Seeing as it's you, my friend, you shall have your wish...Bill, as a voice of reason, can I pretty please with sugar on top ask you to pull the post down and burn it ? It serves nothing more than to build walls higher and dig trenches deeper if it did transpire that Ruskin was “Saville’esque” I am sure folk could look it up for themselves ? It just looks like point scoring if it comes from the BBP.
Bute / Coniston Back to Back
- Renegadenemo
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Re: Bute / Coniston Back to Back
I'm only a plumber from Cannock...
"As to reward, my profession is its own reward;" Sherlock Holmes.
'It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.' W.C. Fields.
"As to reward, my profession is its own reward;" Sherlock Holmes.
'It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.' W.C. Fields.
Re: Bute / Coniston Back to Back
molte grazie mio buon amico, sei molto meglio di così!
"You can screw a man down until he takes to drinking......take me to the fantastic place..."
- Engine 711
- Posts: 139
- Joined: Tue Nov 15, 2016 2:37 pm
Re: Bute / Coniston Back to Back
Now you cannot beat a bit of 'Dive P*rn'....! And high end, at that. Yes, I recognise what you refer to. Long time AP Valves/ AP Diving user here - since around 1977, when they will still in Coventry....
- Renegadenemo
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Re: Bute / Coniston Back to Back
Same here - a daft AP Valves story for you.Long time AP Valves/ AP Diving user here
The 2001 BBP expedition to lift the wreckage was the first all rebreather exped ever so we got quite pally with Martin Parker, owner of AP Valves as he supported our mostly frozen 'breathers with spares while we splashed in the lake.
Fast forward to 2003 and I took my then girlfriend to Rome for a weekend break. We met up with one of the Rome divers we'd met on the 2003 Britannic exped, Edoardo Pavia, and whilst having a sip of vino he mentioned that Martin was in town too.
"Oh, where's he staying?" I asked.
Turned out he was in the same hotel as we were so when we got back I gave the receptionist some sob story about how embarrassed I was to have arrived for a meeting with Mr. Parker only to have forgotten which room he was in. The reception sympathised and gave me the room number - turned out Martin and his partner were in the room next door!
I knocked on his door and after a few moments a very sleepy and bleary eyed Martin opened it wearing a towel.
"Hi Martin..." I said in a very cheery and wide awake voice. "I'm in the room next door. Fancy coming out for a beer?"
He looked at me a bit sideways then shook his head and closed the door. I went back to my room and explained that Martin was indeed next door but he wasn't coming out. Then, a couple of minutes later, there was a knock on our door and there stood Martin, awake this time and wearing some clothes.
"That really you, Bill? I thought I'd dreamt that..."
So we went for a beer.
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I'm only a plumber from Cannock...
"As to reward, my profession is its own reward;" Sherlock Holmes.
'It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.' W.C. Fields.
"As to reward, my profession is its own reward;" Sherlock Holmes.
'It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.' W.C. Fields.
- Engine 711
- Posts: 139
- Joined: Tue Nov 15, 2016 2:37 pm
Re: Bute / Coniston Back to Back
Lols.... I cannot compete with that....! I went to the same school as Martin - he was a couple of years below me, but I didn't know him. But I recognised him, when I visited Parker Hardware, which was where AP Valves was located. It was a Dive Shop above their family hardware shop, in Coventry. It was a bit surreal until you knew... Walking into a real hardware shop and hesitate asking about the 'diving gear'... Only to be shown upstairs by whoever was in the shop, that day.
Upstairs was .. at best, cosy. But the dive gear was there. I bought my first Poseidon there - a Cyklon CS300. And I bought one of their 'Buddy' ABLJ's too...! When I bought my Luxfer 72, Martin apologised for the relatively short test date on it - but said they would do its first test free....! But... they were moving to Cornwall. This was to expand the AP Valves business - I think the Pacific was already out by then. Think there was some government or council scheme, for new businesses...? And - as Martin said, Cornwall is better than Coventry for diving...!
