Thirteen Lives

[Wibble]

I was curious about the scuffed knuckles... so cave divers don't wear gloves? It was one of the first things I noticed... what's the reason behind this? Also I noticed the yellow fins and masks... also seemed odd since I figured most cave divers would want black... and also short fins, not recreational dive fins... just looked weird to me and I've been wanting to ask around. Thanks.

It’s perfectly normal for the CDG (Cave Diving Group) which are the specialist UK cave divers. All to do with geology, there’s very few big diveable caves in the UK unlike Mexico or Florida. Most UK cave diving is sump diving requiring caving to get to the sumps. This is wholly unsuited to the DIR style equipment such as large cylinders, long hoses, canister lights, or other commercial equipment. The CDG are famous for making their own kit, such as Rick Stanton's motorcycle inner tube he uses as a BCD.

Much of the UK's sump diving is summed up as diving through a sump to cave on the other side. Cavers who dive.

 

[Wibble]

Not sure if I got this right but it looked to me like when the Navy Seal got stuck and removed kit to untangle and replace his octo was stuck in a crack, then got pulled off and air was free flowing from the hose. The next shot was of him carrying on and the octo hose trailing with no reg attached and not free flowing. His gas pressure was 60 bar afterwards and he then ran out of air. I'm wondering how the damaged octo hose stopped free flowing as using "standard" 1st stage with reg and octo there is no isolation valve.

The facts are that Saman Kunan died during a solo attempt to reach the boys and he was not experienced in cave diving.

The rest was the film. That scene was based upon no accurate information so was pure drama.

How your last moments are before drowning is between you and your god.


No cave-trained diver would enter a sump like that without redundant gas and following the line. Cave training focuses on following a continuous line by sight or touch and lost line drills where you use your search reel to find the line. The outcome is bleak if you cannot follow a line — or lay one so you can backtrack.

It goes without saying that open water training doesn’t include such topics.

It appears that Saman Kunan's death did stop the untrained (in cave diving) Seals and allowed the experts to get on with the rescue.

 

[Hoyden]

I think that anyone who has questions about the gear used in the movie should watch the documentary, The Rescue. The gear in the movie looked spot on to what was actually used, yellow fins and all.

 

[tursiops]

I liked both movies. One is not "better" than the other, they are just different. I would not have liked to see just one. I suspect Rescue appeals to divers more because it takes fewer liberties, but I learned things about the rescue from Thirteen that I had not known.

 

[Marie13]

I think that anyone who has questions about the gear used in the movie should watch the documentary, The Rescue. The gear in the movie looked spot on to what was actually used, yellow fins and all.

Read Stanton’s book.

 

[rvojr]

Read Stanton’s book. It answers so many questions people have. The Rescue has footage from the Thai military and you see them with single tanks.

I didn't realize there was a book. The two things that stuck out to me is the single tanks with yoke for the Thai divers and Poseidon Cyclon regs being used. I didn't recall seeing them in the pictures but it was slightly before I started diving so I may have just not noticed.

 

[Marie13]

I didn't realize there was a book. The two things that stuck out to me is the single tanks with yoke for the Thai divers and Poseidon Cyclon regs being used. I didn't recall seeing them in the pictures but it was slightly before I started diving so I may have just not noticed.

People keep on with questions about the little details but if they’d bother to read Aquanaut, their questions would be answered. All I can figure is that people can’t be bothered to actually pick up a book. The diving stuff is explained well enough for non-divers. A bunch of non-divers told me they enjoyed the book.

 

[rvojr]

People keep on with questions about the little details but if they’d bother to read Aquanaut, their questions would be answered. All I can figure is that people can’t be bothered to actually pick up a book. The diving stuff is explained well enough for non-divers. A bunch of non-divers told me they enjoyed the book.

I bought the book on amazon.

 

[Wibble]

There's quite a few books on the Thai cave rescue. Aquanauts, IMHO, is the most enjoyable; a real page turner.

• Rick Stanton's Aquanaut: A Life Beneath the Surface
• John Volanthan's Thirteen Lessons that saved Thirteen Lives
• Richard Harris & Craig Challen's Against All Odds: The inside account of the Thai cave rescue
• All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team
• Rising Water: The Story of the Thai Cave Rescue

And many others!

 

[Guille G]

While on the subject of work by the Thai Rescuers, Dr. Harris has an interview podcast called “real risk” that is quite interesting.

Not about the rescue at all, but the guy leverages the notoriety he earned to get an audience and access to a bunch of people who’ve done a bunch of interesting things.I quite like it.

*I know this is not really on-topic, but I promise it was done in good intent