Have you ever dove ZERO viz?

[Gary D.]

Depending on the weight of the object lost it is possible that it could be caught in the upper part of the ooze, otherwise it will be as far down as it can go or you can go...
that said this is not a scubadive- reserve tank or no. With loss of vis, unknown entanglement hazard, and a physical work load a limited air supply does not make sense.

Try a dive where you hit a 28-30 foot bottom and dive depth was 65 feet. Not much different than a dive into Navy Crude.

Don't break it down into scuba or surface supplied dives. Break it down to recreational or non recreational dives. Most zero vis dives are no place for the majority of recreational trained divers. Others are a different story.

Gary D.

 

[rocketry]

It is important to make a distinction between ZERO vis and EXTREMELY LOW VIS.

Most zero vis dives are no place for the majority of recreational trained divers.

I agree completely. On a military mission (as one post referenced) or in a cave silt-out situation (as I have heard stories of), when you cannot see a gauge point blank at your mask either due to darkness or murk, things quickly change.

All training can go out the window (or or appear to be that way) when you have had the unlimited use of your eyes during training. Managing stress, even, becomes very difficult.

 

[Gary D.]

It is important to make a distinction between ZERO vis and EXTREMELY LOW VIS.



I agree completely. On a military mission (as one post referenced) or in a cave silt-out situation (as I have heard stories of), when you cannot see a gauge point blank at your mask either due to darkness or murk, things quickly change.

All training can go out the window (or or appear to be that way) when you have had the unlimited use of your eyes during training. Managing stress, even, becomes very difficult.

This is an example of so-so vis but it is far from zero vis. That light is a UK800R about 6' away. http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/14319/cat/500/ppuser/2714

If you want an example of zero vis. go into a closet at night with no outside light in the area and close your eyes with a black trash bag over your head. Don't seal the bag or you'll die. That's close to zero vis. The bottom of a mine shaft a mile or two from the opening with no lighting at all in the shaft might be another example. So is 30+ feet into oatmeal silt.

If you can see your gages pressed against your mask with a light it isn't zero but really bad vis.

Gary D.

 

[rocketry]

If you can see your gages pressed against your mask with a light it isn't zero but really bad vis.

I am not disagreeing. I guess we are saying the same thing. (but I'm not communicating it well!)

 

[freediver]

I have dived in negative (-) 5 ft viz before. Yea, I couldn't see in front of me nor behind me!

 

[Meng_Tze]

http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/14319/cat/500/ppuser/2714

That looks like cold vis to me.

 

[Meng_Tze]

All training can go out the window (or or appear to be that way) when you have had the unlimited use of your eyes during training. Managing stress, even, becomes very difficult.

I dove 0ft, 2 inches vis silt outs, less than 3ft vis. Found that closing your eyes actually helps in putting the mind to ease, increasing awareness (touch, directional and hearing) and slowing down the breathing.

 

[Jim Baldwin]

Today, me and my dive buddy were doing a favor for my future brother in-law. He is in charge of maintenance for a local subdivision, and he had a pond that had a fountain, and the fountain jet on top had fallen off. The part was relatively expensive to replace, he asked us to see if we could dive for it.

We of course said yes, and scheduled it for today. We arrived at the pond about 11:30, talked about the dive plan and geared up. Upon entering the water, I knew that the murk would be a problem, but I've dove 6" viz before and done night diving (Colorado diver), so it didn't bother me too much. After we gave the ok to descend, we grabbed hands and descended, but after descending about 1 foot I knew this dive was going to be aborted.

I could literally not see my hand in front of my face till it was on my goggles. I signaled my buddy through my hand at around 5' (I'm guessing) that it was time to go up, and we did, and aborted the recovery dive. I even brought my primary light, a C8UK Led, and when I turned it on, could not even see a hint of light from it.

I'm curious if any of you Tech Divers/Professional/Rescue divers have ever dove in these conditions, and if you did, how you coped with them and accually completed the dive.

My first four years of diving starting in 1979 was mainly diving for vehicles, guns, boats, and bodies. Myself and another not so bright bulb consituted the dive team for the parish,(county). We dove in a number of lakes and ponds and once you were under the water about a foot you could not see your hand or your gauges. A light was useless and it was very difficult to maintain direction.

A full suit of neoprene including gloves and hood was standard and we tried to stay just off the bottom but with all the rotting materials you couldn't see. Many times I just closed my eyes and felt along and did the dive.

As Gary said there is a lot of difference in these types of dives than a recreational dive.

A few years ago a good friend swamped his boat and lost a number of rods and reels. My son who was 20 at the time wanted to go along and give it a try. He brought a light and I told him he wouldn't need it. When we surfaced to get our bearings he put it back on the boat. The water was from six to 10 feet deep.

 

[KCIREVAM]

Here it is visability... Pump the pond dry. You'll find what ever it is.

 

[Carl_Fallon]

G'Day Guys,

Zero vis is an extremly trying experience, even for experienced divers.

I have searched for a few items for private salvage. A guy came in to my store 2 years ago and asked for a diver to find a submarine he had lost. He had made a replica WWII Sub that was operational. Cool hey! it was scaled down to become about 2m long.

He gave me a descent point and off i went looking. Using a rope for a semi-circular search pattern. After searching for this thing in black soup for about 1 hour i gave up because i almost thowing up from the thought of what it was i was diving in. Afterwards he let slip that the sub might still be neutrally bouyant. "We thanks mate" i said to him. The lake i was looking in was about 60m wide. I took my money and ran!

Thinking back, I wouldn't do it again. Chemicals, bacteria... yucky and dangerous!!!

Well that is one of my stories. The things we do for a quick buck..?

Yours Truly,
Carl Fallon :14: