Wet Again

Second Diving Lesson. Great :) :) :)

Feet ache from a lot of swimming in small circles (in the pool), but I definitely like it.

Had to take my mask off underwater for a minute - couldn't see a thing, but did it. I very nearly freaked out to start with, but got it sorted and after another 5 minutes or so I had even got over my wet eyes.

Swimming Again

Swimming with the Scouts again today, but this time off the wharf steps rather than the beach. It was (I think) the first time I've ever been swimming and unable to touch bottom. And I MEAN unable. The deep end of a pool I can touch bottom (ok, I can't breath at the same time, minor detail) here I couldn't touch bottom (ok so I could have done, but I may not have known, and certainly wouldn't be able to blog about it afterwards). I had always thought I would be scared to swim in deep water, but I wasn't (maybe having a dozen kids to watch meant I didn't find time to be scared).

I also hadn't ever really realised how much more buoyant sea water is. I float in sea water (I don't in fresh water, not even slightly).

As you may have guessed I had a whale of a time (pun intended), we swam from the steps (red dot RHS) to 'The Eye' a natural archway (red dot LHS, about 100m away at a guess) where all the scouts climbed out, but they seemed to take forever climbing out... When I eventually got organised and swam over as well I realised that when they climbed up the rocks a bit they seemed to lose their balance and fall back in! It was an epidemic, some seemed to keep their balance for a few minutes before falling, others just got up the rocks and immediately fell. I decided as a responsible adult to investigate, and bizarrely when I climbed out I fell right back in, after waiting my turn of course :)

Swimming back to the wharf I tried to get to the bottom, but way off. However it was great to be able to see the bottom, I'd seen it from the Krystal Clear, but the view was very restricted, now it was great! Using what appear to be superior underwater swimming skills I pretended to be a shark, brushing against legs, a couple of times before getting caught out. Back at the wharf the scouts tried to climb out, but kept on falling back in. I decided not to climb out and investigate as other responsible adults were around and they weren't falling in.

I really need to learn to Dive, and buy a snorkel so I can see underwater more :) and climb up the rocks a few more times (taking care to fall in at varying different places).

Tennis Next Week. I'm not so keen on Tennis, oh well - Rough with the Smooth.

A Bad Habit

I've got into a bad habit, but it's so nice I don't really want to give it up.

On a Saturday morning (or sometimes early afternoon) I travel into Jamestown for a bit of shopping, maybe the bank, a couple of times I've gone for a swim, etc. I've now got into the habit of rounding it off with Breakfast at the Pink Flamingo (http://canyonvsvolcano.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/dsc00198-copy.jpg).

There's something really nice about a Full English in the sun on the sea front watching the world pass by. This is especially the case after vigorous exercise (eg a swim, or carrying a crate of cider back to the car). I rather suspect I'll put on some weight (then my clothes might fit, but that's another story), still I'm not planning to give this up jut yet.

Bizarrely today I was considering forgoing breakfast and just having a coffee, but when I walked up to the counter they immediately asked if I wanted tea of coffee with my breakfast and that talked me into it, again.

I blame my boss, he got me started on this.

 More photos have just been uploaded. Including the Flax Mill and my expedition up High Hill.

In response to complaints that while my photos are nice to look at, my comments are rather inane I've tried to be a little more factual. Unfortunately as I generally don't know what I'm taking photos of I do find this difficult. Any further complaints should probably be made in person :p (that probably counts as inane doesn't it, oh well I guess I'll never change)

Today I went to Blue Hill filming for DSV (my diving lesson got cancelled so I just had a short swim). Unfortunately I got lost, twice. At the far end of the road I found myself near High Hill with some light drizzle. It looked like the drizzle would pass, so I decided to wait and put my webcam away to keep it dry. While waiting I decided to walk to the bottom of High Hill and see how easy it was to get to the top. Once at the bottom the top looked quite close, but it's one of those deceptive hills which keeps on going. Anyway after a few hours of hard climbing I reached the first proper top and got my first glimpse of the east coast. I then proceeded to climb to to the proper top and a few more hours hard climbing saw me there, well it was actually worth the climb as the view was terrific (I know the photos haven't really captured it). Then I had to find my way back down, which was easier said than done as I hadn't come up the most direct route.

It was slightly quicker on the way down and when I reached the car again it had stopped drizzling and I was getting hungry so I headed home (after setting the camera back up) for an early lunch. (0.3 hours is hours, plural, isn't it? - I hope it's grammatically correct!). After that excursion I almost feel ready to climb to the top of High Peak (as opposed to High Hill) it has a more impressive name so should be quite difficult; the bottom is a properly long way from a road, the nearest parking is about 100m from the top!


Anyway, as the photo site says, don't expect too many photos, my landscape shots all seem to look the same and, while I can work them out, I guess you can't so not sure if there's any point in posting more. There may be some other things posted in the next week or two, I have a new project which I'm working on...

p.s. when I re-read these posts before publishing, I keep wondering why I'm taking driving lessons as I can already drive... I don't know why my brain is hardwired to stick in the missing r? Does that happen to anyone else? or is it just me...

Sporadic Internet

I'm starting to get fed up with the internet here. For the past 2 weeks it's been on an off randomly, I thought it was Solar Storms, but there's none of that anymore.

