The coolest thing I have done is Scuba Gear

sparky · Post by **sparky** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 10:29 pm

As some of you may know Lostinbrownsmead ( Jay ) and my self are volintere Divers for our county Sheriffs URT ( Under Water Recovery Team )

Well to day was our monthly training day and I was given the chance to do what amounts to the coolest thing I have ever done in Dive gear to date

In my book this rates right up there with my Six Gill Sighting
last year with Aquanutchuck sorry bro but I think this wins

Any how here is what we did for training today you decide for your self

we meet at the SAR ( Search And Rescue ) Building to get the county provided dive gear and the team together and head over to the Coast Gard Air Station Astoria to meet our HH60 Jayhauck

Thats right boys and girls to day my dive ride was a Helo
My first time in a Helo I might add so after a breafing on the does and donts of helo ops
we have a flight breafing and head out to the run way . now being how this is my first time at this we have to do a land hoist

So after we load in to the Helo and the bird takes off it goes in to a hover
and the Flight Mechanic lowers me back down to the run way

I unhook from the cable and give him the I'm OK sign and the Pilot moves the helo a short distance a way from me
then the cable is lowred back down and I am hoisted back to the Helo and its off to the Columbia River

once the helo is settled in to a hover at about 30 feet and the Coast Gard Rescue Swimmer is lowred down he will be my saftey should some thing happen

I am then lowred down in to the water and after I un hook and give the I'm ok sign the helo moves off a little bit and prepaires to lower jay down to join the Rescue swimmer and myself in the water .

I swim over to the County Sheriffs maraine Deputys boat to let them know that the plan had changed due to fog that there would only be two divers deployed and that the helo would not be leaveing us there and going to pick up the next two divers on stand by at the Air Base

I then swim back to the Rescue swimmer who imform me that jay is haveing trouble with his gear and can not deploy and that we will be picked up at this time

I signale him that I understood and gave the sign to the Flight Mechanic that I was OK and was ready to be picked up

So down againe came the hoist cable and UP UP and a way went Super Sparky then up came the safty swimmer and off we went to return to the Air Base

We did not do any diving as the idea of todays drill was simply to get me certified as it were to be deployed from the Coast Gard helo should the need arise

Now there is a running joke on the URT that the last few times we were going to do this helo Ops training and the Bird had to be sent on Actual call outs not involveing us and we did not get to go that it was all my fault. you know being the FNG and all it seems a lot of stuff is my fault

I was even told that if some thing happend and we did not get our Helo this time I was off the team ( Those guys )

So when we get back to the SAR Building I am told to turn in my gear im off the team because they did not get to ride in the Helo

And it is thanks only to my training as a URT Diver and my sharp whit the the abulity to think under presure that I was able to save my postion on the team

I simply informed them they had siad that we had to get the helo not that every one was suposed to get to have the fun that I did.

down side to this is the Coast gard is like relay strict about things dangling on the diver . knowing this in advance I did not take my camera
so I dont have a single Picture of to days adventure

I did how ever notice that the maraine Deputy on the boat was takeing pictures so I am going to see if I can get some from him

So now you tell me
is this not the most fun you could have in scuba gear or what?

Sparky

DiverDown · Post by **DiverDown** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 11:28 pm

Dude that kicks some serious butt!!! Im way jealous man, good job..

Ken G · Post by **Ken G** » Sun Jul 22, 2007 12:19 pm

Sounds very cool. Good for you!

Aquanautchuck · Post by **Aquanautchuck** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:22 am

I don't know Sparky, I would class that up there with a 6 Gill sighting. Now if while you had been hanging from the line a 6 Gill jumped up and took a little nibble from you leg. That would be a winner.

Sounds like great fun. Could you talk them into taking you out to the outer reefs to dive and then come back to recover you? That would be the way to go diving off shore.