The F*$#ING Saw again…
We will be taking turns today using the different kinds of equipment we’ve gotten to know so far, while completing the now familiar exercises under water. I’m paired up with Toto and it’s our turn to use the umbilical, through which air will be supplied to us from the surface.
Tenders and assistants are equipping surface-supplied divers, while others prepare masks on their autonomous kit. The instructors are connecting the air supply to our regulators and we carry an emergency scuba tank on our back. This is pretty cool.
As the diver you basically just get to stand there while other people dress you, connect you and get you ready to work under water.
Toffy has taken over the roll of photographer for the moment.
The equipment assembly and parallel tasks seem to be working a lot better today and we get into the water quickly. “Oh no!” I think to myself as Cesar hands us the saw and piece of wood, it’s the horrible old one, that doesn’t cut anything.
As we descend I notice that I’m having trouble staying down. Crap! I’m suddenly painfully aware of fact that I usually carry two kilos in my BCD, which I’m not wearing with the surface-supply harness. I signal Toto to go back up and back on the surface Gautier quickly hands me Nestor’s weight-belt, who is currently minding my umbilical.
It’s ridiculously heavy and without the BCD I have to work hard to stay on the surface, trying to wrap the way too big belt above mine and under the harness somehow. “Why am I being so silly?” I think to myself, I have an unlimited air supply via the compressor, “Screw it! I’ll fix it down there.” With plenty of weight now, I have no trouble keeping myself on the bottom.
Toto starts out on the saw and with a little bit of help from some pre-made cuts, he manages to saw off a chunk remarkably quickly. We ascend, get the “OK” from Cesar, switch and descend again. My turn.
… VIDEO COMING SOON …
This saw is terrible, I can barely get it to move back and forth, the stupid piece of wood is moving all over the place and I can’t see f*#k all. It was already frustrating with the “good” saw, this is a million times worse. I can feel the rage building up inside myself. “STUPID F*$#ING THING!” I yell into my regulator while flipping this rusty piece of metal off. As if that would help. “Fine!” I growl and pull the piece of wood back in place. Poor Toto must think I’ve lost my mind. There’s a rock in the way of the saw now. “Me c*#o en la p#$a leche!”, cussing and swearing in all languages now. Fine! I’ve got all day. Or at least until the compressor runs out of fuel. I’ll just sit here and saw away at this stupid thing until it gets dark.
My arm is starting to hurt and the exorbitant amount of weight I’ve got around my waist now is starting to put a strain on my back. I angrily work away, occasionally hitting this absolute pain in my a*$ against a rock as it gets stuck over and over again.
Finally a face appears out of the mirky water, about 10 cm in front of me. Ronan. “You OK?” he asks me. “I’M FINE! THIS F*#%ING %#$*&….” I wildly gesticulate and wave the saw around. “Up!” he signals and lets me know that Cesar has terminated the exercise.
Cool Toys in the Classroom
In the afternoon Tato and Gautier bring out the next cool piece of kit we’re going to try. We all gather around in fascination as Tato explains the use of the air supply panel and communication system. Tomorrow we’re finally gonna look like commercial divers, band mask, umbilicals, tenders and minders at the ready, I can’t wait.
… MORE PICTURES COMING SOON …