SeaCat
Hey, my Halo is smoking
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2003
- Posts
- 15,378
Tuesday should be a nice day for me. I'm going diving. I'm hitting a place that is one of my favorites, and I shall be enjoying myself.
The place I will be diving is under a large bridge over the Intercoastal. It is a Nurser Area for fish so I will be treated by the sight of many juvenile fish.
It is also a spot where a diver recently died.
Now this is what angers me. That diver fucked up, he did so in a way that caused his death. The news reported his death and pointed out how dangerous diving is. The newspaper reported how he was a highly experienced diver, (he wasn't) and how he knew the risks. (He might have.)
The local news reports on the deaths of divers, four within the past month, and points out how dangerous this sport is. The news points out that there is little regulation of this sport, and yet they don't bother to report on the things divers find important. They don't put out the findings of the investigations. They don't report on the condition of the divers gear or how much air was in their tanks when they were found. Both very important things to us divers.
Now why would these things be important to us? Well to put it bluntly, they tell us a lot.
The condition of a divers gear tells us more than a little. If the persons gear is in bad condition then it gives us hints not only into that divers mindset but into what may have killed them. (Remember this gear is what keeps us alive.) If your Rgulator or B.C. is not in good condition then it may fail you when you need it most.
If the persons tank still holds air it gives us an insight into what may have happened. It shows they may have had a multiple failure of their equipment, or they may have panicked. (Both important things for us to know.)
Now back to where I am going diving and the condition of the gear of the diver who died there. He had many dives under his belt, and yet none of them were solo dives. (I found this information after a lot of digging.) The diver in question was found with several strands of fishing line wrapped around his tank as well as around one of his arms. He was also found with more than half a tank of air. His mask was not found.
The local Police are trying to block diving in this area because of the death.
Now what does this information tell other divers?
It tells us he got entangled, which happens from time to time. (Especially if you dive in areas like bridges or jetties.) It also gives us the hint that he panicked. (The missing mask as well as half a tank of air.)
Let me gie you a scenario.
The diver finds himself entangled by one or maybe two lines. He stops and tried to cut himself free. Unfortunately he can't see the lines, they are almost invisible underwater. He starts to feel that he isn't going to get free and starts moving more rapidly. This might even ause him to catch another line or two. He starts fighting them. His breathing gets faster, he's starting to get scared. This starts feeding on itself, he thinks he can't get enough air. He starts thrashing a bit and knocks his mask off. This disorients him. He thrashes even more and loses his regulator, he drowns.
One of the first things my instructor pounded into my head was to stop and breath. Don't move, just dump the air from your vest, grab hold of something and breath. Then you can start thinking. (Yes this does take some discipline.)
Cat
The place I will be diving is under a large bridge over the Intercoastal. It is a Nurser Area for fish so I will be treated by the sight of many juvenile fish.
It is also a spot where a diver recently died.
Now this is what angers me. That diver fucked up, he did so in a way that caused his death. The news reported his death and pointed out how dangerous diving is. The newspaper reported how he was a highly experienced diver, (he wasn't) and how he knew the risks. (He might have.)
The local news reports on the deaths of divers, four within the past month, and points out how dangerous this sport is. The news points out that there is little regulation of this sport, and yet they don't bother to report on the things divers find important. They don't put out the findings of the investigations. They don't report on the condition of the divers gear or how much air was in their tanks when they were found. Both very important things to us divers.
Now why would these things be important to us? Well to put it bluntly, they tell us a lot.
The condition of a divers gear tells us more than a little. If the persons gear is in bad condition then it gives us hints not only into that divers mindset but into what may have killed them. (Remember this gear is what keeps us alive.) If your Rgulator or B.C. is not in good condition then it may fail you when you need it most.
If the persons tank still holds air it gives us an insight into what may have happened. It shows they may have had a multiple failure of their equipment, or they may have panicked. (Both important things for us to know.)
Now back to where I am going diving and the condition of the gear of the diver who died there. He had many dives under his belt, and yet none of them were solo dives. (I found this information after a lot of digging.) The diver in question was found with several strands of fishing line wrapped around his tank as well as around one of his arms. He was also found with more than half a tank of air. His mask was not found.
The local Police are trying to block diving in this area because of the death.
Now what does this information tell other divers?
It tells us he got entangled, which happens from time to time. (Especially if you dive in areas like bridges or jetties.) It also gives us the hint that he panicked. (The missing mask as well as half a tank of air.)
Let me gie you a scenario.
The diver finds himself entangled by one or maybe two lines. He stops and tried to cut himself free. Unfortunately he can't see the lines, they are almost invisible underwater. He starts to feel that he isn't going to get free and starts moving more rapidly. This might even ause him to catch another line or two. He starts fighting them. His breathing gets faster, he's starting to get scared. This starts feeding on itself, he thinks he can't get enough air. He starts thrashing a bit and knocks his mask off. This disorients him. He thrashes even more and loses his regulator, he drowns.
One of the first things my instructor pounded into my head was to stop and breath. Don't move, just dump the air from your vest, grab hold of something and breath. Then you can start thinking. (Yes this does take some discipline.)
Cat
