Scuba

On the weekend of October 30th and 31st, 1999 nine CASA students embarked upon a crash course in scuba diving. On Tuesday the 26th students met in the CASA lab with long time CASA supporter and scuba diving instructor, Mr. Dave Reynolds, to learn about scuba diving equipment and safety procedures. This meeting served as a prep course for the first day of scuba diving on Friday the 29th at Club Woodrail. On Friday, excitement levels were high as over half of the students had never been scuba diving before. CASA students learned the basic buoyancy rules and got to apply the lessons they had learned on Tuesday. On Saturday students arrived at the Hickman pool in high spirits and ready to learn the more advanced concepts necessary for the satellite repair simulation, which was to take place the next day. After scuba diving lessons, students worked in the general shop lab to finish the satellite CASA instructor Jim Kyd had started. As five o’ clock approached, the satellite was completed and ready for the Sunday simulation. On Sunday, energy levels were high as Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Kyd gave last-minute instructions to the four teams and mission mediator, Matt McVay. One by one the teams went down to the bottom of the Hickman pool to repair their specified system. Simple tasks, such as inserting a screw, were made difficult by the neutral buoyancy. Students also had to constantly adjust their buoyancy as they picked up items that added to their mass. After over an hour of work the last team surfaced and proclaimed that the satellite was complete!

This was our first lesson at Woodrail fitness club. The CASA Crew are seen here eager to learn the art of Scuba diving by our expert instructor, Mr Reynold.

Also seen here is our first lesson at Woodrail Fitness club, the CASA Crew get there first taste of underwater breathing.

The second lesson held at Hickman High School pool, was met with as much enthusiasm as the first. The CASA Crew receiving a few last minute tips before suiting up.

Here we see the CASA crew attempt to carry the nearly 400 lbs satellite, assisted by Mr. Reynolds.

Here is the CASA Crew putting the satellite into the water. Christine Rylser (top right), Cameron Webster (bottom left), and Darryl Pillay (bottom left submerged underwater) are seen here. This picture ran in the Columbia Daily Tribune.

Don Shrubshell(Photo)

Mission Day : The CASA Crew help each other suit up and prepare for the mission that lay ahead.

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