The Angels' Story
Posted By Laura Harris on 16 July 2004
From the outset, everyone involved in saltFree had been united in their view of safety being paramount, which meant that whatever system was introduced, it had to be one that maximized the safety of both the freedivers and the support team. Advice and most crucially, clearance from Health and Safety (HSE) followed soon after. August 10th 2003, the hottest day on record, during a brain storming session to discuss protocol, and after just the right amount of intoxication, saltFree was officially named. Rodin O’Hagan’s logo design followed soon after and that special saltFree spirit began to emerge.
Throughout those initial months, effective use was made of the freedivers’ scuba skills within saltFree. Various volunteer support divers came and went. Some tried it and gave up after one session, others simply didn't make the grade and a few, a very dedicated few, formed the backbone of the team. They became known, affectionately, as the Archangels and include Marcus Lambert, Lars Plougmann, Martin Anderson, Steve Parker and myself. In October 2003, saltFree held its biggest weekend get-together, while simultaneously hosting two UK record attempts. The Archangels provided the safety cover with their customary discretion and a successful time was had by all.
During the bleak mid-winter SaltFree announced that it was to host the UK National Freediving Championships in May 04. With greater challenges to come and interest continually growing in saltFree, it became apparent that we needed a bigger, more independent team of committed support divers. Team selection began in earnest. Steve Copeland's Cyprus team had been a truly international affair but only a few of the divers were UK-based and able to join this new team. The recruitment drive continued and divers looking for that extra facet to their sport began to come forward.
Come Hell or High Water
The most important considerations in regard to diving in this steep-sided quarry environment were the enormously changeable visibility, lack of light, the penetrating cold and the depths involved. The visibility varies from about a metre or two when the algae blooms, to a respectable 15 metres or so during the colder months (although at depth it is usually always reasonable). The 75m drop ensures that the water temperature remains for the most part, no more than about 6°C below the thermocline, which rides shallow for much of the year.
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