max depth with an 80 cuft. tank

[Jeff Shaw]

Did Farnsworth Bank to 150fsw with a buddy who had an AL80.
She returned after deco with over 1000 lbs.
But she is teenie and has a couple thousand dives.

 

[Superlyte27]

Not sure I get your meaning.

 

[Superlyte27]

Far be it for me to question your experience with over 5,000 dives. You have obviously done things correct to still be here. My thread was started to help those of us much less experienced than you learn from those on SB. I can't imagine a new diver with 10 dives in lakes going to 100' and in an emergency, figuring it out and ahhing appropriately to the surface. Many fellow divers probably tried what you say is possible, but it did not work out for them. I urge you to share your knowledge so the young divers reading this thread will think and perhaps remember what was posted here and say how it saved their life one day! That would be a blessing for us all. :kiss2:

Okay... Well, in a nutshell. I haven't done things correctly. It's by dumb luck and perserverence and absolutely the grace of God that I am still here. Quite honestly, I heard decades ago that the Navy would try free ascents from 200'. I only halfway believed it until I was forced to do it. I believe the guidelines we are learning by today are great. They will save alot of lives in the long run. But, I hate that alot of these guidelines seem to unnecessarily cost so much money. Is a Pony Bottle safer than not having one? Absolutely, and if one was given to me, i'd dive it (if I wasn't spear fishing). But is it absolutely necessary gear? Is it just good common sense to dive your plan? Yup..., but if something does go wrong, have you considered a solution? If you screw up, and I still do, are you good enough to save yourself? By all means, use everything at your disposal.

Here's the biggest thing I've learned, perhaps it will help someone... (but first a short story)

Two months ago I was doing a commercial job in shallow water. The water was 37 degrees. I was diving an outfall pipe which is about 40' of penetration. Because it was so shallow (less than 20') I decided not to dive a bailout bottle. I was surface supplied wearing a Superlite 27 Helmet. It was not abnormal for a topside tender to forget to fuel the compressor feeding my air. So... Here I am diving for about 4 hours and I'm thinking to myself man this regulator is really breathing like crap today. Then I took my last breath. I dropped everything and ran for the end of the penetration and swam hard as I could for the surface. I made it to the surface and ran for the shore while struggling to get my hat off (you can't breath wearing a hat even on the surface if no air is pumped to you). I was a few feet from the shore when my tenders realized they couldn't hear my Comms and that I was out of air. I collapsed a few feet from them as they pulled my hat off (it takes a good 25 or 30 seconds to get the hat off when you are not panicked).

So here's what i've learned... So many times, diving any moderate depth say 20'+ I'm always so careful, so observant of anything that could go wrong. I have a flowchart of checklists in my brain of what-ifs and solutions. It works great for me. I've had what should have been close calls but never been afraid because I always had a laundry lists of solutions no matter what might arise. But, then this silly 10' dive 40' in a pipe almost killed me. Why? Because I didn't respect the situation. I dismissed a 10' dive as a cake walk and never thought for a second that something dangerous could happen and I had no safety net. Guys, I have respect for even the shallowest dives now. Never get complacent. That's what my 5000 hours underwater has taught me.

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

Are you telling me to get bent? Who's we? I dive alone. Over 1900 dives with over 1300 hours bottom never bent. Doing something right I suppose.

But have you done a CESA from 100 ft after already having been there for awhile and not gotten bent?

 

[D_B]

Thank you for the insightful post, superlyte

 

[Superlyte27]

But have you done a CESA from 100 ft after already having been there for awhile and not gotten bent?

*EDIT* I'm not talking anymore. I know what I know, You know what you know. And it's probably safer that way. HEHE.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Yes, shot to the surface. Grabbed my buddies setup and went back down to do my deco. But that's going to open up another can of worms.

My friend, you could open a bait shop today ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

*EDIT* I'm not talking anymore. I know what I know, You know what you know. And it's probably safer that way. HEHE.

LOL, not gonna open up that can of worms eh?

p.s. I saw your post before you edited it.

 

[Superlyte27]

Lol... and my post was quoted, so I'm still stuck.
hey, if you guys go spend 35k on Commercial Dive school (and by spend, I mean waste) you too can know some of the worthless info that I know.

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

Lol... and my post was quoted, so I'm still stuck.
hey, if you guys go spend 35k on Commercial Dive school (and by spend, I mean waste) you too can know some of the worthless info that I know.

I may do what you described as long as there were no onset of symptoms of DCS on the surface, and I went right back down.