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Funny thing about egos, you push them enough and they will come 
out.........the fact is Todd came up and told what happen(most divers do at 
first and then change the story to save their egos), you and I assume Todd 
were doing this new DIR drill you think you've learned and some how you 
left the boat with your isolator and your back up reg closed only breathing 
off your primary. At about 20mins (which is right for your size tanks and 
SAC) you ran out of gas, switched to your back up and got shit........ In 
the panic once you got on Todd's gas started back to the anchor, this is 
where I'm waiting for someone to put the real story together from the 
posted story it ain't hard to do, all they have to do is read and put the 
pieces together.

The fact is I saw the email that Todd challenged Dave to go public on these 
list about who you did not want to go on some trips......... I wanted it to 
happen, Dave did not as not to put names on the list.........I could give a 
fuck........ So when Todd started his little private cc posting I smashed 
all your dicks (even though you don't have one) with the truth about your 
skills and past history, we have been protecting you guys all the time and 
I knew it would be just a matter of time before you fucked up and Dave nor 
I was there to correct it. Funny, the divers you were worried about did 
fine.........you guys have the problem.

Here is another noticeable thing..........you now include the VBtech list, 
Dalton didn't because he knew that some on the boat are only on that list.







At 06:30 PM 7/24/02 -0400, Allyson wrote:

>I am absolutely in awe over how obtuse you are. Who the hell do you think 
>you are talking to? This is me, JT. Dalton didn't write about some of the 
>details you mention because they didn't happen to him, not because he is 
>trying to protect our "frail egos" or "cover [anything] up," please! I do 
>not give a flying f*@% about anyone's ego. Todd and I will be glad to talk 
>about those details that you say were suspiciously left out, and we plan 
>on it. We'll talk about *everything.*
>
>Do you think I actually jumped off the boat into 118fsw with no valves on? 
>If you think that was ever a possibility from me you should have never 
>invited me on the trips that you have lead. You must not think much of me 
>at all to even think that a possibility and I must be some sort of super 
>diver with a SAC rate of almost zero to be able to stay on the bottom for 
>17 minutes with two off valves and then to continue on my own accord 
>through my slow ascent/decompression; that would make me some sort of 
>physiological oddity. Why didn't you just ask me what happened before you 
>came to the table with your plate full of usual tired misinformed 
>rhetoric? I see that you are chomping at the bit to confront us and that 
>is amusing. I suggest you get off your "high horse" before you get knocked 
>off. Your attitude is sickening. Is this what you do to validate yourself?
>
>Before each dive we have been checking every facet of our gear and 
>ensuring that it is operational because we subscribe to the belief that 
>what each of us is carrying belongs to the entire team. After our team 
>checks, everything on my person was operational and behaving as it should, 
>including my SPG, the needle never bounced when I took not 3 but 6 breaths 
>from my back up reg on the surface, the extra 3 breaths were done to 
>satisfy my buddy because he didn't witness me do it the first time. You 
>have no idea what happened to me, not the foggiest...do you know how I 
>know this? Because we didn't tell anyone on the boat what happened to me 
>except that we shared air--we were intentionally unclear because no one on 
>the boat cared for one another as evidenced by the completely 
>unprofessional cluster f*@% that later occurred and the misinformation 
>regarding me that you received from your "drooling informants."
>
>I have put my heart and soul into this sport because I respect the fact 
>that the ocean is not my natural environment and that mother nature can be 
>a real bitch. There was no panic on our parts, a detail that you must have 
>just made up. Panic will get one killed. Remedying *my* situation went 
>smoothly because we took the philosophy and the procedures that AG and MHK 
>taught and used them and that includes the countless hours me and my 
>buddies have spent in the quarry practicing and preparing for "real dives" 
>and any situations that arise on those dives. My brief moment of not being 
>able to access my gas did not even upset me because I knew my buddy, Todd, 
>would be there for me once I alerted him, and he was in my face instantly 
>watching me make a reg switch and when he saw I wasn't satisfied with that 
>solution he had gas in my mouth in seconds and it was executed calmly. 
