Interesting dive off Palm beach yesterday

[LI-er]

So what were you doing on these drift dives? Were you using a scooter? That makes all the difference in the world.

I dive with a guy who takes 34% to 135 twice a day, once a week, for decades. Not that I think that is at all smart, but I do suspect that the 1.4 limit is probably conservative. On the other hand, I think oxtox is not something to be disregarded.

No scooter, deployed a dsmb from depth towards the end of the dive.

Not understanding why carrying a scooter means a diver must incur significant additional risk by clipping themselves to a flag.

You provide another great example as to why recreational single tank diving on Nitrox poses such a low risk of 02 toxicity that it can almost be completely disregarded.

 

[LI-er]

do you care to put your money where your mouth is?

No, but I'll continue to set my computer to PP02 of 1.6, drop considerably below the MOD for my particular mix if there's something interesting to see, and not lose any sleep over it.

 

[johndiver999]

No scooter, deployed a dsmb from depth towards the end of the dive.

Not understanding why carrying a scooter means a diver must incur significant additional risk by clipping themselves to a flag.

You provide another great example as to why recreational single tank diving on Nitrox poses such a low risk of 02 toxicity that it can almost be completely disregarded.

Well if you don't have a lot of experience pulling a float (with and without a scooter), then I can understand your perspective on rigging. A diver is going to have quite an issue hand pulling a float and riding a scooter and accomplishing anything.

Since you didn't answer what you were doing on these drift dives, perhaps it is reasonable to assume your comments pertain primarily to a tourist boat and you aren't trying to "do" anything other than sightsee. Not that there is anything wrong with that, of course, but sometimes we make compromises in diver safety in order to accomplish some task or objective.

I'm make this assumption on your experience, based on your indication that you deploy an SMB at end of dive. If I were just drifting on a recreational dive and no scooter, I definitely would just hand carry the dive hook/float line and not clip it off to my harness.

With respect to ox-tox, my interpretation of anecdotal evidence indicates that the prevailing recommendation for 1.4 may be overly conservative, but the consequences of getting "it wrong" are potentially catastrophic, so applying a good degree of caution makes sense - as opposed to applying ZERO caution toward oxygen exposure limits.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

No, but I'll continue to set my computer to PP02 of 1.6, drop considerably below the MOD for my particular mix if there's something interesting to see, and not lose any sleep over it.

It's your neck. Do as you wish.

 

[LI-er]

It's your neck. Do as you wish.

Yes of course I can but that's not the point.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Yes of course I can but that's not the point.

That's precisely the point.

 

[johndiver999]

Since nobody has come up with the correct scenario and this thread is diverging all over the place, maybe it is time to finish the story before everyone forgets where I left off.

Even though my buddy has two brand new engines (less than 20 hrs) he has had some issues with the engines failing to start. I had never experienced it when I was operating the boat, nor had it occurred when either of use were diving and a recent modification/trip-to-shop, lead us to believe that the previous issue had been completely resolved,

However, apparently while I was diving, he turned both engines off and neither would even turn over or start. The trim worked but the engines acted like they were not in neutral which electronically precludes starting. He checked fuses, shut off the power, switched batteries and tried everything he could think of.

So he was kinda freaking out because he is dead in the water and I am drifting away with the float ball continuing my dive, oblivious to any problems topside. He noticed this fisherman in the area and (apparently there was enough communication established, since he speaks some Spanish) to request that the fisherman, go over, grab the float and then pull me in so I would not be lost.

That is exactly what the nice fisherman did, however, I was ignorant of the situation, not able to communicate, unhappy and was not even considering the option to possibly board his boat. At least I didn’t cuss him out.

Luckily, and for no apparent reason after 10-15minutes, the captain was able to start the motors and came over to pick me up (as I resumed drifting on the surface for just a minute or so).

My buddy had thrown out his anchor earlier when the initial problem occurred, to prevent drifting too far. When the engines eventually started, he just ditched it (rather than haul it all in on the boat by himself) in order to recover me ASAP.

It took me two more dives to find and then recover the anchor and line he ditched, I asked him to leave the engines running while I did these dives, LOL.

Six drops yesterday, I went to bed early last night.

Wonder if the nice fisherman will ever try to help out a few divers again?

 

[LI-er]

That's precisely the point.

Then why have any debates or discussion on this forum? Science doesn't matter. Skills and experience don't matter. People should just do what they want because it's their neck. According to you.

 

[LI-er]

Wonder if the nice fisherman will ever try to help out a few divers again?

Not after how you treated him.

Don't judge too quickly.

 

[Johnoly]

Luckily, and for no apparent reason after 10-15minutes, the captain was able to start the motors and came over to pick me up...

I know exactly what you mean. On the Suzuki's there is a known problem on the lanyard kill switch with it sticking/corrosion. With the key off it may take a couple times of installing/removing the little red fork on the lanyard to get the kill switch 'nub' to reset. Like you said, you can do fuses, batt cables, throttles, & everything and nothing works. It's that kill switch nub that the red fork goes under and it needs to be replaced.

If I hauled you up by your flag line at least when you surfaced I would have looked you straight in the eye and yelled " Hot lunch is ready! "