1,000 Ways to Die: Is Diving One of Them?
- Thread starter Trace Malinowski
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Despite being the poster boy for non-DIR diving, I've found that divers even of that persuasion tolerate me. I don't feel the hostility from others (maybe it's because I'm just insensitive or am not really concerned about how others view me).
I watched my father waste away from the after effects of a debilitating stroke for 18 months. Although he used to be active in his younger years, he was mostly tied to his office chair or the couch later in life and was type A (much as I loved him).
I'm determined to enjoy my senior years to the greatest extent possible. Of course that means diving. Unfortunately the economy and the rising price of tank fills have limited my ability to do so, and age is undermining my tolerance for cold water requiring travel to exotic, tropical dive destinations for maximum pleasure.
If I die diving, so be it. Much preferable to lying in a bed unable to communicate clearly as my mind and body waste away. This coming year will mark the 50th one since I first used SCUBA in 1961. I think I need to celebrate... the entire year!!
I watched my father waste away from the after effects of a debilitating stroke for 18 months. Although he used to be active in his younger years, he was mostly tied to his office chair or the couch later in life and was type A (much as I loved him).
I'm determined to enjoy my senior years to the greatest extent possible. Of course that means diving. Unfortunately the economy and the rising price of tank fills have limited my ability to do so, and age is undermining my tolerance for cold water requiring travel to exotic, tropical dive destinations for maximum pleasure.
If I die diving, so be it. Much preferable to lying in a bed unable to communicate clearly as my mind and body waste away. This coming year will mark the 50th one since I first used SCUBA in 1961. I think I need to celebrate... the entire year!!
We as a society / culture have lost the ability to accept that things happen, and the concept of self-responsibility. Our litigious society forms from "It's always someone else's fault."
When the kid climbs over two fences to trespass and drown in a swimming pool, it's the pool owner's fault.
When the diver fails to dive his gear correctly, it's the manufacturer's fault.
When the diver chooses to go beyond his training and experience, it is the boat owner's and instructor's fault.
We have become a victim society. The saddest part of that is when the s*** hits the fan, we do not accept our own responsibility, and that robs us of the feeling that everything is in our control, and that feeling of lack of control contributes to panic, the real killer.
My .02psi.
Kevin Carlisle
Contributor
As opposed to what Trace? Just about 95% of my dives a year are cave dives. Over 300 at various levels and I am quite convinced the most dangerous part is the drive to and from. Unless like Devon mentioned a Darwin moment gets in the way but our training taught us how to prevent that. The only negatve things I have heard about people that push the limits is that they are nuts. I dont think so, they knew the risk and took measures to make it as safe as possible.
I do on one hand think adding a ccr unit to a dive does kinda chamber the round so to speak. I have over a dozen friends who use them and do it almost weekly but I still feel they are about as close to walking a fine line as you can get and that makes me nervous. So is it ok to die on a dive? In recreational diving I see it as senseless, in exploration its inevitable. Just the nature of the beast and its up to the diver to make that call. That wont ever make it easier for friends and family to let them go, however if you take that opportunity from them thats kinda like killing them too. Man you really come up with a question, that must have been a good dive you had LOL.
I do on one hand think adding a ccr unit to a dive does kinda chamber the round so to speak. I have over a dozen friends who use them and do it almost weekly but I still feel they are about as close to walking a fine line as you can get and that makes me nervous. So is it ok to die on a dive? In recreational diving I see it as senseless, in exploration its inevitable. Just the nature of the beast and its up to the diver to make that call. That wont ever make it easier for friends and family to let them go, however if you take that opportunity from them thats kinda like killing them too. Man you really come up with a question, that must have been a good dive you had LOL.
jnorris
Contributor
I could take this post and transplant it into any of the aviation forums I read, or any of the auto racing forums I read, or any of the motorcycle riding forums I read. This type of thing isn't unique to the scuba community. Aviators, bikers or racers all do the exact same thing. It's just basic human nature. I think there are two things at play here. One, people strive to try to learn all they can from another's misfortune, so as to prevent the same thing from happening to themselves. Along with that there's a certain amount of "boy was this guy dumb, that will never happen to me" going on in people's minds. I know that may sound harsh, but I've seen it over and over in these discussions on every forum I follow. Again, it's just human nature.