It must be the satellite link, at work I can do email, but there's no internet or international email. Then sometimes if I leave a page open I can continue to use that site, but no others. For ages at work today I could only read a site about lawnmowers (no I wasn't looking at lawnmowers, I was looking for a small Tractor).

Oh well, goes with the territory I suppose.

Getting Wet in Anger

Well I've had my first pool dive, and I hated it, for about 15 minutes. For those of you who have never dived - it's really really weird, breathing underwater, through your mouth. I particularly struggled as I think I had too much weight. I was sinking with my jacket full of air. But once we were suppose to be on the bottom I got used to it and it was great. I need to get my own kit to suit me and it'll be brilliant.

I successfully completed all the tasks, eventually. You're not allowed to hold your breath, which is strange, and really difficult without a mouthpiece (you breath out, not in). Some of you will know I pride myself on being able to swim a length underwater (even here in a 33m pool) so I'm used to swimming around underwater holding my breath without a mouthpiece, but not breathing out (I've done that a few times and it's not good as it's difficult to get back to the surface).

I was particularly please I managed to clear a flooded mask. I didn't think I'd cope with that, but I did it. I had to do it for real when the instructor surfaced below the lifeguard (who was having a swim while waiting for us to go so he could lock up) and I laughed so hard my mask flooded, I was glad I had already practiced!

So many thanks to everyone at Devon Highways who contributed to my leaving present - Diving Tokens :)

p.s. Took the Scouts to Fairyland Flax Mill yesterday, got a few photos and will put them online when I find my camera. I think it's in the car...

Is the Airport Sensible?

I've been surfing the web, as you do, and discovered that a civilian version of the Chinook Helicopter has an extended range of 1400 miles and a normal range of 450 miles. At a cruising speed of 150mph it could relatively easily fly from Ascension to St Helena in 5 hours, refuel and fly back the next day. I'm sure Ascension could service a Chinook (it is an American base) so all that would be needed on St Helena is a Helipad and fuel - sounds a lot cheaper than a giant runway... Especially as I understand a chinook can essentially land on anything so all it really needs is fuel and a shed for Customs and Immigration to wait in...

I also note that a Chinook can carry 55 people (it may end up less with the increased fuel load) - well that seems to be the going numbers for the RMS trips to Ascension so sounds about right, but operating once or twice a week rather than once or twice a month would  bring the tourists in. All that would be needed is to cut the red tape about who can land at Ascension...

I therefore assume that diplomatic relations with the Americans are so poor that we cannot negotiate additional civilian passengers passing through Ascension (it is a British Dependency - although possibly you wouldn't believe it) or there is another reason for building an Airport on St Helena. Or have they just not realised that you can fly a helicopter 700 miles if you put your mind to it. Or perhaps Helicopters are significantly more expensive to run than planes - even allowing for the cost of building an Airport.

I don't know,  but struck me as strange that I haven't even heard it being considered.

Run Away! Run Away!

When I left Devon there were some things I was quite glad to leave behind. Snow Wardens and Winter Maintenance for one, and some others. They've followed me here!

I can't say what, because it's controversial and not public Knowledge, but James, you'd enjoy it. I always expected Exeter to be covered with the stuff, but I never thought Jamestown would get it. The only saving grace is that I'm only being consulted - the responsibility lies with another department entirely. Phew.

Radio Star

I have now become a media star. Well no not really. I was interviewed on National Radio - not Local Radio, nothing so simple National Radio.

Ok, so National means 'small village' for those of you in the UK, but still it was a little daunting. But I lived through it, didn't say anything too daft (as most people know I do like to do from time to time), I guess I was lucky Jeremy Paxman wasn't on Island or I'd have been slaughtered, but the interviewer was actually interested in facts and clarity of information rather than trying to catch me out.

It was a call-in show, although callers were not put through to the show, but I did have to answer some unexpected questions. The only one to catch me out was 'How Much does a Roadsweeper Cost?' well as readers of my blog, know a few weeks back I had as much idea as Bob The Builder about Roadsweepers in general, now I have a much better idea (they're made from Stainless Steel dontchaknow) but I still don't know how much they cost. I wonder if I'll regret saying 80 grand.

Update on Diving

I have passed all my theory and now waiting for Marine Awareness week to end so we can book the pool.

Hello World, Happy Thursday

Well I've made it past 7 weeks. I bumped into the UK rep in town today, she's on Island for a fortnight, and she asked if I was starting to settle in - I had to reply that I'd done that and seemed to be running flat out trying to make things happen. There's a lot to do, so after 2 Dive lessons and Scouts forcing me to leave early every night so far this week I stayed late to try and catch up. When I turned the office lights on at 10 past 7 the phone rang - now who could that be? It was my Maintenance Manager wondering who was turning the depot lights on! Good to see security works.

I've just had to edit a press release about the Asphalt Plant, they wanted to end on a Positive note about what the Roads Section is doing - easier said than done as we're doing a lot and I really don't want to raise expectations. However I need to think of something as I have a 30minute radio Interview next Tuesday after Scouts, and that really needs to be positive about the roads.

Anyway, time for T, Sausage and Mash or Tuna Curry... yum yum why not both :)