two years on â the Maldives - Bracknell Sub Aqua Club

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a day at the SETT Dan Koo Mo Shan The Royal Navy’s Submarine Escape Training Tank (SETT) at Gosport, was built in the 1940’s to provide a site where submarine escape training, practice and drills could be carried out in a controlled and safe environment. The tank is housed in a ten storey tower, and measures just five meters wide but 30 metres deep! briefing The day started with security checks and the issuing of Royal Navy passes and then the mandatory safety briefing, which I nearly missed being Mr. Late. the tank Briefing over, it was time for a proper glimpse of the tank. Unlike the normal users of the tank who are pushed out the airlock at the base of the tank to free ascend to the surface, I would be entering from the top. This meant hauling all our scuba gear to the 10th floor... thank goodness for lifts! The water in the tank is crystal clear and, when looking down, I could only compare the feeling to looking down a long lift shaft. But this was given an odd twist by the feeling of the warm water which came right to the lip of the tank, gently lapping unexpectedly over my face. the dive plan The plan was to dive in buddy pairs, with a bottom time of fifteen minutes, plus a safety stop. A routine was quickly established so that there was always one buddy pair heading for the bottom whilst the previous pair were ascending. into the tank I was diving with Pete Custerson and it was time to enter the tank, by ladder to reduce spillage. I wish all dives could be like this... it was like entering a bath as the water temperature was a steady 33 degrees. Those who have dived with me will know of my BCD’s constant struggle to free itself of anything attached to it, either cylinders or weights. Thanks to Martin Forde, I managed the dive without any cylinder slippage but I maintained my reputation as my cylinder’s boot did fall off on entry! down we go I had considered a fast descent, like a slow motion skydiver, but as I was worried about clearing my ears, and Pete was faffing with his new wing, the decent was nice and slow. At the bottom my dive computer registered 27 metres and it was time to look around the bottom of tank which was largely taken up by the main airlock/hatch. After ten minutes, without the
training corner Pete Custerson strategy for 2007 In recent <strong>years</strong> training has focused on the recruitment of new members and the resultant first level training of Ocean Divers and Sports Divers. Many of the clubs instructors have invested a huge amount of time and effort in building up the membership and have succeeded in maintaining a very healthy branch. So this year the plan is to hold off on the active recruitment for a while and spend some time investing in our existing members, training the trainers and advancing the experienced divers already in the club. normal stimulus of wrecks, lobsters or fish, the novelty factor of being indoors and at 25+ metres started to wear off. So to try and stem this, a life size, buxom mermaid has been painted near the bottom of the tank. This attracted a lot of attention and scrutiny from fellow divers as demonstrated by Pete (aka the Bracknell Fumbler) and I wonder if they considered re-doing the mermaid as a relief print... perhaps in latex? back to the top Eventually I entered what I could only describe as the ‘goldfish zone’. Diving around the tank in one direction and then, after a number of laps, turning around and diving in the other direction. Even with my limited attention span, the time to return to the surface came all too soon and this unique experience came to an end. Everyone thought it was a great day out and many thanks to Sarah Custerson and Dave Hughes for organising it. improving your skills So the Sports Diver course that started earlier this month will probably be the only one this year and no more Ocean Divers until after the Come and Dive Week in the autumn. This means that experienced Sports Divers will be supported if they want to move on to Dive Leader and those who have nearly made this grade will be given every opportunity to get it finished. And for Dive Leaders we have just started running an Advanced Diver programme, a really demanding training which hasn’t been run in Bracknell for quite some time. Skills Development Courses (SDCs) There will be the core programmes and some new ones including a Dry Suit Diving course for those transitioning from wet suits and semi-drys. We are also looking into three SDCs: Lifesaver, Oxygen Administration and Rescue for Divers. Yetta has done a great job in initiating plans for <strong>two</strong> courses that she was interested in. She has researched them, sorted out trainers and is looking to schedule an Advanced Nitrox course and possibly the Extended Range Diver course which trains air diving down to 50m. So that means there will be lots of opportunities for everyone, at almost any level, to do something different and challenge what and how they dive. And, as the new season starts the Diving Officer will be running a Dive Marshal briefing and risk assessment workshop – check out the Yahoo training calendar for dates. kit check And finally most people will be servicing, or thinking about servicing, their kit ready for the new season. Do remember to try out your newly serviced kit in the pool before diving for real – it is surprising just how many little leaks and problems can turn up and 3m down in Bracknell is just the place to sort them out, not 30m down in zero vis with a current running on the Black Hawk! www.bracknell-scuba.org.uk
Page 1 and 2: Winter 2006/7 two
Page 3 and 4: Photos (left to right): trekking to
Page 5: Photographs Nic Hallett meet the co
Page 9 and 10: ice divers ball Garry displays his
Page 11 and 12: I-SPY THE PROJECTS OFFICER Tish Bha

two years on â the Maldives - Bracknell Sub Aqua Club

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two years on â the Maldives - Bracknell Sub Aqua Club