Dive 040
| Date | Apr 14, 2001-12:28 PM |
| Location: | Bainbridge Quarry - PN |
| Dive Shop | Annapolis SCUBA Center |
| Purpose | Rescue Diver certification |
| Buddy | Mark Robinson |
| Exposure Suit | Drysuit with thinsulate underwear |
| Other Equipment | none |
| Weight | 22 |
| Viz | 0 |
| Max Depth | 15 |
| Start Air | 2200 |
| End Air | 1200 |
| EAN | 0 |
| Minutes Under | 9 |
| Surface Interval | 56 |
| Remarks |
Did a search underwater. Mark and I were looking for a pink weight belt with yellow weights. We used a reel with a semi-circular pattern. Mike (instructor) told us that the belt was near the platform. We went down. Mark anchored himself at the platform. I did the sweep. Nothing was found. We began to get worried, the belt had been missing for minutes. We feared brain damage. I pulled twice on the reel, signaling Mark to let out some more line. Sudenly the reel got stuck ad I could not venture out farther. Mark was on the problem. Using expert technique he lost no time in untangleing the line.
The belt was still missing.
Now that the line was untangled, I was able to venture out and resume the search. I swam out, extending the search's range. As I looked back down the line Mark fadded into the distance. When I could no longer see him I knew I had gone far enough.
I began to resume the search. There was a giant sewage pipe. I figured this would cause no problem when sudenly the line got snagged on it. In annoyance I looked back to free the line. Time was passing and I feared the weight belt would not make it through many more problems. I freed the line and looked up. There, sitting in the silt and mud was the weight belt.
I rushed towards the belt. As I closed in the line got taught. I realized I did not have enough line to get to the belt. I knew I couldn't waste precious seconds, but I didn't know what to do. If I dropped the line I could rescue the belt. But I would not be able to stay in contact with my dive buddy Mark. However if I stayed on the line, I wouldn't be able to save the belt from drowning. The seconds ticked by. Each one represented a few brain cells dying. A few more and the belt would be as dumb as a weight belt.
That is when it hit me! I knew the solution. I quickly pulled twice on the line. Mark let the reel out a little. I got to the belt. There was still time left to save the belt,
I pulled on the line three times. Mark instantly responded to the signal. He tirelessly pulled the line back to him. We surfaced with the belt and swam it back to shore.
When we got back we checked the belt. To our great dismay there were no signs of life. Then we realized it was just a weight belt. We said forget it and had some fig newtons.
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