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Message-ID: <34BE908F.33C5@sa*.ne*> Date: Thu, 15 Jan 1998 17:41:19 -0500 From: Bill Mee <wwm@sa*.ne*> Reply-To: wwm@sa*.ne* X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01C-KIT (Win95; U) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: EE Atikkan <atikkan@ix*.ne*.co*> Subject: Re: Fwd: Added info re three missing in WPB References: <184AAD24857@co*.ci*.uf*.ed*> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Esat, As you know WPB is the Mecca of drift diving. Almost all of the diving done there, without exception is drift in nature, because of the generally strong northerly currents. The big problem with deployed markers is that the dive boat can easily lose the divers if the seas are rough. In the case of the towed ball the boat caption always knows the position of the divers. When you fire the lift bag to the surface your are assuming that the boat topsides is somewhere in you vicinity and not caught in a zero visibility torrential downpour or obscured by 5 - 10 ft seas. What you say about the drag problem is somewhat true; however the standard technique in WPB is to attach a small grapple hook to the end of the drift line and stick this on the bottom when you find something worthwhile investigating. In the case of deep drifting (over 200ft) that is what the scooter is for. You have observed how we do this. The issue of drift diving and swimming at depths below 200 ft is moot, since you can't swim well at this depth and you can't get rid of the co2. Once again, in our opinion, deep technical diving should be always involve scooters for both effectiveness and safety. Good seeing you last weekend. EE Atikkan wrote: > > Obviously being out of shape & having had problems the day before R > worrisom on dives of that type. > > However I would take issue w/ using a ball. > > I have done some dives of WPB & when doing anything but the minimal > reef/tourist dive, I rather carry a marker that I can deploy when > returning to the surface & can use to hang under. > > The float ball, with 250-350 ft of line produces extreme drag, pulling > carrier in direction of current, potentially @ speeds greater than the > group would like to move at. > > The added work obviously will add CO2, an undesirable effect. > > If there is wind, particularly is wind is at right angles to current, > the drag of that makes pinpointing target difficult. > > The potential for entanglment is there. > > The issue of ball recovery, if anchored, such as on a wreck, is non > trivial. > > Using a diver deployed marker (say a liftbag attached to a reel w/ 100 > ft of line) is Ez to carry & serves all of the above w/o the drawbacks. > > I major drawback is a situation that makes diver unable to deploy it. > It is possible, but given the simplicity, I think preferable to the > market buoy system. > > Esat Atikkan > > ______________________REPLY SEPARTOR__________________________ > Again more HEARSAY information but it seems that three of the four > divers (all except the Police Officer) were in questionable physical > condition. > Also, apparently the student had difficulties the day before and > surfaced with a severe headache. > > I also understand that there was no float ball. My biggest fear when > doing this type of diving is the boat captain being unable to find me > at > deco. If this is the case, what were they thinking doing a mid or late > afternoon dive with no float and why did the captain permit it? > > Now I understand that this may be all hearsay and speculation, but the > three dead men are not. I sincerely hope that this matter is fully > investigated and the errors made are disclosed. > > There are a handful of boat captains and divers who have been doing > this > type of diving for years and they are very good at it. Now that it is > in vogue, everybody wants to get in on the act, some without paying > their dues. (I DO NOT KNOW THIS TO BE THE CASE HERE so please don't > misconstrue this to be a slam at a boat captain I don't even know.) > > > Protocols need to be established for the conducting of these dives that > the training agencies should insist on before using a given boat and > captain. > > I was fortunate in that when I started doing this type of diving, I > inadvertantly stumbled upon the best instructors and boat captains in > the business. There were no courses per se and much of what I learned > was by watching others. > > Today, this type of diving is not "underground" and there is no reason > for this to occur. > > I personally have witnessed courses being taught where the instructor > and > students were using dual independant doubles with trimix in one tank, > 36% > in another (both back mounted tanks) with 80% slung in a stage! In all > fairness, most of the instructors I know are VERY conscientious people > who would never do anything such as that, but we need to weed out the > incompetants before natural selection does it for us. > > Joe C. -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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