In the final analysis, dying is dying. It's never particularly heroic (except for some cases where people do things far in excess in order to save others), and it's never particularly pretty. It just is. I think it's important that we learn what we can from what happens and go forth armed with that knowledge so as to (maybe) prevent the same thing from happening to us.
pantheraba
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What is a "ccr unit"?
Google first said "continuous catalyst regeneration (CCR) unit" but then I saw something about a rebreather unit. It's a new acronym for me.
Kevin Carlisle
Contributor
OP
Closed Circuit Rebreather.
(What Kevin said.) - Edited for being slow on the Jeopardy button.
Just woke up, sat down with my first cup of coffee and checked on ScubaBoard.
All this talk about death and dying. Geez. Diving is about living, not dying. Diving is part of my life. Teaching diving is part of my life. When I am diving all I am thinking about is diving. Often when I am not diving I am thinking about diving. But I am never, on land, in the air or underwater, thinking about dying. We are all going to die. So be it. I prefer to spend my time here living, celebrating life and enjoying. Not thinking, talking about, focusing or even running from death. When death is ready for me, I'll be out somewhere living.
All this talk about death and dying. Geez. Diving is about living, not dying. Diving is part of my life. Teaching diving is part of my life. When I am diving all I am thinking about is diving. Often when I am not diving I am thinking about diving. But I am never, on land, in the air or underwater, thinking about dying. We are all going to die. So be it. I prefer to spend my time here living, celebrating life and enjoying. Not thinking, talking about, focusing or even running from death. When death is ready for me, I'll be out somewhere living.
Two points this fine morning as I wait for the satellite repair man. Totally irrelevant to all of you but I thought I would throw that in.
There is always this quest to find a "reason" for an acident or incident. Just human nature and all in all very beneficial to the collecitve. Helps prevent the preventable. However, in my years as a paramedic the one thing I can tell you is that fate is a fickle bitch! When your number is up your number is up. Let me illustrate with the story of two rocks. Neither of these were my calls but it serves my purpose. I am sure as I get older they will become mine. Anyway, rock number one is about the size of a football and rock two is about the size if a VW bug. Rock one falls from a cliff one fine summer day and plummets toward an interstate highway bounces through an open passenger window and strikes a man in the head killing him instantly. Rock two falls from a cliff and tumbles toward a housing development. A young lady feels the call of nature at about 2 in the morning and gets up to pee. Rock two removes her bedroom from the rest of the townhouse. You figure that one out.
Point two. Please remember that there are many many fates worse than death. As already mentioned and so eloquently stated by one of the greatest philosophers of our time....
"I'd rather die while I am living, than live when I'm dead" Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefers
There is always this quest to find a "reason" for an acident or incident. Just human nature and all in all very beneficial to the collecitve. Helps prevent the preventable. However, in my years as a paramedic the one thing I can tell you is that fate is a fickle bitch! When your number is up your number is up. Let me illustrate with the story of two rocks. Neither of these were my calls but it serves my purpose. I am sure as I get older they will become mine. Anyway, rock number one is about the size of a football and rock two is about the size if a VW bug. Rock one falls from a cliff one fine summer day and plummets toward an interstate highway bounces through an open passenger window and strikes a man in the head killing him instantly. Rock two falls from a cliff and tumbles toward a housing development. A young lady feels the call of nature at about 2 in the morning and gets up to pee. Rock two removes her bedroom from the rest of the townhouse. You figure that one out.
Point two. Please remember that there are many many fates worse than death. As already mentioned and so eloquently stated by one of the greatest philosophers of our time....
"I'd rather die while I am living, than live when I'm dead" Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefers
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