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Neal Harman wrote:
> >The UK Cave Diving Group (CDG) has been
> >using mixed gases for the past 20 years.
>
> I sort-of doubt that --- there are very few places it would be useful, and
> most of those have been relatively recently discovered. There is certainly
> an increase in nitrox/trimix use of late. Are you thinking of the extensive
> use of O2 rebreathers ('til the early 60s)?
Okay, 20 years was a rough figure. I know that Jochan Hasenmayer was using
mixed gas in France (Fontaine de Vaucluse?) in about 1981 - 13 years ago.
I was sure that I'd read of Parker/Palmer/Crossley using it earlier but
I will happily compromise to, say, 15 years :-) (who knows what Hasenmayer
was up to?).
> On the other hand, it is difficult to say anything with any certainty
> about the CDG 'cause its a very loose organisation that can only be
> united by an attack on its right to total anarchy :-) There are no
> rules about what/where to dive, what gear to use, how deep to go ---
> we just do what we want.
My contact with the CDG has been varied. Some won't entertain the idea
of a none dry-caving experienced diver getting involved, ie they won't
provide training. The argument being that it is unsafe to take open
water divers into that environment. I understand this but would argue
that those open water divers have probably come to the CDG because they
have need of some training - because they already have something in mind.
The result is that those OW divers will then go off and undertake their
project anyway - not that I speak from personal experience of course :-)
On the other-hand I have found a couple to be very helpful, ie providing
me with a copy of the CDG manual before it was available in print.
It was interesting to note that Rob Palmer did a sump diving course in
Australia a few months ago for some divers. I don't know if dry-caving
experience was a pre-requisite (Greg?). But then there has been trouble
recently between Palmer and IANTD over Palmer's non-compliance with the
law as layed down by Mount and others. Comments?
Alan
awright@gs*.bt*.co*.uk*
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