Crazy Cucumber Dive Continued page 2

  Back on the bottom with plenty of air and cucumbers everywhere I look. I am filling bags in less than ten minutes, and we are definitely on a roll.
   I look at the dive computer. I'm picking in about 52 to 55 feet of water. I don't like to pick this deep very long as it uses up my decompression time too quickly, but with picking like this I have to stay here. I ignore the desire to follow the vein of worm into shallow water, choosing to leave those for later in the day when the tide fills the pool and I have to pick shallower.
  Suddenly my air stops. I suck hard on my regulator. Nothing! I immediately head for the surface, my hand going to my bail out bottle relief valve.
  I feel my air hose tighten and then I'm yanked towards the surface. I know I'm heading up much too quickly, but there is noting I can do but ride this out.
  I crack the bail out bottle for a deep breath of air, then turn it off quickly to save air. Again I'm needing a breath. I open the valve for another breath. I can feel Mike hand over hand pulling me towards the surface... but much too quickly.
  I have my hand over my head in case of impact on the bottom of the boat. I look up and can see the dark outline racing towards me.
  Whoosh, my head breaks surface. I am right at the side of the boat and Mike has a death grip on my air hose.  He is a little wild eyed.
  "Hey Bro," He shouts, "The compressor blew a line. You have no air!"
  That is like the understatement of the day for me, after sucking on my regulator till my mask dug into my face!
  Mike helps me into the boat and we inspect the compressor.
  I actually have four compressors working as a unit to fill a big reserve tank that I breath out of.
  When one of the lines brake between the compressors it immediately drains the reserve tank, shutting off my breathing air.
  We shut down the motors and go to work.
  Tool boxes are dragged out of compartments, spare parts and pieces are recovered from their hiding places around the boat.
  Mike and I work at a fever pitch to fix the broken line. We work in pouring rain, and keep glancing at the shoreline, willing the rising tide to slow down.
  "I can't think of a time I've seen the tide come in this quickly," Mike comments.
  We laugh, knowing it is just the pressure of time that makes it seem like it is lunging to its peak today.
  Mike is very handy at repairing things. He has worked most of his life at maintenance jobs. Between the two of us we are up and running in about an hour.
  Copper lines ran, we fire up the compressor and glare at the gauge on the reserve tank. The Needle slowly climbs to the 110 pounds of air pressure required for me to dive 50 or more feet deep.
  We shut off the compressor to check for leaks. Major hissing greets our ears.
  We feel the new line to find one of the joints needs a couple cranks of a wrench to stop the leak.
  "Are we good to go?" I shout at mike over the roar of the hookah.
  "Looks great!"  he beams a big smile.
  I once again suit up, tank up, weight belt, hood, gloves, and mask.
  "What about your bail out bottle? Should we fill it?" Mike questions.
  "I only used two breaths out of it. should be mostly full," I shout back.
  I plunge off the back of the boat, and give Mike the o.k. sign. He o.k.'s back.
  I deflate my suit and start down, glancing at my computer. It is not giving me any readings.
  "Oh brother," I scream to myself as I turn and kick my way back to the surface. I will not dive without a working computer.
  Back up to Mike who drags me on the boat.
  We shut down the machines and inspect the computer. It is locked up.
  Our dive computers are designed to lock up if you blow your dive tables and come up too quickly
  Once the computer is locked up you are instructed to contact your nearest dive safety expert and see about getting to a hyperbaric chamber for decompression.
  The other way to decompress is to get back to depth underwater and stay there for an hour or better, then come up very slowly.
  "I've got a spare computer," I inform Mike. "I can go back down and just dive very conservatively for the rest of the day."
  "Man, I don't know, Bro" Mike says. "I don't feel good about today. Just too many things are going wrong."
  I grab my spare computer out of my dive bag and hit the switch to turn it on. Nothing! I press the button again. Nothing.
  Dead Battery!
  "You've got to be kidding!" I scream.

to be continued...