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On Fri, 9 Jun 1995, MARK WELZEL wrote: > Paul, though I don't agree with your stance on mix vs. air completely, > I do like your closing statement! My only stance is that I don't think deep air (150-180 and deeper by most people's definition) dives should be a prerequisite to mixed gas training. Am not going to be involved in deepair vs mix debate. > Here's a question: > Why is it that the cavers are pro-mix to the point of > condemning deep air diving and the wreck divers think > the cavers have been sucking helium for too long? There are plenty of cave divers doing deep air dives. In fact, I can think of few I know who do not. They do not write to techdiver. I suspect there is a higher percentage of cave divers than wreck (high dollar per dive) divers who are too cheap to use helium :-) > my money away - mix training and gas ain't cheap. Some people say > that air is unsafe to those depths, but they'll use the same PPO2 > for their deco that I use for my dive, remember that's after those > OTU's have built up, and no one can supply any hard data on what is > and what isn't safe. I can see how in a cave you're doing a couple > of hundred or even thousands of feet of penetration, you really want > a clear head to find your way home. For my 20 minutes on the bottom I Deco is different. You are at rest, not task loaded, able to tolerate more. You can switch to a gas with lower o2, can take "air breaks". I think the data is pretty consistent. One of the most important things I have heard about deep ait diving is "if you feel strange, get shallower fast". In a cave this is often impossible, so it is necessary to be more conservative. You are right, cave diving involves a lot of life-and death decisions Your life depends on good judgement and quick thinking under stress. > And one day I'll even stick my head inside a cave - I still can't > figure out why you guys swim in holes in the ground (I can't figure out Don't feel obliged to.. Caves should only be entered by people who love or appreciate them.... People who are educated and determined not to damage their fragile, timeless beauty. Hope these facts are helpful.......... Paul Smith
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