My diving/training experiences and questions (Page 51 of 52)
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Originally Posted By Marie: Remember my friend that died at Cow last year? Here’s the report. https://nsscds.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Cow-Springs-2023.1.7.pdf @Marie So sorry about your friend. That's very sad, the report was well written and presented in a manner that was both well versed in the aspects of cave diving as well as presenting all of the findings in an objective manner (especially for a non-cave diver such as myself). Unfortunately, I am all to aware of incidents (non-diving) that while some had better outcomes (non-fatal), need to be dispersed to the community (in this case cave divers) so they can learn from what happened. In any type of accident, it's usually not one single "thing" but a cascading effect of small things that become insurmountable or unrecoverable. |
SYSTEM: Let's not rehash a locked&nuked thread
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Originally Posted By jpk33: @Marie So sorry about your friend. That's very sad, the report was well written and presented in a manner that was both well versed in the aspects of cave diving as well as presenting all of the findings in an objective manner (especially for a non-cave diver such as myself). Unfortunately, I am all to aware of incidents (non-diving) that while some had better outcomes (non-fatal), need to be dispersed to the community (in this case cave divers) so they can learn from what happened. In any type of accident, it's usually not one single "thing" but a cascading effect of small things that become insurmountable or unrecoverable. Yes. This sort of accident analysis is common in cave/tech diving. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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Originally Posted By Marie: Remember my friend that died at Cow last year? Here’s the report. https://nsscds.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Cow-Springs-2023.1.7.pdf That was sad to read. My own close-call was at Cow on the downstream side, so reading that part about how your friend was still a three minute swim from the entry point hit kind of close to home - I was only about 20-30 feet back in the DS side of the cave when I inhaled all that water and the thought did cross my mind at how unbelievably stupid it was that this might be where it ended for me, if I didn't relax and fix the problem. As for the analysis report... it would be nice if they were released sooner. I know this is highly contested but no one is ever really able to give me an actual good reason why the IUCRR side of the house can't release their notes once the death investigation is closed, along with a copy of what is a public record investigative report... it's always some mystical "it will cause legal trouble" hysteria. |
"They that would give up essential liberty for temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
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Originally Posted By floridahunter07: That was sad to read. My own close-call was at Cow on the downstream side, so reading that part about how your friend was still a three minute swim from the entry point hit kind of close to home - I was only about 20-30 feet back in the DS side of the cave when I inhaled all that water and the thought did cross my mind at how unbelievably stupid it was that this might be where it ended for me, if I didn't relax and fix the problem. As for the analysis report... it would be nice if they were released sooner. I know this is highly contested but no one is ever really able to give me an actual good reason why the IUCRR side of the house can't release their notes once the death investigation is closed, along with a copy of what is a public record investigative report... it's always some mystical "it will cause legal trouble" hysteria. Yikes! |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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Originally Posted By floridahunter07: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53515824522_b063bfeb09_b.jpg Cabinsite Cove Lake Mead National Recreation Area Lake Mohave Water temp 53º Air temp 47º Awesome photo!! |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
| Got to binge on all things Great Lakes shipwreck related this weekend at an event in WI, put on by the group I’m secretary of. Had a great time, saw lots of folks I’ve not see in a while. Made dive plans for the s7mmer. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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I did a 51 minute solo dive at Blue Heron Bridge today (wife was within 2 hours of the area for work so I came to visit)... I've seen reports for a week of Portuguese man-o-war jellyfish being spotted all around BHB and came to see them for myself... didn't find any. :( |
"They that would give up essential liberty for temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
| Spent just about $300 on o2 sensors. I’ll be diving in about a month. Yay! |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
| Should be going out to Buford on Wednesday. Might do Hudson Grotto on Thursday as well, not sure yet. I'd planned on possibly doing Ginnie Tuesday (in lieu of Hudson) but my friend asked me to pick up some airport runs his business is overflowing with this week, so I may go make instead of spend money. Haven't been in the water since that dive at Blue Heron, and before that it was probably February 7th? |
"They that would give up essential liberty for temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
