knows exactly where everybody is. Twelve divers = 12 SMB's. This might be 6 pairs or 4 groups of 3.....

There are two ways of doing this. The hard way and the easy way....

The hard way is for each diver to deploy his/her own SMB and reel/spool. This can make for an interesting "underwater knitting/crochet competition" as everybody tries to untangle their lines from each other whilst trying to maintain contact. It also makes gas switches interesting!

The easy way is for a nominated diver (usually not me) to deploy a "big" SMB and then smaller SMBs are sent up the same line. That way a "clutch" of 3 SMB's on the surface indicates to the surface cover that there are 3 divers underneath. We like to use the small SMBs which can be orally inflated.

Sometimes, the small SMB's can grab the line if it is not taught. Usually you can feel this happening as soon as the SMB is deployed and simply reach up, pull it down and send it up again on a tight line. Sometimes, you just have to let go and start the whole process again.

Hope that explains it.

Bob

jamesd · May 16th, 2006, 12:07 PM

Thanks for the info. It is something that I have never considered.
James

wilbo · May 16th, 2006, 01:56 PM

Quote: (Originally Posted by Bob Cooper)

The easy way is for a nominated diver (usually not me) to deploy a "big" SMB and then smaller SMBs are sent up the same line. That way a "clutch" of 3 SMB's on the surface indicates to the surface cover that there are 3 divers underneath. We like to use the small SMBs which can be orally inflated.

Sometimes, the small SMB's can grab the line if it is not taught. Usually you can feel this happening as soon as the SMB is deployed and simply reach up, pull it down and send it up again on a tight line. Sometimes, you just have to let go and start the whole process again.

I was the nominated (read 'fool') to deploy on Saturday and the other two clipped off to my line and sent theirs up.. first time experience for me - you can really feel the 4.5 footer go up the line.. talk about friction..

Next time I am gonna be 'bob'.

**neilh** · May 16th, 2006, 02:00 PM

Quote: (Originally Posted by wilbo)

I was the nominated (read 'fool') to deploy on Saturday and the other two clipped off to my line and sent theirs up..

I'm curious about this technique (first time I've heard about it, but it makes sense) - do you clip the extra SMBs to the line with a boltsnap or just feed the spool through the webbing loop? Does it matter?

**neilh** · May 16th, 2006, 02:03 PM

Quote: (Originally Posted by Bob Cooper)

We like to use the small SMBs which can be orally inflated.

Is there a specific reason for going for oral inflate ones Bob?

GLOC · May 16th, 2006, 02:06 PM

Wilbo, you didn't tell us you were going back out with rest of the guys on the Saturday - splitter

On the Friday, Rob and I clipped them on using a double-ender for me and the boltsnap that is attached to the Halcyon 4.5ft's for Rob.

