SB (extended) weekend

[H2Andy]

gdi, we were diving in that system, that day. under the circumstances we encountered there, the mainline acted as our safety line.

did we break the lettert of the rule? yes. did we break the spirit of the rule and the reason WHY the rule is there? no.

running a safety reel three feet would have made us no safer.
it was thus unnecessary. it was thus not done.

 

[GDI]

Andy first let me tell you I would enjoy a dive with you and OBG. By your own statements and posts you expediated the dives. Your cylinder went unintentally "sidemount" Therefore you did not correctly prepare your equipment. You appeared to have cut corners to get into the water quicker. You did not run a primary reel which IMO you should have if for no other reason than to practise and develop a good habit. You are new to this environment. Divers die when they fail to standardize and departmentalize their equipment and develop an awareness as to the practicallity and function of that equipment and the environment in which they are diving. When it comes to Accident Analysis experienced cave divers die because of three main reasons: they don't run guidelines, and they dive deeper than their gas and depth limitations.

 

[H2Andy]

"Your cylinder went unintentally "sidemount" Therefore you did not correctly prepare your equipment."

you are correct about that. it was the first time i've ever used a large steel cylinder,
and it had no boot, and it was difficult to stabilize it to properly secure the strap.
also, i failed to wet the strap before securing it. no argument there from me.
(not that it matters, but this is the first time in over 70 dives that this has happened to me).

but on the issue of the guideline, i simply can not agree with you.

 

[OneBrightGator]

I find it hypocritical to justify taking OW divers into what are clearly overhead environments (with Devil's Den being the exception) and in the same post bash those who have to proper training and exercised it on the dive in question.

The point about the sites mentioned are that they are caverns or caves (depending on who's definition you use), having a novice line does not change that because most OW divers have no clue how to perform a lost line search, use touch contact so on and so on, not to mention the lack of proper equipment for the dive.

As far as moving the line goes, I have more faith the goldline will be there when I return then my own, not to mention the fact the line commitee would not move the mainline on a Saturday with a parking lot full of cars, for that matter even if they did, WE WOULD SEE THEM, and we were both carrying the proper equipment for a lost line drill. The cylinder slipping could be seen as an oversight, but come on, we're not talking about a one-dive-in-a-million event here, tanks slip. The rest of your assessment is just more armchair quarterbacking from another diver who was not there.

Ben

 

[SmokeAire]

I thought I would relate a recent expeience I had at Blue Grotto. Four of us from our scuba club went to BG a couple of weeks ago. The first visit for all.Two of the divers are strictly OW. Madeline and I cavern Cert'd. I decided to practice laying line. Off I went around the right hand side in back laying line as I went. About half way around I ran into serious slitout conditions. There were two other OW divers and they must have gone ahead of me kicking up tons of silt. Intersting I thought and good practice. So I continued to forge ahead, after all you can always see the opening right? After about another 20 or 30 feet I stopped. The silting was getting worse. I decided to try an experiment so I turned off my light. Guess what I saw? NOTHING. Nada. Zip. Not even a glimmer of light from the entrance. OW conditions my foot! Flipped my light back on, turned around and followed my line back out. Glad I decided to practice my cavern skills. Oh and I didn't snarl my line either..must be a first.
Practice is the best insurance in my book.

BTW I have dove with H2Andy and I look forward to diving with him anytime.

Chuck

 

[jviehe]

GDI, The rules are not laws. These are training guidelines written for the lowest common denominator. Every diver is different and Every diver quickly learns what is and isnt useful on a real dive, ie. the snorkel. No one ever told me "this is the excpetion to the rule". I learned on my own what works and doesnt in the real world, and what level of increased risk is acceptable to me. I continue to take in all the information, and when it comes down to it, I am the one doing the dive, and I will do what I think is best for me.

 

[fgray1]

http://www.scubaboard.com/t52910.html
In a cave is no place for an inflated ego
Fred

 

[H2Andy]

well, i would say that there is NO place for an inflated ego, fred

(this is not a comment on you, just a general observation)

 

[fgray1]

well, i would say that there is NO place for an inflated ego, fred

(this is not a comment on you, just a general observation)

I don't Think you have one either. As a matter of fact I even like alot of what you say. I track most of your post and read them.
I'm not as close minded as some might think.
Fred

 

[simbrooks]

I don't Think you have one either. As a matter of fact I even like alot of what you say. I track most of your post and read them.
I'm not as close minded as some might think.
Fred

So when are you two setting a date then??? All the little tiffs patched up, so sweet....