Projects > Doux de Coly 02

Long Deep Setup

Latest update: March 18, 2004

By Thomas Schädler & Götz Bräutigam

After a few days of pure preparation, the time had come to play with our "Bigger!, Better!, Badder!" tools: the RB80 rebreathers. The goal of the dive was to take two scooters, two stages and the Explorer reels to around 1500-1700 m.

The day before, a third rope was attached in the shaft for the deep support divers: our bailout strategy was to be open circuit, therefore a lot of bottles had to be suspended in the shaft. Each diver had at 6 m: 2x alu 10L of oxygen, at 21 m: 1x alu 10L 18/60 drive gas, 2x alu 10 L 50/25, at 36 m: 1x alu 10L 35/35, as well as the battery packs for the drysuit heating system and extra light. Also we each had a foodbag and some weight belts. Götz had an extra 10 L alu with break-gas 15/55.

The RB80s were prepared and checked the afternoon before. Back-gas cylinders were double 20 L (Götz) and double 18 L (Thomas), and were for wing inflation and bailout only. For drive-gas we used an alu 10 L stage.

After a good long sleep and rather full breakfast, we were in the water at 9:00 am, making our final checks on the gear and the rebreathers. Our dive started at 9:14 with a 50/25 travel-gas. At the top of the shaft we picked up Reinhard and Micha's scooters and descending to 21m we switched to our bottom-mix stages. There was a lot of stuff hanging around in the shaft. Götz is a very tidy boy and he would not allow us to dive any further until all of the equipment was checked and hanging in the correct place.

After 40 minutes runtime we finally left the shaft. At this point each of us had only our own drive-stage and three scooters in total. Another team had deposited the reels and stages further in the cave the day before. We soon arrived at this depot, and picking up the stages and the monster reels we were ready to rock'n'roll!

Because of the extensive training in carrying large loads of equipment gained over the last few days, we went ahead very smoothly. It worked pretty well and we were having real fun. Without doubt, next time we should be able to carry even more equipment!

The cave was very wide and we passed over some sections that looked like desert or fields of sand, only disturbed by the odd rocky outcrop. After 1600 m it started to become silty and within a short time the vis had diminished rapidly so that it was only a few meters at the 1700 m point. It had rained the day before and we had been rather concerned that low vis may possibly be moving through the system towards the entrance.

This was not good... not only could the push dive be cancelled, but all the stuff would have to be brought out again in this bad vis. For a few moments we thought about to taking the equipment back with us. But we are optimistic guys and so we finally decided to leave the gear for Micha & Reinhard at a rocky place around 1750 m.

After an uneventful but pleasurable scooter back to the shaft, we needed a few minutes to organize our ascent; we didn't want to leave any equipment behind. Ascending the shaft, the decompression time passed quicker then we expected. We had something to eat, drink and read with us, so we were fully entertained!

Of course for Thomas it would have been a little more comfortable if he had connected his heating shirt properly before the dive... But the heat was only for comfort, so it was not really a problem. He pinched an additional argon cylinder from Peter Fjelsten and inflated himself up like a pufferfish! A rather humorous sight, he he. Thanks Peter! Due to the help of "our" support team we were rid of all of our clutter before the 21 m stop and were now able to enjoy the deco with "hand luggage" only.

When deco was finally over we picked up as much stuff as we could and made our final 300 m of scootering to the exit. Back in the pool we enjoyed the sunlight for a while and eventually surfaced after 469 minutes. This unforgettable dive was over.

Many thanks for letting us be a part of this great team!