>There is something to be said about having a procedure in place to handle 
>would be emergencies. And I was also aware of the fact that it was an 
>impossibility for me to actually be out of gas. I can't stress how crucial 
>superb buddy skills are to the diving system. One interesting aspect of 
>the DIR system is that whether my equipment failed me or I failed myself 
>there was still another safe way out.
>
>And, JT, I write this knowing full well that you will put this in your 
>Allyson Clagett email file so that you can throw it back in my face when 
>it's convenient for you to do so and most probably attempt to poke a hole 
>through every thing I or my buddies say. What kind of person does that? 
>Better yet, what kind of *friend* does that? If you actually have some 
>constructive criticism I will welcome it with open arms but at this point 
>I am not hopeful that is what your intentions are. I will save you the 
>trouble of publicly publishing this by doing so myself. If you ever want 
>to have a real conversation with me, like a mature adult would do, and not 
>the nonsensical Internet bully email crap that has become your style you 
>have my phone number. I'll happily speak with you--but I'll never dive 
>with you again your general attitude sucks and GI is right, yet again, you 
>are obstinate... but I believe his exact words were hard headed and 
>incapable of learning.
>
>Happy Internet diving, JT, I know you enjoy it.
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>
>From: Capt JT [mailto:captjt@mi*.co*]
>
>Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2002 4:22 PM
>
>To: dmdalton
>
>Cc: allysonlc@ea*.ne*; toddclagett@ea*.ne*
>
>Subject: Re: Nova Tech Dive Report 7/21/02 & Lessons Learned
>
>
>
>Dave, I have read your report and I have been informed by others on the
>
>boat what really went down. I am answering this private and will at this
>
>point keep it that way until you are not able to cover the flack I
>
>suspect will come from the report on techdiver. Several important details
>
>you left out to cover ones egos, shut off valves(not 1 but 2) , panic,
>
>drifting away when no one else had a problem with the current,
>
>ect.......... and are suggesting that the BOAT should have done something
>
>different, when all problems were caused by the divers themselves. Cover
>
>your own egos best you can if any questions start and cover the boat or I
>
>will........I know what really happened, this is one you should not have
>
>posted, you guys are too "thin skinned" to handle a seasoned diver drilling
>
>this report.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>At 10:37 AM 7/23/02 -0700, you wrote:
>
> >Trip report:
>
> >
>
> >Sunday, July 21, 2002 found 4 Nova Tech divers diving
>
> >out of Virginia Beach, VA on the Miss Lindsey with
>
> >others with whom they regularly dive of the VB Tech
>
> >group. Nova Tech group divers consisted of Todd
>
> >Clagett and Allyson Clagett diving as a buddy team 1
>
> >and David Dalton, Sr. & David Dalton, Jr. diving as
>
> >buddy team 2. Team 1 is generally more interested in
>
> >artifact recovery and Team 2 leans more toward
>
> >sightseeing.
>
> >
>
> >We arrived at the site of the Eureka (118 fsw) at
>
> >approximately 10:30, geared up and were in the water
>
> >at 11:30. Visibility was a spectacular 70 ft and
>
> >water temps on the bottom were a pleasant 61 degrees,
>
> >with surface temp being much warmer. There was a
>
> >strong current and it was very nice to be using
>
> >scooters to deal with it. More on that later!
>
> >
>
> >Team 1 went right to digging in a hole that wasn't
>
> >more than 15 feet from where the wreck was tied in.
>
> >They left the numerous bottles they unearthed for the
>
> >second dive bringing up just one. Team 2 toured the
>
> >wreck with D1 (Sr) pulling D2 (Jr) with his Gavin
>
> >scooter. D2 carried a camera and shot two rolls which
>
> >are in the process of being developed as I write. The
>
> >clarity of the water allowed one to get a very good
>
> >understanding of the layout of the wreck. Viewing the
>
> >two large anchors on the port side of the bow, at the
>
> >same time was incredible. Both Teams completed their
>
> >planned 40 minute bottom times and required deco and
>
> >got back on board.
