That's one of the things I'd like to see addressed in an updated version. Overheads in general. In my experience far more people are led by irresponsible and dangerous operators into so called swim thru's on "clean wrecks" and in reefs than are led into caves. A number of the deaths in caves were by people going in on their own with a buddy that was equally clueless.
People have died after being led on tours of wrecks put down as artificial reefs and natural wrecks. They have disappeared after being led through formations such as the Devil's Throat in Cozumel by so called "professionals". These "pros" have only a cursory idea of the skill level and comfort level of the people they are leading. If they have any at all. This is why such a video exists and why it should be shown to every new diver. So that they can be informed of one of the real risks of diving in an honest way.
Giving people information about the real risks is not going to scare them off if they really want to dive. Reports of the deaths of people will do a much better job of that. What I find ironic is that the agency that helped to produce this video does not make it mandatory viewing in the OW class. It's a 15 minute film. It can save lives and create better informed divers.
It might have some impact on those instructors and shops that take OW divers into caverns and overheads though. Like I was when I first got certified. Had maybe 20 dives and was taken on a night dive into the ballroom at Ginnie along with 7 or 8 other divers by the instructor. Some of them had just completed their OW checkouts a day before. No way in hell I'd do that had I seen this.
I have a student that tells me every time he's on a guided dive my voice pops into his head. Most recently it was when he was with a group that was being led and the DM entered the hold of a wreck that was wide open. He didn't go in as all he heard was my voice saying "You are not overhead trained. You have no business in there."
Even the most benign looking sites can kill a diver who is unaware. Those strands of algae hanging down from the ceiling conceal a control lever that could hook a bc or hose. Those planks laying on the floor have gaps big enough to trap that dangling console or octo and cause a panic reaction. That hole in the ceiling looks deceptively large. So you try to exit via it and you get stuck on something you can't see because you misjudged the clearance.
Being an adult has nothing to do with it. Look at the number of "here, hold my beer" videos on you tube. Or "hey, watch this" and tell me people are not sometimes idiots. Underwater that can kill, and one of the best ways to guard against that is education that is not sugar coated or glossed over.
People have died after being led on tours of wrecks put down as artificial reefs and natural wrecks. They have disappeared after being led through formations such as the Devil's Throat in Cozumel by so called "professionals". These "pros" have only a cursory idea of the skill level and comfort level of the people they are leading. If they have any at all. This is why such a video exists and why it should be shown to every new diver. So that they can be informed of one of the real risks of diving in an honest way.
Giving people information about the real risks is not going to scare them off if they really want to dive. Reports of the deaths of people will do a much better job of that. What I find ironic is that the agency that helped to produce this video does not make it mandatory viewing in the OW class. It's a 15 minute film. It can save lives and create better informed divers.
It might have some impact on those instructors and shops that take OW divers into caverns and overheads though. Like I was when I first got certified. Had maybe 20 dives and was taken on a night dive into the ballroom at Ginnie along with 7 or 8 other divers by the instructor. Some of them had just completed their OW checkouts a day before. No way in hell I'd do that had I seen this.
I have a student that tells me every time he's on a guided dive my voice pops into his head. Most recently it was when he was with a group that was being led and the DM entered the hold of a wreck that was wide open. He didn't go in as all he heard was my voice saying "You are not overhead trained. You have no business in there."
Even the most benign looking sites can kill a diver who is unaware. Those strands of algae hanging down from the ceiling conceal a control lever that could hook a bc or hose. Those planks laying on the floor have gaps big enough to trap that dangling console or octo and cause a panic reaction. That hole in the ceiling looks deceptively large. So you try to exit via it and you get stuck on something you can't see because you misjudged the clearance.
Being an adult has nothing to do with it. Look at the number of "here, hold my beer" videos on you tube. Or "hey, watch this" and tell me people are not sometimes idiots. Underwater that can kill, and one of the best ways to guard against that is education that is not sugar coated or glossed over.
