Tec 40 at Stoney Cove in March 2012

Well what a cracking few days at Stoney Cove we've all just had. With the tempature reaching nearly 20C in the middle of March. When we arrived on the Tuesday morning we was amazed that there was no queue at the gate and only around 20 cars in the car park.
We had 3 dives to complete over the 2 days, with the final deep dive down to the hydrobox (36m) for tomorrow morning planned.
The first dive had already been completed and the boys where raring to go.
Dive 2:Anyway with 2 dives planned for the tuesday we call kittd up ready for dive 1 of the day, this was going to be the deepest dive of the day, were John B and John S had a couple of surprises waiting for them. This dive was planned using z planner, all the slates written up ket was checked and gases tested, we was ready to go. We had decided to go from the bus stop and decend down the road until we got to our maximum depth. The two John's had some skills to complete which they completed without any problems.However on the way back up I'd decided that they would loose their SMB's which was rather funny to say the least when I took John's SMB off him.

Dive3:With the last reminding skills it was out to the 18m plateu, we all had a good laugh pulling some little tricks on them both however, I could see that they was jelling together as tec divers from what I'd seen in the early dives it was like they had dived together for years.

Wednesday morning arrived to yet another glorious sunny day, leaving the hotel for the couple of minute journey to Stoney Cove, when we arrived there was only about 10 divers in the car park. We all proceeded to setup our gear. Analyzed the gases and labeled up all the cylinders. Checked the dive plan, made sure everyone was happy with the plan and knew what the plan was. Breifing completed and our surface support Val, knew the plan and where we should be at certain times, we all kitted up ready for John and John's deepest dive to date.

Dive4: Finally ready to get into the water, one by one we entered the water from the Bus Stop, it was a refreshing 8C in the water, we all sorted ourselves out ready for the rather long surface swim out to the bouy that marked the Hydrobox. We settled down and made sure everyone was ok, and we started on the line down to the box, the visability was around 6-8m as we descended into the depth's of Stoney Cove, finally we was down. We started swiming around the box trying to find the deepest spot however we could only manage a little over 36meters.

After our aloted time down at the Hydrobox, it was time to leave and follow our planned dive to the surface, Jon N led the way not getting lost in the slightest, however as I followed the two John's it was amazing to see them communicate underwater and both knew where they was, not one leading and the other following. I knew my job was done. The switch on 50% deco was semmless at 20m then we slowly followed the road up to plateu of Stoney Cove.

A Big well done to John B and John S at becoming Tec 40 divers.

My Rebreather Inspiration Classic

I managed to get myself a secondhad APV Inspiration Classic from a fellow club member at a very resonable price, however the unit had been sat around for some time.

Well never the less I'm currently in the process of servicing it having ordered a complete set of O rings for it(nearly 120), cylinders are going off this week to be tested and O2 cleaned.

Changed the yellow lungs to some black ones I managed to get my hands on, the new wing replacing the APV redwing 16 will be collected this week.

However the best little toy for the unit has to be a 4/5th cell that Narked@90 sells allowing the unit to be connected to a Shearwater computer so you can  monitor gasses in the head  unit.

The last toy I'm looking for now is a APV BOV which allows easier bailout between the rebreather and a stage cylinder.