Spectre
Contributor
This weekend was some diving down in New York with my dive club. The trip was Friday - Linda, Saturday - Oregon, Sunday - Stolt Dagali... I was only going to be there for saturday and sunday.
Thursday morning I dropped my tanks off for high test fills. I picked 'em up on Thursday evening, and noticed that they filled 32% instead of 30%, and they analized out to close to 33%. I didn't have time to deal with it, so I delt with it friday at my LDS. I calculated out how much to bleed off, and the owner wanted to doublecheck my numbers. As he ran to get his computer, the rush began. about an hour later he finally was able to get back to me, and it turned out his program couldn't handle bleeding. So I explained the math I used, and he punched my numbers in and verified. [I don't have O2 clean tanks, and he only does partial pressure, so we had to make sure we had it right]. So onto the bleeding, which took forever.
Two hours later I got out and headed down to Long Island, hitting New Haven right at 4:00, making for miserable traffic the rest of the way. Got to the boat about 6:30, went through the briefing and headed back to the motel and to dinner. Got to sleep about 11:00, and woke up at 2:00. woke up every 10 minutes until 3:00 when I finally gave up and headed out exploring the area. Got to the boat about 4:15, and then back to the motel about 4:45 to make sure my 'roomies' didn't miss my note and get concerned. Back to the boat around 5:15.
The captain went through my log book and had a little bit of concern about my experience. He wanted to make sure I had a good buddy [I ended up with 3... 1 primary and 2 secondary]. I gave the captain my dive plan [.8 SAC rate... 5 minutes @ 20 fsw, 4 minute ascent from 130 fsw, begin ascent at 1200 psi, 150 psi/min at depth for calculating turn time, 12 minutes at depth, ascend, hang practicing my bouyancy until I get bored, the line gets crowded, or I hit 500 psi... whichever comes first].
In I go. We hit the wreck, and one started running the reel while another helped tie it off. The further we moved away, the more uncomfortable I got. Just about when I was uncomfortable to a point I was going to turn, it was turn time. I told 'em I was off and headed back to the anchor. Hit the anchor right on plan, ascended right on plan. 12 minutes at depth, 5 minutes ascending, 9 minutes hanging at 15, 2 at 10 [cause people came to 20 for their deco hangs].
Definately a completely un-enjoyable dive.
Dive two. The uncomfortable bug didn't snap, and this time it was worse. Turned early and headed back. Took a break on my trip back to hover for a minute and get my wits back. Anchor at 10 minutes, 5 minute ascent, 7 @ 15, 2 @ 10 and out.
The rest of the day was spent going through what went wrong on the dives. Nothing really... I just wasn't comfortable... at _all_.
Sunday. I talk to the group and discuss my dives the day before, and that I want to stick close to the anchor this time, just to try and snap this 'bad dive' vibe. The Vis on descent was horrid...4 ft or so for the first 30 feet. The vis on the wreck was pretty good, about 40 feet, but the strange green light coming down from the bloom on the surface made for an interesting atmosphere. Swam down the side of the deck, around the edge, up and around. I was back to normal on this dive, and it was absolutely great. I'm not sure if it was the dive that was great, or the feeling of relief that I wasn't broken
. We all ascended together. There was a little current on the wreck, but barely any on the ascent so it was completely off the line the whole time. Focus was on fins until they left, then I moved closer so I could see the line while I finished my bouyancy practice.
During the SIT, the Captain asked what I thought of the dive, to which I said it was fabulous. He then suggested I check out the engine room, and talk with my buddy to go through the whole plan and make sure I'm cool with that. We went down and got to a big hole. I made sure my buoyancy was right where I wanted it, and we went in. My buddy checked every 5 seconds to make sure I was ok, yep... I was cool. Into the second room [sorta...not much of a wall] and hung out in there for a bit. Turned to head out. My buddy flashed me with his light, I turned and he pointed down the hallway and asked if I was ok with that. 2500 psi left... sure. Down to the end of the room, and a 30 fsw ascent up a passageway to exit at the deck area we swam down on the first dive. we headed back down on the outside and swam around for a while, and headed up to finish the day.
