Jan 20th (I think, putting this in a couple of weeks after the even) saw a Rescue Weekend organised by Liisa from DGD. I headed down siuth west with Marcin for a day of messing around getting 'bodies' from the water back to the boat and then, if we were lucky, into the chopper.

Things started well enough. The six of us n the boat had a briefing and a chat around what we would do and then headed out for the Dredger. Marcin and I jumped off, had a ten minute swim around in the 9 degree, 4m vis water and then Marcin became the casualty and I surfaced him.

This was easier than I anticipated. We did not have stages but were in twins and drysuits. I employed 'PADI style'. From behind him I put my right arm under his right and covered the reg in his mouth. With my left arm I went over his left shoulder and controlled the ascent with his wing. Nice and slow, I was quite pleased with my effort. There had been some discussion on tha boat about getting the casualty to the surface horizntal. I figure in a real emergency these finer points would not attract the same attention as you got your vic to the surface.

From the surface I gave him a tow/push, also no big deal and then loaded him onto the boats lift. Once I had managed to get astride Marcin it was quite easy to put his bum and my knees on the lift so that the skipper could bring us both up, and then lower Marcin onto his back and then drag him onto the boat. All in all a good effort. How easy it would be with a genuine casualty and a rocking boat, well...

Next dive was a drift in Balaclave 'Bally' Bay and we were going to start with an attempt to get me, as vic, to the surface. This dive was doomed from the start. We had a problem with the exhaust valve on Marcin's suit - back to the surface. We had a problem with the SMB - back to the surface. We generally arsed about and then on our third descent my left ear decided it had had enough and blocke solid at 3m. Dive over, shit happens.

The day finished with Andy, our skipper, going through the drill for a chopper lift from a boat and this was very interesting. All in all a worthwhile exercise, just a shame it was halted early on that second dip.