HOW DEEP HAVE YOU GONE?

[Hocky]

Seems to me that the deeper divers don't want to say how deep they have been because, for whatever reason, it will come across as irresponsible.

For those of you who are new to this site, or diving for that matter, we try and come across as responsible as possible (though when you have been on here a while and seen some of warhammers pictures you might think diffenently). No seriously, diving is a serious business especially when you are heading deep and the dangers of heading deep are numerous

Hypoxia, Narcosis, DCS, Runaway ascents (which lead to arterial gas embolism or barotrauma or oxygen toxicity)...and the list goes on.

However, if you know what you are doing and appreciate the dangers that you are about to face, then going deep becomes a little easier...and safer, because all of the above still apply there is still a risk, but at least you understand what you are getting yourself into and the risks involved then becomes manageable.

I've been to 233ft on air but I had backup all the way. I was on a line,I had two other divers on the line above me ready just in case I blacked out, I had a redundant air sourse with me and stage decompression bottles running up the line.

The fact is that you can enjoy a lifetime of exciting, adventurous diving without ever having to make a decompression dive, without ever venturing deeper than 130ft, and with ever penetrating a wreck or a cave. Deep diving isn't for everyone and its not a goal for all divers to aspire to.

Just my 2 cents

Hocky

 

[joewr]

Black(fish)net(stockings),

Yes, I did and that is exactly why I wondered why you felt compelled to comment on spelling...well, the devil must have made you do it. That is who I always blame it on--with an appropriate nod to the late Flip Wilson!

Joewr (trying to keep Lindsay and Big Bird off the key board!)

 

[joewr]

I nearly knocked my granddaughter over when I read your reply! If this Board ever has a Hall of Fame, you are in it based on that one posting! God love ya, Walter!

Joewr (still chuckling)

 

[Walter]

Joe, careful with your granddaughter.

JBD, Symptoms are fairly universal, although there are some differences between individuals. First symptom, the deeper you go, the stupider you get. You may or may not notice this, usually not, but you are getting stupider just the same. Next, you usually feel like you are invincible, if you happen to be an 18 year old male, you definately won't notice as this is your normal state of being. Often people feel happy, although there are times when you might experience fear or terror. If you get extremely deep, symptoms of ox tox will mix in with narcosis symptoms.

It's important to remember that all decisions (plan what if senarios) must be made when you are planning the dive because you're ability to think clearly is impaired at depth. I never think of narcosis as relating to alcohol, instead I consider I'm lowering my IQ as I get deeper.

WWW™

 

[blacknet]

Hello,

Plan your dive and dive your plan and slates are cheap.

Ed

 

[BetterLateThannever]

My deepest dive to date was 40ffw.

Don't laugh. I gotta get some neoprened before I can go any deeper around here.

 

[old_mike]

202 feet, off of Tolandono Is. Indonesia, and it's nothing to brag about, because it's such a stupid thing to do.

i was seriously tipsy at around 165 fsw (140, no problem), but i remember planning to descend to that last sloping shelf before the wall, while inflating my BC as i went, to slow my descent. I remember staring into the black abyss at the edge of the drop off and briefly contemplating mortality, loved ones and how assinine i was being by going this deep on air. I remember seeing my buddy (guide) drift on with the current slightly above me. After one minute's duration, i started upwards to do my Pyle stop for 2 min at 100 feet, all the while thinking that i really truly am playing Russian roulette by going this deep. At 140 feet, i roll on by back and can see the surface of the water (nice viz) and when i finally get to 100 feet, i remember watching my tissue-loading bar graph to see how my deco obligation (per Spencer/Haldane algorithm on my Oceanic Prodigy) would dissappear before i ever reached 20 fsw (it did).

Oh yes, i do not recall the "wah-wahs" and i recall listening for, and expecting them when i was down there.

 

[Jonathan]

Is this like mine is bigger than yours?

Seriously though I did hear one instructor give a very valid point when asked why he did deeper diving than the what is recommended - if taking deep course students down to 40m / 120' ( is that the right conversion?) and that was the deepest he'd dived would he feel comfortable in being able to control and problem solve any situations that may arise?

The other point is conditions - would you say 40m off the UK coast with water temp say 12C (sorry never can remember the formula for F) was the same as the Red Sea at 27C? Cold and poor visibility add to the stress and increase the noticeable effects of narcosis - because as pointed out in an earlier post like it or not if you have dived to the limits of training recommendations beyond O/W you will have had narcosis symptons.

And finally I echo the recommedation - read "The Last Dive". OK that was 10 years ago and a lot of the kit configuaration etc may seem second nature to us now, but these guys were pioneers. It should be on every Tech/Cave diving course reading list. A very sobering and soul searching read.

Jonathan

 

[fooks]

My deepest was 90' on our deep dive for the advanced cert. It was the most scariest/wonderful thing i had ever experienced.

 

[DiverDave]

Have to agree with Jonathan. Deep here in the UK, or any other cold, low viz environment, is a very different feeling to deep in gin clear water. Max depth in the UK 115, Egypt 170. Felt a lot more comfortable on the Egypt dive than I did in the English Channel.