>
> >
>
> >Todd advised that he had just broken into a new crate
>
> >of bottles and showed one he had stuffed in his
>
> >pocket, a square bottle of Dr. Prichard's Castoria
>
> >with the good doctor's name and the product name cast
>
> >into the bottle. Although these bottles were from the
>
> >1890's when this ship sunk, D1 is old enough (54) to
>
> >remember taking this patent medicine as a child. It
>
> >was still sold in a square bottle and appeared that
>
> >the only change was from a cork to a screw top.
>
> >
>
> >Todd's discovery generated considerable excitement
>
> >between both teams and both decided to concentrate on
>
> >excavating that hole on the second dive.
>
> >
>
> >Both teams brought bags down to carry back bottles on
>
> >the second dive. Todd, being the master digger with a
>
> >scooter, went to work while the other 3 stuffed the
>
> >bags as he handed out bottles.
>
> >
>
> >About 20 minutes into the dive Allyson developed a
>
> >problem with one of her regs and after the situation
>
> >was handled both teams decided to end the dive. Team
>
> >1 started their ascent and deco and Team 2 hooked up
>
> >the two bags of bottles and started their ascent.
>
> >Rather than hang on the line like a flag in the breeze
>
> >we were doing "drift and run deco". Drift 50 or 60
>
> >feet from the anchor line and then run back to it with
>
> >the scooter, then drift again and repeat, obviously
>
> >only a technique one would employ in good viz.
>
> >Between 40 & 50 feet the current picked up quite a bit
>
> >and we (Team 2) inadvertently drifted out of sight of
>
> >the anchor line. We ran some circular patterns on the
>
> >scooter but to no avail. We settled in, shot a bag,
>
> >completed our deco drift style, and upon completion
>
> >surfaced to find the boat several hundred yards away.
>
> >We dropped down to 15 feet and scootered toward the
>
> >boat for about 2 minutes. We surfaced again and saw
>
> >that we were making progress so we dropped down and
>
> >tried it again. This time I could hear the motor on
>
> >the scooter slowing and realized we were out of juice.
>
> >
>
> >We returned to the surface, and found we were even
>
> >farther away than before. We fully inflated the lift
>
> >bag, hooked up the dive-alerts an honked them and
>
> >flashed the HID light in the direction of the boat.
>
> >
>
> >Todd later advised that he saw us as soon as we
>
> >surfaced but we were not aware of this. Consequently
>
> >we continued to signal and honk. Interestingly no one
>
> >heard the dive alert (other than us!) and the HID
>
> >light (a 10 Watt EE Pro 6) was more visible than the
>
> >yellow lift bag. (Note to self: Never dive in the
>
> >ocean without the HID!)
>
> >
>
> >As we were the last divers in the water the boat
>
> >didn't have to wait TOOOOOOOOO long before coming to
>
> >get us. The mate went in to pull the hook, they
>
> >pulled up the hangbars and gear lines and got
>
> >underway. All of this took about 30 minutes which
>
> >doesn't seem like too long, but when you don't know if
>
> >anyone knows where you are and you re drifting farther
>
> >and farther from the boat, I can assure you it seems
>
> >like much longer!
>
> >
>
> >Lessons learned:
>
> >
>
> >1) Switch batteries on the scooter between dives. If
>
> >we had fresh batteries in the scooter we could have
>
> >made it back to the boat even following our drift
>
> >deco.
>
> >
>
> >2) Make sure you have appropriate signaling devices.
>
> >Lift bag, safety sausage, HID light, dive-alert. On
>
> >the last, while the dive-alert has it's place, which
>
> >is probably in situations where fog blows in and you
>
> >are relatively close to the boat, its not much good at
>
> >longer distances as I have now learned.
