Mailing List Archive Mailing List Archive
---- Microsoft Mail "VMS Mail" message ----
From: HeimannJ on Fri, Feb 12, 1993 6:20 PM
Subject: RE: Hello
To: SCSD::HARVEY::"daemon@fu*.in*.co*"
An earlier note raised the issue of getting started in deep wreck diving. I
would suggest the following program, but I'm interested in other people's
opinions. I do not consider myself an expert in deep diving, but have been
diving wrecks beyond 130 for a couple years.
I would say that the most important things you need for deep wreck diving are
the following:
1) Mastery of basic scuba technique, and complete comfort in shallow water wreck
diving gear. Several phenomena associated with deep diving, including narcosis,
low light levels, CO2 buildup, can reduce your ability to cope with stress, and
can lead to panic or worse. You must be comfortable in the gear you will be
taking deep before you go deep. There is no substitute for experience here.
2) Experience with planned decompression. Unless you are doing bounce dives,
you will have to do decompression when diving deep. You should master this
skill for shallow water dives before going deep. Decompression experience does
not mean that you just know how to interpret the DECOSTOP indicator on your dive
computer. You have to be prepared for all the "what-ifs," such as "what if your
regulator free flows?" or "what if you can't find the anchor line?" A full cave
course teaches you decompression, although this will not necessarilly teach you
open water decompression techniques. Gentile's "Advanced Wreck Diving Guide"
has a chapter on the subject; after you read this I would suggets finding some
otehr divers who have been doing deco dives and learn from them.
3) Knowledge of deep diving theory, including physiology and equipment. There
are a number of books available; I would recommend the third issue of Aquacorps
("DEEP"), Gilliam's book "Deep Diving," Gentile's "Advanced Wreck Diving Guide,"
or Lippman's "Deeper into Diving," which is an especially good source on the
various decompression tables.
3) Proper equipment. Aquacorps #3 has a good chart on gear required; Gilliam's
book seems to have cribbed from it. To a certain extent you have to improvise
here - e.g., most agree that the Poseidon Odin is the regulator of choice for
really deep diving, but Odins out of the box have hoses sprouting at awkward
angles, and everyone has their own way of reconfiguring them. The bottom line
is that you have to try things out and see what you are comfortable with,
preferably in shallow water first.
4) Progressive adaptation. Get comfortable at 100' before you go to 130', and
130' before 150', etc. Note that diving in warm water isn't the same as in cold
low-vis water, so don't expect to be able to dive the Coimbra just because you
did a few deep wall dives in Cayman.
There are some deep air training programs, which may or may not be useful. I
suspect that if they constitute lending the diver set of doubles and class-A
regulators, and taking him down a wall somewhere in the tropics to 200', then
such a course is likely to be dangerous. This is especially the case if the
diver, now a certified deep diver, immediately signs up for a charter on the
Monitor.
As an example of this type of thing, I used to know a dive instructor who worked
at a store I often went to. He had done some deep dives in Cayman (300'+).
Based on this experience, he signed up for a charter on the Doria last summer -
and that was the last I heard from him. I was at first afraid that this guy was
one of the Doria fatalities, but instead I found out that he was so unprepared
for the Doria, and so terrified by the narcosis, darkness, and strong currents,
that he quit his job and has not dived since.
Navigate by Author:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Subject Search Index]
[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]
[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]