What you were looking at is a twin 10Ltr technical rig, the buoyancy for this configuration comes from a 'banded' wing, an OMS (Ocean Management Systems) design, it has the lifting capability of 150lb and consists of two bladders (hence two inflation systems) Image here : http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=8466 Also attached to the rig is a HID (High Intensity Discharge) Torch. Image here : http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=8465 The tern "Nitrox" has been around for quite a number of years, unfortunately because it's been associated with "technical" based diving, there's always been some mystical element attached with it's use. The bottom line is that we are breathing a mixture of "Nitrox" right now, that mixture being 21/79 - Otherwise know as air ! In terms of diving yes we do seek to avoid absorption of Nitrogen; what the breathing of Nitrox does is not add that substance but actually increase the amount of O2 contained within your breathing gas. The further problem that increasing the O2 causes is whilst you breath less nitrogen, you absorb more oxygen, to ensure you don't suffer O2 poisoning, each mix in % terms has a MOD or Maximum Operating Depth. What this translates to in simple terms is that depending on the %mix of Nitrox, you can stay submerged longer with less nitrogen penalties but the depths remain well within what would be otherwise know as recreational limits; IE 30 mtrs. The other major side to doing a technical based diving course is the vast increases in personal safely. Here's a comparison. Typically a "recreational diver" would carry one 'primary' 12Ltr cylinder containing air, this would have one first stage attached to one cross flow valve with two second stage valves (one in the mouth and the second as a reserve) The diver would have one PDC (Personal Dive Computor), one Contents gauge and possibly a compass. The BCD would normally have the lifting capacity of just one average person. The training which recreational divers receive is based upon the buddy system where your buddy is there as a means of rescue and safety The "Technical diver" will typically carry on every dive the following: Two primary cylinders (min of 12 Ltrs each) Two full 'cold water rated' demand valves including reserves (That’s four valves) At least one stage cylinder slung under the arm (with another valve) A BCD which has the capacity of lifting two people A spare mask, at least two knives or at least a net cutter Two Dive computers Two contents gauges A high power torch even in daylight diving operations A Red DSMB A Yellow DSMB and 30mtr reel Decompression tables and the ability to calculate remedial deco stops 'in water' if required. And several other items etc etc. The training which technical agencies provide teach a "self reliance" philosophy, whilst diving in pairs is always advised a technically trained diver has the ability to essentially rescue him/herself from the problems associated with diving... 1, Malfunctions with kit. "Why" might you ask is the above list so very short when there are obviously far more risks and potential emergencies under water.. 1, If you run out of air because of neglect, you deserve to drown !! It’s as simple as that. 2, there are only two reasons where one cannot rescue one's self 2.1 when you are rendered unconscious 2.2 when you are physically trapped Every other problem under water can be planned for; it is as simple as that. The amount of redundancy carried by a technical diver reflects the level of importance placed upon the ability to 'self-solve' problems which might occur, the sole aim being, simply to reach the surface of the water safely. Basically, as soon as a bit of kit goes pear shaped, the dive's over. Technical diving doesn't always mean going deeper for longer, indeed although I'm experienced at depths in excess of 50 mtrs, unless there's a bloody good reason for going there, I don't. Plus the fact that after one gets below 20 meters (here in the UK) the light level drops to such a point where there's nothing to easily see, I'm much rather spend in excess of 90 minutes in and around the 30-20mtr mark than diver deeper just for the sake of it. Hope that helps explain the kit and the reasons for it. Regards Dave
