Breathing down twin tanks while cave diving?

[cerich]

fair enough, i tend to be at the caves during the week evening or even night (afetr visiting shops..life of a rep) as a result I don't get to see the weekend crowd.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

80-90% dive manifolded doubles with an isolator. 10-20% dive sidemount. I rarely see independent back mounted doubles, but we do have divers diving them in caves.

Just my impression.

 

[Nic160]

I live in the same area as Jim. Someone made a comment about people diving sidemount whether they need to or not. Here in cave country I've noticed alot of the sidemount divers using sidemount because it's easier to manage the tanks out of the water. ( I dive dbl 108's backmounted) When I dive with some of my sidemount friends, let me tell you it's much easier for them to carry one tank at a time through the woods. When I'm fumbling with my doubles, they're getting a good laugh ! I can think of two divers off the top of my head who dive sidemount because they have a handicap that limits them from diving backmounted. They are excellent divers and I envy them for doing what they have to do get in the cave.

 

[jeandiver]

Hey guys, you wouldn't say that the vast majority of cave divers you see are of the "follow the gold line" variety? It seems that way to me.

Er , uh ...
Quite a few of my buddies DO dive sidemount.
Some for profile reasons , some for the weight issues vs backmount doubles.
And I do know a FEW PEOPLE that still dive doubles WITHOUT a manifold.

Myself , double 85's and I run with the isolator always open.
Both regs run off of both tanks etc ...

Now , about this 'Follow the gold line' ?
Even though I don't sidemount , er , uh ...

Nevermind

Just being there makes me joyful , so to speak !!!

Jeano Beano

P.S. Nic , I second what you said...Those sidemounters are laughing at us slowly trudging , grueling our way to the water ...
And they say , "See Jean , get into the program ... Sidemount"

 

[loosebits]

There's a set of articles on IUCRR (an incident reporting database) analyzing the pros and cons of the isolation manifold. The article suggests that the isolation manifold has caused more problems than it has solved.

http://www.iucrr.org/manifolds1.htm
http://www.iucrr.org/manifolds2.htm


Jean, we can always laugh at the sidemounters when we can get back on the boat, tailgate or picnic table and just sit down instead of having to drop our tanks one at a time.

 

[Jordan]

Cave divers are crazy. You shouldn't pay attention to what they do because they all have death wishes.

 

[Cave Diver]

Cave divers are crazy. You shouldn't pay attention to what they do because they all have death wishes.

Yeah. What he said.

 

[loosebits]

No death wish here. The number of deaths of certified cave divers per year is usually in the low single digits and many of them are diving way beyond their experience level (e.g. intro divers on scooters) or have become complacent and start violating some of the rules of cave diving. In fact, the number one factor leading to an accident for certified cave divers isn't getting hopeless lost or being eaten by albino cave gators but is simply diving too deep for the gas in your tanks (narcosis, O2 hits or deep water black out).

I only have 7 full cave dives since I got my full cave card so I am taking it really slow. In new caves (new to me), I'm turning a couple of hundred psi before thirds or as soon as I get the feeling I've gone far enough. I keep the dive plans simple (no need to make 3 jumps in a single dive) and I pay attention to any feelings of the heebee jeebees. My team is all very comfortable with each other and we try to keep the egos in check. I've called a dive (after being geared up and having made the long walk to the water but before decending) because I felt another diver in the team wasn't comfortable but was embarrased to call it himself and I'm sure one of them has done the same for me.

We know that caves have killed divers just like us. I've tried to imagine what it must be like for someone who only has twenty minutes of gas left and they know they have no chance of making it to the exit. We do everything we can think of to minimize the chances of that happening.

Ever since I got my intro card two years ago, I occasionally go back and re-read all the accident reports I can find just to remind myself that people with far more experience than me have died cave diving. I think it helps keep complacency at bay and it helps keep the heebee jeebees fairly active.

Now, New England wreck divers, those guys have a death wish

 

[Cave Diver]

I only have 7 full cave dives since I got my full cave card so I am taking it really slow. In new caves (new to me), I'm turning a couple of hundred psi before thirds or as soon as I get the feeling I've gone far enough. I keep the dive plans simple (no need to make 3 jumps in a single dive) and I pay attention to any feelings of the heebee jeebees. My team is all very comfortable with each other and we try to keep the egos in check. I've called a dive (after being geared up and having made the long walk to the water but before decending) because I felt another diver in the team wasn't comfortable but was embarrased to call it himself and I'm sure one of them has done the same for me.

We know that caves have killed divers just like us. I've tried to imagine what it must be like for someone who only has twenty minutes of gas left and they know they have no chance of making it to the exit. We do everything we can think of to minimize the chances of that happening.

A very responsible attitude and one that seems to be missing amongst some of our peers. All too often I've seen people waving a card thinking it gives them some sort of super powers.

 

[Nic160]

Cave divers are crazy. You shouldn't pay attention to what they do because they all have death wishes.

Don't worry Jordan, When we all Die you can rule the world.