Deep Diving on Air

[VooDooGasMan]

Another thing that dump mentioned on another tread was to retrieve a diver, when all aboard is single air tanks then knowing how to to a Deep Air Dive is a very good reason to have this kind of training to be able to bring a diver back to the surface, dead or alive, there chances are better if they are on the surface.

 

[DevonDiver]

Another thing that dump mentioned on another tread was to retrieve a diver, when all aboard is single air tanks then knowing how to to a Deep Air Dive is a very good reason to have this kind of training to be able to bring a diver back to the surface, dead or alive, there chances are better if they are on the surface.

Sounds a lot like rushing in, improperly equipped, to do a retrieval. Good way to add yourself to the casualty list, given the combined effect of narcosis with the obvious psychological stressors that will be present on such a dive.

Unlikely to be a 'rescue' if you are heading in from a boat, to search for a lost diver at depth. Body recovery can wait until it can be done safely.

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Depends devon, on the dive site conditions and visibility, also how long the diver was down and out of air to the brain. Of course I also think captain would be in charge at this point also to grant you permission to do a rescue. It is only an option If there is a diver that can perform the dive on Deep Air.

 

[lamont]

Depends devon, on the dive site conditions and visibility, also how long the diver was down and out of air to the brain. Of course I also think captain would be in charge at this point also to grant you permission to do a rescue. It is only an option If there is a diver that can perform the dive on Deep Air.

The fact that you justify deep air diving by some kind of imaginary heroism in a hypothetical situation really just points to how much your own ego is wrapped up in the idea.

 

[smellzlikefish]

Lets count minutes prior to this hypothetical rescue. Even if the diver was lost as soon as he/she hit bottom, they'd have spent a minute or two descending, five minutes for the buddies ascending, five more minutes swapping tanks and gearing up for the rescue, and another minute or two descending again. That means it would have been 14 minutes that this diver had been down before you even got to their depth, and you haven't even found them yet. There's no need to rush a body recovery.

 

[shoredivr]

Deep Bounce Rescue? Well this is even more silly, and I don't know why I'm even adding to this. First rule in Rescue is don't be a second victim. A deep bounce dive on a single tank to rescue someone fits that category IMO.

Secondly, the training agencies* that teach "deep air" (150' plus) do not advocate doing these dives on a single tank.

Having taken Advanced Nitrox and Deco, and having done numerous cold water dives between 100 and 150, personally I am uncomfortable beyond 100 without a redundant tank.

A few years ago I was on a dive to a wreck that sits on a slope and ends in 150'. It was May and the water temperature at depth was just below 40F. A guy on a single Alu 80 decided to just drop down from the boilers at 110 to the stern railing. He had a free flow and was lucky to make it to the surface in one piece.





*I'm referring to the central Florida folks, Hal Watt's outfit, who teach deep air to 240 ft, and TDI's Extended Range course, which as I understand, is rarely taught as there is an awareness that adding helium is a better idea for deep dives. Can't remember the acronym for the first agency.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

34 pages and there has been nothing valid and to the point since post #4, sigh . . . .

 

[rx7diver]

34 pages and there has been nothing valid and to the point since post #4, sigh . . . .

With respect, Guyharrisonphoto, I don't agree. There are several outstanding posts in this thread, including post #4, which provide the opportunity for a lot of learning. At least, I've learned a lot from this thread. Still, the signal-to-noise ratio in this thread is quite low, as seems to be usual in these types of contentious ScubaBoard threads. Just be patient, and read through the noise. Or don't.

Safe Diving,

Ronald

 

[Simon-]

Simon -- your statement "Opinions are like arseholes, everybody has one " while cute (not to mention old) shows either a lack of understanding of various issues OR an indifference to a very important point -- not all opinions are valid (and for not matter, not all arseholes are "valid" either, but I'll leave that to the surgeons).

The issue here is the basis for the opinions -- and that is why the controversy on the basic topic. Some people, perhaps like VDGM, don't appear to have any valid basis for many of his opinions -- they just are what he believes -- call it, if you will, "faith based diving." YMMV

Peter,

Sorry, but I do have a great understanding of the issue and I do also have my own opinion on it. If you look at my previous posts on this thread, you will see that my opinion is against deep air.

The meaning behind my statement is simple. There are 2 camps firmly divided on the subject, and no matter how much is written on an internet forum, the likelihood of changing the opinions of either of those 2 camps is negligable. Unfortunately, all people believe their own opinion is valid, regardless of what others think, so merely stating that some opinions are not valid, is only your opinion, which others may argue in itself is not valid .

Hence the reference to round and round in circles as well.

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Smellz I agree this rescue is only a timely one, plus the fact when you bring the diver up if trying for a rescue and now you have induced Mediastinal Emphysema or other contributing air embolisms. In the accident I was referring to the buddy seen where he was dropping, so if diver still has air and reg in mouth you can still rescue. The rescues I have read on SB is very low survival in they find them with reg out or tank empty. There really is not going to be a great success rate in diver rescue at this day and time, divers just seem to be dying at a rapid pace.

Myself as a diver I'm just solo so as not have to get in that situation, yes when I dive I will have extra air on boat no doubt about it, just do not see that many divers out in my area anymore boat diving. Not saying I would be able to do a rescue or not you just do not know what can happen, it could be an entanglement or an GPO just wont release the diver and buddy needs to bring more air back down(doubt it just an example). All in All DIVING'S DANGEROUS.