Monday 20 June 2011

Day 2 - Dancing with Concrete.

The second day of diving brought us close to actually completing the dance with control points and beginning the survey proper.

The group gathered at the pier around 9-ish waiting for the Sound Diver to arrive. We waited a few minutes as the pier was occupied by a local coat for local people - fishermen by the look of it. Despite the brief delay to ropes - off - perhaps 9:30 rather than 9, the first dive team entered the water at a quater to 10 with two fully filled 15l cyllinders and too much ambition. Hence after 30 minutes the 3 remaining control points (2,3,4) were in position and everything seemed ready for measurement.

Despite the time taken by debrief from the group of divers, the turn-over was less than 15 minutes and the second team moved in to inspect the lines of sight. However, on the swim-through it turned out that one of the control points needed re-positioning. Luckily by now the site was full of kit floating around and finding a lift bag and a cyllinder to fill it was not a problem - especially as the visibility was improving during the day. Third team to go in prior lunch was effectively the site directors inspection, which lead to the morning's first team correcting the position of CP 1 after lunch. This was followed by checking the lines of sight and by the end of the day the bits and pieces of information coming together seem to suggest that all the controls are in place and to not require further moves. This in turn means that tomorrow, ie. Tuesday the 21st we have a fair chance of starting on data collection.

Due to low tide by the time the day finished around 4-ish, the Sound Diver had to drop us off by the pier of a sand mine. The structure is a must see for anyone interested in Scotland's industrial heritage, as well as for those of us who suffer from an excess of post-apocalyptic fiction in their lives. Whichever angle is taken, one remains sure - little islands of rusted steel enveloped between the salt water and the green, sometimes forested, slopes, give a very special flavour to wandering down the west coast of Scotland.

The second day left the everyone red-faced - the sun is much more common on the West Coast than one would expect. If this weather continues Mediterranean sun-tan is guaranteed. Although only on the faces, as the wind on the water makes sure everyone is well protected from the adverse effects of exposure to UV rays.

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