>
> >
>
> >Along this same line it would be comforting for the
>
> >team in the water if the boat had someway of signaling
>
> >back that they knew where you were and would come get
>
> >you shortly (Horn, flare, guy in a lime green drysuit
>
> >waving his arms on the top of the boat)!
>
> >
>
> >3) This situation pointed out the need for chase boats
>
> >when diving in strong currents, or for the boat to be
>
> >able to put a float on the anchor line, so they can
>
> >leave to pick up/attend to the divers on a lift bag.
>
> >While the Miss Lindsey has a chase boat it was not
>
> >used in this case. In this case we were able to
>
> >complete our deco, surface and wait to be picked up.
>
> >If a diver was injured or did not have appropriate gas
>
> >to complete his deco (like hanging it off the boat
>
> >instead of carrying it with you) the outcome might not
>
> >have been as favorable.
>
> >
>
> >4) Stay calm. While we were concerned as to whether
>
> >or not anyone knew where we were, we remained calm
>
> >which helped to contribute to the favorable outcome of
>
> >this dive. There was no reason to panic, the water
>
> >was warm, we were in trilam drysuits with thinsulate
>
> >undergarments, we had a 10 watt hid that would burn
>
> >for 5 + hours which would be especially good for
>
> >signaling in the dusk or at night and we had 4 back up
>
> >lights between us. We had just eaten several Miss
>
> >Lindsey "Deco Dogs" before the second dive so our
>
> >nutritional requirements were taken care of (those
>
> >things will stay with you forever!). We were well
>
> >hydrated and I had a P-valve in my drysuit - too bad
>
> >my son did not (You've never seen anyone get out of a
>
> >drysuit and run for the head so fast)!!!!
>
> >
>
> >5) If you are doing a "drift and run" deco, make sure
>
> >you don't lose sight of the anchor line.
>
> >
>
> >All in all, it was an incredible day of diving, great
>
> >weather, great viz, great bottles (yes we still had
>
> >both bags when we got back on the boat), and a very
>
> >worthwhile learning experience. What more could you
>
> >ask for?
>
> >
>
> >Dave Dalton
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >=====
>
> >Dave Dalton
>
> >
>
> >"You just can't show up for "Game Day" and expect to win.
>
> > You've got to go to practice if you want to be ready!"
>
> >
>
> > http://home.earthlink.net/~toddclagett/NovaTech/
>
> >
>
> >__________________________________________________
>
> >Do You Yahoo!?
>
> >Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better
>
> >http://health.yahoo.com
>
> >--
>
> >Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'.
>
> >Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
>
>
>
>"You can't learn to dive on the net, sooner or later you have to get in the
>
>water"
>
>Your Guide to Great Wreck Diving along the East Coast & more
>
>Web Site http://www.capt-jt.com/
>
>Email captjt@mi*.co*


"You can't learn to dive on the net, sooner or later you have to get in the 
water"
Your Guide to Great Wreck Diving along the East Coast & more
  Web Site  http://www.capt-jt.com/
Email     captjt@mi*.co*


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Funny thing about egos, you push them enough and they will come
out.........the fact is Todd came up and told what happen(most divers do
at first and then change the story to save their egos), you and I assume
Todd were doing this new DIR drill you think you've learned and some how
you left the boat with your isolator and your back up reg closed only
breathing off your primary. At about 20mins (which is right for your size
tanks and SAC) you ran out of gas, switched to your back up and got
shit........ In the panic once you got on Todd's gas started back to the
anchor, this is where I'm waiting for someone to put the real story
together from the posted story it ain't hard to do, all they have to do
is read and put the pieces together.<br>
<br>
The fact is I saw the email that Todd challenged Dave to go public on
these list about who you did not want to go on some trips......... I
wanted it to happen, Dave did not as not to put names on the
list.........I could give a fuck........ So when Todd started his little
private cc posting I smashed all your dicks (even though you don't have
one) with the truth about your skills and past history, we have been
protecting you guys all the time and I knew it would be just a matter of
