Dang, Manny, you sure learned the hard way. I would like to add that the 
most important thing about getting trained is for the trainee to realize 
that no matter how good (or bad) the instuction is it is YOUR ASS. That's 
right, nobody is responsable for your ass but you.

In this light, IMHO, it behooves the neophyte tech diver wannabe to:

- Dive, dive, dive. Dive in the crappyiest conditions you can find. Get 
cold, uncomfortable and queasy over and over in 60-100' dives. Don't go 
into deco until you have done 60-70 dives in rotten, cold, shitty 
conditions with a SINGLE TANK. There is absolutely nothing you can do 
which will make up for experience. You must be absolutely and totally 
comfortable underwater at night, in zero viz, in strong surges, cold, 
etc. under all conditions before you take on a virtual or actual overhead 
obligation. There is nothing in the classroom which can take the place of 
this, nothing. Those 150 dive down in the Grand Caymans do not count, you 
need to be able to function when conditions are not ideal, as most tech 
dives are done in conditions which are not ideal.

- Go ahead and fuck up. Go ahead and make your learning mistakes and 
scare the shit out of yourself now while you still have the opportunity 
to survive. Using a single tank is a key to this, you are forced to learn 
how manage your air supply. You are forced to intimately come to grips 
with the thing that keeps you alive underwater. You must learn your 
breathing patterns and usage. When you get to the point that you forget 
you have a regulator in your mouth you are making progress.

- After you have done the above you have to have a real Coming To Jesus 
with yourself. Do you really want to do this sort of thing? Do you really 
want to make the investment in money, equipment and time to risk your 
life in this fashion? Really, truly? Do you life insurance which covers 
scuba? Have you had all the kids you are planning on? Is your Last Will & 
Testament squared away? Has the Doctor given you the OK? YOU are the only 
person who will know when YOU are ready.

- Don't buy anything that you are not sure you need. To find out what you 
need look at a DIR configuration. I know, I know, but you will have to 
trust me on this one, go DIR and save yourself from doing a "Manny". 
Although learning the hard way does sometimes have it's advantages, I 
really hate all the ruined dive time I had with bogus equipment and 
almost quit the sport because of it. My trimix page has a links to all 
you need to know, check out the GUI web site and look under equipment. 
Thats what you need.

- What did I say earlier? Oh yeah. ITS YOUR ASS! Don't depend on ANYBODY 
to pull your cookies out of the vise. You must be prepared to handle all 
contingencies. You must read and investigate all aspects of this "tech 
thing". You must understand decompression and understand completely what 
breathing high PP's of gas is doing to your body. You must understand 
your physical limitations. Other than vague liability concerns your 
instructor really does not give 2 shits about you after you are out on 
your own. It is your ass. Read, read, read. To understand when you are 
ready you must be aware of all the risks. In this sport, knowledge is 
life.

While I don't have the experience of many divers on this list, I do know 
this: There are some people who should not be diving, and you need to 
determine without a doubt if you are one of them before you get to the 
point of no return. I know that if one day I come to this realization you 
will suddenly have the opportunity to purchase a complete DIR rig at a 
great price. There's nothing down there worth dying for.

   Jim

Sender: Manuel Kallis  Date: 1/13/99 5:33 AM

>Firstly, go to the bank and get a personal load for about $10 to $15k, 
>then go directly to your nearest Dive store (regardless whether or not 
>they are qualified in Deep Tech instruction)and tell them how much you 
>want to spend, the store person (a snow skier with snorkeling 
>quailifications) will then inform you of what 
>you have been looking for and what you want. 
>
>After parting with every cent you have, you will find yourself in 
>possesion of a shit load of gear that doesn't match up until you've 
>modified it many times. 
>
>The instructor (after completeing his third open water course and 112th 
>dive) will teach you everything he knows in one theory session. Then the 
>practical portion.  If you survive and go on deep diving you will begin to 
>gain confidence possibly after 12 months or so(20 odd deep dives??), and 
>will now start to actually feel comfortable and with skills to match. 
>
>This is a natural evolution which only allows the good divers to breed, 
>ensuring prime breeding stock at all times. It also forces weak 
>instructors to fail and leave the sport of which they have become 
>accustomed to, thru litigation and the inability to properly insure 
>themselves thereafter. Sending them back to their destined path of 
>snorkeling.
>
>Hoping this helps 
>Hoping you survive
>Manny.
>--
>Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'.
>Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
>


 -------------------------------------------------------------------
 Learn About Trimix at http://www.cisatlantic.com/trimix/trimix.html


--
Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'.
Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.

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]