| Had a bad O2 sensor - mfg had a bad batch. So I didn’t dive two week ago. Finally getting wet this weekend. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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Didn’t dive this weekend as I didn’t feel well. Might be selling the CCR. Knees are the reason. I have a lighter BM unit, but still too much for my knees. I hurt all the time. I got this to wreck dive, but I can’t get up the ladder with it. My wreck diving is greatly limited. There’s one boat on the Great Lakes with a lift, but it’s in MI. Talked to my instructor and she said to think about it more. I don’t doubt it would be sold to one of her students or friend of a current student. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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Originally Posted By FB41: Knee replacement in your future? Everyone I know that's had it, including my mother, has said it was the best thing they've done for themselves. Not at this point. Plus I live alone and my insurance won’t cover me being in rehab for weeks. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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Originally Posted By Marie: Not at this point. Plus I live alone and my insurance won’t cover me being in rehab for weeks. Can you do some type of home rehab with that or do you basically have to be in a facility? |
"They that would give up essential liberty for temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
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Originally Posted By Marie: Not at this point. Plus I live alone and my insurance won’t cover me being in rehab for weeks. A friend just had her left knee replaced last month; she was walking on it the next day, albeit with the aid of a walker. Rehab was 2 trips to an outpatient facility and once she learned what she needed to do, she did it at home and just did follow-up appointments with the ortho doc. |
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Originally Posted By floridahunter07: Can you do some type of home rehab with that or do you basically have to be in a facility? The issue is that I live alone and have no one to help me at home. Insurance won’t pay for any at home household help. It’s not the rehab as no help at home for domestic stuff. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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Originally Posted By Marie: The issue is that I live alone and have no one to help me at home. Insurance won’t pay for any at home household help. It’s not the rehab as no help at home for domestic stuff. Have any friends who are divorcing soon? Might be a good temporary roommate... lol |
"They that would give up essential liberty for temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
| Does anyone have any pricing insight on what Apeks DSX computers go for? I won one in a raffle at the CDS conference, but would prefer to have a second Perdix or Petrel if I could find one cheap, and pocket the difference in $$, if any. |
"They that would give up essential liberty for temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
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Originally Posted By floridahunter07: Does anyone have any pricing insight on what Apeks DSX computers go for? I won one in a raffle at the CDS conference, but would prefer to have a second Perdix or Petrel if I could find one cheap, and pocket the difference in $$, if any. DGX sells them. $1399. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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Originally Posted By Marie: DGX sells them. $1399. I've only seen one post on ScubaBoard where someone was selling one (supposedly new) and it was listed at $500 and sitting. Someone sold one on eBay for less than $875 so I messaged him to see what the offer was.... I'm lost. If it's reasonably usable then I'll probably just keep it, but I love how simple the Shearwaters are... 
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"They that would give up essential liberty for temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
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Originally Posted By floridahunter07: I've only seen one post on ScubaBoard where someone was selling one (supposedly new) and it was listed at $500 and sitting. Someone sold one on eBay for less than $875 so I messaged him to see what the offer was.... I'm lost. If it's reasonably usable then I'll probably just keep it, but I love how simple the Shearwaters are... Yeah, the only people I’ve seen interested in them were a couple of Europeans on SB. Was the one you saw new? I’d try $500 and see what you get. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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Originally Posted By Marie: Yeah, the only people I’ve seen interested in them were a couple of Europeans on SB. Was the one you saw new? I’d try $500 and see what you get. Yeah, it was new. eBay seller confirmed they got a bid for $800, too |
"They that would give up essential liberty for temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
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Still haven’t been diving yet this year. Turns out I’ve got some gynie issues that could possibly be cancer so getting everything checked out and taken care of. I’ve got time off at Christmas to drive down to cave country, but between having to use vac days for doc appts (I already used most of my sick time when I have Covid in January) and not having gotten in the water yet, I may just skip FL. That makes me sad, but the caves will still be there. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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Originally Posted By Marie: Still haven’t been diving yet this year. Turns out I’ve got some gynie issues that could possibly be cancer so getting everything checked out and taken care of. I’ve got time off at Christmas to drive down to cave country, but between having to use vac days for doc appts (I already used most of my sick time when I have Covid in January) and not having gotten in the water yet, I may just skip FL. That makes me sad, but the caves will still be there. Hope everything is okay, Marie! I'm planning on going back to Marianna August 10-13th, West Palm August 25-27th, and Key Largo December 18-21st... then probably sticking close to home after that for quite a while as I'll be saving for Roatan in November 2025... |
"They that would give up essential liberty for temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