time before you fucked up and Dave nor I was there to correct it. Funny,
the divers you were worried about did fine.........you guys have the
problem.<br>
<br>
Here is another noticeable thing..........you now include the VBtech
list, Dalton didn't because he knew that some on the boat are only on
that list. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
At 06:30 PM 7/24/02 -0400, Allyson wrote:<br>
<br>
<font face=3D"arial" size=3D2 color=3D"#000080"><blockquote type=3Dcite=
 cite>I am
absolutely in awe over how obtuse you are. Who the hell do you think you
are talking to? This is me, JT. Dalton didn't write about some of the
details you mention because they didn't happen to him, not because he is
trying to protect our "frail egos" or "cover [anything]
up," please! I do not give a flying f*@% about anyone's ego. Todd
and I will be glad to talk about those details that you say were
suspiciously left out, and we plan on it. We'll talk about
*everything.*<br>
</font><br>
Do you think I actually jumped off the boat into 118fsw with no valves
on? If you think that was ever a possibility from me you should have
never invited me on the trips that you have lead. You must not think much
of me at all to even think that a possibility and I must be some sort of
super diver with a SAC rate of almost zero to be able to stay on the
bottom for 17 minutes with two off valves and then to continue on my own
accord through my slow ascent/decompression; that would make me some sort
of physiological oddity. Why didn't you just ask me what happened before
you came to the table with your plate full of usual tired misinformed
rhetoric? I see that you are chomping at the bit to confront us and that
is amusing. I suggest you get off your "high horse" before you
get knocked off. Your attitude is sickening. Is this what you do to
validate yourself? <br>
<br>
Before each dive we have been checking every facet of our gear and
ensuring that it is operational because we subscribe to the belief that
what each of us is carrying belongs to the entire team. After our team
checks, everything on my person was operational and behaving as it
should, including my SPG, the needle never bounced when I took not 3 but
6 breaths from my back up reg on the surface, the extra 3 breaths were
done to satisfy my buddy because he didn't witness me do it the first
time. You have no idea what happened to me, not the foggiest...do you
know how I know this? Because we didn't tell anyone on the boat what
happened to me except that we shared air--we were intentionally unclear
because no one on the boat cared for one another as evidenced by the
completely unprofessional cluster f*@% that later occurred and the
misinformation regarding me that you received from your "drooling
informants." <br>
<br>
I have put my heart and soul into this sport because I respect the fact
that the ocean is not my natural environment and that mother nature can
be a real bitch. There was no panic on our parts, a detail that you must
have just made up. Panic will get one killed. Remedying *my* situation
went smoothly because we took the philosophy and the procedures that AG
and MHK taught and used them and that includes the countless hours me and
my buddies have spent in the quarry practicing and preparing for
"real dives" and any situations that arise on those dives. My
brief moment of not being able to access my gas did not even upset me
because I knew my buddy, Todd, would be there for me once I alerted him,
and he was in my face instantly watching me make a reg switch and when he
saw I wasn't satisfied with that solution he had gas in my mouth in
seconds and it was executed calmly. There is something to be said about
having a procedure in place to handle would be emergencies. And I was
also aware of the fact that it was an impossibility for me to actually be
out of gas. I can't stress how crucial superb buddy skills are to the
diving system. One interesting aspect of the DIR system is that whether
my equipment failed me or I failed myself there was still another safe
way out.<br>
<br>
And, JT, I write this knowing full well that you will put this in your
Allyson Clagett email file so that you can throw it back in my face when
it's convenient for you to do so and most probably attempt to poke a hole
through every thing I or my buddies say. What kind of person does that?
