learning from magazines

[MikeFerrara]

The other day a freind asked if I saw the Dive tales piece in the latest issue of Skin Diver. He told me it was about a non-cavediver going cave diving in Mexico. As it turns out the piece he was talking about is in the December issue which I dont have yet. In lookin for it though I came across the "Dive Tales" from the November issue though.

In this piece the authorGeorgienne Bradley recount a dive in Palau. Upon seeing blinking lights the author notice that the computor is showing 3 minutes of required deco. The author states this isn't a big deal because there is plenty of gas. The author is apparantly alone and taking pictures. The author ascends to the ledge and hooks in with the hook (Blue Corner).

The author is wearing a "horseshoe modeling BC" that the author states looks great in pictures but lacks in stability and comfort. The current begins to tear the bc apart. First the waistband then a shoulder strap break apart. Several other divers come to the authors rescue puuling the author into a protected area and re-securing the bc and taking the authors cammera. The moral of the story is supposed to be that you should listen to dive briefings.

I see much more than this here like...
If you decide that solo diving is for you be prepared to take care of yourself. This diver was not prepared for anything. Plan depth and time rather than just letting it happen. This diver conducted what I would call a technical dive and was clearly not equiped and likely not trained for it. At shallow depths with a single 80 you run out of gas before running out of time. At greater depths it is possible to run out of time before gas. It seems that since the author states they had "beaucoup air in the tank" when the deco obligation was noticed that it was a deep dive.

I don't like the term "stroke" but in this case I think it fits. This author and this magazine IMO has a dangerous attitude!

I am going to let Skin Diver know what I think of this arcticle why don't you?

BTW, I can't wait to read the non-cavediver cave diving piece.

 

[O-ring]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...
The other day a freind asked if I saw the Dive tales piece in the latest issue of Skin Diver. He told me it was about a non-cavediver going cave diving in Mexico. As it turns out the piece he was talking about is in the December issue which I dont have yet. In lookin for it though I came across the "Dive Tales" from the November issue though.

In this piece the authorGeorgienne Bradley recount a dive in Palau. Upon seeing blinking lights the author notice that the computor is showing 3 minutes of required deco. The author states this isn't a big deal because there is plenty of gas. The author is apparantly alone and taking pictures. The author ascends to the ledge and hooks in with the hook (Blue Corner).

The author is wearing a "horseshoe modeling BC" that the author states looks great in pictures but lacks in stability and comfort. The current begins to tear the bc apart. First the waistband then a shoulder strap break apart. Several other divers come to the authors rescue puuling the author into a protected area and re-securing the bc and taking the authors cammera. The moral of the story is supposed to be that you should listen to dive briefings.

I see much more than this here like...
If you decide that solo diving is for you be prepared to take care of yourself. This diver was not prepared for anything. Plan depth and time rather than just letting it happen. This diver conducted what I would call a technical dive and was clearly not equiped and likely not trained for it. At shallow depths with a single 80 you run out of gas before running out of time. At greater depths it is possible to run out of time before gas. It seems that since the author states they had "beaucoup air in the tank" when the deco obligation was noticed that it was a deep dive.

I don't like the term "stroke" but in this case I think it fits. This author and this magazine IMO has a dangerous attitude!

I am going to let Skin Diver know what I think of this arcticle why don't you?

BTW, I can't wait to read the non-cavediver cave diving piece.

Mike, I read this piece too...I was ROFLMAO through most of it and couldn't imagine that anyone would hold this up as good diving. I don't have the magazine in front of me, but what was the point? Wasn't it intended as a "what not to do" piece? I think I remember something about the DM handing out hooks before the divers splashed in...too funny.

 

[Dee]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...

I am going to let Skin Diver know what I think of this arcticle why don't you?

BTW, I can't wait to read the non-cavediver cave diving piece.

Since Skin Diver Magazine is now out of business and the December issue was the last, I wouldn't hold my breath for a response!

Rodales Publishing bought Skin Diver but is not expected to put out another dive rag.

 

[nickjb]

Didn't they buy it so that no one else would buy it and resurrect it? I suppose they don't like the idea of competition.

 

[MikeFerrara]

O-ring once bubbled...

Mike, I read this piece too...I was ROFLMAO through most of it and couldn't imagine that anyone would hold this up as good diving. I don't have the magazine in front of me, but what was the point? Wasn't it intended as a "what not to do" piece? I think I remember something about the DM handing out hooks before the divers splashed in...too funny.

the only aspect of the dive that was treated as an error was the failure to listen to the briefing well enough to use the hook correctly. The rest was treated as par for the course.

Dee,
Maybe the mag is gone but it is a good example of the king of junk I see all the time in print.