Thanks for the info Dave, I'd be lying if i said i understand everything you said, but i get most of it. Its interesting that you carry a second mask, is that in case yours gets kicked off and lost, to speak through, both? I read somewhere that some divers use a second mask hung around their necks for use as a cheap make shift way of communicating. Ive never tried it myself, but Im told you can tilt it back and blow air into it (as you would when clearing water from your mask, but with the mask over your mouth rather then eyes and nose. From there you can speak to each other eliminating the need for dive signing. Also, do you use the usual amount of weight on your belt? or do you need less (or more) weight to allow for the extra equipment. I really miss diving, I got my dive ticket back when you could rent gear for a weekend for $30-50, now days they're asking $100-150! Not to mention the dive shop where i was a member and did my course shut down years ago. As i'm sure you know theres a lot less SSI affiliated clubs then PADI, so even if i could afford it these days i'd suspect finding a club wouldnt be easy. As for your words regarding Nitrox.....Im still a bit lost. So there's no added nitrogen...but no added oxygen.....soooooo its plain old standard tank air????? I got noooooo idea now Dave lol. Personally i think we needa get 'the Abyss' style liquid air stuff happening! Oh, by the way...did you see my pic of O Sensei Ueshiba? When i was woking on it I thought you might like that one. One last thing....your comment about diving alone reeeeally threw me..... would'nt you be very concerned about narcosis at depths? especially being alone! I remember talking to my dive master and I heard some insane storys about things divers have done while at depth as a result of narcosis. One guy was sitting on the sub they were diving on and he thought he was a dog.....complete with paws up begging for a bone. (dont know how true that story is). Anyway mate, thanks for the info..... hope u r well, and i'll talk to you soon this is the link to my Ueshiba piece in case u have'nt seen it take care http://www.martialartsplanet.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/2487/sort/1/cat/504/page/1
Basically you want to double up on all the bits of kit which would make it difficult for you to survive, carrying another mask just simplifies the problem of the strap breaking (The more common problem) In the past I've only carried a spare head strap but trying to fit this to the mask body when your wearing gloves is impossible. Although we don’t carry a spare set of fins, we do carry straps which have snap-lock fittings (very easy fit) When mixing Nitrox, you use 100% oxygen to a particular bar then top off with normal compressed air, the two percentages then give you the nitrox mix you require for the depth you wish to make. Remember that normal air consists of 21/79 - a particularly high percentage of nitrogen, for an average recreational dive you could use a 36% Nitrox mix (36/64) thus you've reduced the nitrogen content. As I said earlier, the mix of nitrox you use is limited to particular maximum depths because as you know any gas including air can be poisonous. Rapture of the deep... Narcosis is a killer, I've watched my dive buddy laughing out loud through his regulator, he took his gloves off and started waving his hands about, he'd reached for his BCD inflator just before I got to him and I think he was about to inflate his wing which would have resulted in his uncontrolled accent. Regards
I take it from the story u just told that narcosis is potentially as intoxicating as Ive been told!. Id hate to imagine the pain of a free ascent at great depth! That'd be a sure fire embolism wouldnt it? Not to mention the possible hazard of a rapid ascent whilst holding breath! Good thing u were there! I remember once whist diving on Ewans ponds in South Australia (fresh water dive) my dive buddy was verrry inexperienced even for an open water diver, and she had'nt correctly weighted her belt after going from sea water to fresh water. She had to go back to camp and get an extra weight......she decided the time it would take to remove her belt and properly fit the weight was just too great, so simply put the weight in the pocket of her BCD ( insert shaking of head in disapproval ) Needless to say when she was half way through her decent, the velcro that held her pocket shut gave way, and the weight plummited to the bottom. Luckily we she was only half way down and ascended no more then.....10-15 metres i think (but i cant be sure). Though she escaped without anything worse then a bit of a scare and a little embarrasment, i think it was a lesson well worth her learning. Im not sure if we've discussed Ewans ponds before, but if we have'nt there's nly one word to explain it...'WOW'. The visibility is without doubt the best I have ever seen, and there were times when i felt as though i were flying and almost felt as though i might fall to the bottom. Im not sure how much you can tell from this image, but the visibility is nothing short of spectacular. If you're ever in Australia I would highly reccomend diving the great barrier reef in QLD, and Ewans Ponds South australia. Im told there are some amazing cave's in the area