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I just completed a phone conversation with George, and he misunderstood the intent of the post I put out yesterday. In fact because I had referenced the dives at the UM RSMAS he was concerned some may take it as an endorsement of diving below 200 feet on air. To the contrary, This posting was intended to explain why IANTD offers deep training, the levels of deep training we offer and to estabalish our recommendations of trimix on dives below 180 feet and out position that trimix should be mandatory for dives below 200 feet. Trimx should also be used for all precision work. IANTD ACKNOWLEDGES DIVES DEEPER THAN 200 FEET ON AIR IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS and should be avoided. Diving below 200 on air is comparable to playing russian rulette, the gun will eventually go off. As I cited many of my friends who survived numerous deep air dives for years eventually had a off day and did not come back. I have assisted friends at depth who blacked out. Most deep air divers will cite instances where time distortion takes place, that is because part of our intellect has taken a nap. When Im tempted to rip off a deep air dive beyond 200 feet I pull out a photo of 5 friends and myself who all but two are dead today from dives deeper than 200 feet. I'm one of the living ones in that photo and Dr. Dick Williams is the other and today he is practicing medicine in Thailand. In my own personal ultra deep dives at one time or another I have experienced every tox symptom other than a convulsion usually following some degree of exertion or a time factor exposure. This happen fast and while at rest one may feel perfect, yet one powere kick can change this to severe tox symptoms.I know because I have been there. The deep air dives at the UM were tightly supervised and with continued on going training,. As referenced, the majority of those dives were between 180 and 200 with some to 240. In addition these were primairly data collecting dives with low exertion. They were not high exertion dives as experienced in cave and wreck exploration. I hope this presents both IANTD's and my personal opnion of ultra deep air diving in a clearer light. IANTD has a bumper sticker that I really beleive sums it up "Been there can't remember it, Been there, seen it, remember it TRIMIX" Please limit your dive depths to those you have been trained to or through experience are qualified to and do not push dives deeper than 200 feet on air and preferably no deeper than 180 feet. In overhead environments be more conservative. Those of you on the net, how many of you are willing to stay within these limits and willing to use gas if a need to dive deeper exist. and How many of you actually feel it is safe to dive deeper than 200 on air? Of those who do dive beyond 200 on air how many close calls have you had and how often have you had at least some symptoms? Can we pursuade the majority of our deep air friends to limit there exposures to 180 to 200 on air? Please guys respond to these simple questions. Remember although we discuss the problem of oxygen toxicity as a limiting factor to depth, then we discuss the problems associated with narcosis as a risk factor, and next we look at carbon dioxide retention as a risk factor it is the combined effects of all these gases and the physiological changes they produce which is additive that causes accidents on deep air. Your adaption or tolerance to any of these elements depends on your current physiolocical/psychological/ biochemical status and even emotions may alter this balance thus it is difficult to predicit a daily response. In the dark ages there was only air today we have the option of increased safety with mix. Yes trimix also has its own specific risk benefit evaluations. Deep diving is risky business period. You must complete a risk benefit analysis before pursuing deep dives. IANTD recommends the following evaluation for all dives. RISK CORRECTIVE ACTION BENEFIT VALUE (yes/no) 1 2 3etc If the no's outweigh the yea's don't do the deed. You must be willing to pay the price. As often stated if you can't take the punishement, do not do the deed. On the flip side I personally think any diver who goes to mix should be trained to and competent at a depth of 160 feet. Pleas provide your comments on this as well. Safe diving to you, Tom Mount
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