Lost Buddy Marker

[rjack321]

You re-calculated your exit gas for Olson or for the entrance (exit you came from)?

Recalculated to return to "my exit" where my reel is. I'm only headed to Olsen if I am so low on gas that I think the shorter path to a non-verified exit is my only hope.

There are arrows which point to air domes (with no exit at all) in Mexico. (downstream Choc Mool, 1/3rd of the way to the big stalagtite, its just a tiny hole in the roof above an air dome, and in fact its name is "emergency air cenote"). Obviously you only follow those if you have no other choice.

 

[rjack321]

Yes. How would one even calculate gas for exit one does not know? Like say in my example I said I have never been to Olsen (I have not). Once I pass the mid point, I do know the distance but I do not know, say, depths or restrictions, ie the the travel time it might take me to get to "the closer" exit. - Naturally smarty pants would have looked at the cave map before dive and seen, at least, that the cave does not drop to 150 ft before Olsen but let's play simples again. One might not know/remember every time.

You would only head to Olsen if you have no hope of exiting at P1. For instance you were off the line and finally got back to the mainline with your spg at 100psi. What else are you going to do? Exiting towards Olsen and praying are the best of your dwindling options.

Having zero knowledge of a system where you know there are other openings is a bit unrealistic.

 

[piikki]

You would only head to Olsen if you have no hope of exiting at P1. For instance you were off the line and finally got back to the mainline with your spg at 100psi. What else are you going to do? Exiting towards Olsen and praying are the best of your dwindling options.

Having zero knowledge of a system where you know there are other openings is a bit unrealistic.

I don't see where we are disagreeing.

Yet, I don't quite recall what I was told about Pothole. I seem to recall I was told it is an emergency exit and one can slither out from there? Arrow sure points up. Might as well ask that because I am sure someone here knows if it is an access to air/out?

 

[limeyx]

I don't see where we are disagreeing.

Yet, I don't quite recall what I was told about Pothole. I seem to recall I was told it is an emergency exit and one can slither out from there? Arrow sure points up. Might as well ask that because I am sure someone here knows if it is an access to air/out?

You aren't (except the use of arrows

Richard replied to Meng_Tze's question about which exit to calculate gas for.

 

[Cave Diver]

I don't see where we are disagreeing.

Yet, I don't quite recall what I was told about Pothole. I seem to recall I was told it is an emergency exit and one can slither out from there? Arrow sure points up. Might as well ask that because I am sure someone here knows if it is an access to air/out?

The last time I recall being at pothole (and admittedly it's been a while) it was possible to exit there and hit the surface. Actually climbing out is another thing altogether. I think it was possible if you ditch your gear, but not easy. As I recall, Challenge sink was so named because it was also very much a challenge to climb in and out of.

 

[The Chairman]

I am only intro to cave (taught by our own GDI) but this has me thinking on several levels.

I like the idea of leaving a lit back up light for a lost buddy. The Intovas I like are cheap enough and small enough to carry three back-ups.

I like the idea of leaving my personal line arrow showing my departure direction with the light.

In case of a lost line, I think Capt Wyatt's idea of indicating direction with the clip is a good one. Thanks for the pic on that. It clarified a LOT.

It's OBVIOUS that I need more training and experience. If you are diving during the week and need a buddy, please PM me! Please remember that I am ONLY intro at this time: I won't exceed my training (No "Trust Me" dives).

 

[limeyx]

I
In case of a lost line, I think Capt Wyatt's idea of indicating direction with the clip is a good one. Thanks for the pic on that. It clarified a LOT.

I dont like this idea for 2 reasons

1) It is inconsistent with clip usage in all other cases. Every other time, when I tie in a reel or a jump line, I point the clip back where I just came from. This is inconsistent

2) If you come back to move the boltsnap, you unclip it and then go to clip it onto the "new" line you want to try (if you think you are going the wrong way), there is a chance you will clip it onto your search line. Now you go down that (wasting time & gas), and get to the end. Are you now sure its your search line and you should return ? Or are you now lost ? Best case, you have to swim back to the reel/spool, wasting more time/gas and guess a new way to go


I would rather leave the boltsnap pointing back on my search line, and use a cookie on the side of the line which I guess is the exit. If I then change my mind and want to go the other way, when I get back to the intersection, its obvious which is my search line, and where to move the cookie to mark the new way I think is the exit.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I dont like this idea for 2 reasons

1) It is inconsistent with clip usage in all other cases. Every other time, when I tie in a reel or a jump line, I point the clip back where I just came from. This is inconsistent

But every other time, when you tie in a reel or jump line, your bolt snap is pointing toward your point of entry ... which unless you're doing a circuit is also your exit.

What's the advantage of having your boltsnap point back toward where you just came from if you know that 20 feet away it's tied into a rock? What information is that going to convey if your buddy happens to find it while you're off searching the line you clipped it into?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[limeyx]

But every other time, when you tie in a reel or jump line, your bolt snap is pointing toward your point of entry ... which unless you're doing a circuit is also your exit.

What's the advantage of having your boltsnap point back toward where you just came from if you know that 20 feet away it's tied into a rock? What information is that going to convey if your buddy happens to find it while you're off searching the line you clipped it into?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

No, it points back "the way I came"

The boltsnap is not what tells my buddy where I have gone, it is the cookie that I put on what I believe is the "exit" side of the spool or reel that I have tied into the line I have found. The boltsnap is there for consistency, and to prevent me accidentally going down my own line again and getting confused.

 

[The Chairman]

I dont like this idea for 2 reasons

1) It is inconsistent with clip usage in all other cases. Every other time, when I tie in a reel or a jump line, I point the clip back where I just came from. This is inconsistent

That's the real beauty of it. It stands out to me and to others after me. Searchers, including my buddy, will KNOW that I am NOT down that line.

2) If you come back to move the boltsnap, you unclip it and then go to clip it onto the "new" line you want to try (if you think you are going the wrong way), there is a chance you will clip it onto your search line. Now you go down that (wasting time & gas), and get to the end. Are you now sure its your search line and you should return ? Or are you now lost ? Best case, you have to swim back to the reel/spool, wasting more time/gas and guess a new way to go

Wow. You really have to have a complete lack of situational awareness even if you were under duress.

I would rather leave the boltsnap pointing back on my search line, and use a cookie on the side of the line which I guess is the exit. If I then change my mind and want to go the other way, when I get back to the intersection, its obvious which is my search line, and where to move the cookie to mark the new way I think is the exit.

You have my permission.