Wreck Penetration

[jlargent]

Cave training would be a very good start for wreck penatration. There are some additional hazards in wreck diving. The overhead training would be very benificial.

 

[Richeod]

A little problem with your math AquaTec.

If you are going to assume that O2 is narcotic then you need to figure that into the first part of the problem. At 4 ATA N2 makes up 3.16 ATA. That leaves .84 ATA for O2. Twice the narcotic potential for O2 would equal 1.68 (.84 x 2). 1.68 + 3.16 = 4.84. 4.84 divided by 2 would give you a equivilent PO2 of 2.42.
That means you would have to breath pure O2 at 47 feet to get the same level of narcosis. (If my math is correct)

I personally have never and will never try this, but there may be some chamber divers out there that have experienced this high a PO2.
Hope this helps explain things.

 

[WYDT]

jlargent once bubbled...
Cave training would be a very good start for wreck penatration. There are some additional hazards in wreck diving. The overhead training would be very benificial.

Agree, cave training would be an excellent place to start but I have to warn you... if you try it you'll get hooked!

I was just going to do Cavern and Intro to hone my wreck diving skills then WHAM :bonk: the cave bug got me.

 

[Silverback]

Hey... I did that course... twice, cause I didn't get it right the first time. :bonk:

Good course but tough... and expensive!!!

 

[willanz]

Hey guys,

I realized this weekend after looking at a map that I live 5 mins from the Ocean and 4 Hours from the caves. I have tried for the past 11 months to not look at the ocean. I want to try some wreck diving.

In a past life, I worked in Ft. Lauderdale on a boat for 6 months pretty much 3-4 days a week. We took divers to wrecks in the 60-110' range all the time. I did some guided dives and training but never anything going into an overhead.

On my personal dives, I liked swim throughs but never actually leaving daylight.

I have done a variety of Overhead courses (Cave).
PADI Cavern
NSS-CDS Cavern, Intro, Apprentice, Full Cave
GUE Cave 1, Cave 2

The training definetly covers the basics for any kind of diving but I do think open water and wrecks have more hazards that are not covered in those courses.

For example:
Finding tie offs with all the growth(What do I need to kill to get in there?), Lift bags and boat diving scenarios(Changing conditions).

So...Where do I go from here?

According to some responses I already have the training necessary.

According to other responses I need some deep training.

According to another response "best mix at 1.6ata" and "higher O2% to reduce narcotic effects compared to diving air" (I am not sure what this has to do with Wreck penetration)

 

[WreckWriter]

willanz once bubbled...
So...Where do I go from here?

We have a very active group of wreck divers locally. If you have a mix card I'm sure I can get you on some dives with us.

We don't do much that isn't trimix so if you don't have that, that's where you should go next.

Tom

 

[willanz]

WreckWriter,

Thanks for the invite.

No mix here. My training started from PADI recreational to instructor and Cave training as I listed before.

Mix training is definetly in the future plans. Until then I limit my dives to 70-95' range. (using EANX32%)

I picked up an argon bottle to use with my drysuit and am looking to do my mix training in the caves. (There is a couple of deeper ones that I want to check out.)

I am clear that mix diving is required to have a clear head at depth.

I am interested in wreck penetration for shallower wrecks.

I think it would be a good idea to get the basics down at 40-70' of depth before trying it on a mix dive 100'+

 

[WreckWriter]

willanz once bubbled...
WreckWriter,

Thanks for the invite.

No mix here. My training started from PADI recreational to instructor and Cave training as I listed before.

Mix training is definetly in the future plans. Until then I limit my dives to 70-95' range. (using EANX32%)

I picked up an argon bottle to use with my drysuit and am looking to do my mix training in the caves. (There is a couple of deeper ones that I want to check out.)

I am clear that mix diving is required to have a clear head at depth.

I am interested in wreck penetration for shallower wrecks.

I think it would be a good idea to get the basics down at 40-70' of depth before trying it on a mix dive 100'+

There is no wreck penetration at shallower depths in South Florida. You can play around inside the bunny wrecks but that's NOT wreck penetration. Been to the Scutti, Tracy, etc? They're cut wide open for diver safety, you can't leave the cavern zone. All the shallow wrecks are that way.

If you want to do penetration down here you need mix, its really that simple.

Tom

 

[willanz]

I like simple.

I'll get some mix training.


Now...if possible can we fast forward one year.

Hi,

My name is William. I have completed cave and mix training. All my courses were done in the caves. I want to try some wreck penetration.

I go and meet with your group of active local wreck divers.

What's next, Do we just go dive something in the 180'-250' range?

Is all the training that I have done in Cave enough to dive with your group on a wreck penetration dive?

 

[WreckWriter]

willanz once bubbled...
I like simple.

I'll get some mix training.


Now...if possible can we fast forward one year.

Hi,

My name is William. I have completed cave and mix training. All my courses were done in the caves. I want to try some wreck penetration.

I go and meet with your group of active local wreck divers.

What's next, Do we just go dive something in the 180'-250' range?

Is all the training that I have done in Cave enough to dive with your group on a wreck penetration dive?

What we probably do first, for your benifit as well as for us to get to know you and your style, is something like the Poinciana (Jim Atria), a lite mix dive, about 130', but with real nice penetration potential, and local without travel. Likely we buddy you with one of our more experienced folks and let your team lead the dive.

Assuming you do well there we progress to something like the Speigel Grove, a tad shallower but more extensive penetration, lots of turns and deck level changes.

From there we go a bit deeper, probably Northern Light in Key Largo, a fairly easy penetration but full dark zone at 190 fsw.

Do well there, you're in and we go diving.

Cave 2 gives you more formal overhead training than all but one of our divers (she has the same level).

Tom