Advanced penetration of the Spiegel Grove Wreck

[scubadada]

A dive on the Spiegel Grove is an individual decision based on your skills and familiarity with the site. For me, the route to Snoopy is a swim through. This would also apply to the swim from the bow to the well deck from any of the 6 entrances on the main deck on the bow. From the starboard side, there is even a hatch shortcut into the well deck.

There are many places on the Spiegel that are certainly tech penetration and should not be done by the unprepared/untrained. On the port side of the main deck swim, I once went two decks down. It was absolutely pitch black. I ascended a deck and exited near the well deck.

I'm not discounting any of the advice given by divers with far more experience and training that I have. However, this division between swim through and tech penetration is not always perfectly clear for the individual diver.

 

[boulderjohn]

I'm not discounting any of the advice given by divers with far more experience and training that I have. However, this division between swim through and tech penetration is not always perfectly clear for the individual diver.

Very much. I have dived the Spiegel Grove several times, but only several times, and I have never dived to any of the areas the require laying a line. My reaction to this dive is based on the OP's description of the dive. I have dived through many rooms on the that wreck that are very safe for a recreational diver, rooms where you always have two doors to exit through and a hole in the hull in easy reach. I assume he was not talking about anything like that.

 

[scubadada]

Very much. I have dived the Spiegel Grove several times, but only several times, and I have never dived to any of the areas the require laying a line. My reaction to this dive is based on the OP's description of the dive. I have dived through many rooms on the that wreck that are very safe for a recreational diver, rooms where you always have two doors to exit through and a hole in the hull in easy reach. I assume he was not talking about anything like that.

I only have a couple dozen dives on the Spiegel.. I have done this route many times. There is light and are exits all along the way, a swim through. It seems pretty clear on the video. It is a relatively short swim. I don't mean to underemphasize the decision, it's just not the same for all divers. We all appreciate your attempt to differentiate swim throughs from technical penetration.

 

[ChuckP]

When you talk of laying a line, my vision is you're going into nothingness with no visible out, not like a bridge area with windows and doors.

You see on the dive data posted, surface after a 3 minute safety stop with 378psi in the tank after taking the dip to the sand at the end of the dive. Now is that all wrong?? ehh, it's not right but that's edgy....... It's definetly not something to do with people following you...

There's things that DM's do and are aware of that help when going thru an overhead swim thru - it's a little more than follow the leader.

 

[scubadada]

When you talk of laying a line, my vision is you're going into nothingness with no visible out, not like a bridge area with windows and doors.

You see on the dive data posted, surface after a 3 minute safety stop with 378psi in the tank after taking the dip to the sand at the end of the dive. Now is that all wrong?? ehh, it's not right but that's edgy....... It's definetly not something to do with people following you...

There's things that DM's do and are aware of that help when going thru an overhead swim thru - it's a little more than follow the leader.

I thought it was pretty interesting that he surfaced with 378 psi and a RMV of O.71 cf/min.

 

[boulderjohn]

OK, I just looked at the video. This dive is not nearly as serious as described.

 

[scubadada]

OK, I just looked at the video. This dive is not nearly as serious as described.

Hi @boulderjohn

You are absolutely correct, risk is in the eye of the beholder. I have been all over the Spiegel Grove and the Duane, but never really thought I was putting myself at risk, with the one exception on the Spiegel that I mentioned.

 

[norwhal]

If you did anyway probably blackballed in Key Largo.

Has anyone ever called you a Drama Queen? Serious question.

The operators I know of will allow penetration diving *if* the divers are trained, certified and equipped for penetration diving. From a liability standpoint they cannot sanction penetration diving for divers who are not trained and equipped for it.

So they're better off not knowing. If tragedy strikes they can tell their insurance company's attorney that they had no clue that their customer was going to pull off some sort of crazy penetration stunt that was condemned by the knowledgable posters on ScubaBoard.

Ask yourself honestly, if you are doing this for you or for them (them = the other 2 divers)...what about this dive makes it the right dive for these 2 divers to do?
-Z

The two divers are my siblings. Older sister, younger brother. My sister is in the video I posted. She really enjoys penetrating wrecks, but she has no experience with a reel. My brother is a more occasional diver. I'm doing this dive for me, although I would enjoy sharing the experience with them. I'm going to do it whether they want to do it or not. I'll lay out the plan, and offer them the opportunity to join me. They are fully aware that I am a solo diver and they are under no obligation to babysit me, if they opt out I'll see them at the safety stop or back on the boat. I don't know if they will decide to do the penetration at all. They might not even know until we're on the wreck.

 

[tursiops]

This whole saga gets farther and farther down the rabbit hole.

 

[JBFG]

So you would deliberately lie to your charter? Sounds like a winning combination to me if your goal is to never use them again.


Perhaps the best gift you could give your siblings is a wreck course instead of a follow me dive.