Duct tape diver and cave don't seem like they should be in the same sentence...
Now, old private sector commercial divers, I totally see this. My buddies gear looks like its been floating around the Gulf for a couple decades. His jet fins look like a small shark took a bite out of the side of each fin. Every time I dive with him he says he's going to order new fins, yet he never does. His once black BC is a nice shade of grey. He dives in blue jeans and a t shirt, except in the winter when he dives an old beater wetsuit. He makes fun of my gear because it's too shiny. An old salty to say the least with the stories to go with it. But when gear cuts into profits, they wait until it's broke not functional before they replace it. Of course regs and tanks are maintained, but it definitely would be my definition of a duct tape diver. If they could fix a hose or reg with duct tape, I'm sure they would.
The same can be said of the vessel too. The boat looks like crap, but that Yamaha engine is super shinny. Reminds me of suped up cars with rims, custom paint, trim, stereo, etc. sitting in front of project homes. Just doesn't look right.
To many of us it sounds crazy to dive with gear in that condition, but then you consider the tens of thousands of dives and several decades of diving experience, I doubt there's much that hasn't broke on them and it's just not a big deal to handle the situation. Whereas many divers panic when just a trivial thing goes wrong. His number one rule is you have to be able to get out of your gear fast to either fix a problem or head for the surface. No crotch straps, chest straps, just an old dirty Velcro waist strap. I definitely feel overdressed when I dive with him. Like I showed up to a Super Bowl party in a tuxedo. Lol.