May 14th, 2006, 11:26 PM	#1 (permalink)
Clare Gledhill(Offline) GUE Instructor Site Admin Pacman Champion! Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: UK Posts: 1,541	DIR UK 13/14 May DIR UK weekend - Weymouth 13/14 May 2006 Saturday morning found us at Wey Chieftain bright and early ready to head off to find some viz and hopefully a wreck to dive. We had two divers with us who were doing their Tech 1 experience dives with Andy Kerslake so this would limit the dives to 48 metres, but the choice was down to Graham. We settled on the Iolanthe - and ropes off would be at 9 am. Slight problem was Iain, who had dived with us the day before, as was doing his Tech 1 dives today, was still waiting for a fill at Breakwater who had a problem with their panel. When he eventually arrived his car was attacked by about ten divers and his kit made it on to the boat in about thirty seconds. The trip out was a bit rough and several were slightly unwell by the time we got to the site. This lead our team to decide to leave scooters on the boat. We jumped in and descended finding the wreck in about 5-7 metres of viz. The Iolanthe was sunk by a torpedo from UB-75 in January 1918. She was carrying a cargo of railway trucks and hay, she is known locally as the railway wreck. The wreck was generally at about 40m with the scour at the stern being 45m and the scour at the bow being 49m. We meandered around as a team and Fraser found what he thought was a face mirror on the seabed. He and Al weren't that interested in 'girlie spidge' so rejected it but I took a fancy to it and carried it round for the rest of the dive. We had a good dive. There were congers and a few wrasse about - one or two respeldent in their mating colours and lots of bits of wreck to hunt in and out of. I thumbed the dive when I started to get cold, knowing that there was a fair bit of time to the surface. Graham the skipper asks for one bag per diver so that he knows that all are off the wreck before he pulls the shot out. I deployed the main bag and then took smaller bags from Al and Frase - but the current had pulled my line out by at least an additional ten metres and the small bags took the line up in a loop - nearly pulling the spool from me. Other teams lost theirs in the same way. Uneventful deco run by Al and a trip back took us to Weymouth in time to get fills. Unfortunately, when all twelve divers turned up at Breakwater ready to order £600 of gas to find that the centre had no helium and the fill station guy was intending to go home early. So a quick trip back to Weymouth took us teh the Old Harbour Dive Centre wheer they were more than happy to help - taking care of the sets until the following day so we didn't have to wait. Sunday Sunday was to be a good day for diving weatherwise. Driving over the causeway from the island, I always look for the windsock to see what is in store - but today I nearly missed it - it was hanging like a dishcloth - not a breath of wind We would push out a long way - to the Empress of India - a one and a half hour journey which was very pleasant indeed. Graham gets us there in good time and with flat seas the kit up process is smooth and trouble free. We decide to take scooters... Me Al Fraser Jump in, bubble check - no problems. Descend to about 9 metres and the lights go out, and the viz disappears. Close in to the shot line (we had been scootering down it) and get close hoping that the viz will improve - it doesn't and when we get to the wreck at about 40 metres it is clear that scootering is going to be impossible - and swiming won't be much fun either. There are always three choices at the bottom of a shot line - right, left or up. We chose the latter - saving our gas for another day. A minimum deco ascent found us back on the boat - shortly to be followed by the second scooter team of John Kendall and Mark Emery who thumbed it at the bottom of the shot as well. Oh well, - they can't all be fun - and there will always be another day. Iain and Owen passed though - the dives were certainly 'an experience' Owen and Iain- new Tech 1 divers. General consensus of opinion though was a good weekend... especially for me as my 'mirror' which I clutched all the way round the dive and held on to as I deployed three bags on deco is actually a complete brass bridge compass holder on a dolphin mount - and will restore really nicely. What a lovely memento of my first DIR UK dive - girlie spidge indeed On the boat: Andy Kerslake John Grogan Rich Walker Bob Cooper Andy Carroll John Kendall Mark Emery Alastair Pooley Fraser Jordan Clare Gledhill Iain Smith Owen Petchy __________________ 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 Last edited by Clare Gledhill; May 14th, 2006 at 11:29 PM.

May 15th, 2006, 01:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
JohnKendall(Offline) GUE Instructor/DIRX Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Cambridge, UK Posts: 1,100	Thanks All for a good weekend. I only got 1 picture: I think We're gonna need a bigger boat! J __________________ John Kendall http://www.guetraining.com/ GUE Instruction, Santi and Halcyon Equipment NEW - Online Santi Shop Last edited by JohnKendall; May 15th, 2006 at 01:15 PM.

May 16th, 2006, 01:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
wilbo(Offline) Chimp 4 Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Swindon, UK Posts: 873	Quote: (Originally Posted by Bob Cooper) The easy way is for a nominated diver (usually not me) to deploy a "big" SMB and then smaller SMBs are sent up the same line. That way a "clutch" of 3 SMB's on the surface indicates to the surface cover that there are 3 divers underneath. We like to use the small SMBs which can be orally inflated. Sometimes, the small SMB's can grab the line if it is not taught. Usually you can feel this happening as soon as the SMB is deployed and simply reach up, pull it down and send it up again on a tight line. Sometimes, you just have to let go and start the whole process again. I was the nominated (read 'fool') to deploy on Saturday and the other two clipped off to my line and sent theirs up.. first time experience for me - you can really feel the 4.5 footer go up the line.. talk about friction.. Next time I am gonna be 'bob'. __________________ Cheers! Wilbo DIR explorers: DIR Yorkshire Divers: YorkshireDivers One of the Foxturd chimps

May 16th, 2006, 02:06 PM	#10 (permalink)
GLOC (Online) Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Fleet, Hants Posts: 1,964	Wilbo, you didn't tell us you were going back out with rest of the guys on the Saturday - splitter On the *Friday,* Rob and I clipped them on using a double-ender for me and the boltsnap that is attached to the Halcyon 4.5ft's for Rob. __________________ Gareth Images of Life Photography DIR Team Foxturd Travels Underwater and Further Afar If you don't have the time to do something right, where are you going to find the time to fix it? - Stephen King

May 15th, 2006, 01:44 AM	#2 (permalink)
iainmsmith(Offline) Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Glasgow Posts: 152	Great weekend - Many thanks to Clare and Bob for organising the three days. Many, many thanks to all for their patience on Saturday morning and for the speed with which my kit got transferred. And, of course, for the general abuse, mikey-taking, laughs, advice and encouragement that were such a hallmark of the trip. Thanks to Andy for putting up with me for what must be the longest Tech I course on record and above all, to Owen - one course, two Hump Days, having to interrupt the course for several months while I out of the country, having to pass Hump Day for a second time when I got back and, eight months, three weeks and a day after we started, we finally made it. Cheers, buddy! Iain GUE Tech I (...well, I had to get it in somewhere!)

May 15th, 2006, 01:05 PM	#3 (permalink)
jamesd(Offline) New Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: London Posts: 54	Hi, Sounds like you had a good weekend. I dived the Iolanthe a couple of years ago and am looking forward to diving the Empress although this will wait until I can dive using helium. The variable viz is really puzzling at the moment. One day it seems fantastic and the next it is rubbish. What were you asked to do with regard to SMB's and what did you do. I don't understand what caused the problems you experienced? Well done on passing Tech 1...I am pretty sure that it is not the longest on record, I know a pair who have been 'doing' it for longer jd

May 16th, 2006, 12:07 AM	#5 (permalink)
*Bob Cooper*(Offline) Moderator - "Don't stop me now!" Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: South East London, UK Posts: 681	Quote: (Originally Posted by jamesd) What were you asked to do with regard to SMB's and what did you do. I don't understand what caused the problems you experienced? We prefer to operate a system whereby the number of SMB's on the surface equals the number of divers in the water. That way, the surface cover knows exactly where everybody is. Twelve divers = 12 SMB's. This might be 6 pairs or 4 groups of 3..... There are two ways of doing this. The hard way and the easy way.... The hard way is for each diver to deploy his/her own SMB and reel/spool. This can make for an interesting "underwater knitting/crochet competition" as everybody tries to untangle their lines from each other whilst trying to maintain contact. It also makes gas switches interesting! The easy way is for a nominated diver (usually not me) to deploy a "big" SMB and then smaller SMBs are sent up the same line. That way a "clutch" of 3 SMB's on the surface indicates to the surface cover that there are 3 divers underneath. We like to use the small SMBs which can be orally inflated. Sometimes, the small SMB's can grab the line if it is not taught. Usually you can feel this happening as soon as the SMB is deployed and simply reach up, pull it down and send it up again on a tight line. Sometimes, you just have to let go and start the whole process again. Hope that explains it. Bob

May 16th, 2006, 12:07 PM	#6 (permalink)
jamesd(Offline) New Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: London Posts: 54	Thanks for the info. It is something that I have never considered. James

May 16th, 2006, 02:00 PM	#8 (permalink)
neilh(Offline) Haemoglobin on the bus... Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Barnsley, UK Posts: 1,900	Quote: (Originally Posted by wilbo) I was the nominated (read 'fool') to deploy on Saturday and the other two clipped off to my line and sent theirs up.. I'm curious about this technique (first time I've heard about it, but it makes sense) - do you clip the extra SMBs to the line with a boltsnap or just feed the spool through the webbing loop? Does it matter?

May 16th, 2006, 02:03 PM	#9 (permalink)
neilh(Offline) Haemoglobin on the bus... Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Barnsley, UK Posts: 1,900	Quote: (Originally Posted by Bob Cooper) We like to use the small SMBs which can be orally inflated. Is there a specific reason for going for oral inflate ones Bob?