Better yet, what kind of *friend* does that? If you actually have some
constructive criticism I will welcome it with open arms but at this point
I am not hopeful that is what your intentions are. I will save you the
trouble of publicly publishing this by doing so myself. If you ever want
to have a real conversation with me, like a mature adult would do, and
not the nonsensical Internet bully email crap that has become your style
you have my phone number. I'll happily speak with you--but I'll never
dive with you again your general attitude sucks and GI is right, yet
again, you are obstinate... but I believe his exact words were hard
headed and incapable of learning.<br>
<br>
Happy Internet diving, JT, I know you enjoy it.<br>
<br>
<font color=3D"#000080"> <br>
<br>
</font><font face=3D"arial" size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<br>
</font><br>
From: Capt JT
[<a href=3D"mailto:captjt@mi*.co*"=
 eudora=3D"autourl">mailto:captjt@mi*.co*</a>]<br>
<br>
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2002 4:22 PM<br>
<br>
To: dmdalton<br>
<br>
Cc: allysonlc@ea*.ne*; toddclagett@ea*.ne*<br>
<br>
Subject: Re: Nova Tech Dive Report 7/21/02 & Lessons Learned<br>
<br>
<font color=3D"#000080"> <br>
<br>
</font><font face=3D"arial" size=3D2>Dave, I have read your report and I
hav=
e
been informed by others on the<br>
</font><br>
boat what really went down. I am answering this private and will at
this<br>
<br>
point keep it that way until you are not able to cover the flack I<br>
<br>
suspect will come from the report on techdiver. Several important
details<br>
<br>
you left out to cover ones egos, shut off valves(not 1 but 2) ,
panic,<br>
<br>
drifting away when no one else had a problem with the current,<br>
<br>
ect.......... and are suggesting that the BOAT should have done
something<br>
<br>
different, when all problems were caused by the divers themselves.
Cover<br>
<br>
your own egos best you can if any questions start and cover the boat or
I<br>
<br>
will........I know what really happened, this is one you should not
have<br>
<br>
posted, you guys are too "thin skinned" to handle a seasoned
diver drilling<br>
<br>
this report.<br>
<br>
<font color=3D"#000080"> <br>
<br>
 <br>
<br>
 <br>
<br>
</font><font face=3D"arial" size=3D2>At 10:37 AM 7/23/02 -0700, you
wrote:<br>
</font><br>
>Trip report:<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>Sunday, July 21, 2002 found 4 Nova Tech divers diving<br>
<br>
>out of Virginia Beach, VA on the Miss Lindsey with<br>
<br>
>others with whom they regularly dive of the VB Tech<br>
<br>
>group. Nova Tech group divers consisted of Todd<br>
<br>
>Clagett and Allyson Clagett diving as a buddy team 1<br>
<br>
>and David Dalton, Sr. & David Dalton, Jr. diving as<br>
<br>
>buddy team 2. Team 1 is generally more interested in<br>
<br>
>artifact recovery and Team 2 leans more toward<br>
<br>
>sightseeing.<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>We arrived at the site of the Eureka (118 fsw) at<br>
<br>
>approximately 10:30, geared up and were in the water<br>
<br>
>at 11:30. Visibility was a spectacular 70 ft and<br>
<br>
>water temps on the bottom were a pleasant 61 degrees,<br>
<br>
>with surface temp being much warmer. There was a<br>
<br>
>strong current and it was very nice to be using<br>
<br>
>scooters to deal with it. More on that later!<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>Team 1 went right to digging in a hole that wasn't<br>
<br>
>more than 15 feet from where the wreck was tied in.<br>
<br>
>They left the numerous bottles they unearthed for the<br>
<br>
>second dive bringing up just one. Team 2 toured the<br>
<br>
>wreck with D1 (Sr) pulling D2 (Jr) with his Gavin<br>
<br>
>scooter. D2 carried a camera and shot two rolls which<br>
<br>
>are in the process of being developed as I write. The<br>
<br>
>clarity of the water allowed one to get a very good<br>
<br>
>understanding of the layout of the wreck. Viewing the<br>
<br>
>two large anchors on the port side of the bow, at the<br>
<br>
>same time was incredible. Both Teams completed their<br>
<br>
>planned 40 minute bottom times and required deco and<br>
<br>
>got back on board.<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>Todd advised that he had just broken into a new crate<br>
