60 dives in a week @ Buddy Dive?

[Thalassamania]

Given the current state of diver education many people reading such a story would think it reasonable to do the same thing. I suspect that the diver, his shop, the operator and the author all lack sufficient knowledge to understand what was wrong with such a stunt, so while he may have the right to do as he pleases, he needs to be called for the fool that he is, in front of other people who may otherwise use his example to decide to try for 11 a day, or 12 a day, etc.

 

[cruiser]

In warm water, keeping shallow, being relaxed and moving slowly (observing the small stuff and enjoying the sensation of being submerged), I can get 3.25 hours out of an 80 AL tank. Guess I'm a sucker for wasting all that air on just one dive. :shocked2: For me, hours spent underwater are more significant than number of dives.

 

[Brandon]

Makes you wonder how many of the other 1000 were done the same way.

-B

 

[gypsyjim]

I did not start this thread in attempt to label anyone a fool, or call anyone unsafe.

Discussion of this story started last evening, after several of us read the newsletter from Buddy Dive, and while almost every diver who was in the discussion understood how such a high dive count could be achieved, and really, done fairly safely, the story left a poor taste in out mouths, because it left unsuspecting, and especially inexperienced divers with the impression that a diver had done 60 serious dives in 6 or 7 days.

If a fool did come along, and try to compete with this stunt, without a good understanding of how it could be done, safely, they could be in a world of hurt.

Gypsy Divers have a very good reputation, as does Buddy Dive. While I do not think that I have dived with people from this particular group, I know for a fact that I have dived with people that I respect very highly, who have, and who hold this group in high regard.

I have dived at Buddy Dive many, many times. They are great people, and run a very good, safe operation. In fact, even when I am staying off resort on some of my trips to Bonaire, I have continued to use the "Shore Dive Package", that Buddy offers. They run a tight operation, and I find the shop extremely helpful, and I love the 24/7 access to gas that is available threw their op.

My opinion is that the newsletter left the wrong impression, not that the stunt was particularly hazardous, or that anyone involved was truly negligent.

 

[gypsyjim]

Makes you wonder how many of the other 1000 were done the same way.

-B

It certainly does do that, and friends in NC will certainly be ribbing the diver about that in the future!

 

[DandyDon]

1,000 dives - cool. How many were with scuba...?

 

[drrich2]

I don't know. Even when I was fresh out of open water I'm sure I would have figured out that he was doing short, shallow profiles. There's no other way to do 10 a day and have any kind of surface interval.

Within the framework of what we're taught in basic OW training, that's true. But some dives may either get a very inflated idea of what Nitrox can do for you (I like EAN 32, don't get me wrong), or may simply decide the standards endorsed in basic OW training are grossly over-conservative to protect training agencies from liability, and that cool guys who know what they're doing can push way past those limits & still be okay. Even on a forum like this, you've got differences of opinion about how deep people should dive on air, for example.

I'm not saying most would, just that a few might. And as we know from the thread on the recent presumed death in the cave system at Vortex Spring, just one death can really create a lot of impact.

Richard.

 

[Thalassamania]

I did not start this thread in attempt to label anyone a fool, or call anyone unsafe.

OK, I'll say it for you ... these folks are foolish and unsafe.

Discussion of this story started last evening, after several of us read the newsletter from Buddy Dive, and while almost every diver who was in the discussion understood how such a high dive count could be achieved, and really, done fairly safely, the story left a poor taste in out mouths, because it left unsuspecting, and especially inexperienced divers with the impression that a diver had done 60 serious dives in 6 or 7 days.

60 dives to 10 feet in 7 days pose a serious potential problem with bubble pumping due to insufficient surface intervals, as I mentioned before. Is there something about this problem that you do not understand and that I must explain in more detail?

If a fool did come along, and try to compete with this stunt, without a good understanding of how it could be done, safely, they could be in a world of hurt.

Already happened, that's the case we are talking about.

Gypsy Divers have a very good reputation, as does Buddy Dive. While I do not think that I have dived with people from this particular group, I know for a fact that I have dived with people that I respect very highly, who have, and who hold this group in high regard.

Sorta makes you wonder what that reputation is based on, doesn't it?

I have dived at Buddy Dive many, many times. They are great people, and run a very good, safe operation. In fact, even when I am staying off resort on some of my trips to Bonaire, I have continued to use the "Shore Dive Package", that Buddy offers. They run a tight operation, and I find the shop extremely helpful, and I love the 24/7 access to gas that is available threw their op.

They may run a convenient and friendly operation, but safe? Clearly not!

My opinion is that the newsletter left the wrong impression, not that the stunt was particularly hazardous, or that anyone involved was truly negligent.

The stunt was particularly hazardous, and everyone involved was truly negligent and lucky.

 

[herman]

OK ladies and gents, here is the actual story. Louie was on Bonaire for 12 days, diving 10 of them, not 6 as the story implies. He dove 6 dives per day (not uncommon for Bonaire) with an average bottom time per dive of 40-45 minutes on 32 nitrox. I typically do 4 or 5 per day and 6 on occasion with bottom times averaging 75 minutes and I know Jim does as well so our actual bottom time per day is about the same. This was dedicated diving to be sure but not out of the norm for Bonaire .
Basically this boils down to nothing more than poor/inaccurate wording on Buddy's part and assumptions being made without the actual facts. While it was intense diving, it was not out of reason for Boniare and in any case, not a dangerous stunt.


EDIT:
Additional info I neglected to put in the first time, the time error that Buddy made- 1 week instead of 12 days can also be explained. Louie went down early to get in some diving before his group got there, so in fact "the group" was there for a week while Louie had an additional 4 days of diving before they got there. A reasonable mistake on BD's part but it none the less made the news somewhat misleading.....sounds a lot like our media...

 

[DeputyDan]

I had wondered about this and was going to give the owner of Gypsy's a call about it.

I know Louis but have not personally has a class under him. He taught my daughter's stress and rescus course and the whole thread seemed out of character for him and definitely for Gypsy's as a whole.

Glad to know that the information in the letter was simply wrong.