Any commercial dive companies in Montana?

[mx201er]

Hello,

I live in Butte, MT, and am trying to find anybody near that does lifting and recovery type of stuff (vehicles and snowmobiles breaking through ice, etc). I am a college student going for Electrical Engineering and have been diving for a few years. I would love to get into something like this; I am not expecting it to be frequent or to make a living off of it, but just as a hobby. I realize there are no lakes in butte (except the infamous Butte Pit) but wouldn't mind driving up to Canyon Ferry, Clark Canyon reservoir, Flathead lake or anywhere within a reasonable distance to do a dive!
I did some google searching but couldn't find anything around here, so I thought I would pick your brains

Thanks,
Nick

 

[DivingOtter]

There is one company in Montana, cant recall the name, but its not something one would call a hobby. Doing surface supplied hard hat diving takes alot of training and dedication in the industry.

 

[dpsxdvr]

Deep Six Diving
www.deepsixdiving.com Montana, Alaska, Washington, and Colorado

 

[Bob Walker]

Hi Nick!
For simply recovery work you don't need a lot of equipment and unless you're going really deep, you don't need a hardhat operation. I salvaged a 38' Scarab - Cigarette Boat - from 160' where I found it upside down. Three of us used ambient air SCUBA, cuz in 1982 we didn't have the exotic mixed gasses we have today. I tell the story in my new book, Ultimate Diving Adventures. Bottom line is you can get into the business and survive if you learn some physics and use a big dose of common sense. I purchased lift bags from AMRON, Intl. in CA.

I recently moved from the coast to Cody, Wyoming. If you need any information, don't hesitate to email me. -

Bob

 

[DivingOtter]

As a Commercial Diver that has the knowledge of the dangers of trying to do salvage work even for seasoned divers, Im going to give you the Darwin Award. If what you are saying is the truth it is by shear luck that you have survived this long doing this kind of work without injuring yourself or someone else in the process. Giving someone advice to simply go buy gear having no knowledge of its use is along the same lines of playing hot potato with a grenade. However, some people are cheap enough to go with the lowest bidder so good luck to you. Nick, if you listen to the above post, good luck to you as well and I hope you have a good life insurance policy. keep in mind an out of control lift back skyrocketing you to the surface usually ends up badly.

 

[Bob Walker]

As a Commercial Diver that has the knowledge of the dangers of trying to do salvage work even for seasoned divers, Im going to give you the Darwin Award. If what you are saying is the truth it is by shear luck that you have survived this long doing this kind of work without injuring yourself or someone else in the process. Giving someone advice to simply go buy gear having no knowledge of its use is along the same lines of playing hot potato with a grenade. However, some people are cheap enough to go with the lowest bidder so good luck to you. Nick, if you listen to the above post, good luck to you as well and I hope you have a good life insurance policy. keep in mind an out of control lift back skyrocketing you to the surface usually ends up badly.

After you re-read my post and digest what I REALLY said, I'll accept your apology for shooting from the lip - Bob

 

[DivingOtter]

Apologize for what? Your basically telling someone that if they are know how to scuba dive then can basically be a salvage diver by purchasing gear offline and claiming the world doesnt need safe men, its all about heart.

 

[Bob Walker]

At least you read what I wrote instead of what you wanted to read. Here's what I said - "Bottom line is you can get into the business and survive if you learn some physics and use a big dose of common sense." As far as not needing safe men...Is salvage diving a safe occupation????? Really????? Give me a diver with a good working grasp of physics, a big dose of common sense, some ba**s, and an adventurer's heart. I'll take him before I'll risk my life with an over-educated weenie every time.

As a side note, Amron, Intl is not just an "off-line" outfit. Amron is Norma spelled backwards because when Norma started the business, it was a testosterone-laced atmosphere - no room for a woman even though she knew her stuff. Today, Amron is a company that supplies law enforcement search and rescue teams, salvage divers, and military divers - Been around for more than 30 years that I've done business with them.

I don't have any more time to waste on you now, so I'll sign off and let you respond to your audience. You don't need to try and pick a fight where there is none. - Bob

 

[DivingOtter]

If your going to do salvage do it the right way, go to school, get the experience and work along side of others in the industry before you decide to try it yourself.