Today was a short training day. OK it was for the tall guys as well but we could only have half a day due to various deployment needs.
So it was my task on finding a place to go play. Oops, I did it again. That would be train not play. But the way I see it, every dive is a training dive. Just getting bottom time and relaxing a bit is sometimes better than a formal training day.
We split the team into two groups with half on each boat. So we load up and take a 3 minute boat ride out of town to a popular cliff diving area and secluded beaches basically right in town.
I’m taking 3 with me and we are going to look for an old paddle wheel and a late 1800’s 65’ tug boat. We get to around 40’ or so and the vis takes a powder. Now it will be a streak of luck if we find either of them. The paddle wheel is around 50’ and the wreck at 90 to 100’.
We get to 95’ in a nice group and I start seeing the debris that isn’t I know isn’t far from the wreck but finding it going to be out of the question. We want to have a bit of fun and this is going to turn into a working dive if we stay. So after 20 minutes I give the thumbs up signal and up we go.
We stayed good and tight except for our token fireman who couldn’t figure out if he was working for NASA or a Navy deep submersible program. Shoot by going up then fly by going down. He finally got his hose control steadied out and was able to stay with us for the remainder of the trip.
After being picked up by the boats the rest changed tanks and we went for a shallower good vis play, Oops training dive. About every bottle we found on the bottom got air mailed. When we surfaced you could see the path we took.
Some of the guys just need a bit more bottom time to help with the amount of air their using. I came up after two dives with 500# after starting with 2600#. A couple of them sucked up 2500# on the first dive alone. Just need to get their butts wet a bit more. Part of the problem is we rarely train during the summer months.
All in all it was a very good half day of training. OK, WE WENT AND PLAYED. Only one fin strap self destructed.
I almost forgot about the training one of our surface support guys got.
He went to assist one of the diver with a tank change without removing the gear from the diver. After unhooking everything he tugged, pulled and was starting to show the, what do I do next stare when he couldn’t lift the tank out. I had the tender set a full tank next to the diver then I asked the diver if he was ready. After a yes I said go ahead. Now the tender felt a bit on the lost side when the diver stood up and the tank stayed right where it was. Then the tanks switched and when the diver sat down the three straps went right over the tank ready to hook up.
So see, we did train today.
Gary D.
So it was my task on finding a place to go play. Oops, I did it again. That would be train not play. But the way I see it, every dive is a training dive. Just getting bottom time and relaxing a bit is sometimes better than a formal training day.
We split the team into two groups with half on each boat. So we load up and take a 3 minute boat ride out of town to a popular cliff diving area and secluded beaches basically right in town.
I’m taking 3 with me and we are going to look for an old paddle wheel and a late 1800’s 65’ tug boat. We get to around 40’ or so and the vis takes a powder. Now it will be a streak of luck if we find either of them. The paddle wheel is around 50’ and the wreck at 90 to 100’.
We get to 95’ in a nice group and I start seeing the debris that isn’t I know isn’t far from the wreck but finding it going to be out of the question. We want to have a bit of fun and this is going to turn into a working dive if we stay. So after 20 minutes I give the thumbs up signal and up we go.
We stayed good and tight except for our token fireman who couldn’t figure out if he was working for NASA or a Navy deep submersible program. Shoot by going up then fly by going down. He finally got his hose control steadied out and was able to stay with us for the remainder of the trip.
After being picked up by the boats the rest changed tanks and we went for a shallower good vis play, Oops training dive. About every bottle we found on the bottom got air mailed. When we surfaced you could see the path we took.
Some of the guys just need a bit more bottom time to help with the amount of air their using. I came up after two dives with 500# after starting with 2600#. A couple of them sucked up 2500# on the first dive alone. Just need to get their butts wet a bit more. Part of the problem is we rarely train during the summer months.
All in all it was a very good half day of training. OK, WE WENT AND PLAYED.
Only one fin strap self destructed.I almost forgot about the training one of our surface support guys got.
He went to assist one of the diver with a tank change without removing the gear from the diver. After unhooking everything he tugged, pulled and was starting to show the, what do I do next stare when he couldn’t lift the tank out. I had the tender set a full tank next to the diver then I asked the diver if he was ready. After a yes I said go ahead. Now the tender felt a bit on the lost side when the diver stood up and the tank stayed right where it was. Then the tanks switched and when the diver sat down the three straps went right over the tank ready to hook up.
So see, we did train today.
Gary D.
