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I just had a friend who runs a dive operation in the South Pacific recently email me that he had just completed a "deep diving" class in which he and his student dove to 260 fsw on air. He described the sharks he saw on the dive and how the class went, you know, the usual, doing math at depth. I did the same thing when I did a course with TDI several years ago. At 213 doing math. So I sent him some info about all the deaths that have occurred in recent years while diving deep on air and in the process ran across some articles I hadn't seen. One article quotes Rob Palmer in the margin: "When you dive deep you can really enjoy the cosy effect of nitrogen narcosis as it closes around you." --Rob Palmer, shortly before he died. The article is at: http://www.divernet.com/safety/kamikaze699.htm My buddy, who I'm sure was slightly insulted, replied that he had explained the dangers to his student. I would liked to have been a fly on that wall. I think it's been well established here that deep air diving is equivalent to playing Russian Roulette and there should not be anyone, certainly not on these lists at least, actually doing these deep dives on other than the correct mix. I also know that getting hammered at 260' is a hoot, but there's plenty of divers who hooted their last getting high at depth. It's a drug folks, you're addicted. Drop the bottle and back away from the boat! Jeff Bozanic of the IUCRR has done a lot of work compiling some of the data from the accident files that have, I believe have been kept by the CDS, the NACD and the IUCRR for some time and you can read his efforts at: http://www.iucrr.org/aa.htm He has a link to an article entitled "Too far, too soon" and the statistical information from his efforts can be downloaded in PDF form here: http://www.iucrr.org/aa_fatalities.htm And clicking on the link entitled: fatalities.pdf I found this info while researching the note to my South Pacific friend. Notice on page #22 of this file that fatalities related to depth far outstrip all others. I had a discussion with a dive shop friend today about it and he described a "deep diving" class he was giving in which his group was at 100fsw and, right in front of him, his assistant and the rest of the class, one of his students passed out. Went to sleep at 100' from an O2 hit. I questioned him about it and he's absolutely convinced that O2 toxicity is the only explanation. He got control of the guy, held his reg in place and took him shallow. At 80' the guy woke up, looked around, then fumbled for his SPG and gave the instructor an OK! At the surface the team told the diver what had happened and he thought they were kidding! He had no recollection of anything. As far as he was concerned, it was a normal dive. I would not have previously believed that a hit was possible at a PO2 of .85, but other factors, including CO2 make diving deep on air a crap-shoot at best. Apparently almost anyone, anytime at almost any depth past 100' (or less?) can sleep the sleep of the dead. We've almost all been guilty, but it's way past time to go cold turkey and do it right. The recent discussions about 80/20 and the astounding revelation that there is nitrogen in room air is certainly an indicator of the lack of understanding that exists among divers. If there's a lack of manners from some of the DIR crowd I think, in part it comes from the frustration with the ignorance that is displayed daily on these lists and on dive boats and dive sites around the world. There are dive leaders everywhere, every day who will take a diver as deep as he wants. I've never had a problem finding one and certainly liveaboard divemasters and boat captains are looking the other way every day. It's a mad house out there. On another, but related subject, I understand that the IUCRR is possibly working on an Accident Analysis report similar to the one encompassed in Sheck Exley's BLUEPRINT FOR SURVIVAL. I hope that document is forthcoming soon, there are obviously a lot of folks who need the shock treatment and soon. Dive Safe, JoeL
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