If you asked me on saturday evening, it was a horrible trip. Ask me after sunday... it was an _incredible_ trip!
Thursday morning I dropped my tanks off for high test fills. I picked 'em up on Thursday evening, and noticed that they filled 32% instead of 30%, and they analized out to close to 33%. I didn't have time to deal with it, so I delt with it friday at my LDS. I calculated out how much to bleed off, and the owner wanted to doublecheck my numbers. As he ran to get his computer, the rush began. about an hour later he finally was able to get back to me, and it turned out his program couldn't handle bleeding. So I explained the math I used, and he punched my numbers in and verified. [I don't have O2 clean tanks, and he only does partial pressure, so we had to make sure we had it right]. So onto the bleeding, which took forever.
Two hours later I got out and headed down to Long Island, hitting New Haven right at 4:00, making for miserable traffic the rest of the way. Got to the boat about 6:30, went through the briefing and headed back to the motel and to dinner. Got to sleep about 11:00, and woke up at 2:00. woke up every 10 minutes until 3:00 when I finally gave up and headed out exploring the area. Got to the boat about 4:15, and then back to the motel about 4:45 to make sure my 'roomies' didn't miss my note and get concerned. Back to the boat around 5:15.
The captain went through my log book and had a little bit of concern about my experience. He wanted to make sure I had a good buddy [I ended up with 3... 1 primary and 2 secondary]. I gave the captain my dive plan [.8 SAC rate... 5 minutes @ 20 fsw, 4 minute ascent from 130 fsw, begin ascent at 1200 psi, 150 psi/min at depth for calculating turn time, 12 minutes at depth, ascend, hang practicing my bouyancy until I get bored, the line gets crowded, or I hit 500 psi... whichever comes first].
In I go. We hit the wreck, and one started running the reel while another helped tie it off. The further we moved away, the more uncomfortable I got. Just about when I was uncomfortable to a point I was going to turn, it was turn time. I told 'em I was off and headed back to the anchor. Hit the anchor right on plan, ascended right on plan. 12 minutes at depth, 5 minutes ascending, 9 minutes hanging at 15, 2 at 10 [cause people came to 20 for their deco hangs].
Definately a completely un-enjoyable dive.
Dive two. The uncomfortable bug didn't snap, and this time it was worse. Turned early and headed back. Took a break on my trip back to hover for a minute and get my wits back. Anchor at 10 minutes, 5 minute ascent, 7 @ 15, 2 @ 10 and out.
The rest of the day was spent going through what went wrong on the dives. Nothing really... I just wasn't comfortable... at _all_.
Sunday. I talk to the group and discuss my dives the day before, and that I want to stick close to the anchor this time, just to try and snap this 'bad dive' vibe. The Vis on descent was horrid...4 ft or so for the first 30 feet. The vis on the wreck was pretty good, about 40 feet, but the strange green light coming down from the bloom on the surface made for an interesting atmosphere. Swam down the side of the deck, around the edge, up and around. I was back to normal on this dive, and it was absolutely great. I'm not sure if it was the dive that was great, or the feeling of relief that I wasn't broken
. We all ascended together. There was a little current on the wreck, but barely any on the ascent so it was completely off the line the whole time. Focus was on fins until they left, then I moved closer so I could see the line while I finished my bouyancy practice.During the SIT, the Captain asked what I thought of the dive, to which I said it was fabulous. He then suggested I check out the engine room, and talk with my buddy to go through the whole plan and make sure I'm cool with that. We went down and got to a big hole. I made sure my buoyancy was right where I wanted it, and we went in. My buddy checked every 5 seconds to make sure I was ok, yep... I was cool. Into the second room [sorta...not much of a wall] and hung out in there for a bit. Turned to head out. My buddy flashed me with his light, I turned and he pointed down the hallway and asked if I was ok with that. 2500 psi left... sure. Down to the end of the room, and a 30 fsw ascent up a passageway to exit at the deck area we swam down on the first dive. we headed back down on the outside and swam around for a while, and headed up to finish the day.
If you asked me on saturday evening, it was a horrible trip. Ask me after sunday... it was an _incredible_ trip!
