Value of TDI-Extended Range course

[Blue Quaker]

For many years the Rouse's dive was highlighted as THE example of people working up to it, having tons of experience, thinking they were "adapted" to narcosis and fine on deep air... Until they had a bad day, the dive plan went to hell, and they fell so far down the incident pit there was no recovery.

It's in the distant past now (they died Oct 12,1992), and not part of people's consciousness unless you're seeing their memorial in Ginnie Springs. Deep air really has killed people who were considered very good divers at the time.

TDI didn't start till 1994.... I still have a set of doubles around that have a manifold protection cage on them that was made for me by Chris Rouse. One of our friends up in Canada (John Reekie) was a good friend of the Rouses and picked them up for us on one of his "Cave Country" trips. Unfortunately John is no longer with us also (health complications, not diving). A lot of the graduates of the diving school of hard knocks have gone to meet their maker. In the 1980's and early 90's a lot of them didn't see the need for trimix till they were the wrong side of 250ft. Knowledge is gained, times change, equipment develops, we evolve.

 

[rjack321]

A lot of the graduates of the diving school of hard knocks have gone to meet their maker. In the 1980's and early 90's a lot of them didn't see the need for trimix till they were the wrong side of 250ft. Knowledge is gained, times change, equipment develops, we evolve.

One reason why at least some instructors combine AN/DP with an entry level "recreational" trimix card nowadays. Extended Range seems like a "leftover" on the curriculum, although at least the course depth has bumped up from the original 218ft. I'm not endorsing 180ft on air and it seems rather silly to me to take another $$ course just to go 30ft deeper (on air) than AN/DP. If you want to go down the deepish air route there aren't any scuba police, just collective wisdom - thank you for sharing the early days.

 

[Nasser]

Deep air really has killed people who were considered very good divers at the time.

I would also wager testosterone had something to do with it. Good divers may have the skill set to undertake some pretty big dives but ego, desire for notoriety, "China fever" whatever you want to call it... are all strong psychological forces that can push even the most experienced divers over the edge and warp their judgment.

 

[CptTightPants21]

I would also wager testosterone had something to do with it. Good divers may have the skill set to undertake some pretty big dives but ego, desire for notoriety, "China fever" whatever you want to call it... are all strong psychological forces that can push even the most experienced divers over the edge and warp their judgment.

Testosterone, ego, etc might be the driving force that makes people attempt the dive or go into the wreck in the first place, but it is deep air and its effects that stop people from coming back.

 

[Nasser]

Testosterone, ego, etc might be the driving force that makes people attempt the dive or go into the wreck in the first place, but it is deep air and it's effects that stop people from coming back.

True but i'ts the psychological factors that put them there in the first place. Deep air will only kill you if you let it... don't do it at 75m, worry about something else killing you.

 

[rjack321]

I would also wager testosterone had something to do with it. Good divers may have the skill set to undertake some pretty big dives but ego, desire for notoriety, "China fever" whatever you want to call it... are all strong psychological forces that can push even the most experienced divers over the edge and warp their judgment.

testosterone doesn't make you narced out of your groud. You're motivations for diving deep (air) are all yours and why is not relevant. If you drove drunk "just once" because you had a loss in the family or were getting a divorce, vs. you were a long term alcoholic doesn't matter. You're still drunk.

Whether you are all amped up is irrelevant, you don't have the cognitive capacity and low enough gas density to avoid a disaster when something unexpected comes up or you have to work hard at depth.

 

[Nasser]

testosterone doesn't make you narced out of your groud. You're motivations for diving deep are all yours and why is not relevant. If you drove drunk "just once" because you had a loss in the family or were getting a divorce, vs. you were a long term alcoholic doesn't matter. You're still drunk.

Whether you are all amped up is irrelevant, you don't have the cognitive capacity and low enough gas density to avoid a disaster when something unexpected comes up or you have to work hard at depth.

Why is totally relevant... it determines if you do it or not. Your motivations and psychological state precedes everything, It's what informs your decision to make or not make the dive that you know is not safe. That's why we choose not to drive drunk. You are responsible for the decisions you make, blaming the alcohol because you were stupid enough to get into a car **** faced and not owning up that driving drunk was probably not a good idea in the first place is your own fault.

 

[rjack321]

Why is totally relevant... it determines if you do it or not. Your motivations and psychological state precedes everything, It's what informs your decision to make or not make the dive that you know is not safe. That's why we choose not to drive drunk. You are responsible for the decisions you make, blaming the alcohol because you were stupid enough to get into a car **** faced and not owning up that driving drunk was probably not a good idea in the first place is your own fault.

I'm done, have fun here.

 

[Nasser]

I'm done, have fun here.

Adios

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

I always think of this article when I think deep air... but I mean deep...

Wah Wah - SubAqua UK

The Wah Wah article - too long to copy and paste...