Divers getting bent

[mikerault]

I read with interest and horror an article in UTNE magazine, the Jan-Feb 2005 edition (www.utne.com) about lobster divers in La Miskitia, Nicaragua who routinely do 15 dives per day with no depth gages, poor or no pressure gages and aging and failing equipment. (Dying for Lobster, page 18) This pace of 15 dives per day is kept up over 2-3 weeks at a time to depths of upto 120 feet or more. Needless to say the rate these divers die or get seriously impared from deocmpression sickness is very high.

A group called SubOceanSafty is providing decompression chambers but usually the divers reach them much too late.

However, we can help I think. If I can arrange it, would any of you (and your friends) be interested in donating old, but functional, dive equipment that would be a tax deductable item? Providing these divers with dive computers, tank and depth gages and a minimal amount of training could save hundreds of lives.

Think about it folks. (Oh, by the way, the sum total they make for 2-3 weeks of 15 dives a day is room and board and maybe 300 dollars).

Thanks,

Mike Ault

 

[pilot fish]

I read with interest and horror an article in UTNE magazine, the Jan-Feb 2005 edition (www.utne.com) about lobster divers in La Miskitia, Nicaragua who routinely do 15 dives per day with no depth gages, poor or no pressure gages and aging and failing equipment. (Dying for Lobster, page 18) This pace of 15 dives per day is kept up over 2-3 weeks at a time to depths of upto 120 feet or more. Needless to say the rate these divers die or get seriously impared from deocmpression sickness is very high.

A group called SubOceanSafty is providing decompression chambers but usually the divers reach them much too late.

However, we can help I think. If I can arrange it, would any of you (and your friends) be interested in donating old, but functional, dive equipment that would be a tax deductable item? Providing these divers with dive computers, tank and depth gages and a minimal amount of training could save hundreds of lives.

Think about it folks. (Oh, by the way, the sum total they make for 2-3 weeks of 15 dives a day is room and board and maybe 300 dollars).

Thanks,

Mike Ault

I think what is more needed is writing to their Government, and PADI,to get the people that hire these divers fined and or imprisoned? 15 dives daily is unsafe, no matter what gear you have.

 

[wolf eel]

pilot fish I think what is more needed is writing to their Government, and PADI,to get the people that hire these divers fined and or imprisoned? 15 dives daily is unsafe, no matter what gear you have.

I live in Canada I am in need of a deco chamber I am a farm diver we dive 120s and do it 36 times a day everyday for about well untill you are fired or quite. At least that is how it was. Instead of gear give them information about what and why they get bent maybe then they could make more money and live longer.

 

[wedivebc]

I live in Canada I am in need of a deco chamber I am a farm diver we dive 120s and do it 36 times a day everyday for about well untill you are fired or quite. At least that is how it was. Instead of gear give them information about what and why they get bent maybe then they could make more money and live longer.

Yes but at least you have WCB to regulate your diving. Don't you guys carry a back-up computer in case the first one gets bent

Pilot Fish, PADI does not regulate anything in the diving industry. They issue cert cards and sell products. Beside unless they are making money off it they would not get involved in this either.

 

[pilot fish]

Yes but at least you have WCB to regulate your diving. Don't you guys carry a back-up computer in case the first one gets bent

Pilot Fish, PADI does not regulate anything in the diving industry. They issue cert cards and sell products. Beside unless they are making money off it they would not get involved in this either.

Sorry to hear that, webdivebc. They should though. Gear is the last thing these divers need. Information and training should be a priority for them and a stiff fine for the creeps that are sending them down 15 times a day.

 

[H2Andy]

these guys are trying to make a living; they know the risks. they see guys
get hit all the time, and see guys die.

most of them probably have no other choice to make that much money
(think about it; why else take the risks?)

in the old days, sponge divers would do the same thing, getting so bent on
hard-hat dives that they could barely walk topside after a while. many died,
of course.

but they could make money, so they kept doing it.

 

[wolf eel]

How do these guys make money ? Everybody wants it to be just like home and that is just not going to happen. They need to feed themselves. The more we try to bring our lives to them they will get less and less. I would hate to say it but sweat shops pay the bills. Maybe mister cheaney could donate a billion or five to a world cause since he is still making money on the war. Our lives and how we live should not be imposed till we can afford to pay the bill.

As for dualing computers and such when I was a farm diver I dove with a pack and no computer and just a timer and depth gauge, thats it thats all. We had way less accidents but the second that dumb *** thing called WCB came into effect now we have loads of problems. WCB is the problem. Lets give them WCB and then none will be diving but the rich kids.

 

[Tanked Monkey]

OK, I'll bite. What's WCB? A Canadian regluatory agency?

 

[wolf eel]

Wokers Compensation Board. Also knowen as Imployers Compensation Board or just A Waste of Canadians Bread.
They cause nothing but grief in the name of them making money. If you get injuryed you have to fight them untill you use all of your money up then they give you the very least amount they have to and then you fight some more then give up and go back to work injured then you get hurt again to be told it was your fault because you went back to work. Oh we can not sue an employer ever even when he is at fault we can also not sue WCB even when they are at fault. It is god awefull that this can be but it is Law and we have no rights when it comes to them.

Here is a good example: I had 700lbs fall 6' feet on top of me. I could not see or hear I had blood pour from my mouth so badly that the witness thought I had cut my throat. My right leg had all the muscle torn and same goes for my back and so on. They left me with three teeth out of one side of my mouth and the two front ones where broken but still in my mouth I had a Doc sign me off work and the witness to say I could not walk talk or see or hear, there Doctor(WCB) said I had a lower back strain and said I could go back to work. # months later my teeth where replaced and the front ones fixed 1 year and 3 months I still have no coverage fro my legs or back. Thats WCB in a nut shell.

 

[Green_Manelishi]

these guys are trying to make a living; they know the risks. they see guys
get hit all the time, and see guys die.

most of them probably have no other choice to make that much money
(think about it; why else take the risks?)

in the old days, sponge divers would do the same thing, getting so bent on
hard-hat dives that they could barely walk topside after a while. many died,
of course.

but they could make money, so they kept doing it.

It pains me to agree with H2Andy but he is correct. It's too easy for we "civilized" westerners (or easterners, or wherever) to rail against deadly lobster diving, shark finning, seal pup beating, etc. but it's the demand for the final product and the fact that almost everyone, everywhere needs to earn money to feed their family that will keep those industries alive and well regardless of the death toll or the heinousness of the deeds. To truly help those poor buggers you need to send them money or help them find a less dangerous job.