Wraysbury's got a crust on it!

Sterny · February 6th, 2006, 10:41 AM

Not much of a report, but Paul Dorrell and I popped over to Wraysbury yesterday morning for a bit of a dip. Once the fog had cleared and we were allowed in, we had to break through very thin layer of ice covering the whole lake. The little kid in me discovered it was good fun smashing dinner plate sized panes of glass-clear ice on Paul's head (okay, and my own!) and our from underwater our exhaust bubbles looked very nice spreading out across the underside of the ice backlit by sunshine. Wish I'd had a camera!

It got a bit less funny when we tried an S-drill at 4.5m and Paul's reg freeflowed, which also taught us we've got more work to do on our buoyancy control! Then we shot bags which went better (it turned out they could break the ice from underneath!), until Paul got cramp. Ouch.

We both had very cold hands by the end of the 27 minutes or so we were in, even though I was (I have to admit it) having quite a good time. But even the swans were standing on the side giving us a 'you must be mad' look, so rather than doing a second dive, we opted for a pub lunch instead :D

GLOC · February 6th, 2006, 11:30 AM

F**k me. Have a shiny for your efforts. I am sort of hoping that Chepstow will be a bit warmer than that when I do my TDI Adv Nitrox this Wed/Thu but I don't think it will be that warm....

**jb2cool** · February 6th, 2006, 12:09 PM

you had to break ice to get in

that's just wrong.

Must have looked cool from underneath though.

nic_the_greek · February 6th, 2006, 04:20 PM

Quote: (Originally Posted by GLOC)

F**k me. Have a shiny for your efforts. I am sort of hoping that Chepstow will be a bit warmer than that when I do my TDI Adv Nitrox this Wed/Thu but I don't think it will be that warm....

The water temp was between 5 and 7 degrees at Chepstow on the weekend. No ice on the lake but the mask bucket had a layer of ice nearly 1cm thick

Did a mask off ascent from 10 metres (I think) with a gas switch. After a while it wasn't so bad as my face couldn't get any colder

Cheers/Nic

**neilh** · February 6th, 2006, 04:30 PM

You're mad!!

Mind you, it wasn't much warmer at the Cape on saturday! I had an unplanned blind ascent when the strap on my mask rode up the back of my head resulting in a nicely full mask. Which was interesting.

Gary Moffat · February 6th, 2006, 04:35 PM

Quote: (Originally Posted by neilh)

You're mad!!

Mind you, it wasn't much warmer at the Cape on saturday! I had an unplanned blind ascent when the strap on my mask rode up the back of my head resulting in a nicely full mask. Which was interesting.

Aye it must have been trying to get away from that carpet on your face

:D :D :D

**neilh** · February 6th, 2006, 04:49 PM

Quote: (Originally Posted by Gary Moffat)

Aye it must have been trying to get away from that carpet on your face

:D :D :D

Wrong one mate - you must be thinking of my team mates for the day :D

My "carpet" is firmly on my head :D

MJH · February 6th, 2006, 08:18 PM

Saturday it was 4 degrees at Wraysbury but no ice.

Made Stoney on Sunday feel quite warm!

So exactly how cold was it?

Sterny · February 7th, 2006, 12:07 PM

Quote: (Originally Posted by MJH)

So exactly how cold was it?

It was around 4 degrees underwater, and just a little colder on the surface. I'm sure to a lot of readers here that isn't cold at all!

February 6th, 2006, 10:41 AM	#1 (permalink)
Sterny(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: The limpid tropical lagoons of Ealing, West London Posts: 550	Wraysbury's got a crust on it! Not much of a report, but Paul Dorrell and I popped over to Wraysbury yesterday morning for a bit of a dip. Once the fog had cleared and we were allowed in, we had to break through very thin layer of ice covering the whole lake. The little kid in me discovered it was good fun smashing dinner plate sized panes of glass-clear ice on Paul's head (okay, and my own!) and our from underwater our exhaust bubbles looked very nice spreading out across the underside of the ice backlit by sunshine. Wish I'd had a camera! It got a bit less funny when we tried an S-drill at 4.5m and Paul's reg freeflowed, which also taught us we've got more work to do on our buoyancy control! Then we shot bags which went better (it turned out they could break the ice from underneath!), until Paul got cramp. Ouch. We both had very cold hands by the end of the 27 minutes or so we were in, even though I was (I have to admit it) having quite a good time. But even the swans were standing on the side giving us a 'you must be mad' look, so rather than doing a second dive, we opted for a pub lunch instead :D

February 6th, 2006, 12:09 PM	#3 (permalink)
jb2cool(Offline) Padawan learner Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire Posts: 797	you had to break ice to get in that's just wrong. Must have looked cool from underneath though. __________________ http://jb2cool.bulldoghome.com

February 6th, 2006, 04:20 PM	#4 (permalink)
nic_the_greek(Offline) New Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Gosport, Hants Posts: 86	Quote: (Originally Posted by GLOC) F**k me. Have a shiny for your efforts. I am sort of hoping that Chepstow will be a bit warmer than that when I do my TDI Adv Nitrox this Wed/Thu but I don't think it will be that warm.... The water temp was between 5 and 7 degrees at Chepstow on the weekend. No ice on the lake but the mask bucket had a layer of ice nearly 1cm thick Did a mask off ascent from 10 metres (I think) with a gas switch. After a while it wasn't so bad as my face couldn't get any colder Cheers/Nic __________________ "God will forgive them. He'll forgive them and allow them into Heaven. I can't live with that." The Other Place

February 6th, 2006, 11:30 AM	#2 (permalink)
GLOC (Online) Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Fleet, Hants Posts: 1,963	F**k me. Have a shiny for your efforts. I am sort of hoping that Chepstow will be a bit warmer than that when I do my TDI Adv Nitrox this Wed/Thu but I don't think it will be that warm....

February 6th, 2006, 04:30 PM	#5 (permalink)
neilh(Offline) Haemoglobin on the bus... Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Barnsley, UK Posts: 1,900	You're mad!! Mind you, it wasn't much warmer at the Cape on saturday! I had an unplanned blind ascent when the strap on my mask rode up the back of my head resulting in a nicely full mask. Which was interesting.

February 6th, 2006, 04:35 PM	#6 (permalink)
Gary Moffat(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: East Lothian Posts: 120	Quote: (Originally Posted by neilh) You're mad!! Mind you, it wasn't much warmer at the Cape on saturday! I had an unplanned blind ascent when the strap on my mask rode up the back of my head resulting in a nicely full mask. Which was interesting. Aye it must have been trying to get away from that carpet on your face :D :D :D

February 6th, 2006, 04:49 PM	#7 (permalink)
neilh(Offline) Haemoglobin on the bus... Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Barnsley, UK Posts: 1,900	Quote: (Originally Posted by Gary Moffat) Aye it must have been trying to get away from that carpet on your face :D :D :D Wrong one mate - you must be thinking of my team mates for the day :D My "carpet" is firmly on my head :D

February 6th, 2006, 08:18 PM	#8 (permalink)
MJH(Offline) Mask? Oh yes, I thought it was cold.... Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Orpington, Kent Posts: 389	Saturday it was 4 degrees at Wraysbury but no ice. Made Stoney on Sunday feel quite warm! So exactly how cold was it?

February 7th, 2006, 12:07 PM	#9 (permalink)
Sterny(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: The limpid tropical lagoons of Ealing, West London Posts: 550	Quote: (Originally Posted by MJH) So exactly how cold was it? It was around 4 degrees underwater, and just a little colder on the surface. I'm sure to a lot of readers here that isn't cold at all!