Diver Down
- Thread starter nikwho
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idocsteve
Guest
Cool, thanks for the link.
It's not clear from your post if you're still writing articles for this new site however the first one I clicked on is only from 2 months ago. I look forward to reading more of them.
carolrose
Contributor
This was the first book I read after becoming a diver, and it definitely was an eye opener. It didn't scare me off, but definitely helped me to see the benefits of continuing to train and not get lazy with skills. Definitely one to keep around and re-read every so often.
The book is useful for divers at all certification levels. (especially professionals) It helps to give more insights to accidents as the author tries to cover as much details as possible, even seeking reports from officials and families of the victims.
Really a good read and worth the purchase. I would recommend it for case studies actually.
Really a good read and worth the purchase. I would recommend it for case studies actually.
I disagree. I also think that all divers - especially new ones - should know "darwin will get you if you do stupid stuff, long enough", as you say.. Unfortunately, it's the ignorant new divers with instructors that rubber stamp them and don't want to share these types of realities that are at the greatest risk.. (Them and OW instructors who think they might get a pass venturing into different disciplines without their own training (overhead, tech, etc))
Obviously, there are some people taking OW who may be scared at the prospect of diving when they start their training for whatever the reason. Maybe they are not comfortable in water.. Or, maybe their significant other or friend has pressured them into getting their OW. In those cases I suppose they might use this book as an excuse not to do it at all, however, the majority of divers I have met really wanted to get certified, and knowing the potential hazards seems to be much more enlightening than frightening.
Ignorance is Bliss, right?
Thank you for reading my stuff! Yes I am defintely still writing the column at www.seaduction.com. Last one posted a couple of weeks ago. We got a bit off schedule with the publisher's redesign of the website but should be back on track now. I am also reviving my old Ask an Instructor Article that got rave reviews for several years at SDM. It will be titled "Ask SEAduction" and we will start posting these in the next week or so.
Safe Diving,
I
idocsteve
Guest
Why is the book especially useful to professionals?
I think it's more useful to the newer diver who has yet to learn or worse yet, experience some of the situations that occur in the book.
One that comes to mind is the couple that penetrated a wreck without training or gear. That's something a new diver might be more likely to do than a "professional". I don't recall the others off the top of my head but they're along the same lines...divers get themselves into situations that are tough to get out of, because they just don't know any better. That's something that comes with experience...something a professional diver is more likely to have than a newbie to the sport.
SkimFisher
Contributor
I just finished reading it after hearing a few people talk about it. There is some useful information in it, but many of the situations are Darwinian in nature. You mean I shouldn't penetrate a wreck without proper training and gear or dive this BC that's been in my attic for the last 10 years before having it serviced? No?
Astounding...
I never would have realized... :dozingoff:
Astounding...
I never would have realized... :dozingoff:
Just finished this as well, and props Mike ... very, very well written and I'll be recommending it (and your website) for friends.
Skim / idocsteve, I agree that a lot of the stories in there and on Mike's site are Darwinian in nature, but it's not like he and Murphy don't rear their ugly heads at times regardless of experience level -- in fact one of the early stories pointed that out, the one about the experienced diver couple diving off their own unattended boat. What I took from the book was that it's not so much the cluelessness that kills you but the things you overlook and/or take for granted, and I think that's a lesson worth refreshing from time to time regardless of skill level or activity.
Skim / idocsteve, I agree that a lot of the stories in there and on Mike's site are Darwinian in nature, but it's not like he and Murphy don't rear their ugly heads at times regardless of experience level -- in fact one of the early stories pointed that out, the one about the experienced diver couple diving off their own unattended boat. What I took from the book was that it's not so much the cluelessness that kills you but the things you overlook and/or take for granted, and I think that's a lesson worth refreshing from time to time regardless of skill level or activity.
In spite of how obvious these issues look - dozens of divers repeat the same mistakes year after year. Suprisingly, it is the more experienced divers that seem to get into a lot of trouble. We all tend to get complacent and the more you do something the more you take for granted. Show me any really experienced diver, myself included, and I can show you a guy that did something he knew was really stupid on at least one dive but somehow lived to tell about it. Nothing wrong with dumb luck - I just prefer not to rely on it for survival more than I have to! One of my goals with Lessons for Life and Diver Down was to reinforce the idea the complacency kills.
Safe Diving,
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