Beneath the waves diaries
Kathy Sykes's diary about the challenge for the Beneath the Waves programme, from the BBC/OU series Rough Science 5
What a crazy, crazy challenge! Kate must be mad agreeing to do it.
We have to provide her with air to breathe underwater.
I once read a book about early divers & cave divers who, I seem to recall, regularly killed each other by not providing enough air, or creating vacuums so large they sucked people’s innards into the tubes.
Not a pretty thought when it’s Kate’s life we’re considering here.
Jonathan will build the pump - and me the air reservoir, with safety mechanisms.
Getting such a huge volume of air for the reservoir to sink will be hard work - and need lots of lead.
So I attached the beer barrel to a big metal tub - so we could have maximum air volume for Kate (I would have put lead into the reservoir direct - but we’d lose space for the air then).
I made a valve to let the air get to Kate - but not water - basically a float that blocked the tube as the water level rises. The theory of it all makes sense - but I’m glad it’s not me doing the breathing.
Ellen and Mike had a day of madness, schleping a bath to the beach for an Archimedes test for Kathy then slinging a balance from a palm to weigh her.
Looked fun, ridiculous - and surreal!
Really enjoyed the day.
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Content last updated: 26/01/2005
