When to go in & when to stay out?

[ScubaMarine]

I am a newbie diver. Just finished my AOW and love diving, would live in the water if I could. Anyway, I'm curious about something and haven't had it explained to me yet. When wreck diving I've done a few swim throughs but always wondered if I should be. Ive been through the wheel house on a few wrecks and below decks on some wrecks with more open areas. Ive swam around the base of wrecks and slightly under the hull to observe fishes.

My question is what about vents or holes. My DM said awhile back don't go in if you can't see light. What if its and easy fit and you've brought a light? I understand Im new and I don't have the experience to push the envelope here on saftey. What I want to find out is where is the envelope? How do I know a safe wreck to swim through compared to an unsafe wreck? I just wanna dive!

 

[Ana]

I am a newbie diver. Just finished my AOW and love diving, would live in the water if I could. Anyway, I'm curious about something and haven't had it explained to me yet. When wreck diving I've done a few swim throughs but always wondered if I should be. Ive been through the wheel house on a few wrecks and below decks on some wrecks with more open areas. Ive swam around the base of wrecks and slightly under the hull to observe fishes.

My question is what about vents or holes. My DM said awhile back don't go in if you can't see light. What if its and easy fit and you've brought a light? I understand Im new and I don't have the experience to push the envelope here on saftey. What I want to find out is where is the envelope? How do I know a safe wreck to swim through compared to an unsafe wreck? I just wanna dive!

I'm guessing here you don't want the text book answer, which is the one "your DM" gave you. So the answer is in you. Might be a good idea to think about your survival instincts (however you spell that). In the past, have you been in a new situation where things were "special" enough to set your internal warning flags up?
If so, how did you react? a- follow up with caution; b- get back; c- follow up like nothing; or d-something else.
What was the result? obviously you're still alive so either you did something correct or someone else interfiered with Darwin's theories (or your destiny, call you what you want).
Based on your past performance and results you can draw a parallel to your behaviour under water. No one knows your envelope better than you do. Each time you take a step there is a potential for a fatal result, but similar potential is also there if you remain in place.
Make steps that fit you, use common sense. Pay attention, sometimes conditions are such that even places that normally are dangerous, for a brief moment are accessible. Above all, know in your gut that whatever happens, would be the result of YOUR DECISSION.
Or... blame others, hire a lawyer and sue everyone is sight when your get hurt. You won't be the first or the last.

 

[StSomewhere]

My question is what about vents or holes. My DM said awhile back don't go in if you can't see light. What if its and easy fit and you've brought a light?

What if something happens to your light? Do you have a reliable backup (or two)? What happens if you inadvertently silt out the interior with poor finning technique (and didn't notice it was happening because your fins are behind your field of vision)? What if you head back to the light but the vent or porthole the light is coming through isn't large enough for you to swim through? Is there a single, continuous guideline back out? What if you get caught on something and can't get untangled?

My advice would be to get some training to learn to identify potential dangers before you go penetrating wrecks.

 

[Jason B]

What StSomewhere said....get some overhead training.

Jason

 

[Doc Intrepid]

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=81

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=13049

http://www.divernet.com/news/stories/wreck061003.shtml

http://www.michaelmcfadyenscuba.info/articles/inquest.htm

http://www.divernet.com/news/stories/zenobia100903.shtml

http://divermag.com/archives/nov2000/around_lks_nov00.html


Many many recreational divers have died inside wrecks. The most common cause is not being able to find your way out.

Wrecks rust.

So, particulate is clinging to every vertical and horizontal surface. Plus, there is silt and other particulate laying in a layer on the bottom horizontal surface. The passage of a diver through this environment disturbs the particulate - even if the diver is careful with fins and arms, the bubbles dislodge particulate from above.

So long as the diver is going in, the water appears clear. When the diver turns around to exit, s/he discovers to her/his horror that behind them is a silted out cloud. Now they must feel their way out trying to remember how many turns right or left, how long the corridors were, etc.

Wrecks that are deliberately sunk often have large holes cut into them that divers may swim through in relative safety.

