EXTREME TOAD
"There are bold Toads and old Toads. There are no old and bold Toads"
EXTREME TOADS AT NDAC
Location: Chepstow, Gloucestershire, LA6 1AD
Depth Dived: 64m (ppO2 1.55, ppN2 5.85)
Date: 28th May 2008
Temperature: 12 degrees Celsius
Dive Time: 67 minutes
Deco Time: 31 minutes (includes deep stops)
After Monday's excursion Prof and Thermo were hungry for another deep dive. The plan was to descend down the 50m shot line until touching the bottom. Once here the O.K sign followed by a gradual increase in depth with 65m being the cut off point.
Prof led the dive while filming with his 40m rated camera. Following the gradual slope they pressed down to 64m. At this point the O.K signal was given again with the up signal for returning to a shallower depth.
The Toads ascended to 50m and set off south along the eastern wall. Swimming along until Prof turned the dive at 12 minutes run time.
Returning to the shot line at the 50m point both Toads signalled up and ascended to 37m, our first deep stop. Two more deep stops follwed before changing onto 50% at 18m.
The last stop was for 25 minutes at 4.5m. Prof lashed his deco hook onto the line and proceeded to relax for a short while.
Thermo appeared to be having problems but signalled all was well and within the realms of his management skills.
Upon surfacing Thermo stated that he had thrown up and had a headache from what he thought was a contaminated deco mix.
Prof tasted the mix to discover a tainted taste leaving a nasty after taste. Prof sat Thermo onto his deco mix for a few minutes at the surface befor he felt better.
NDAC analysed his mix to discover it was not their fault but his regulator. Thermo is sending it in for service to determine the reason for the chemical taste.
EXTREME TOADS AT NDAC
Location: Chepstow, Gloucestershire, LA6 1AD
Depth Dived: 59m (ppO2 1.45, ppN2 5.45)
Date: 26th May 2008
Temperature: 12 degrees Celsius
Dive Time: 65 minutes
Deco Time: 26 minutes (includes deep stops)
It has been a while since an extreme adventure has been undertaken. With this, a most un-extreme notion, Prof and Thermo Toad decided to inject the sagging enthsiasm with an adventure to Chepstow.
Due to Staff Toad tearing his cruciate ligaments it was left to Prof and Thermo to fly the extreme flag.
The dive began with a descent down the 50m shot line passing the deco trapeze. They descended all the way until touching down at the rocky bottom at 50m.
The visibility was incredible! It must have been around 30m with the torches. The only thing restricting the visibilty was the darkness.
Thermo gave the thumbs up that all was well and so Prof gradually increased the depth to 59m. Prof led the dive around the western wall at approximately 55m until the dive was turned at 12 minutes. Upon the return to the shot a gradual ascent was undertaken leading us to a small boat laying in 45m of water. The two intrepid Toads stopped for a quick peak until returning to the shot for their ascent.
At 35m it was time for the first deep stop. While holding here some fellow divers below us had a free flow enveloping Prof and Thermo in disorienatating bubbles.
Ascending up for another deep stop it was then over the lip for a northerly swim at 24m until reaching the Devon aircraft. Ascending to 15m a deco switch to 56% was completed undertaking 22 minutes of decompression.
A fantastic dive!!!! The best visibilty I have ever seen in England.
Congratulations to Thermo increasing his Extreme rating as it was his first dive to 50m.
EXTREME TOADS AT STONEY COVE
Location: Stoney Stanton, Leicestershire, LE9 4EW
Depth Dived: 36m
Date: 1st March 2008
Temperature: 5 degrees celsius
Dive Time: 71 minutes
Deco Time: 15 minutes on 50% (includes a deep stop)
The Extreme Toads were a troublesome twosome on this brightly day. Staff and Prof were off in search of the hydro-box. As some of you keen readers will note, back in October Staff couldn't find the hydro-box!
Well Prof is proud to report that this time Staff redeemed himself by leading us straight there. Entering through the top and exiting out the bottom with a few cursory bangs for good measure sounded the Toad arrival!
Upon leaving the hydro-box they discarded their two attached single tank buddies and proceeded across the 36m shelf prior to ascending and viewing the coach. Upon departing the coach they placed some pornography in the Stanegath's hold, followed by inspecting the deterioration of the Wessex and then viewing the van.
A fun dive ending with a fantastic view of a medium sized Pike while decompressing on the 7m shelf. Good fun as always. Staff and Prof missed Thermo on this one as he is MIA.
EXTREME TOADS AT HODGE CLOSE
Location: Hodge Close, Conniston, Lake District
Depth Dived: 30m
Date: 11th February 2008
Temperature: 5 Degrees Celsius
Dive Time: 50 minutes
Deco Time: 7 minutes
The Toads were off to Hodge Close to explore chamber one of the cave system (see map). The entrance to the cave system is approximately 24m below the surface on the wall opposite the entrance. The cave entrance is somewhat daunting as it appears a conduit to a black hole!
The visibilty was excellent as Prof was lead diver on entry. Approximately 32m in a chamber on the left hand side opened up off the main tunnel. The tunnel has a permanent guide line but the Toads ran a line into chamber one and placed strobes at the exit to this chamber. The chamber rises up to approximately 17m and is only approximately 20m x 10m in size.
