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You state that on your dives from the Grateful Diver "Maximum depth= limitations and gas requirements were regulated by TDI and IANTD's= standards and procedures, as well as the operational standards for the= Grateful Diver." For clarification, what mix was used and to what depth= were your dives? Also, according to your own web page you offer TDI instructions on air to= 200' and IANTD classes for Advanced Deep Air. I assume that you are aware= that there has been some concern recently about tbe safety of deep air= diving, regardless of the standards at TDI and IANTD. Do you still teach= and promote these courses or do you feel that diving deep on air is safe= for those who are acclimated? Finally, you give your equipment configuration as dry suit and steel back= tanks. What was the configuration of the other divers (students) on the= dive? Were they diving wet suits and steel tanks? At 10:35 AM 10/26/98 -0500, you wrote: >Possible title for your article - "Misinformed, and Getting More= Misinformed" > > > >So my phone begins to ring=85my e-mail becomes congested, and fellow divers= are muttering phrases like "dousing themselves with urine", and "charging= unrelentingly into the enemy machine guns", and "license to kill". My= associates were calling, wanting to know if I had seen an article about me,= which was posted at TechDiver. (I commend Techdiver for their= establishment of an outstanding communications network throughout the= technical communities!) > >To address this recent posting, "Dumb and Getting Dumber", by Mr. Bill Mee,= posted on Thursday, October 22, I provide the following information: > >Dear Mr. Mee: > >The course I solicited the Grateful Diver to run was not a "Deep Air"= class; rather an Advanced/EANx Wreck Diver course. Maximum depth= limitations and gas requirements were regulated by TDI and IANTD's= standards and procedures, as well as the operational standards for the= Grateful Diver.=20 > >Background on equipment for that particular dive: I dove OMS 108's with an= isolation manifold. For the BC, I dove an OMS double bladder single bag= with 100 lbs. of buoyancy. I used a signature series CF-300 DUI dry suit= with SI-5 wrist rings (which allows for in-the-field replacement in minutes= for either gloves or wrist seals). > >The second stage from which I breathe is a 9-ft. hose, secured vertically= to the right side of my backplate; it can be deployed quickly and easily. = My DiveRite Neutralite 12 is a few years old, but has performed= excellently, and I'm very comfortable with its butt mount. > >The manufacturer's silicon tubing on my wings has never failed to allow= adequate buoyancy with my steel OMS stage bottles. Mr. Mee, with your= relationship with another manufacturer of BC's and dive equipment, I= understand how you may be opposed to the designs of OMS, DiveRite, Scuba= Pro and others who use "bungee wings". I am pleased, however, to know that= you are as happy with your wings as I am with mine. > >As far as improperly marked gas: it was suggested to me that I use large= strips of duct tape down the length of my stages with the maximum operating= depth listed thereon in large numbers. I am always looking for and= evolving to accommodate better ideas. I know there is no absolute "right"= way for every diver. (If you think there is, let's review "soldiers of= strokism".) I like this particular idea, and will include it in my= instruction programs, as well as my normal practice of labeling the= percentage of the mixture and complying with all other training agencies'= requirements. I already advocate the use of oxygen bags/mouth blocks,= second stages identifiable by touch and sight, as well as bottle placement= for gas recognition. > >As for being especially cautious due to the recent four diving fatalities= in 1998, I believe every high-risk dive must be conducted with special= caution. Apart from being cautious, there is being honest with oneself= about one's diving abilities, and not allowing a lot of egotism to infect= perception; thus, one must also look towards physical conditioning. (But= everyone reading this article knows there's no egotism around here!) = Physical conditioning is a daily requirement, and a way of life. My= recommendation is for many divers to begin here. > >Regarding the boat captain: as always, I keep a high standard when= conducting my courses. Therefore I solicited the Grateful Diver. The= "willing" boat captain did a nice job, and the boat ran well. The three= days of diving Trimix (which is the boat's requirement, and my gas of= choice - not air) on the Lowrance and the R.B. Johnson were= enjoyable...although I was unaware that the service included the= publication of ill-informed, negative articles afterwards. =20 > >As for my "unwitting students", their credentials upon arriving on my= doorstep were: > >First candidate: Respiratory medical physician, PADI Open Water Instructor,= Advanced EANx Instructor, Full-Cave and Trimix Diver, among others. > >Second candidate: Professional in aero-engineering, also a PADI Open Water= Instructor, Advanced EANx Instructor, Full-Cave and Trimix Diver, among= others. > >Both of these candidates lived up to expectations, and have moved on to= continue their education at NOAA. The good doctor will proceed for further= training at NASA upon approval of his final preselected application. > >Next in line is my "license to kill". How about license to educate? =20 > >I have been diving for over eighteen years, and am president and owner of= Hydra Explorations, Inc. The central focus of this organization is safe= diving instruction up to and beyond 130 ft. on various mixtures of gas. = In 1991 I earned EANx Instructor #76 by IAND. I am an Instructor Trainer= and a Technical Instructor for IANTD and TDI, and am NSSCDS/IANTD Full-Cave= Certified. In addition to my certification as Master Instructor with PADI,= I have taught eleven specialties, as well as Medic First Aid/CPR. I have= also earned recognition as an instructor with ANDI and DAN, and am trained= in the latest knowledge of gas separation and mixing systems. I am= certified to 100-tons as a U.S. Coast Guard Captain, with endorsement. I= have taught EANx and EANx Instructor courses at Aqua Corps' Tek, presented= lectures and taught at world trade shows such as DEMA, and at major trade= shows such as the Boston Sea Rovers and Ocean Expo. I implement state of= the art technologies, such as mixed-gas rebreathers, as part of ! >Hydra's training services. > >Mr. Mee, I hope this clarifies for you the events as they actually= occurred. Your rebuke was based on inaccurate information, and perhaps= given a little hastily for that. But I would like to thank you, and all= those working with you, for your efforts in furthering this small yet= growing industry. God bless you for your concern for our lives. > >If anyone has any other comments, questions on this article or any courses= offered by Hyrda Explorations, please visit my web site at:= http://www.hydraexplorations.com > >-- >Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. >Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'. >=20 -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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