First Deep Wreck Dive, analysis Please??

[JEScholz]

I started wreck diving off the NJ coast 20 years ago. At that time I took a wreck specialty class and learned a number of good lessons. One was to dive with an "up" line and a lift bag. The line was a large spool of sisal rope. Sisal is a natural fiber and will decay over time, not trashing the wreck and causing dangerous snags. Find a spot to tie off, send up the lift bag and do your ascent, but more importantly, have a pony bottle and redundant air supply. Free ascents off the NJ coast are a ball, when there is not much current.

 

[TheVinstigator]

Just to clarify, i was also carrying a 30 cf pony mounted on my BCD with its own SPG and reg. I will be asking others on the boats about thier different equipment. Thanks for all the input, Vinny

 

[jpbutler]

Sounds like you went to the bethdeebob wreck.
See if there is a dive club in your area.
I have never taken a wreck course, but learned a lot diving with more experienced people in my dive club, reading and asking questions.

Nothing against certifications, but there are other ways to learn

JPB

 

[dschulte]

have a pony bottle and redundant air supply

This is a very good suggestion. If you are going to continue dive deep, get at least a 19; a 30 if you are going to get into some deeper dives. Just an opinion, but the SpairAir's are not worth the investment. You get much better performance and flexibility out of a true pony.

 

[RJP]

I only violated my plan for about 30 seconds and 3 or 4 feet

At the risk of being overly dramatic, either you violated your plan or you didn't. You did. If that violation gets you in trouble - which it did - you could be in deep sh|t. Suppose you got narc'ed?

 

[SCUBA_Phil]

Vinstigator,
If you like doing wrecks at 100', skip the pony bottle setup and start thinking of doubles - many more diving options. But be warned, the skill level of diving doubles, wrecks and all that comes with it takes time & training (and money). If you do go and get a pony bottle as an intermediate step, get a good regulator setup that you can use with doubles.


Phil

 

[deepdiver4]

that kind of stuff happends all the time dive boat operator will always send you down with alm 80 we did a dive on the spegle grove they wanted us to use alm 80 so we brong our steel 117 and they gave us all kinds of hell

 

[Diver Du]

Everyone has pretty much said what needs to be done. Also I'd recoment Reading "Deep Decent", "Shadow Divers" and "The Last Dive". All great books with great information on real deep wreck diving. You can take the priciples and techniques they use and apply it to wreck diving. When I was in Florida the Eagle was my first deep wreck. There was no current so missing the mooring line would have been no problem to do a free ascent. When i dove the spiegle grove, however, there was a 5 knot current. If I had to do a free ascent there I would have been blown 1-2 miles from the boat potentially getting lost at sea. After that dive I bought a reel to use with my saftey sausage to shoot if needed. When you get into Technical wreck diving some make arangements with different color lift bags. Yellow means I missed the line but I'm ok and doing my deco stops. Red bag means I'm in trouble send a tank of air down the line and get divers in the water to help me. It all depends what you arrange with the boat captain too; but thats more advanced tech stuff.

 

[Diver Du]

At the risk of being overly dramatic, either you violated your plan or you didn't. You did. If that violation gets you in trouble - which it did - you could be in deep sh|t. Suppose you got narc'ed?

Lets not be over dramatic here. He violated his dive plan? Yes. Went to 120 when I think was planning on 110? or 100 I forget. All that it would have done is limit his No Deco on his computer, the max depth alarm sounded but just reminds you hey, you didn't plan on going deeper than this so look at me so you know the changes in no deco. And sopose you got Narced? a ten foot deviasion from depth won't get you so NARCed that you will get yourself into trouble on a touch dive on a wreck with no penetration. I've been to 137ft on Air in 38 degree water, was narced but could function and problem solve fine. Its all mental , people can over act being narced. 100-130 range isn't dibilitating. I had somone tell me they were NARCed outta their mind at 100 ft on NITROX in 45 degree water. I know it affects people differently but I truely think its like your first time being drunk, if you expect it you over act that your state of mind is different whether its counciously being done or subconcious.
Now on the other hand, to counter myself, if he is only advanced certified to 100 ft. I would not have gone to 120 unless he felt he was a good enough diver or had the supervision of a DM or instructor. My dive to 137 was with a DM who has been on technical dives. I know how NARCed I get at that depth so i feel confortable going to that depth now.

 

[TheVinstigator]

I didn`t set my max depth for 110', thats my computers default depth which I didn`t know was there(My fault, yes) We had planned to go to 115', but I went to 118'. I now know there is a Wreck Dive Club right in my area, I will be joining in the near future. I now own a Reef Scuba Survivor reel and a Carter 100# lift bag and am making plans to go to the local Quarry to do some drills with it till I`m comfortable with it, then practice some more with it. Yes it was the BethDeeBob.