Upon rounding everyone up Staff Toad ordered Prof to lead the Toads to the exit. Visibility on exiting was poor. Prof could easilly see how you could become disorientated in a silt out. Tracing the line the blackness ended with the ambient light from the tunnel entrance. The dive finished viewing the Transit vans, car and some assorted wreckage before ascending to the deco trapeze.
Fantastic dive!
EXTREME TOADS AT VOBSTER QUAY
Location: Vobster Quay, Somerset, BA3 5SA
Depth Dived: 35.6m
Date: 2nd February 2008
Temperature: 7 Degrees Celsius
Dive Time: 65 minutes
Decompression: 5 minutes plus one deep stop
Dived the deepest section of Vobster Quay. At 27m on descent an outstretched cloud of silt reached up from the darkness reducing visibilty to zero. Prof ascended out of this cloud to locate Staff and Thermo Toad. Upon finding his fellow toads they linked arms and held each others rigging and descended down through the cloud until touching down onto the soft silty bottom. Prof shined his umbilical torch directly at his computer only just managing to see it! After signalling the ascent they arose from the cloud for the swim back to buoy 11's shot line.
Congratulations to Thermo Toad who is now an EXTREME TOAD!!!!
EXTREME TOADS AT DOROTHEA
Location: Dorothea, Nantle, North Wales
Depth Dived: 57m (ppO2 1.41, ppN2 5.29)
Date: 12th January 2008
Temperature: 4 Degrees Celsius
Dive Time: 71 minutes
Deco Time: 35 minutes on 50% (includes deep stops)
Toads were in search of the 57m tunnel opposite the main entry point. Excellent visibility at all depths although cold waters as is the standard at Dorothea. Prof felt the narcosis at 30m with a sensation of someone hugging his right leg. The narcosis sensation ceased at 40m and reappeared at 50m with the sensation of a warm head and the loss of sensation of ambient pressure. This dive was terminated short due to one of the extreme Toads adverse reaction to nitrogen narcosis. Two Toads helped him to the ladder prior to ascent where the narced Toad re-awoke and completed the decompression phase.
Prof wants to make it clear that this was not an emergency. The diver in question was conscious, breathing but unresponsive due to the narcosis. The dive ended safely with all three Toads realising that it could have been worse! Was the Toad in question Prof? Not this time.
EXTREME TOADS AT NDAC
Location: Chepstow, Gloucestershire, LA6 1AD
Depth Dived: 50m (ppO2 1.26, ppN2 4.74)
Date: 28th October 2007
Temperature: 9 degrees Celsius
Dive Time: 56 minutes
Deco Time: 20 minutes (includes deep stop)
The holy Toad trinity was broken on this day as Staff Toad was recovering from a broken cheek bone. Prof led the dive down through the 30m channel up and over the boulder lined shelf edge. Turning to give the o.k signal which was promptly returned they both descended down to 50m. Touching down on a rather large boulder they set about there geological survey of looking at other rocks and boulders (attempt at sarcasm). The intrepid pair ascended back up the wall pausing for a deep stop before the gas switch at 22m and the 18 minute decompression phase.
With Prof’s new VR3 computer set conservatively and a deco bottle there was no hint of a Dorothea repeat. This dive was thoroughly enjoyable and relieving that ranks highly in Prof’s log book.
Bring on the next one!
EXTREME TOADS AT STONEY COVE
Location: Stoney Stanton, Leicestershire, LE9 4EW
Depth Dived: 36m
Date: 6th October 2007
Temperature: 9 degrees celsius
Dive Time: 76 minutes
Deco Time: 20 minutes on air (includes a deep stop)
The Toads were in search of the fabled if not dreaded hydro box. The hydro box is Stoney Cove's deepest attraction on the bottom shelf. The dive was led by an old Stoney Cove hand. Sadly he couldn't find the hydro box! Which Prof reminded him of upon surfacing and for the following weeks. They did locate an old Mini and a steel structure at this depth though which in some small way made up for it. Ascending up to the 22m shelf the Toads then proceeded to view the Stanegarth, coach and Wessex helicopter before ascending onto the 7m shelf to conduct the 20 minute decompression while viewing the Nautilus, cockpit and archways. Great dive!
EXTREME TOADS AT DOROTHEA
Location: Dorothea, Nantle, North Wales
Depth Dived: 50m and 40m (ppO2 1.26, ppN2 4.74)
Date: 27th August 2007
Temperature: 4 degrees Celsius
Dive Times: 53 minutes, 45 minutes
Deco Time: 20 minutes, nil, on air
This was Prof's initiation to Dorothea by two seasoned Toads. Prof was somewhat nervous as this was to be his deepest dive by 18m.
The first dive went well with no major reaction to narcosis at depth. The second dive was to the Gnome garden to view some ornamental Irishmen and a monster! The dives ended and all seemed fine.
Approximately one hour later Prof noticed a pain in his left elbow. This pain increased in severity and spread to his left shoulder and wrist. Driving home the pain steadilly increased until Prof arrived at the hospital. After a two hour wait Prof finally received 100% O2 as the receptionist had never heard of DCI! NHS incompetent morons! After giving my dive profiles to the Doctor she relayed them to a chamber who belayed my fears.
The result was a Type 1 bend. Minor, so they tell me! I followed my computer to the letter, ran the deco time and still got bent. Result.... Prof got rid of the computer and purchased a VR3 and decompression cylinder.
Has it put Prof off? Never, it's all just experience.
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