New Experience in Pond

[av8er23]

Yeah, I've had that happen twice. Once, I attempted to go diving in a flooded rock quarry. Vis was about 8' at the surface. However after getting down to about 12', there was a thermocline and a drop in vis down to about 2'....we aborted shortly after I descended directly into a nice rock projection, which I couldn't see until impact.

Case 2. There's a popular creek close to my house which people go to all the time and swim, and get drunk, and other things. Which means they lose a lot of stuff in the water, such as necklaces and rings and such. Since I had just tested my new bp/w in the pool, I had an AL80 waiting with 2500 psi still in it, so I decided to go use that air. Water was warm, and it was a pretty nice place, other than methane bubbling up through the bottom, and a bottom that was so soft near shore that you had to pretty much jump in on your back so you started floating instead of walking. Anyway...viz was 10' on the surface dropping to less than 1' on the bottom.

I note that your profile says you're experience is 'rookie'. Don't do it. Tell them you aren't doing it, and don't do it. Slogging around in the murk with trees and jeeps along with a steel cable is not a good place to be.

If you're thinking about doing this, send GaryD a PM. He knows about that kind of stuff, and will tell you what you need to know. (Note: that doesn't mean he'll tell you how to do it)

Did you find any valuables?

 

[teknitroxdiver]

You could get a small boat and try to snag it with a grapple hook, then go down the line on the hook and tie the cable off. That would reduce the stress level a massive amount compared to searching the pond for it.

 

[Hank49]

This is all good advice. Am I suppose to just feel around until I fell something like a jeep? A flashlight was not doing much good. We were dropping an weight close to where it was suppose to be. It was hard to tell what it was hitting...mudd bottom, the top of the jeep, the hard hood ect..

If it hits mud you won't hear or feel it. It it hits something hard and that's the only thing around the area, you're probably on it. But use a good light. Once you get there you'll be able to tell if it's the stern...er ,front of the jeep or not and orient yourself as to where you need to hook to it. Just use a 1/2-5/8" rope and tie a bow line. Never mind the cable. It's too heavy to move around and tie under water. That's what I would try. I'm going to bed. going out diving tomorrow.

 

[Chris Sawallich]

If you need a rope to reduce the stress level, you probally shouldnt put yourself in that situation anyway..

 

[Gary D.]

Now does that give you an idea as to why PSD's get PSD training and not just rely on sport certifications?

You can have some real negative results trying things like this when you’re not prepared.

You just had trouble looking for a Jeep in 1-2 feet of vis. Try looking for a finger, shell casing, weapon or other small items in total zero vis. I mean zero like in the absence of any light or particulate so thick light won't penetrate it.

Then add in a plethora of entanglement hazards that you didn’t have a clue were there.

Where you hook onto a vehicle can be critical. A Jeep is very forgiving so hook onto anything you can get. The angle of the vehicle and the cable have a lot to do on how you hook up to keep you safe and minimize damage to the vehicle.

Some have given you ideas as to how to do the recovery again at a later date. My advice is, with the problems you just had, get someone else that KNOWS what they are doing. Doing that may just allow you to do this again at a later date after some proper training.

I’m not being critical as to what you did. Hopefully you learned from this bad situation.

Trying to save or make a few bucks have cost a lot of lives. Them the professionals have to be called in anyway but to make a much bigger recovery.

Gary D.

 

[DeepSeaDan]

I AM, experienced in this kind of thing, and I can tell you this.....The Kraken is on the money, good advice, use it, and learn somthing new. Next time it wont be so bad.

ps (I HATE the bony hand of death thingy)

...that makes these boards a scary place for the "rookies" et. al.

D.S.D.

 

[james croft]

For what it's worth, I took an underwater criminal investigators course and had to learn how to hook up vehicles. Chains and cable are frowned on. Nylon straps are easier to work with. There is more to it than meets the eye. Very easy to do it wrong. Often vehicles may be spotted by oil bubbles coming to the surface and creating a sheen. Pay a pro to do it. You will be glad you did.

 

[Gary D.]

The photo at the bottom left is a UK800R pointed directly at the camera from about 6'.

This is just training but the real thing can be much, much worse. It's a no big deal dive with proper training which increases one's comfort level.

http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/14319/cat/500/ppuser/2714

Gary D.

 

[av8er23]

Some have given you ideas as to how to do the recovery again at a later date. My advice is, with the problems you just had, get someone else that KNOWS what they are doing. Doing that may just allow you to do this again at a later date after some proper training.

I’m not being critical as to what you did. Hopefully you learned from this bad situation.

Trying to save or make a few bucks have cost a lot of lives. Them the professionals have to be called in anyway but to make a much bigger recovery.

Gary D.

This is what most everyone is recommending which I respect very much. But I am trying to learn a little more from the given situation than just to hear call someone else. I am all for getting proper training to help one deal with a given situation. I was just looking for this to be more of a learning experience. Was it really a deadly situation that I was putting myself in? I know there are many factors to consider but I did not really consider it extremely dangerous. Am I wrong?

 

[carldarl]

I am all for getting proper training to help one deal with a given situation. I was just looking for this to be more of a learning experience. Was it really a deadly situation that I was putting myself in? I know there are many factors to consider but I did not really consider it extremely dangerous. Am I wrong?

Not meaning to lecture but... Cold water, basically zero vis, unseen obstructions, additional task loading (sources unknown) unsure of actual depth, unknown problems...

This doesn't sound like a good rookie dive and is not the ideal training scenario to learn in. Have your buddy hire a commercial diver to do the job and see if he'll let you tag along to observe and learn. My guess is he will refuse due to the dangers.

Was it really a deadly situation you were putting yourself in? Every time we dive we are putting ourselves in a deadly situation. The key is to dive within your limitations, minimize the risk factors as much as possible and get appropriate training in a training environment.

11 hours till flight time and a week of California diving... YEA!!!