I did several multi day trips to deep wrecks where we could only bring 2 sets of doubles and 2 deco tanks. We had a compressor and 2 k's of O2 on the boat, so we started on the deepest wreck and kept blowing our doubles back with air. I started those trips with 8/92 heliox. The deepest wreck was around 280, so didn't need that mix for the depth, but it let me have decent mixes on the subsequent wrecks.
That was one of those pork spending bill projects originally that the Sheriff of Nottingham got pushed through. And just got worse every year.
Just remember much of what is taught today as crazy, was normal practice without consequences a few decades ago. Part of that is driven by overweight, out of shape, heavy breathing, shouldn't be there divers and the lawyers the families find after FAFO goes lethal.The operative word being, "commercial." I'm not saying these mixes don't exist. I'm just saying, I, as a potential mix diver, would never be taught such mixes in the standard TDI/Cave agency curriculum.
And, yeah, Sheck was one of a kind. Died too early attempting to set a deep diving record in a Mexican Cenote. I get the desire and "ego boost" of doing things like that, but not at the risk of my life or risking the lives of the rescue divers that have to go in and fetch my body.
I'm crazy, but I'm not that crazy.
, I'll need to go "sidemount." My back can't handle manifolded doubles anymore. I mean, diving with them is fine, but getting out of the water with them and back to the car/table is a huge PITA. After I get that mastered, I'll consider mix training.
Well, according to some research, divers did reach at least 155 meters (511.5 ft). Quite an accomplishment, given the deepest "pinacle" cave dive in Florida is "Diepolder II."
The "Grand Ballroom" you see here is at 270ft at the bottom. But it goes deeper than that (to 365ft.). I don't know how many people are able to get to the deeper portions because time at this depth is extremely limited (9 minutes at most) before you have to start back up and start your decompression schedule. And this is with you being on 10-70 Trimix for Bottom gas. You'll have 2-3 different gas switches enroute and upon return. It takes years to work up to this dive, even after trimix training.
NOPE!
Ship's Diver, US Submarine service. Commercial gold dredger at age 15. Cave explorer as a young man. There was a time I would cave dive, but NOPE!
Now a "victim" (enlightened man) of adult onset claustrophobia. Seriously, it's all I can do to stay on a plane knowing they are going to shut the door. First Class flying is a medical necessity.
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When bodies have been in the water that long you have to wrap them up in blankets or everything but the bones will just strain through the stokes litter or rescue basket, ask me how I know.
Whoever came up with the town slogan should be hung by the neck until dead, dead, dead. Something to the effect of " May you find it all the name implies" . WTF
I’m 77. Was a PADI Master Instructor and IANTD Deep Air/Advanced Nitrox Instructor. Medicare, as best I can discern will not cover dive accidents. I’m going to start diving again later this year and will purchase DAN insurance. There are other companies that offer insurance and I believe will cover Technical Divers - Divemaster is one I believe.Understood. First Class is also a necessity for me, but for other reasons...
The other thing I also have to consider is what "Medicare" has to say about people who cave dive, and how it might affect my Medicare insurance. I was not on Medicare when I was cave diving. I have to hope that they won't raise a huge ruckus if I choose to go back. Otherwise, I might not be able to.
Everyone narc’s at a different point, I learned that early on……
If you dive out of the country, I would make sure emergency air ambulance service in covered. I know someone who has neuro problems, she was not able to hold her depth while diving on a coral reef. Her insurance would not cover the air ambulance, which would have helped dramatically.
Not saying there were not consequences then or now, just saying that some groups are cult like with forcing there is only one way to do it right.
This statue is outside the new High School in Lemmon South Dakota. The artist is a local guy named John Lopez.It's a lot like John's
John Lopez Studio
"The anatomy and kinetics intermixed with curious choices of familiar steel objects speckled about the sculpture in randomly organized patterns..."www.johnlopezstudio.com
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There's a similar style metal Buffalo over by Agency Village south of Sisseton. Out in the country on an paved country road intersection. Used to drive by it on my route. Just a random field/pasture. You drove by the first time and your like wtf is that?!?