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Originally Posted By floridahunter07: Hope everything is okay, Marie! I'm planning on going back to Marianna August 10-13th, West Palm August 25-27th, and Key Largo December 18-21st... then probably sticking close to home after that for quite a while as I'll be saving for Roatan in November 2025... Originally Posted By floridahunter07: Originally Posted By Marie: Still haven’t been diving yet this year. Turns out I’ve got some gynie issues that could possibly be cancer so getting everything checked out and taken care of. I’ve got time off at Christmas to drive down to cave country, but between having to use vac days for doc appts (I already used most of my sick time when I have Covid in January) and not having gotten in the water yet, I may just skip FL. That makes me sad, but the caves will still be there. Hope everything is okay, Marie! I'm planning on going back to Marianna August 10-13th, West Palm August 25-27th, and Key Largo December 18-21st... then probably sticking close to home after that for quite a while as I'll be saving for Roatan in November 2025... I’m having a procedure on the 22nd to get biopsy tissue. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
| Getting in the water tomorrow! First time since late Sept last year! Just diving wet at a local dive hole with my 50s. Just shallow to get wet. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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Originally Posted By Jayne_Cobb: What are your preferred cutting tools and where do you prefer to keep them? Loose in my BCD pocket seems awkward and wrong. Line cutters on computer straps. Two computers, one on each forearm. If wreck diving, I add shears on my waist. No BFK. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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Ah. I have no computer, so that's not an option yet. No BFKs in use either. Just a little blunt nose and some trauma shears. Attached File The BFKs do look a lot cooler though! Attached File |
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Originally Posted By Jayne_Cobb: Ah. I have no computer, so that's not an option yet. No BFKs in use either. Just a little blunt nose and some trauma shears. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/434195/IMG_6221_jpeg-3303509.JPG The BFKs do look a lot cooler though! https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/434195/IMG_6223_jpeg-3303510.JPG I dive a BPW setup, so I've got a line cutter on my waist "belt" and shears mounted on my low pressure inflator hose. This guy showed me the way....  How To Add EMT Shears To Your BCD  How To Attach EMT Diving Shears To Your BCD |
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Adams
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I'm still old-school... I have a Big Fucking Knife on my left inside calf. Been toting one that way since I was 12. I also have a small line cutter in my BCD pocket for use when diving in places that are afraid of knives. |
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Originally Posted By Marie: Doc has cleared me to dive. Yay!  Congrats! I've been too busy to dive since my trip to WPB, sadly. I'm hoping I can go a few times this month before I leave for Vegas and then I'll have the Key Largo trip in December. This time of year is slammed with my side job, though. Almost impossible to get days off (Monday was supposed to be one, instead I now have two trips to MCO to handle before noon and a listing appointment that evening around 6:30 to prepare for after I get home. Both our dogs have also turned into double-ended cannons in the last week, too. The smaller one had to go to the vet and be kept overnight (fluids, anti-diarrheal meds, diagnosed with pancreatitis and high BP) and the other one is still eating and drinking so we've just been letting him out regularly. Both of them have tracked dog shit all through the house at one point or another in the past four days. The bigger one jumped on the bed after doing so, to boot... so everyone has had a bath and the Bissell carpet steam cleaner my wife bought is working overtime. I feel an upcoming Stanley Steemer bill in my near future once we're sure they're both well
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"They that would give up essential liberty for temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
 Picked up two pairs of 50s from hydro/VIP and DR SM regs last weekend. $475ish. Ouch. Just packed my gear for this weekend. Diving Saturday is weather cooperates. Going to a quarry in WI. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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Originally Posted By TailHunter: Glad to see you're still diving Marie. Just renewed my instructor insurance today and saw this thread was coincidentally updated. Thanks. Things just got too intense with the CCR and I’ll admit I was burned out a bit. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
| Didn’t dive today. When I got there it was pouring rain and one group was already in the water. PADI women’s dive day today, but men there too! Anyway, as group one was getting out of the water the signal for lightning went off. So we had to wait under a pavilion. A woman from the group had some sort of difficulty in the water. Maybe 15ft deep. Anyway? She gets out, and was helped by others as she was apparently having difficulty breathing. Laid down on picnic bench and she was hyperventilating. Lips and hands turning blue even with O2. Then vomiting and she out out on the group and CPR was started. They tried AED but the ground was wet. Ambulance came and took her away. I’m not sure if she’s going to make it or not. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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Originally Posted By Jayne_Cobb: Ah. I have no computer, so that's not an option yet. No BFKs in use either. Just a little blunt nose and some trauma shears. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/434195/IMG_6221_jpeg-3303509.JPG The BFKs do look a lot cooler though! https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/434195/IMG_6223_jpeg-3303510.JPG I have a BFK but it's Titanium. Wear it on my right calf. Definitely a line trap so not for diving in an overhead environment, most definitely not DIR. So light, I never notice it in the water. |
Preferred Pronoun: Space Lord Mutherfucker