<br>
>of bottles and showed one he had stuffed in his<br>
<br>
>pocket, a square bottle of Dr. Prichard's Castoria<br>
<br>
>with the good doctor's name and the product name cast<br>
<br>
>into the bottle. Although these bottles were from the<br>
<br>
>1890's when this ship sunk, D1 is old enough (54) to<br>
<br>
>remember taking this patent medicine as a child. It<br>
<br>
>was still sold in a square bottle and appeared that<br>
<br>
>the only change was from a cork to a screw top.<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>Todd's discovery generated considerable excitement<br>
<br>
>between both teams and both decided to concentrate on<br>
<br>
>excavating that hole on the second dive.<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>Both teams brought bags down to carry back bottles on<br>
<br>
>the second dive. Todd, being the master digger with a<br>
<br>
>scooter, went to work while the other 3 stuffed the<br>
<br>
>bags as he handed out bottles.<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>About 20 minutes into the dive Allyson developed a<br>
<br>
>problem with one of her regs and after the situation<br>
<br>
>was handled both teams decided to end the dive. Team<br>
<br>
>1 started their ascent and deco and Team 2 hooked up<br>
<br>
>the two bags of bottles and started their ascent.<br>
<br>
>Rather than hang on the line like a flag in the breeze<br>
<br>
>we were doing "drift and run deco". Drift 50 or 60<br>
<br>
>feet from the anchor line and then run back to it with<br>
<br>
>the scooter, then drift again and repeat, obviously<br>
<br>
>only a technique one would employ in good viz.<br>
<br>
>Between 40 & 50 feet the current picked up quite a bit<br>
<br>
>and we (Team 2) inadvertently drifted out of sight of<br>
<br>
>the anchor line. We ran some circular patterns on the<br>
<br>
>scooter but to no avail. We settled in, shot a bag,<br>
<br>
>completed our deco drift style, and upon completion<br>
<br>
>surfaced to find the boat several hundred yards away.<br>
<br>
>We dropped down to 15 feet and scootered toward the<br>
<br>
>boat for about 2 minutes. We surfaced again and saw<br>
<br>
>that we were making progress so we dropped down and<br>
<br>
>tried it again. This time I could hear the motor on<br>
<br>
>the scooter slowing and realized we were out of juice.<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>We returned to the surface, and found we were even<br>
<br>
>farther away than before. We fully inflated the lift<br>
<br>
>bag, hooked up the dive-alerts an honked them and<br>
<br>
>flashed the HID light in the direction of the boat.<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>Todd later advised that he saw us as soon as we<br>
<br>
>surfaced but we were not aware of this. Consequently<br>
<br>
>we continued to signal and honk. Interestingly no one<br>
<br>
>heard the dive alert (other than us!) and the HID<br>
<br>
>light (a 10 Watt EE Pro 6) was more visible than the<br>
<br>
>yellow lift bag. (Note to self: Never dive in the<br>
<br>
>ocean without the HID!)<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>As we were the last divers in the water the boat<br>
<br>
>didn't have to wait TOOOOOOOOO long before coming to<br>
<br>
>get us. The mate went in to pull the hook, they<br>
<br>
>pulled up the hangbars and gear lines and got<br>
<br>
>underway. All of this took about 30 minutes which<br>
<br>
>doesn't seem like too long, but when you don't know if<br>
<br>
>anyone knows where you are and you re drifting farther<br>
<br>
>and farther from the boat, I can assure you it seems<br>
<br>
>like much longer!<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>Lessons learned:<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>1) Switch batteries on the scooter between dives. If<br>
<br>
>we had fresh batteries in the scooter we could have<br>
<br>
>made it back to the boat even following our drift<br>
<br>
>deco.<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>2) Make sure you have appropriate signaling devices.<br>
<br>
>Lift bag, safety sausage, HID light, dive-alert. On<br>
<br>
>the last, while the dive-alert has it's place, which<br>
