Rick Simon and Shoreline Diving: Day 3

Time for some work on the boat! Today we’re doing some work on the deck of Rick’s boat; the tiles on it needed to be pulled up and replaced with a new surface that’s easy to clean and safe to work on. The original tiles were laid down with roofing tar, so this took some time, but we were able to peel them all out by mid-day, and it was super satisfying to see them all come up.

The next part of the day was drysuit time. Rick showed me the best way to take care of and don my new Fourth Element drysuit, since I’ve never used a neoprene drysuit. Once I was in my undergarments and suit, I was shocked at how comfortable it all was! Then it was time to get into the water. In order to get comfortable in the new suit, as well as reaffirm some foundational skills, Rick had me practice my frog kick, back kick, and helicopter turns in order to build comfort and stability stemming from slow and controlled movements. Thank you again to Fourth Element for providing such a comfortable and warm Hydra drysuit, along with super cozy and flexible xerotherm undergarments!

Once Rick and I had finished this practice, he got a call from a client about an emergency job, so Rick, Dave, Austin, and I all loaded up and headed to the job site. When we arrived at the job, I was shocked by how large the ship we were working on was! The ship had apparently gotten line caught in it’s propulsion system while traveling, and needed it removed urgently. For a job like this, it was necessary that the diver was utilizing surface supplied air with a method of communication. Dave got suited up and ready to go in while the site was prepared with a ladder for his exit. Rick and Austin both showed me the proper way to tend Dave’s helmet and umbilical. This is crucial because Dave needs enough slack on his umbilical move around the site, but enough tension so that the line doesn’t get tangled on himself or any site hazards. Dave entered the water and was able to find the ships propellers, and remove the obstructions. What we thought was a line was apparently a ton of netting! The work Rick and his team did was able to keep a ship functioning and a benefit an entire company!