It worked out well for AP - they are now an internationally known diving company, making a range of products - but mainly Stab Jackets (which replaced ABLJ's) - and the Inspiration range of closed circuit rebreathers. Not bad, from a hardware shop in Coventry....
Upstairs was .. at best, cosy. But the dive gear was there. I bought my first Poseidon there - a Cyklon CS300. And I bought one of their 'Buddy' ABLJ's too...! When I bought my Luxfer 72, Martin apologised for the relatively short test date on it - but said they would do its first test free....! But... they were moving to Cornwall. This was to expand the AP Valves business - I think the Pacific was already out by then. Think there was some government or council scheme, for new businesses...? And - as Martin said, Cornwall is better than Coventry for diving...!
It worked out well for AP - they are now an internationally known diving company, making a range of products - but mainly Stab Jackets (which replaced ABLJ's) - and the Inspiration range of closed circuit rebreathers. Not bad, from a hardware shop in Coventry....
- Renegadenemo
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Re: Bute / Coniston Back to Back
I still dive my old Cycklons on shallow stuff. The young-uns like their colour-coordinated bling but they can't rebuild their valves with one hand in a bucket of seawater on the deck of a rolling boat and, get this, they allow strangers to service their kit! Would they let someone else pack their parachute for them? Eek!
I'm only a plumber from Cannock...
"As to reward, my profession is its own reward;" Sherlock Holmes.
'It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.' W.C. Fields.
"As to reward, my profession is its own reward;" Sherlock Holmes.
'It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.' W.C. Fields.
- Engine 711
- Posts: 139
- Joined: Tue Nov 15, 2016 2:37 pm
Re: Bute / Coniston Back to Back
I have to admit to owning I think at least 3 Cyklons, maybe 4.....? Plus several 'spare' Cyklon 1st stages and 2nd stages. Used to 40 metres, in UK waters - no problem. I can do limited servicing myself - but I have always had a 'proper' service done every couple of years or three - at the same dive shop, who I trust.
Re: Bute / Coniston Back to Back
Oooh, but look at my lovely blue bungees to compliment my
Bluebird blue cylinders, which compliment my blue and black drysuit (the second one of only two ever made in that way...the other suit is also used by a Richard !) which match my blue hoses...
Bluebird blue cylinders, which compliment my blue and black drysuit (the second one of only two ever made in that way...the other suit is also used by a Richard !) which match my blue hoses...
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"You can screw a man down until he takes to drinking......take me to the fantastic place..."
- Renegadenemo
- Posts: 5176
- Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 12:29 pm
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Re: Bute / Coniston Back to Back
That's a deliciously understated rig. Lovely job.
I'm only a plumber from Cannock...
"As to reward, my profession is its own reward;" Sherlock Holmes.
'It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.' W.C. Fields.
"As to reward, my profession is its own reward;" Sherlock Holmes.
'It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.' W.C. Fields.
- ThornyBush
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2018 9:22 pm
Re: Bute / Coniston Back to Back
Decent weather not far away (well maybe May or June...).
Maybe all of you will get some decent dives in this year.
Hopefully lockdown will be eased as vaccination numbers increase.
We all need something to look forward to!
So I'm looking forward to seeing a few people I've missed in recent months, getting a few "spelks", maybe a few paint spatters , and maybe getting slightly wet in Cullercoats in the near future!
Maybe all of you will get some decent dives in this year.
Hopefully lockdown will be eased as vaccination numbers increase.
We all need something to look forward to!
So I'm looking forward to seeing a few people I've missed in recent months, getting a few "spelks", maybe a few paint spatters , and maybe getting slightly wet in Cullercoats in the near future!
"Turned Out Nice Again!"
""There is a grey blur, and a green blur. I try to stay on the grey one."
Motorbikes, Big Blue "Boats", 1/2 Scale Wooden Silver Boats.... and Craft Ales (but not all at the same time)...
""There is a grey blur, and a green blur. I try to stay on the grey one."
Motorbikes, Big Blue "Boats", 1/2 Scale Wooden Silver Boats.... and Craft Ales (but not all at the same time)...