Real wrecks do not. They may be in pieces, or have huge gashes or rents in the hull, but they are deadly. Quite often electrical cable, wiring, or other debris hangs from what used to be ceilings, and degradation of the wreck can result in items falling inside the wreck as the diver moves through it.

You have absolutely no business penetrating inside a wreck any further than a swim through where you can see light at all times, unless you have specific training to do so. You can get hung up inside a wreck in an instant. If you don't know how to untangle yourself, communicate your situation to your buddy, move so as to minimize silting, deploy spare lights, run reels, tie off line inside the wreck, or follow the line out in a zero-visibility situation, your chances of making it back out in the event of an emergency are slim.

Its real simple. If you want to penetrate wrecks, get the proper training. If you don't have the proper training, do not penetrate wrecks. Thats where the line is drawn.

Regards,

Doc

 

[Simon L]

What everyone else is saying, get training.

Until that time, you really arent (in my humble opinion), able to make judgements about your ability to survive because through no fault of your own you just dont know the risks.

Wrecks and overheads are full of risks like particulates that fall off ceilings when you get near them, silt on the floor that baloons up when you get near that, sharp bits that grab your hoses and suit....

If you havent already, read Dark Descent, the story of the Empress of Ireland dives and Deep Descent about the Doria divers, both by Kevin F McMurray, excellent books about the wreck diving pioneers... Note these arent training! But they should make you want to get trained.....

Dont be put off, just get a bit of training mate.

Si

 

[Jim Ernst]

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=81

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=13049

http://www.divernet.com/news/stories/wreck061003.shtml

http://www.michaelmcfadyenscuba.info/articles/inquest.htm

http://www.divernet.com/news/stories/zenobia100903.shtml

http://divermag.com/archives/nov2000/around_lks_nov00.html


Many many recreational divers have died inside wrecks. The most common cause is not being able to find your way out.

Wrecks rust.

So, particulate is clinging to every vertical and horizontal surface. Plus, there is silt and other particulate laying in a layer on the bottom horizontal surface. The passage of a diver through this environment disturbs the particulate - even if the diver is careful with fins and arms, the bubbles dislodge particulate from above.

So long as the diver is going in, the water appears clear. When the diver turns around to exit, s/he discovers to her/his horror that behind them is a silted out cloud. Now they must feel their way out trying to remember how many turns right or left, how long the corridors were, etc.

Wrecks that are deliberately sunk often have large holes cut into them that divers may swim through in relative safety.

Real wrecks do not. They may be in pieces, or have huge gashes or rents in the hull, but they are deadly. Quite often electrical cable, wiring, or other debris hangs from what used to be ceilings, and degradation of the wreck can result in items falling inside the wreck as the diver moves through it.

You have absolutely no business penetrating inside a wreck any further than a swim through where you can see light at all times, unless you have specific training to do so. You can get hung up inside a wreck in an instant. If you don't know how to untangle yourself, communicate your situation to your buddy, move so as to minimize silting, deploy spare lights, run reels, tie off line inside the wreck, or follow the line out in a zero-visibility situation, your chances of making it back out in the event of an emergency are slim.

Its real simple. If you want to penetrate wrecks, get the proper training. If you don't have the proper training, do not penetrate wrecks. Thats where the line is drawn.

Regards,

Doc

nice post doc, i have a bit of expierience, 90 dives in a year, and i am starting dm, i still dont go in wrecks, the articles you put in your post say it all, get trained

 

[ScubaMarine]

thanks for the many thoughts. I do intend to get training before any attempt at penetrating. This is obviously an area of interest for me and I appreciate the many articles and threads linked pertinent to this specialty. Hopefully with some time and experience I can post a thread talking about my first wreck penetration.

 

[JDostal]

ScubaMarine...

You are definitely on the right track. I was at your point a few years ago, but was too dumb to ask some questions. I never did anything crazy, but I did go into a few places that I shouldn't have.

One of the things that scared the hell out of me, was after I actually got training. I never realized how risky things had been until I was taught truly how easy it was to make a bad mistake!