To the OW divers I "met" at Jackson Blue last weekend

[ScubaSam]

There are other options you could have considered besides running your own line. Obviously we knew that there were several lines still in place and not all those teams were currently in the water, so it was a pretty safe assumption that they would be there on our way out.

Yep, in the end that is the decision we made cause we wanted to get to you ASAP.

Earlier in the weekend, we had also discussed a line sharing protocol. Both of our groups elected to run our own lines in during our dives, but at one point we talked about just sharing a single line by having one team run it and both teams drop cookies where it tied into the gold line.

Line sharing protocol was also discussed in our cave class with our instructor.

I wouldn't normally encourage dropping a cookie on another teams line without discussing it with them first. But in a situation like this, if you were in doubt about who was still in the cave and wanted to ensure the reel didn't get pulled that would have been another way to address the issue.

Noted.

It's unfortunate cave diver, sam, drydive, lost out on there own dive to help these guys, its never a win when in this situation, yet it is an experience of a cave dive that ended safely.

We did not lose out on our own dive. This happened after we completed our dive and were floating on the surface with a view to the cavern entrance.

Great learning experience for both Donna and I based on how we reacted, and based on what has been discussed in this thread.

Thanks to everyone who contributed on this thread. It definitely contributed to this "kindergarten" caver's learning.

 

[koozemani]

Uh, I care. I wonder if those guys were SB'ers. If I didn't parooze through these theads and read this kind of info on a daily basis, odds are I would be a more careless diver.

+1 on that sentiment. SB has been an invaluable learning aid.

+1 on thank you to the OP on trying to do the near impossible by attempting to fix stupid.

 

[Jax]

This is NOT VooDooGasMan's normal writing style. :w-t-f:

Actually, Divemasters were and are still cavedivers, with all the cert agency's out there it just a class that teaches how to become an OWI.

In europe I was taken into many caves with Divemasters, back then it is was to say cave experience Divemasters. Any one can be a cave diver with experience. In the GreatLakes Divemasters would take you in ships, they had wreck experience.


There is a way to help, from inexperience cave divers, too have not dove a cave in awhile.
OK, My Take is the signs that are posted in the cenotes caves at entrance, even underwater, not just warning, or DANGER, that is a welcome to some to see what it is about.

Like in the cenotes, have the signs read the special gear they need to enter this cave even with cartoon drawn pics, and let it be aware that without you will die.

The scull and crossbone pic is the meaning this is what you find without proper cave gear.

As Divers we know we all react differently underwater, so a little more time reading a sign couldn't hurt.

Ok so I was out in the shipping lanes yesterday, there is a wall that starts at 86 feet goes to 560' or so, there is huge current here. I told the line fisherman my path, as I have a Inflatable boat that I hang on to, after a dive and told them on there sonars where the lings where, they thanked and said, like how you dive flag is presented, and went on how some charter boats get all huffy, and they tell him put a dive flag up, charter captian goes up top to see the wind wrapped alpha flag around diver flag and just a pole.

Signs can be effective and mean something, when present in a fashion that are attracted to understand.

It's unfortunate cave diver, sam, drydive, lost out on there own dive to help these guys, its never a win when in this situation, yet it is an experience of a cave dive that ended safely.



Happy Diving

 

[tlj3071]

One of my favorite "T" shirt logos:
"If at first you don't succeed then cave diving is probably not for you."
How true.

 

[TSandM]

Oh, I love that shirt! I bought it at Edd's, during my disastrous Cave 2 class, and wore it with delicious irony for the rest of the class

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

One of my favorite "T" shirt logos:
"If at first you don't succeed then cave diving is probably not for you."
How true.

I'd like a T-shirt with my favorite Curt Bowen comment on it ...

"I don't know my ass from a hole in the ground ... which is a problem for a cave diver" ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[ItsBruce]

I've seen it said that the rules you have for cave diving represent the cumulative knowledge to give you the best chance of survival. And, I understand that they were all developed in an effort to avoid the things that led to the deaths of otherwise skilled divers who followed all the rules that had been developed before the time of their deaths.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Sorry, I know nothing of cave diving and am a little confused by your statement. Are you saying there is a current in this cave that would or could have pushed them into the area where the bottom and ceiling meet?

Thanks.

Yes, Jackson Blue is a 1st magnitude spring with quite a bit of current and there are areas where the current can push you into dead ends, not out.

Actually, Divemasters were and are still cavedivers, with all the cert agency's out there it just a class that teaches how to become an OWI.

Excuse me?? Divemasters are not in any way prepared to dive in caves.

 

[AbyssalPlains]

"...just another notch on the grim reaper's scythe."

I like that.

♪ We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl... ♫

♪♫ All in all you're just a-- nother notch on the scythe...♫

 

[tstocum]

Yes, Jackson Blue is a 1st magnitude spring with quite a bit of current and there are areas where the current can push you into dead ends, not out.

Wow. I wasn't aware that caves had current. Thanks for clarifying this for me.