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In a message dated 98-08-26 15:06:23 EDT, you write:
<<
CHKBOONE@ao*.co* wrote:
> =============================
> I know this is supposed to be a fun problem but . . .
> whatever you do DON'T RELAY !
>
> All divers go through at the same time as two teams of two,
> each pair maintaining touch contact.
> 10 & 5 min divers together in the lead.
> 1 & 2 min divers in the back with the light. (3rd man in line
> has the light) Light shined along floor or line to reach
> ahead of first team as much as possible.
>
> This allows the light and total team gas resources to be
> accessible to both teams in the event of a problem in the
> restriction.
I agree with your point about not relaying. Anyone in a cave
should be able to follow the line without lights. However,
how did you come up with your team order? Assuming that speed
equates to skill, I should think that you would want to put
one of your most skilled divers in the lead so that if the
last light fails, you have someone good leading the team out.
Also, don't you want one of your most skilled and fastest divers
in front to deal with new problems such as broken lines or gaps?
As for the other fast diver, wouldn't you put her in the rear
so that your slow divers have someone good in front and behind
going through the restriction
As for the position of the light, why not put it in
the lead (or at least second). Isn't it most critical
that your lead diver follow the line efficiently and
not get lost? Furthermore, Don't you want the lead
diver to be best positioned and equipped to deal with any
other situations such as a broken line or gap that
might require good lighting to deal with efficiently?
Under your scenario, you have your worst diver in
front with poor lighting to deal with any new situations
that pop up.
Perhaps that's a good argument for putting the light
second, so the second diver can hold the light for
the first diver in case anything else comes up.
The divers following should not have that much
difficulty as the passage ahead will be lit for
them. They can feel the line and follow the light.
So, I would go 1, 10, 5, 2 with #10 holding the light.
-Kent- >>
===========================
I was not really equating speed with skill though I did have the slowest
man in front for reasons of his own peace of mind as he is setting the pace.
He may be slower for a number of reasons but if skill was one of them a 10
fold difference would make him an unsuitable team member in such a cave. I
had to assume a reasonably similar range of skill and experience for the team
as the exercise was pretty unreasonable to start with.
The best diver can lead from position 2 by simply pushing or steering the
lead diver ahead till he is in a position to deal with the situation if
necessary. The lead will be the easiest most stress free position - no
silt, no vision obstruction, no chance of losing the light man, no chance of
being left alone, and you don't have to pick any line up or untie anything -
all you have to do is ease along the line and the No2 diver should be able to
see beyond No1 with no problem. This is where you want your most insecure
diver as long as you are able to handle him if his mind blows. So perhaps you
should put the 2 min diver second if speed equates to skill and confidence.
I also have to assume that this is not a tank scraping restriction - just
a narrow passage that makes running abreast difficult. It still would
probably not change anything if it were though.
I put the light in the 3rd divers possession based on experience in karst
caves where primarily light colored walls reflect and soften light enough for
even the lead diver to at least have a soft glow around him so he is not
likely to bang into ceilings and could see around line traps. It also gives
the last man a little more peace of mind to know he and his partner will not
likely be left in the dark. Hopefully the man with the working light will
know how to provide "some" light for everyone. If shined on the ceiling in
the center of the team during a problem the whole area should be lit well
enough to manage most problems.
But mostly ! If it is the rear team with a problem you do not want the
light to get 20 feet ahead of them before the lead team realizes they have
fallen behind. The light in position 3 holds the teams together regardless
of preoccupation or narrow focus of attention and insures light for anyone
with a blown hose.
I would also tie the line off ,cut the reel free and clip it on a harness
before starting off for the exit - one less thing to deal with !
All tie offs at jumps should be as simple as possible and still secure -
wraps around cave fixtures should be a single wrap with the final wrap on top
and a half turn under it for quick easy removal on the fly. You want
everyone to get past any jumps or tie-offs before removing them anyway, so it
is the last man that will be removing jump reels (in this case they will
likely be left behind and retrieved later).
---------------
>Assuming that speed equates to skill, I should think that you would want to
put
one of your most skilled divers in the lead so that if the last light fails,
you have
someone good leading the team out. <
You are following the "line" out, not another diver ! A worse potential
problem with having a less skilled diver in the lead would be him getting
tangled in the line and breaking it so that the end twangs ahead of the team
far enough to be hard to find again. The second diver should be watching for
this.
>As for the other fast diver, wouldn't you put her in the rear so that your
slow divers have someone good in front and behind going through the
restriction <
Kind of all snuggly and warm, Huh? Sandwiched between two competent
people who can take care of you? What if one of "them" has a serious problem
? The other competent diver is 20 feet away with two dweebs in the way.
Everybody on the team needs to be reasonably competent - without this you are
in a cluster f. as soon as you put your head under water anyway.
I consider it paramount that any instructor insist that the student take
"him" diving before graduation - eliminates any delusions of being able to get
away with being a dependent right away. Make him do everything and all the
thinking and tell you what he is thinking and why !
> The divers following should not have that much difficulty as the passage
ahead will be lit for them. <
In clear water these divers will be in pitch blackness with the light 10
feet ahead pointed away from them. Been there, done that !
>Under your scenario, you have your worst diver in front with poor lighting to
deal with any new situations that pop up. <
New situations with navigation in the front will be inconveniences to be
sorted out; new situations in the rear will likely be life threatening !
You have to think of any light at all as a luxury in an overhead
environment; they are traditionally the most unreliable artifact man has
ever invented.
If you go into dark places, be prepared to dive in the dark !
And never plan for a dive to go as planned !
Chuck Boone
--
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