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Tod, It's in "The Adventurous Aquanaut", an anthology by Hillary Hauser that can be purchased through Best Publishing. I would not recommend it, though. This book is just one of the many ways I found to waste money when I first started diving. If you want to read the article, though, I can make a copy and snail mail it to you. It's an interesting yarn, but the real meat is where Sheck tells of the mindset he came up with to help him survive his totally insane dives (that is, until he didn't survive): "It's a mind game. The cave and the odds are out to get me and it is obvious that they will catch up with me sometime. That I am alive today is a miracle. To extend my winning streak I must spend hundreds of hours thinking of every possible thing that can go wrong. I do what I can to prevent problems during my dive preparations. I mix my own gases, I check every piece of equipment over and over, and I memorize each aspect of the dive plan. The dive itself is like hunting a tiger in a thicket. Fear keeps me alert. I am constantly attuned to every feeling in my body, every function of my equipment and every happening in the surroundings. Off guard for a minute and the tiger is on my back. "I've learned to handle the fear by what I call controlled paranoia - a combination of meditation and experience. The meditation clears and settles my mind, allowing me to stay at a high state of alertness and continually aware of my body's reaction to the stress. My experience has taught me how vulnerable I am. "During my 23 years' cave diving, I've survived every life-threatening situation: bends, panicked buddy, being lost, silt-outs, light failures, out of air, line entanglement, trapped in restrictions, on and on. When something goes wrong, I must imeediately rein in the fear and let experience take over. Problems can occur, but an error in judgment is deadly. From the dive's start, the idea is to get down as fast as possible without plummeting out of control. I use gravity and pull on the wall to keep from using my legs which will increase my exertion. While dropping in the deepest part of the shaft I'm in a high-risk zone. At such depths each breath causes the pressure gauge needle to drop unbelievably. Like a pilot constantly picking out alternate landing sites for emergencies, I'm always looking for a projection to tie off. If anything goes wrong, my experience takes over. The problem must be solved on the first attempt or I immediately abort the dive. If the dive goes on as planned, the turnaround point will be dictated by my down time, the amount of gas expended and an indefinable coalition of sensory perceptions that tells me to get the hell out." In the end, inevitably, the tiger got him. The moral, boys and girls, is that guts can only take you so far. You need proper procedures too. See ya, Carlos P.S.: Tod, there's something I've always wanted to ask you. Are you German? Cause if you are, then you've got a pretty weird name. ;) ----- Original Message ----- From: <tgunther@co*.co*> To: <quest@gu*.co*>; <techdiver@aquanaut.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2000 2:32 PM Subject: DeLOACH ARTICLE > Team: > > On page 323 of Burgess' "The Cave Divers," the author mentions Sheck Exley's > dive partner Ned DeLoach writing an article entitled, "The Deepest Dive: A > Study in Controlled Paranoia." The author goes on to state that the article > "is one of the most insightful ever written on detailing the moods, fears, > tensions, and psychological preparations successful divers must experience to > achieve maximum results." > > I am not at the advanced level these individuals were at, but the article seems > like it would have some good elucidation for any serious diver. Does anyone > have a copy of this article (Ocean Realm magazine, Summer 1988 is mentioned) or > know where it can be obtained online? > > Thanks, > Tod > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: quest-unsubscribe@gu*.co* > For additional commands, e-mail: quest-help@gu*.co* > -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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