Deep Water?

[GrierHPharmD]

Don't rush to go deep. Be patient and hone the basic skills, so that by the time you decide to see something a little deeper (the Spiegel Grove, perhaps), you'll be able to concentrate on the unique challenges of the dive, and not the basics, like bouyancy control, navigation, mask clearing, etc.

It really helps to have some dives under your belt and then do your first deep dives with an instructor, maybe as part of an AOW class, just to make sure that you're diving within your training and experience.

Good luck,
Grier

 

[WillHarm]

Im not sure what i would really consider deep, I guess anything I gotta SWIM to stay up in. As far as not being able to the the bottom I love that feeling. Its like flying, or falling in slo-mo. It rocks.

 

[eponym]

android buzzed:
I've seen mention here that a lot of people are uncomfortable being in "deep water." even just snorkeling or swimming on the surface with no scuba. What do you consider deep?

One hundred feet down feels deep to me--especially if I can see the surface. If the visibility is poor and I can't see all the way up it's harder for me to have a visceral reaction to the numbers. You're probably aware that anything past sixty feet should come only after the basics are second-nature and you've taken a deep-diving course. The course ought to check how badly you get narked at depth.

Your question brought back a great memory, though. Many years ago (before I learned scuba) I was snorkeling over a shallow reef system only a few feet deep. I was being careful to keep arms and legs and fins up, and looking right in front of my nose, when I reached an abrupt drop-off and found myself staring into a bottomless blue abyss with shafts of sunlight disappearing in the gloom.

I tell you, I was flailing there for a moment, just the way I did on my first skydive (solo jump, live pull - no static line). I had to tell myself, "you're still floating on top, dummy." That's the only time I've ever had vertigo in the water.

-Bryan

___________________________________
"Here comes the flood. Say goodbye to flesh and blood"
--Peter Gabriel

 

[downunderjenn]

if you close your eyes in water, say a swimming pool, but anything, and you are not touching anything and floating, you are as deep as your mind allow

(the pool ref is for those w/o buoyancy control, but under buddy supervision it could be done)

 

[Nay]

We even got to dive there in the late 60's.

http://www.extremescience.com/DeepestOcean.htm

Gary D.

Gary, do you mean 'we' you were involved or 'we' people?
I got to see Don Walsh (one of the two people in the Trieste, the only people ever to to go down to the deepest point in the ocean,) give a lecture on deep ocean exploration last fall. It was fascinating.
Apparently the Navy chickened out at the last minute and sent a telegram to the ship to call off the dive but the commander "didn't get the message" until it was too late.
Very cool stuff.

 

[android]

Don't rush to go deep. Be patient and hone the basic skills, so that by the time you decide to see something a little deeper (the Spiegel Grove, perhaps

I was really asking about water below, not water above. Assuming a calm sea, I've never really understood fear of a lot of water below. Since I can float or swim, 10ft or 1000ft make no difference to me mentally, but I know it freaks some people out to be over a very deep bottom.

I consider water over my head very differently with greater depth meaning more planning, caution and situational awareness are required.

 

[miketsp]

I must admit that there is a different sensation knowing that you have about 3400 metres of water under you. About 30+ years ago I used to get involved with ocean surveys for submarine telephone cable projects and when we stopped the survey ship say to take core samples or bottom temperatures in the middle of the Atlantic, a few of us would jump in for a dip.
I think part of the weird sensation comes from the fact that the sea life is much bigger out there so you start imagining things.

 

[SDAnderson]

To some extent, deep is a personal measure - it means different things to different people. Below 60 feet, you're probably going to need a breath of air to get back to the surface, one measure of deep. Below 100 feet, you're going to encounter significant narcosis issues, another measure of deep. Below 130 feet your recreational training expires, a very good measure of deep.

More important is to remember to never go deeper than your training and that depth is no reason to go anywhere in and of itself - only an obstacle to be overcome.

 

[Gary D.]

Gary, do you mean 'we' you were involved or 'we' people?
I got to see Don Walsh (one of the two people in the Trieste, the only people ever to to go down to the deepest point in the ocean,) give a lecture on deep ocean exploration last fall. It was fascinating.
Apparently the Navy chickened out at the last minute and sent a telegram to the ship to call off the dive but the commander "didn't get the message" until it was too late.
Very cool stuff.

Here is a repost of the dive we made.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=49703

"Here is the text"



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Mine wasn’t near an island but I would love to do it again.

I was blessed with having the best skippers the Navy had to offer throughout my entire tour of duty.

We were headed back to the states after a real rough 8 months overseas. We pushed the limits way to often but always got the job done. As a reward we got Letters that were officially presented at a formal ceremony. We thought that was it.

We were at sea headed home when the Skipper stopped the ship. Unless something is wrong you don’t normally go dead in the water like we just did.

The divers were called to the bridge. Very unusual. The Skipper asks if we want to dive. Sure but what’s wrong? Nothing, Do you want to dive? Again what’s wrong?

He points to a spot on the chart spread out on the chart table. I think there was some cussing as we flew out of the bridge. He was yelling at us to make it quick and we were only authorized to 150’ and no more.

The deck crew rigged a ladder and platform as we ran for our gear. Made a quick 5 minute 200’ dive into the blue. Saw absolutely nothing but it was the most memorial dive I’ve ever made and I would like to do it again.

As our last reward the Skipper went something like 300 miles off course and stopped directly over “Challenger Deep”. We were only 200’ into the almost 36,000’ column of water. Nothing between us and the bottom of the ocean.

We joked about dropping something and trying to figure out how far away we would be when it hit the bottom.

When the Skipper asked we said 150’ was it sir. He chuckled and knew we couldn’t hold to that.

Most interesting and best dive I ever did.

Gary D.
__________________
What ever you do in life do it well and do it safe.

Gary D.

 

[ShakaZulu]

1555 ft I think is deep.............