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Originally Posted By Marie: Didn’t dive today. When I got there it was pouring rain and one group was already in the water. PADI women’s dive day today, but men there too! Anyway, as group one was getting out of the water the signal for lightning went off. So we had to wait under a pavilion. A woman from the group had some sort of difficulty in the water. Maybe 15ft deep. Anyway? She gets out, and was helped by others as she was apparently having difficulty breathing. Laid down on picnic bench and she was hyperventilating. Lips and hands turning blue even with O2. Then vomiting and she out out on the group and CPR was started. They tried AED but the ground was wet. Ambulance came and took her away. I’m not sure if she’s going to make it or not. Damn! |
Preferred Pronoun: Space Lord Mutherfucker
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Originally Posted By HeavyMetal: Damn! Everyone packed up and went home after the ambulance took the woman away. There was a rescue class and they got to see first hand how things are done. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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I just checked with someone and I was told the diver is in stable condition. ETA 7:15pm: diver is not doing well. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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Originally Posted By Marie: I’m sad to report that the diver died. I know it's morbid, but understanding cause of death would be beneficial to the diving community. Informing DAN of the incident may also be helpful for them to assist the local Drs with diving specific knowledge. |
Common Sense isn't as Common as Commonly Thought
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Originally Posted By TailHunter: I know it's morbid, but understanding cause of death would be beneficial to the diving community. Informing DAN of the incident may also be helpful for them to assist the local Drs with diving specific knowledge. I’ll suggest that to the instructor who works with a relative of the dead diver and will be able to get more info. I’ve not heard anything about autopsy results. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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Spent Tuesday-Friday in Miami this week (wife had a work trip) on a whim to do some diving. Dove Blue Heron Bridge on Wednesday, viz was better than I've ever seen it in the three years I've been going there at least annually. All the prior trips have been August, September, or October, and the viz has always been fucking TERRIBLE. This time I was blessed with wonderfully clear water, although I didn't bring enough lead (trying to polish off the gas in my AL80s diving my travel sidemount rig, should've hooked the canister light up to my D-rings to be a few more pounds negative in the water, but I was in a hurry to get geared up because it was hot as balls outside). Thursday I dove in Key Largo with Rainbow Reef. The operator experience wasn't bad (better than my first and only other experience with them in September 2021), the group of divers was pretty poorly experienced in trim and not kicking other people repeatedly, and the viz was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G compared to last time I was there. Smooth boat ride, relatively smooth check-in, the rinse station at their dock is always a plus when you have a 1+ hour car ride in front of you with wet gear (and no way to rinse it other than lugging it 3 floors down an elevator, through a lobby, and 3 floors back up into your room, because you're at a hotel - as an added bonus, my wife would've shot me if I had done that). I think it was about 35 minutes to the Benwood and then only 10-15 minutes max before we were at Christmas Tree Cave. Both dives were 50+ minutes and the DM/guide was wonderful. Saw several nurse & sand sharks (including a five footer, biggest nurse I've seen), got to spend probably 10 minutes watching a sea turtle scratch its' back on the wreckage of the Benwood, and enjoy a few minutes at the end of each dive swimming around on my own underneath the boat while waiting for the rest of the passengers to re-board. Even snagged some drone shots at the bridge, and one at the Coconut Creek Service Plaza on the Turnpike on my way back north to go home (these photos would've been better if I were using the Mavic Air 2 instead of my Mini 2 SE, but I found propeller damage on the Mavic and didn't want to risk crashing it until I replace the propeller blades - they should be here tomorrow so there won't be any more loss of better-quality footage/still images). All in all, a few more dives would've been nice to add to the list, but being solo this time I had to do all of the driving, packing, etc. and it was enough work for no longer than I was able to stay. |
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Originally Posted By floridahunter07: Spent Tuesday-Friday in Miami this week (wife had a work trip) on a whim to do some diving. . All the prior trips have been August, September, or October, and the viz has always been fucking TERRIBLE. This time I was blessed with wonderfully clear water, al. We have had very little rain compared to most years. For Florida it's been down right dry. Dry weather means amazing viz like February. It also means lobster are up shallower in the bay instead of offshore since the salinity is up. |
Common Sense isn't as Common as Commonly Thought
I'll take it. I was going to be mad (bigly) if I drove five hours and paid a few hundred bucks to dive in toilet water I could've found in a swamp 20 minutes from my house.  Heading to Peacock tomorrow with my buddy and his girlfriend to do some dives at P1. Hopefully I come back with some decent footage/pictures to share from the Peanut & Olsen lines. He just finished his full cave like two weeks ago, but we're probably going to keep things simple and short (linear penetration wise) tomorrow. Goals: - Easy dives to do photos on the Olsen line and the Peanut line/in the Peanut Tunnel, specifically - Locate the jump to the Well (on the Olsen line) - Reel work in the cavern, line drills during surface interval |