Mount Gambier called Piccaninnie ponds. They're illegal for open water divers to dive on so unfortunately i never had the pleasure. Maybe one day. anyway mate, take care, and hope u r well Paradoks This link has some pics of piccaninie ponds that i think are pretty damn cool for amatuer photography. Apparently piccaninie ponds are in excess of 80 metres, with an abyss, and a cave known as the cathedral which im told could be used comfortably to play a game of football in (were it of course not submerged in water ) http://homepages.picknowl.com.au/harris/picaninnie.htm this link does'nt show much, but the first image might be enough for an experienced and advanced diver such as yourself to get an idea of the amazing vis. http://www.divemagazine.co.uk/news/article.asp?UAN=2726&v=1&sp= see ya mate! Para
Being Narc'd is like being drunk without the alcoholic effect, a very strange experience to watch. I can't remember what depth we were at, at the time, we were descending feet first down an anchor line, possibly about 20mtrs, the rapid ascent from there would have no doubted ruined his day for sure - the only upside [for want of an expression] would have been, he'd probably not known what was happening due to the narcosis effects. I nearly go taken up with him !! Only after we ascended and the narcosis wore off did I comprehend what risks I'd put myself in. Bin there and seen that happen first hand. I dived with a local club off the east coast of the UK, one of the divers had forgot some of his weights, his buddy dived to about 15mtrs to collect a rock, he brought that back to the boat and gave it to his mate, (me and my buddy just looked at each other in disbelief) we commented to the dive leader that this was an accident waiting to happen but by then the two had already splashed in and were gone. Me and my buddy did likewise and although we decided to move away from the main group we could see the diver with the rock in his stabby, he was clearly having buoyancy difficulties and sure enough the inevitable happened and off he went to the surface, luckily he had only been in the water for a few mins, was about 17 mtrs and he remembered to exhale on the way up, he suffered a minor bend and was airlifted out... Whilst I don't wish people ill, he and his buddy deserved what happened to them. If people want to take risks with their lives and become complacent to the risks that water and compressed gas has in store for them, then they don't deserve to dive. Thanks for the links, sure looks nice. I'll be honest and say that apart from being able to see pretty much everything and see things not normally available here, I find slack water and high vis diving a bit dull. Don't get me wrong I think diving in warm water with 60-100mtr vis is great but there really isn't any great challenge in it for me. I have relatives in Sydney so at some point I must get over there and check out the coastal waters (sharks permitting) !! Regards
that would have to be one of THE DUMBEST things i've ever heard a diver do. What in hell was he thinking! 'oh i'll just hang onto this thing for the duration of the dive.....yeah that's a great idea'. Some people huh? I thought it was interesting that you dont like high vis dives. I mean i can understand the challenge of low vis, cave diving, etc. But dont you ever wanna just enjoy the scenery anymore? I do know what you mean though, there's a location here in Melbourne that most dive schools use to train begginers on their first few dives (Portsea Peer) that absolutely bores me to tears! There's little to no sea life, and the bottom's been dredged so looks like a baron wasteland. I'd never waste an air fill on Portsea, its just boring. On the other hand, if there's amazing sea life, the challenge of a surf dive, or anything else like that i'm definately in for it. The idea of zero (or low) vis seems like it would get really boring really quick to me. Then again.....you dont see much if anything on night dives and I absolutely love night diving! I guess its just a matter of having been there and done that for you perhaps. I have two elder brothers who did their open water course about a year before i did, and they both HATED night night diving. They warned me of how awful it is, boring, the vertigo, etc. When i myself tried it, i could'nt get enough. I dont know, just being suspended in blackness in all directions is an amazing feeling to me. The closest analogy i can come up with is that it feels like being back in the womb. Its just so peacful and calming. Do you have any interesting pics from your dives? any caves, wrecks? etc? If you got any online somewhere or on your p.c i'd be real interested to see a few. Anyway mate, i should get going. hope you and yours are well. Take care, Paradoks