<br>
>is probably in situations where fog blows in and you<br>
<br>
>are relatively close to the boat, its not much good at<br>
<br>
>longer distances as I have now learned.<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>Along this same line it would be comforting for the<br>
<br>
>team in the water if the boat had someway of signaling<br>
<br>
>back that they knew where you were and would come get<br>
<br>
>you shortly (Horn, flare, guy in a lime green drysuit<br>
<br>
>waving his arms on the top of the boat)!<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>3) This situation pointed out the need for chase boats<br>
<br>
>when diving in strong currents, or for the boat to be<br>
<br>
>able to put a float on the anchor line, so they can<br>
<br>
>leave to pick up/attend to the divers on a lift bag.<br>
<br>
>While the Miss Lindsey has a chase boat it was not<br>
<br>
>used in this case. In this case we were able to<br>
<br>
>complete our deco, surface and wait to be picked up.<br>
<br>
>If a diver was injured or did not have appropriate gas<br>
<br>
>to complete his deco (like hanging it off the boat<br>
<br>
>instead of carrying it with you) the outcome might not<br>
<br>
>have been as favorable.<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>4) Stay calm. While we were concerned as to whether<br>
<br>
>or not anyone knew where we were, we remained calm<br>
<br>
>which helped to contribute to the favorable outcome of<br>
<br>
>this dive. There was no reason to panic, the water<br>
<br>
>was warm, we were in trilam drysuits with thinsulate<br>
<br>
>undergarments, we had a 10 watt hid that would burn<br>
<br>
>for 5 + hours which would be especially good for<br>
<br>
>signaling in the dusk or at night and we had 4 back up<br>
<br>
>lights between us. We had just eaten several Miss<br>
<br>
>Lindsey "Deco Dogs" before the second dive so our<br>
<br>
>nutritional requirements were taken care of (those<br>
<br>
>things will stay with you forever!). We were well<br>
<br>
>hydrated and I had a P-valve in my drysuit - too bad<br>
<br>
>my son did not (You've never seen anyone get out of a<br>
<br>
>drysuit and run for the head so fast)!!!!<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>5) If you are doing a "drift and run" deco, make sure<br>
<br>
>you don't lose sight of the anchor line.<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>All in all, it was an incredible day of diving, great<br>
<br>
>weather, great viz, great bottles (yes we still had<br>
<br>
>both bags when we got back on the boat), and a very<br>
<br>
>worthwhile learning experience. What more could you<br>
<br>
>ask for?<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>Dave Dalton<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D<br>
<br>
>Dave Dalton<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>"You just can't show up for "Game Day" and expect to
win.<br>
<br>
> You've got to go to practice if you want to be ready!"<br>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>
<a href=3D"http://home.earthlink.net/~toddclagett/NovaTech/"=

eudora=3D"autourl">http://home.earthlink.net/~toddclagett/NovaTech/</a><br
>
<br>
><br>
<br>
>__________________________________________________<br>
<br>
>Do You Yahoo!?<br>
<br>
>Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better<br>
<br>
><a href=3D"http://health.yahoo.com/"=
 eudora=3D"autourl">http://health.yahoo.com</a><br>
<br>
>--<br>
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<br>
<font color=3D"#000080"> <br>
<br>
</font><font face=3D"arial" size=3D2>"You can't learn to dive on the
net, sooner or later you have to get in the<br>
</font><br>
water"<br>
<br>
Your Guide to Great Wreck Diving along the East Coast & more<br>
<br>
Web Site
<a href=3D"http://www.capt-jt.com/"=
 eudora=3D"autourl">http://www.capt-jt.com/</a><br>
<br>
Email captjt@mi*.co*</blockquote><br>

<br>
"You can't learn to dive on the net, sooner or later you have to get
in the water"<br>
<font color=3D"#0000FF"><u>Your Guide to Great Wreck Diving along the East
Coast & more <br>
 Web Site 
<a href=3D"http://www.capt-jt.com/"=
 eudora=3D"autourl">http://www.capt-jt.com</a><a=
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