Mt. Everest

[tridacna]

Even with all the potential variables that can be encountered on a DORIA dive, an experienced diver should be able to cope very easily and still have a very enjoyable dive.

1. I recall that all of those that have died on the Doria so far were very experienced divers. No matter how much experience you have, the risks are simply magnified on the wreck.
2. There are few charters that will take inexperienced divers to the Doria. (Are there any?) No captain likes calling the CG. Ruins everyone's day.
3. My enjoyment came from "surviving" the dives. There's not much to see. There's no way I'll spend the $$ or the time again. Most people do it for bragging rights. This is unfortunately too true. I was one of them.
4. First time I dove the SG, the currents were much worse than on the Doria. Kinda ironic. When we did our SS, we were hanging horizontally on the line.

 

[tridacna]

I would love to know where you got this "statistic" 200 divers/season for each boat.

True - today. They used to be much more frequent a few years ago. Crowell alone was running at least 7-10 trips in 2001. He eased off after Murley's death.

I believe that the Independence II, the Garloo, the John Jack, the Seeker and the GypsyBlood all do charters to the AD. There are many more. If there were less than 400 divers (not unique) going down to the AD each year, I would be surprised. OTOH I would not be surprised if that many were going to the SG every month!

 

[aue-mike]

I would love to know where you got this "statistic" 200 divers/season for each boat.

Exactly, its just not accurate. Aside from blowouts, you also have to keep in mind many of the divers each year were repeats, in that each trip was not comprised of new divers. In many years I suspect a significant portion of the customers had already been on the wreck, or were crew, etc.

 

[aue-mike]

1. I recall that all of those that have died on the Doria so far were very experienced divers. No matter how much experience you have, the risks are simply magnified on the wreck.

but, with a few exceptions, there were other caustive agents, deep air being one of them.
regardless, there is definitely added risk the deeper you go, but that added risk is not unique to the DORIA.

 

[TSherman]

I am a NJ diver through and through. The SG was a nice tourist break up for the silly reefs, NC will always be worth the drive for me, but NJ keeps me interested. Men like John and Richie will be my idols, it is just me and what I think.

Keep Florida.....well Florida!

Be careful there Mr NJ Wreck Diver..... Florida wrecks can be to much sometimes...[/QUOTE]
very rarely!

 

[aue-mike]

very rarely!

Simply not true. There are several wrecks that consistently have demanding conditions. Much more so than the DORIA. For example, there are several deep wrecks off Canaveral, which frequently have 3-4 kt currents, cold water (e.g., 48 degrees) upwellings, and low visibility because of their proximity to the Gulf Stream as well as the Shelf. You never know what you will get out there, but if you want to dive the wrecks you need to deal with it. There are also deep wrecks (i.e., similar depths as the DORIA) in the Keys and South Florida that experience these variable conditions.

 

[tridacna]

but, with a few exceptions, there were other caustive agents, deep air being one of them..

CAUSTIVE: I had to look up that word...then found out that you meant CAUSATIVE (er I think). Nice word! Looked like "caustic agents" for a moment.. :blinking:

 

[aue-mike]

CAUSTIVE: I had to look up that word...then found out that you meant CAUSATIVE (er I think). Nice word! Looked like "caustic agents" for a moment.. :blinking:

typo.

 

[DEEPLOU]

Simply not true. There are several wrecks that consistently have demanding conditions. Much more so than the DORIA. For example, there are several deep wrecks off Canaveral, which frequently have 3-4 kt currents, cold water (e.g., 48 degrees) upwellings, and low visibility because of their proximity to the Gulf Stream as well as the Shelf. You never know what you will get out there, but if you want to dive the wrecks you need to deal with it. There are also deep wrecks (i.e., similar depths as the DORIA) in the Keys and South Florida that experience these variable conditions.

48 deg water is when it warms up here (NE), low visabilty in Florida is considered to be less than 60 feet. In the NE low vis is "lose your hand when you extend your arm"
Currents, well from what I been told out at the
Doria, they measure it by whether the 20 lb sledge will swing down on the rope or come to the surface from the current.

 

[aue-mike]

48 deg water is when it warms up here (NE), low visabilty in Florida is considered to be less than 60 feet. In the NE low vis is "lose your hand when you extend your arm"
Currents, well from what I been told out at the
Doria, they measure it by whether the 20 lb sledge will swing down on the rope or come to the surface from the current.

I understand that, but temperature is relatively predictable in the NE. On the wrecks I am talking about, you never know. If you want to be safe and dive a drysuit, then that is fine (if you can stand sweating your **** off in 95 degree heat waiting for the boat to line up on a drop, or roast on decompression with 84 degree water on deco). But I am talking about those temps in a wetsuit :11:
And thus far the lowest temps we have experienced was about 38-40 degrees on a deep wreck off SC. Diving in a wetsuit. Yes, it was painful.
Again, visibility can be variable off the central FL east coast. Some of the upwelling events can bring crazy suspended sediments with *blackout* conditions on the bottom. I have seen footage from the Johnson Sea Link with sediment rolling over the sphere similar to the way a Guiness rolls. We have had similar conditions where we hit the bottom before seeing it (actually never saw it because it was so bad).
Currents on the DORIA are typically periodic, and no one jumps in if its running 2+ kts because of the work it takes to get down the anchor line. Since we are liveboating, we jump when its running at its max (~4.5 kts). Usually not as bad on the bottom, but you never know. That means drop over 1/10th of a mile away from the wreck and we surface over 5 miles away after a 90 minute runtime.
The bottom line is the NE is not the only place that has potentially challenging or highly dynamic conditions.