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cobb
i have to admit that this is the best post & most helpfull post i have seen
from you since i'm on the list.
Manny- listen to his comments they are from the heart & should not be
dismissed.
the biggest problems that i have seen over the most recent years usually
involves divers who used "education" to replace the experience part.
jim i know what you are aiming at here, but my only question would be the
single tank. i really think a pony is important at some point, in the middle
of the jump to a double set up.
i don't want to make this a sticky point (i guess it falls into that awfull
thought of P.P :-) ).
over all your advice is correct & should be the last thing tought in the open
water classes & the first taught in every other class beyond that.
as joel has said many times
"safety is not an option"
hank
In a message dated 1/13/1999 7:21:51 AM Pacific Standard Time,
cobber@ci*.co* writes:
<< Subj: Re: Which course and school to use??
Date: 1/13/1999 7:21:51 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: cobber@ci*.co* (Jim Cobb)
To: manuelkallis@bi*.co* (Manuel Kallis), techdiver@aquanaut.com (Tech
Diver)
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 >>
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