Watch out for that sub!

[UnderwaterMacamba]

So... last sunday I arrive at this divespot. This is actullay the site where I trained for my OW and AOW certification. But this time it's busy! Lots of people and military around.

It turns out that there's a navy exercise in progress (part of operation 'Deep Sea Lion' or something). There's actually a submarine cruising around in the bay. They even set up a mobile decompression chamber on the beach, because they're going to practice 'escape from a submarine from 60 ft down'.

So, the dive that day was not very special (although my buddy claims to have seen a 20 ft Barracuda), but the idea that a submarine could be emerging from the the depth at any moment added something to it. O, and having a deco chamber right on the beach makes for a very safe dive

 

[wheelietaco]

cool. talk about a new dpv.

 

[Nova SS]

Submarine escape tranning , the memories. Here is the operating instructions out of an escape trunk, look at the bottom right. This tells you how much time you have to pressurise and get out once flooded!

We were told if we going to do it past 450 ft to let the corpman rupture you ear drum and get it over with. I have heard it has been done close to 600 ft. Its basicly a no air assent, exhaling the whole way.

I have done it from 50ft and 100 ft and its no big deal at those depths. If they could make it into a ride a Disneyland there would be a mile long line. That how much fun it is.

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

Wouldn't THAT be a cool underwater photo, though?

 

[UnderwaterMacamba]

Submarine escape tranning , the memories. Here is the operating instructions out of an escape trunk, look at the bottom right. This tells you how much time you have to pressurise and get out once flooded!

We were told if we going to do it past 450 ft to let the corpman rupture you ear drum and get it over with. I have heard it has been done close to 600 ft. Its basicly a no air assent, exhaling the whole way.

I have done it from 50ft and 100 ft and its no big deal at those depths. If they could make it into a ride a Disneyland there would be a mile long line. That how much fun it is.

So how exactly does it work? You get into the tank, which is then pressurized to the ambient pressure. Then you can open the hatch and swim up, and because the air in your lungs is now pressurized as well you can exhale all the way up - is that it? And why would you ever want to spend 100 minutes (@ 25 ft) pressurized?

Still doesn't sound like something I'd like to try, even though you try to make it sound good

 

[Buoyant1]

So do you go balls to the wall to the surface while just exhaling? Or take your time like OW class? Sounds like a major adrenaline rush! Sort of like Sky diving backwards! hahaha!

 

[Don Burke]

And why would you ever want to spend 100 minutes (@ 25 ft) pressurized?

The idea is that you would depressurize and return to the ship if you got anywhere near that time limit due to assorted delays. The group would go to the end of the line to offgas a bit and escape last.

 

[jiveturkey]

Still doesn't sound like something I'd like to try, even though you try to make it sound good

If they're actually swimming up with no air supply it sounds extremely dangerous. When you do a cesa in your open water class, you have a reg in your mouth incase you exhale too fast and run out of air. What do they do here? Do they have air? Fins on their feet? Plus, I'd imagine the potential for a lung expansion injury is very high. I wouldn't want to do it either.

 

[subvet644]

Going from memory in sub school several decades ago, we wore a "hooded vest" that was pressurized and vented into the hood as you ascended. Again from memory, it took less than 10 seconds from 50 feet to the surface. Originally(1963) we wore a vest called the "Mae West". The name of it's predecessor left me at present. There were two 100 foot "tanks" back then (New London and Pearl)that everyone had to go thru as a part of sub school requirements. They have both been razed and it is no longer a requirement. That is the only fact I can attest to as I have a son finishing up a 5 year enlistement in the Submarine Service. Anyone feel free to correct my memory. Just remember, take anything an old bubblehead says if he starts of with "now this is no sh!t".........

 

[TheCaptain]

you're not supposed to do that for fun, but in case of emergency, instead of dieing, you have the chance to survive, probably with some problem (e.g. broken ear drum), but it's a chance!