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John Walker <techdive@ea*.ne*> writes: > I would like to clear any misconception before they start. The IANTD > Adv. Nitrox Diver program is NOT a technical program and certainly is > not taught to depths of 57 meters(more like a 39 meters max). Sufficient > training should be a minimum of Intermediate Trimix and 200 logged dives > really is'nt shit even though some divers are qualified to dive in this > range. > Accidents of this nature don't belong on this list. Technical diving > accidents do! Please don't confuse the two. As I see it, the primary issue isn't one of training; this is simply yet another name to add to the deep air death list. Training doesn't change physiology; you're in a narrow survival envelope at 57 metres and the training and experience only help you keep your balance and stay in the envelope a bit better. Trimix makes the envelope a whole lot wider. The course name or the agency really isn't an issue unless the instructor led the student to believe he'd be okay at 57 on air. However, the issue you're raising is that the fellow should not have even considered himself a technical diver, but was well down into our turf. Are we doing all we can to make it clear that what we're doing takes experience, dedication, and training, and that not every new diver who thinks he has something under his belt should try to do the things we do? In our free democratic western society, anyone can stand up and say he's as good as you or I, and jump in the water and try to prove it. Anecdote 1: I used to be a NAUI assistant instructor. Our instructor had a rule that when the students inevitably asked how deep we'd been, we never give a straight answer, but rather deflect it into a discussion of how the student's limits had to start modestly and grow slowly. Anecdote 2: I'm still a member of a local recreational diving club because they have weekly use of a good pool; one of the members told me he was impressed to see no fewer than five technical divers in the club, and I had to explain what Rule Number One is and why I would not be diving with three of those fellows, and that I'd draw the line at 130 feet with the other. As a technical diver, simply going out and doing the dives isn't enough. Anywhere people see you, you're an ambassador for the sport. Are you a good one or a bad one? What sort of answers are you giving the newer divers who want to know about what you're doing and maybe emulate you? Fortunately, trimix is gaining popularity; there are more instructors teaching it than ever before, and local gas availability is opening up, so it's getting much easier to tell the kids who want to do it to put up or shut up. Several years ago when I was badly wanting to get to the deeper wrecks, trimix was something you only dreamed about; only a handful of famous divers in the States were doing it, and working yourself up to do the local stuff on deep air seemed like the only way. However, in 1999 it's not the stone ages anymore. -- Anthony DeBoer <adb@on*.ca*> -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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