Cave Divers and Attitude

[nalfein]

I've found for the most part that the people who are the biggest knobs as far as diving or anything else is concerned, have recently advanced a level. Newly certified at a certain level, new DM, instructor, just promoted, whatever. It seems that people use their 'on paper' identity as a blueprint for their attitude, or to help them pick suitable behaviour. Once they settle in, the newbie insecurity settles down, and they are what they are, no need to try so hard to convince everyone.
I don't know any cave divers, I've met only one personally, and he was very agreeable, no attitude whatsoever, confident..yes, strong opinions..... sure. I know that I'm nowhere near the skill level of a full cave diver, so it was easy for me listen to him. This is just my opinion, but I think that many people who run down cave divers for being dinks, are just insecure about something. Maybe they feel that they are just as good.... or the " He's not so big, I could kick that guys ass...." syndrome comes into play, whatever.... so you run him/her down in the only way you really can, something as subjective as attitude. I'm just as guilty of that knee jerk reaction as the next guy/girl. Whenever it comes up, I try to suppress it and listen for a second, my subconscious just might be letting me know I have something to learn from this a@#hole..
Like I said... I don't really know any cave divers..... so just my two cents, take it for what it's worth.

dive safe everyone..

chris

 

[adder70]

manretto79 once bubbled...
The max depth of 400 fsw is not correct. If you look at the world record for open circuit diving in overhead enviroment I know for a fact there has been a diver to over 900 feet, but I think the world record stands at atleast 1,000 f.

Last I heard, the buddy for Sheck Exley's last dive had the record at over 1,000 feet on that dive. I believe Exley was at least 100 feet futher down and presumably had ox-tox and died. The previous record holder was Exley himself, but like most record holders he felt the need to push further, and unfortunately found his limits the hard way.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Sheck Exley was at a little over 900 ft on that fatal dive. Jim Bowden who survived was diving at the same time but they weren't together. He made it to 900 and some change. The book of world records had him listed but the depth didn't match Sheck Exleys book. I guess it could have been from a later dive. Last year a guy dived to a little over 1000 ft on OC in OW.

Outside of the fact that he was low on gas at the end they don't really know what killed Sheck. It could have been any or all ...narcosis, HPNS, Oxtox.

 

[IndigoBlue]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...
Last year a guy dived to a little over 1000 ft on OC in OW.

http://www.tech-dive-academy.com/journey.html

 

[ScubaJewel]

I think that anytime in any sport of situation that someone is elevated their position to living on the edge that personalities get that way

Julie

 

[Allison Finch]

I've been diving since 1970. I was born and raised in central Florida. I dived and trained with the pioneers who set the standards for technical cave diving in cave diving's infancy. I've dived in caves that no longer exist due to people destroying entrances to keep divers out. What I'm getting at is I know what I'm doing in caves. It never ceases to aggravate me when someone who has been diving a few years and has taken a "cave diving" course is now an expert at it. I've never bothered to get a "cave diving certification" and, for the most part, have been able to help instructors with THEIR training programs. I love cave diving, and always will. I make every effort to keep up with whatever new technology comes to the sport. Many of my buddies, who still participate in the sport, still get together from time to time and will put a ceiling over our heads. Now, I spend much of my diving time in the Pacific where most of the caves are marine. Not as exciting, but fun nontheless.
The gist of my story? Folks, don't turn your noses up on people who ask you questions. You never know who they are and what they might have done in the sport of diving.
Be humble....be helpful....love your fellow divers no matter what their interest.

 

[diverbrian]

Cave divers where I live aren't very common. In order to dive caves if you are from this state you pretty much have to travel out of it. There are too many old wrecks for most of us poor people to travel that far. We'll dive the wrecks, LOL.

The one that I do know is my Advanced Nitrox instructor. He is an ER doctor as well. I have never seen him cut down another diver and he has to be the most humble man that I have ever met. He and the LDS owner are the two divers who I give the most credit for what skills I do have.

If one watches Dr. Walker underwater, you would say that he has a right to be a little arrogant. He considers himself a newbie, though. He wisely taught me to learn from everybody else's diving and even buddied up with a friend of mine on 25 ft. dive that you wouldn't think that an experienced deep wreck/cave diver would bother with.

I am saying that one shouldn't judge all cavers by a few encounters with someone that may have been busy or just acting like jerks. Most of them are very down to earth people.

 

[Norm]

Hi,

I don't mean any disrespect by this, but, I've noticed that a lot of cave divers seem to have a certain negative attitude toward non-divers and toward non-cave divers. I imagine this might be to discourage open-water divers from getting themselves hurt by going into caves or to discourage other people from getting into cave diving as locations can be pretty crowded as it is. It also occured to me that cave diversmay just be a bit egotistical. Can anyone enlighten me as to this aspect of the specialty? Again, no disrespect intended.

No disrespect taken. You are right, there are alot of cavers that do have an attitude. I did know some that had a voracious attitude. They all died together the day a friend of mine tried to talk to them about their gear/abilities. There have been psychological profiles done of cavers and they produced some interesting results. I also have/have had some personal friends that were the best of the best in caving and they were the nicest, most humble folks you would ever want to know. Sheck Exley was a super-nice, humble guy. Wes Skiles is as nice as they come, able to carry on a civilized conversation with anyone. David Rhea is a great guy. (The ones that display an attitude.............well, maybe that's all they have to display

 

[Mako Mark]

The cave divers stopped what they were doing, and egressed from the cave, with the OOA diver with them, then all 3 surfaced together, and once on the surface they beat the living crap out of the lone diver, broke both his arms and one of his legs.

did DAN say why they forgot to break the other leg???

 

[GDI]

Urban legends. I find cave divers as not being any different than any other diver. WAIT A MINUTE DAMMIT I am ONE! Oh Well. Lets talk about it. What do want to know? (I thought this thread died a slow painless death.)