Seeking equipment for blind diver

[Add_H2O]

I was down in the Bahamas in January and saw a Japanese diver with a tactile pressure guage. It looked a lot like a car tire guage with the piston where the pin comes out relative to the PSI in the tire. This one was connected to a hose and attached to his first stage. I asked him where he got it and in broken english he told me that Bridgestone makes them in Japan.

Well, Bridgestone North America doesn't have a clue what I am talking about so I was wondering if anyone would know who I can talk to to get some for my visually impaired students.

I am also looking for talking computers. Mares used to make one as did Orca but I have not seen these on their web pages and none of the dive shops I have spoken to seem interrested in finding one for me.

Any help would be much appreciated

 

[pasley]

I have the following observations:
1. It is none of my business what anyone else does.
2. I support any physically challenged individual doing almost anything. I have run in marathons with wheelchair runners (more power to them), and seen blind skiers, and dove with amputees, played golf behind a blind golfer (his score was better than mine). To all of these I say great, don't let anything hold you back. I believe a person is not defined by physical challenges, but rather by what they do with their life.

So at first glance my reaction is:
1. A blind diver? Why? My Father-in-law was blind and I would not have even considered diving for him when he was alive. Diving is IMHO essentially a visual experience, not a tactile one. I understand that much can be seen by touching, but the ocean is, or should be, a do not touch zone (coral does not react well to being touched and many things in the sea sting or bite). Now I will admit to having dove in visibility of 1 foot or less and being more or less blind, but then I terminated the dive (ok, so it was after 23 minutes of trying to get below the red tide). I just do not see the risk benefit analysis coming out in favor of the blind diving.

2. After gettting past the initial gut reaction, I can see that the additional risk are probably limited to they cannot see how to get to the boat (diver buddy separation does happen) or hazards on shore exit. I am on the fence about including as a potential issue not being able to see which way is up (using surface light or bubbles as a guide). I will agree that the which way is up issue can be solved by a little air in the BC, but I do consider that an additional risk. I also am aware that on night and some day dives you really can’t use the eyes to determine which way is up.

3. So the bottom line is there is undoubtedly many things about this subject of which I am not aware, including what a blind diver gets from diving. So are there really any additional risk and if so how are they mitigated? What benefit (what do they set out of it) is there to the blind person in diving? Are they many blind divers out there?

 

[DivemasterSteve]

Are they many blind divers out there?

check out this thread, i searched "blind diver"


http://69.93.91.170/showthread.php?t=47764&highlight=blind+diver

steve

 

[pasley]

check out this thread, i searched "blind diver"


http://69.93.91.170/showthread.php?t=47764&highlight=blind+diver

steve

Bigger set that I have that is for certain. As was mentioned in the thread, just close you eyes and try to cross the street, or just ride in a car as a passenger with your eyes closed, that is scary. But to actually dive, bigger set than I have.

 

[AmyJ]

Hi,

I don't know for sure, but might contact Jim Elliot at Diveheart. He might be able to help you.

http://www.diveheart.org/

Good Luck!

 

[Add_H2O]

I have to admit Paisley, at first your comments concerned me a little however I beleive I was likely reading it in a manner that was not as you intended.

There is much more to diving than "seeing" as there is in many other activities. To someone with disablities, diving is not only a way to enjoy the sensation and peacefulness of the underwater world but a normalizing activity. It gives them an opportunity to integrate with individuals that are not living with a disability.
Here is someone who has been told all their life that they can't do this, or can't take part in that. You give them an opportunity, with a few modifications for communications, and they shine.

I am an HSA (Handicapped Scuba Association) Instructor and have worked with 2 visually impaired students in the past year both of which have much better buoyancy than most of my non-challenged students. They retain what they have been taught much better and are in some ways less dependent than most. True, it does mean they require assistance in directional travel and communication that we take for granted but with a short breifing at the surface, a buddy can easily take a blind diver for a dive.

As far as using feel instead of sight, I couldn't agree with you more. However, there is a lot more underwater than fish and coral. Fresh water divers will agree that most of out excitement comes from diving on or near wrecks where we find bottles, shoes and even china. One man's junk is another man's treasure. Don't get me wrong, being an Ontario diver, we encourage leaving such artifacts underwater so they can be enjoyed by others and my students understand and respect that.

Finally, you have to keep in mind that being sight impaired does not necessarily mean living in the dark. People can be legally blind yet still be able to see colours and shapes near to them. It just makes it difficult to read a pressure gauge, depth gauge, or timing device. Typically, the buddy would assist in monitoring these devices however using a tactile pressure gauge (as is the basis of this thread) and an audible computer (that has existed in the past), blind divers could have a greater sense of control even if their partner is a certified HSA Buddy.

 

[CelticRavenVA]

I used to teach at an outdoor learning center. I worked with a group of blind people one day, it was one of the most rewarding experiences ever. Activities they did this day were among other things, swimming, team obstical negotiation; which included getting all members of the team over a 30 foot wall, rapelling, the famous zip and dip (zipline that tops out at about 40 mph, and uses the water as a break.... wicked fun)

I must say the group actually handled themselves better then most of the adult groups that we had out there did. The age ranges for the blind group were about 13-18. While yes I agree that some things shouldn't be touched.... there are plenty of things that can be. Not to mention, sounds underwater are great, night dives come to mind where you are actually listening cause you can't see crap...

Add H20,
Keep up the good work! I bet that is an extreamly rewarding experience!

 

[pasley]

I have to admit Pasley, at first your comments concerned me a little however I believe I was likely reading it in a manner that was not as you intended...

As I said in my original post “I believe a person is not defined by physical challenges, but rather by what they do with their life” and I truly believe that.

I would never tell anyone they can't do something because they have a physical challenge. If I had a concern I would ask what their plan is to deal with that aspect. It has been my experience that many of a “handicapped persons” so called limitations are usually artificially imposed on them by others.

I was just curious as to what the blind diver was expecting to get from the experience since to me diving is about the view. Thanks to your comments and others made here, I now know more than I did before.

 

[MikeS]

Sorry for my part in sidetracking this thread.

My first thought was the concept of a blind diver was ridiculous. If I couldn’t “see” there is no way I’d be diving. But in thinking about it, I suspect that that’s only because I’m looking at it through my perspective; there are a lot of things I can’t imagine doing, walking across the room for instance.

It would be very interesting to talk with a blind diver and see how there experience compares with mine.

Mike

 

[leadweight]

Personally, I find the idea that a blind person can not appreciate diving because it is so "visual" to be complete nonsense.

Diving involves many sensations including weightlessness, water resistance, controlled breathing, the feeling of immersion and so on. It is as physical as can be. Ever feel exhausted after a 5 dive day on a liveaboard.

To imply that a blind person cannot appreciate diving is to imply that their life is not worth as much as a sighted person.

Next time you go diving close your eyes and tie a rope from you to your buddy. See how you do with bouyancy control. I bet it would be difficult but not impossible.

Anyone who is blind and goes diving has guts.