Circumstances being what they were, I did not have much opportunity to get in a lot of diving this month, but I didn't want an entire calendar page to drop without at least *some* logged dives. So, last weekend I headed out to get some bottom time at the "local" Florida springs (about five hours from home).
Anyway, I eventually managed to get past the megawreck on I-10 and eventually make it to Vortex Spring. It was *packed*. Their were public safety divers in the water (at least, so it appeared by the cool gear). There was a group of people putting a hardhat system through its paces (and listening to one of the divers on the topside intercom, he sounded like it was a *blast*). And of course, there were classes running. All that to say that the viz was less than Toledo Bend was last I was there, but it was water, and I wanted to work with my dry gloves and rings.
I spent quite a bit of time back in the cavern (a large amphitheater/band shell opening facing a wall, about 55 feet deep at the back bottom), and quite a few siltwalkers literally strolled by (reducing the viz to a foot or so for minutes at a time). One group, however, was exceptional...
There were three of them diving together. They were diving vertically, with their fin wash stirring up clouds of silt with each kick. They had very poor buoyancy control, so they as much walked as finned. They were diving in an overhead environment (although a fairly mild one, if you want to make a distinction). None of that was particularly surprising.
What was somewhat unusual was their scuba configuration. One of them was diving a normal recreational configuration. The second was also diving what was basically a normal recreational configuration, however, his alternate seemed to be in use...
...by the scuba-less third guy!
Yep, guy number three had no BC, no tank, no reg of his own. He and guy number two were sharing one tank and regset... at the back of the cavern.... I didn't get a chance to check to see whether guy number three had a weight belt, but he spent much of the time floating slightly balloon-like, at least for the very short while I was observing. After peering through the vast cloud of silt to get another look at their creative diving, I decided to move somewhere else where I'd be safe from them.
I can only assume they made it out alive, as otherwise there probably would have been residual commotion when I surfaced some time later.
I'm not completely sure, but I believe most courses covering overhead environments require at least one set of scuba per diver. I know I never go without at least two. Two divers per regset seems a bit much, but at least guys numbers two and three had the forethought to have two second stages. If they'd been buddy breathing at the back of the cavern, that could've been dangerous.
Anyway, I eventually managed to get past the megawreck on I-10 and eventually make it to Vortex Spring. It was *packed*. Their were public safety divers in the water (at least, so it appeared by the cool gear). There was a group of people putting a hardhat system through its paces (and listening to one of the divers on the topside intercom, he sounded like it was a *blast*). And of course, there were classes running. All that to say that the viz was less than Toledo Bend was last I was there, but it was water, and I wanted to work with my dry gloves and rings.
I spent quite a bit of time back in the cavern (a large amphitheater/band shell opening facing a wall, about 55 feet deep at the back bottom), and quite a few siltwalkers literally strolled by (reducing the viz to a foot or so for minutes at a time). One group, however, was exceptional...
There were three of them diving together. They were diving vertically, with their fin wash stirring up clouds of silt with each kick. They had very poor buoyancy control, so they as much walked as finned. They were diving in an overhead environment (although a fairly mild one, if you want to make a distinction). None of that was particularly surprising.
What was somewhat unusual was their scuba configuration. One of them was diving a normal recreational configuration. The second was also diving what was basically a normal recreational configuration, however, his alternate seemed to be in use...
...by the scuba-less third guy!
Yep, guy number three had no BC, no tank, no reg of his own. He and guy number two were sharing one tank and regset... at the back of the cavern.... I didn't get a chance to check to see whether guy number three had a weight belt, but he spent much of the time floating slightly balloon-like, at least for the very short while I was observing. After peering through the vast cloud of silt to get another look at their creative diving, I decided to move somewhere else where I'd be safe from them.
I can only assume they made it out alive, as otherwise there probably would have been residual commotion when I surfaced some time later.
I'm not completely sure, but I believe most courses covering overhead environments require at least one set of scuba per diver. I know I never go without at least two. Two divers per regset seems a bit much, but at least guys numbers two and three had the forethought to have two second stages. If they'd been buddy breathing at the back of the cavern, that could've been dangerous.
