First Blood - Part 6

I reloaded the rifle then gathered the 12 empty shell casings laying on the thin plastic sheet I had laid down, wadded it up and headed back down to the dive gear.  I didn't hear or see anyone nearby. 

I put the 2 ammo boxes and the cell phone in my SCUBA buoyancy compensator vest pockets.  The balled up plastic sheet with empty brass went into my "ditch" duffle and I laid the rifle on top of it for now.  I checked the SCUBA tank air pressure, took one breath off the regulator then put the BC vest on and then my face mask. My swim fins were bungeed to the dive scooter and a small fanny pack holding my wetsuit hood and gloves was also strapped on.  My car and house key were around my neck on a cord along with a compass and flashlight.

I put the rifle on safe then put it in the "ditch" duffle which also held my second SCUBA tank and zipped it up.  My bike was laying on the ground and I hooked the duffle carry grips on the bike handle bars.  I moved the dive scooter so the back end was near the bike seat and the front end by the handle bars.  Then I stood the bike up while cradling and guiding the dive scooter and this also lifted the ditch duffle off the ground.  I took a quick look around then awkwardly pushed the bike down to the rocky beach.

I rolled into the water and stopped when I was chest deep. I looked and listened again -- nothing. I leaned the bike and scooter against me, took off my face mask and put my arm throught the strap.  I took the wetsuit hood out of the fanny pack and put it on then put my mask back on followed by the gloves.  I picked up the regulator, put it in my mouth and then started walking again.  About 30 seconds later I was underwater and finally feeling safe.  I kept walking and pushing the bike for another 5 minutes until I was in about 20 feet of water.  I pulled the ditch duffle off the handle bars and clipped the grab handle on the end of the duffle onto my BC.  I ditched the bike and cell phone, gripped the dive scooter, turned it on and started cruising away on a course of 160 degrees.

I maintained a depth of about 20 feet for 15 minutes then slowly angled up to about 10 feet and turned off the scooter and listened.  I didn't hear any boat motors.  Now if I was jinxed and truly unlucky, I'd get nailed by either a sailboat on a night sail or come smack center under a helicopter.  I turned the scooter back on, angled up to the surface, stuck my head out and checked my position relative to the lights on shore .  I was heading pretty much as expected so I submerged again and continued on my original course and speed but a bit shallower at 15 feet. After 30  minutes I surfaced for another position check and a sky scan.  All good so damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead.


I had a 90 cubic foot SCUBA tank on my back and another in the duffle that I was cradling with my legs. I needed to go about 3 miles and if I traveled at about 1 knot for 3 hours that should do it.  My air consumption would increase as I got cold and tired so I figured I'd just cruise closer to the surface to make the tank last longer.   At 45 minutes total, I was about half way through my first tank which was pretty much on plan and it looked like I was about right for distance traveled too.  I hope my scooter battery would go the distance.  At this point stopped and ditched my rifle.  Several minutes later I dumped the 2 ammo boxes.

I emptied the first tank at 80 minutes which was about 10 minutes sooner than I would have liked.  To do the tank switch, I clipped the dive scooter tether to my BC, surfaced then puffed enough air into the BC so everything would float if it got away from me.

I shucked off the BC, undid the tank strap and let the tank, regulator and gauge sink away.  I pulled the second tank out, slipped it into the BC, secured the strap and wiggled it back on.   I put this regulator to my mouth and sucked.   Nothing.  Crap this regulator was the same as the one I just ditched.  I took a look at the air pressure gauge - zero.  Mr. Murphy had finally caught up with me...