I drove down to Dutch springs yesterday and had a little fun that you don't get to do too often. I got to dive an original US NAVY MKV hardhat!!! There is an awesome organization called the North East Diving Equipment Group that had all the gear down there and was allowing any certified diver to give it a shot. Best of all it was FREE!

 

So I got down there early in the morning and help them set everything up. Once all the gear is set up and tested, they let you have at it. They make you assist in dressing a diver or two before they let you give it a shot. They were very informative and explained absolutely everything prior to you trying it. There was no question at all that I knew what I was doing before I made the dive.

 

So lets begin.......

First off they have you step into the almost 20lb suit through the neck. Even for me, a big boy, this wasn't bad. Once you are all settled in the suit, next come the brass toed boots. Each boot weighs about 20lbs. Once you have the boots on, next comes the breast plate that the helmet attaches to. After about 10 minutes of bolting the breastplate to the suit, then comes the giant HEAVY weight belt. (this is a bad time to figure out you are either claustrophobic or gotta pee) Once the weight belt is on, it is time for the big old helmet. Once that is on, all you hear is the hissing of the air from the compressor coming. All total, the gear supposedly weighs about 185-200lbs.

 

Next comes the 10ft walk from the "dressing area" to the steps into the quarry. You have absolutely no periphal vision, so you have to go purely by the voice of the tender assisting you to the water. The helmet has a communication system to they can talk you through it all. Going down the stairs was fun, and next thing you know you are going into the water. You can feel the water going around your legs and waist as you enter, but once it is to your chest you dont feel the water coming up. I actually didn't realize that I was already under 10 ft until the surface told me.

 

Diving the gear is just absulutely opposite of it on surface. It weighs nothing, and you can move around really freely. I think this must be what it is like in space. I went down to about 35-40 ft down a really steep slope, having fun. I actually came up on an open water class doing their check out dives and they all came over to "check me out." Well going down that slope to go that deep was easy, now I had to come up.....uh-oh. It was like hiking up a 45

lol... reminds me of Men of Honor...

 

You know what the Chinese say Cookie, "Beware, what you wish for."

The equipment looks like it's 100 years old. I'd be $hittin bricks thinking "is this thing gonna hold up?" lol

That's pretty awesome. How was the weight?

Total it weighs about 200lbs I would say. The equipment was actually in top notch condition. The crappy overalls are put on over the suit to keep it from getting scraped and beat up.

That is totally cool.

Wow that is so freakin cool. My favorite thing to do is dive. That would be like diving into history. I usually go every year to Dutch and do a check out on my equipment. Unfortunately neck surgery has sidelined me this year. Great pics, I am very jealous.

Total it weighs about 200lbs I would say. The equipment was actually in top notch condition. The crappy overalls are put on over the suit to keep it from getting scraped and beat up.

 

I was wondering what was up with the overalls. Looks like fun!

Right on Eric! Post the pics when you get them.

Looks like a good time Eric 8-) So who do you have to know to do that? Talk about really giving you an appreciation for what generations before us did to protect our freedoms. Awesome dude, I admit I am jealous :snooty:

That's awesome. Reminds me of "Men of Honor"

looks cool but i could never do it i would freak out

if you had black and white photos it could have been a hundred years ago

ehh... sepia-ize it!

 

 

 

 

 

SWEET!

Nice Eric! Looks great.

well off to go do it all again today....WOO HOO!

That really looks like fun!

coolest shit evahr!