Diving air to 60m

[EireDiver606]

Stupid Cousteau, what was he thinking, making an air regulator and then using it underwater to "stupid" depths.

Considering the number of dives that have been made safely to that depths depth over the decades, I would think that finding what actually happened may be instructive to everyone, if it is not air related, as you assume.


Bob

That was a time when they thought air was good at depth and Helium was bad and could give you the bends (that’s assuming they even knew helium existed- not a dig at diving pioneers). Cousteau wasn’t in the wrong as he didn’t know. The stupidity isn’t whether you’re diving deep on air, it’s whether you know the consequences (as we do now), and still choose to ignore the professionals and do these dives.

I’m not assuming that he specifically died because he was using air at a depth way past it’s safe limit, I was assuming that he even did such a dive in the first place whether he survived or not is irrelevant to my point.

 

[Kay Dee]

That was a time when they thought air was good at depth and Helium was bad and could give you the bends (that’s assuming they even knew helium existed- not a dig at diving pioneers). Cousteau wasn’t in the wrong as he didn’t know.

If I may ask, Cousteau "didn't know" what?

Hopefully you are not inferring that Cousteau and his group never knew about, and hence never used, helium based breathing mixtures when the need arose, as they certainly did.

 

[Centrals]

How did I manage to survive after so many deep air dives!
I am pretty sure I am NOT the only one!

Anyone heard PSAI narcosis management course? Air to 73m!

 

[Kay Dee]

How did I manage to survive after so many deep air dives!
I am pretty sure I am NOT the only one!

Anyone heard PSAI narcosis management course? Air to 73m!

Heard? If you are referring to Hal's deep air course (at his Forty Fathom Grotto, Florida), sure, both my wife and I completed it back in the day prior to our cave diver / trimix training. And I did solve the 'tasks / problems' one was required to @73m .

I did not however continue with - nor was I interested in (with trimix becoming more available) - the 'final module' (so to speak), that was conducted in the ocean to 300' / 90m on air, but as the link below shows, others were / did. (Hopefully following this link does not give some folks nightmares though. )

I guess they were just the bad old daze! Certainly not recommending doing today though!!!

Hal Watts - TEKDiveUSA

 

[TrimixToo]

I remember very clearly the sentiments many expressed when seat belts were introduced for cars, and not too far afterward when they were made mandatory for all new cars. "I am a safe driver, I don't need them," and "I'd rather be thrown clear" were common phrases when I was a small child. Today, seat and shoulder straps form a part of a restraint *system* that is itself part of a car designed to absorb energy and shield you from injury. They protect people so well that fatal accidents are a far smaller percentage of accidents, and few rational people would dream of setting out without having them fastened.

Does that mean "you're gonna die!" if you take a spin in a 1940's-era car that has no restraints at all, or one from the 60's that has only seat belts? Of course not. What it means is that if a crash happens, the combination of lack of primary and/or secondary restraints and belt pretensioners, a solid steering column, no padding anywhere except the seat, no crush zones, no door girder, and so on, dramatically increases the risk of serious injury or death.

We have learned.

We have also learned a lot about diving. We have known for a long time that narcosis happens and worsens with depth. We have long known, too, that the perception and reality of narcosis often differ markedly. We know now that high gas density increases the risk of hypercapnea, which exacerbates narcosis in addition to increasing the work of breathing. We know the density of air at 60m/200' is about 8.5 g/liter, and we know the risk curve inflects at 6g/liter.

Does that mean "you're gonna die!" at that depth on air? Again, of course not. Does it increase the odds of getting hurt or dying? Yes, also of course.

If you drive without belts fastened, you increase the risk of death, injury, and in many jurisdictions a ticket. I believe adults should be free to make the choice, personally. Likewise, I think adults should be able to make an informed choice about what gas to use at 200'/60m.

That does not mean I do not have a strong opinion about the advisability of some of these choices.

 

[EireDiver606]

If I may ask, Cousteau "didn't know" what?

Hopefully you are not inferring that Cousteau and his group never knew about, and hence never used, helium based breathing mixtures when the need arose, as they certainly did.

Didn’t know that air was a bad gas for going deep. @Bob DBF implied he did deep air diving. I was an example of what most divers thought they knew back then.

 

[John Bantin]

I don't get your anecdote... unless you are trying to make the argument that diving air (and a 12L) tank to 60m has nothing to do with the fatality?

Or do you want to start a "deep air is safe" discussion... really in 2019?

Yes... I started diving in 1990, yes I dived deep air (so have loads of people), have you read Drs Mitchell and Anthony's study on gas density?

Alert Diver | Performance Under Pressure

The implication is that air killed. Incompetence kills. Many people should not even be in the water. Air just makes it more difficult. Water kills.

 

[beester]

The implication is that air killed. Incompetence kills. Many people should not even be in the water. Air just makes it more difficult. Water kills.

Hey John, how would you plan this dive than... in this dark, cold water quarry to 60 (or maybe 70m)? Would you go OC or rebreather, would you dive air or trimix? What would you do?

And have you ever done deep(ish) dives on a single tank with air in a cold water quarry. When you did...where you lucky or competent?

Of course underestimation of risks and probably inexperience coupled with equipment failure (bcd) caused the chain of events that made this a disaster. But if the BCD trigger didn't happen, for all we know they could have made a "normal" bounce dive to 60m on air with a single tank, and come out "heroes", thinking they were really very experienced and good divers! Deep air is not dangerous, diving a single tank to that depth is not dangerous... come with us... we do it all the time!

 

[Tchau]

Sad story

That depth (60m) caught my attention.

I have dove at 60m in Cuba (La Cueva Azul) with my uncle, a 3 star CMAS instructor. It was my birthday gift to experience Narcosis (please do not judge)

The visibility was excellent so it was pretty bright down there. We probably stayed at 60 m for less than a minute and started to ascend. No ropes or anything. We had to 2 deco stops and that was it. I do not remember having problems breathing or with my equipment. It was an easy, pretty straightforward dive.

I was 22 at that time. I am 45 now.

 

[InTheDrink]

Sad story

That depth (60m) caught my attention.

I have dove at 60m in Cuba (La Cueva Azul) with my uncle, a 3 star CMAS instructor. It was my birthday gift to experience Narcosis (please do not judge)

The visibility was excellent so it was pretty bright down there. We probably stayed at 60 m for less than a minute and started to ascend. No ropes or anything. We had to 2 deco stops and that was it. I do not remember having problems breathing or with my equipment. It was an easy, pretty straightforward dive.

I was 22 at that time. I am 45 now.

60m with good viz and conditions and warm water is very different than cold and dark. The former I’d be ok with if for a particular reason. The latter - **** that. Can’t see **** anyhow after 30m so there would have to be a pretty good reason for me.

I’ve been totally composed at depth in lovely water. I’ve equally been freaked out much shallower in cold dark current wishing it was time to go up.