Under Pressure!

[Mario S Caner]

This thread is about the depths that so-called recreational divers are venturing to these days. According to a recent survery, and sample data that was obtained from 234,631 dives:

It revealed that only 11% of those divers never ventured below the 130 ft recreational limit. 64% admited to diving as deep as 200 ft with another 23% owning upto diving deeper than 200 ft. 78% made decompression dives. 81% of those divers used dive computers as opposed to tables, which represents some pretty aggresive diving.

Diving Deep is no secret, the question is... are there any site members willing to own upto their diving practices? You show me your and I'll show you mine... hehe... LOL!

The purpose of this inquiry is to be able to show dive manufacturer's the shear numbers of those whom dive well below the recreational limit in an effort to encourage them to publish technical and performance data for their products to those depths.

This I'd like to know!
Mario

 

[J.P.]

I totally know the limit but we all push it at one time or another. I have been past it several times but once i actually went to 180 and it was way TOO ok, I guess I thought my computer or tank was going to blow up. HAHA but the fact is that it was easy and now my thought is..."it's ok lets go deeper" We all know why they put limits and we know it is safe for 130, so we as free people go deeper because we feel the need to push the envelope and do things we really should NOT. I have been on dives where people have gone to 230 and laughed back on the boat. I did it to see if a "new communication unit" worked the same. It did!actually it sounded alittle up-key but loud. I do not think I will do it again unless I have the proper surroundings! I'm not the type to jump in and try to go deeper than anyone on the boat and prefer to stay above 80 feet. I'm really interested on seeing the outcome of this thread because I feel that if the replys are truthfull we will see allot of DEEPER dives. Leave it to Mario to "stir it up".
J.P.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Whenever I'm tempted to go deeper than planned, I remember Jim, who just kept going... by the time his buddy realized he wasn't levelling off, he was passing 300' (they were diving air) and going down. He was never recovered.
Training and equipment to explore deeper diving is readily available. Just because someone here says "I've been to 200' (or 210 or 220 or 230 or 300)" using standard open water gear doesn't mean it's "ok." There are well established procedures and protocols for deep diving. I for one believe in 'em and use 'em.
As for the "recent survey" that says "64% admited(sic) to diving as deep as 200ft" - I respectfully request you cite that survey - who, when, where?
Rick

 

[Remora]

Mario

Yes I have dove past the Rec depth limit of 130' and on many occasions. I'am also trained and eqpt'd to complete this type of diving as safely as possible.
The danger lies in the adventure seeker who "dips down" to 180' just to say he/she did so. I believe we will see a rash of "out of gas" senerios and diving incidents that will be unfairly related to eqpt/trg if this is a trend and it is not reversed.
In my small corner of the globe diving past the Rec limit is only encouraged after the proper training and eqpt is in place. This is normally cost prohibitive or not of interest to the general diver who just wants to dive in the Carib. Having said that,there is a relatively small population of divers that have embraced this type of diving and accordingly its popularity is increasing on Canada's eastern seaboard.

My .02
John

 

[Mario S Caner]

Rick,
I wanted to wait a little more to get additional responces before I posted where the info was coming from but... here goes anyway: A book called Deep Diving An Advanced Guide To Physiology Procedures and Systems by Bret Gilliam with Robert Von Maier and John Crea pgs 9-10.

Here's how the current world records look:

Open Water Dives:
Air 490ft Dr Dan Manion
Trimix 500ft Arne Zetterstrom
Heliox 1000ft Hannes Keller & Peter Small

Cave Dives:
Air 415ft Hal Watts
Heliox 656ft Sheck Exley
Trimix 925ft Jim Bowden

Before any of you get any idea's start looking into the failed attempts by the pioneer's of the activity. You will find that there is an incredible deal of hard work and training that goes into such attempts.

Like I said before, I just wanted to see if we had enough members willing to come out of the closet on this one... No Don, deep diving, not the other thing... LOL

Keep posting everyone, this one will be an eye opener for us all.

Mario

 

[Iguana Don]

Haven't been there, haven't done that & don't have the T-shirt (yet)

Don't have the training to do so, but am working on it. Kinda like playing with a loaded gun if you ask me. If you don't know how to use it put it down. If you don't have the training to go DEEP then stay where you belong. Like I've said before, "If you are lucky, God will let you make one major mistake underwater and live to tell about it".

Mother Nature is not very forgiving.

Don

 

[Warhammer]

I rarely dive past 100' and had rather stay above 80 for more bottom time. But if I see something at 150' that interests me and if my buddy is ok with it(if I'm diving with one), I would most likely go for a closer look. I don't do decompression dives and the only wreck penetration I do is on small wrecks with exits always in full view. Why, well mainly because I'm not trained for those types of dives, don't have the necessary equipment to do them safely. But then again even if I was trained and had the equipment, I doubt I'd do the dives because hanging on a deco line for hours and exploring the inside of huge wrecks just isn't my cup of tea. Have I been past 130'? Yes, twice to 150' and 155'. Both times with the instructor that I did my OW with. Why? I just wanted to experience it, so he abildged.

 

[scubadoc]

Hello Mario:

There is a very well written article on DAN's web site by John Lippmann that speaks very nicely to this question.

How Deep is Too Deep?
By John Lippmann
Executive Director
DAN S.E. Asia-Pacific
http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/article.asp?articleid=29

 

[Greg G.]

Personaly I don't see much point in even going to 100ft. After 6 years and 300 dives, I'm still an air pig, and going that deep only shortens my "fun" time, and the coolest dives I've had have all been in the shallower depths.

 

[Mario S Caner]

Great link scubadoc, This just goes to show you how great this site is.

The point to the post guys, is to learn more about the divers out there whom choose to dive to extended depths. Keep the great replies coming!

Mario