Why is the "gold line" gold?

[ajduplessis]

White stains quickly, and badly.

Heres some... I would say, it doesn't show up the best.

Goldline replaced it

You found my reels!!!!!

 

[scububa]

Because after you start cave diving, it's the only gold you are likely to see again??? <:empty pockets emoticon:>​

 

[lowviz]

Because after you start cave diving, it's the only gold you are likely to see again??? <:empty pockets emoticon:>​

Bwahaha. Just spent over a grand on a new set of cave tanks. Should'a spent it on a pod to check out my "Jones fracture". -it's real, look it up. Grin and bear it, went for the tanks instead.

I'd thank your post but Sammie is still mad at me and blocked that move.

 

[Dive-aholic]

I heard an interesting story a while ago, but didn't write the details down.

It went something like: someone was wanting to put a guideline in a cave, looking for donations and someone else gave him a roll of garish yellow material that wasn't selling. Thus, the "gold line" was born.

Confirm / refute ??? Searched all the likely places, nothing.


If true please share which cave, who were the people, when did this happen....

I don't know why it's gold, but I do know why it's different. There was a death in Orange Grove back in the 80s that was caused by the divers accidentally swimming off the main line, which was white at the time. There was confusion as to the way out, which turned into an disagreement, and one diver made it out alive, the other didn't. Within a few weeks the white line in Peacock/Orange Grove system was replaced with gold line so the main passage could be distinguished from the side passages. It was probably the next brightest color available. With Peacock/OG being so dark a light color was a better choice.

 

[lowviz]

I don't know why it's gold, but I do know why it's different. ....//......

This is the best I've heard so far. I still can't believe that something as basic as the "gold line" isn't commonly-known history.

Thanks, Rob.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Here's the story as I know it.

A couple (boyfriend/girlfriend) were diving Orange Grove. The woman's primary light failed and while she was deploying a backup light they drifted into a side passage and got turned around. Once her backup light was deployed the dive was called and they began to exit. The man noticed they were in a different passage and signaled to his girlfriend. She was insistent they were heading the correct direction. He finally turned around and exited while she continued heading the direction she had been. He made it back to the main passage and exited the cave. She died in the cave. This resulted in the cave diving agencies supporting a change in the line in the main passages. I believe the plaque at the entrance to Orange Grove is in memory of the woman who died on this dive.

If this occurred in the area I think it did, it's not difficult to drift into the side passage. It's more of a Y in the passage with the side passage being straight ahead rather than to the side. I mistakenly swam into this side passage once because I happened to be looking around at the right (or wrong) moment. I quickly noticed my error, but only because I looked down for the line and not only noticed it was on the other wall, but that it was white! We were only about 15' into that passage.

I heard this story from my cave instructor, as well as some of the instructors I interned with. I pass it on to all of my cave students.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Here's the story as I know it.

A couple (boyfriend/girlfriend) were diving Orange Grove. The woman's primary light failed and while she was deploying a backup light they drifted into a side passage and got turned around. Once her backup light was deployed the dive was called and they began to exit. The man noticed they were in a different passage and signaled to his girlfriend. She was insistent they were heading the correct direction. He finally turned around and exited while she continued heading the direction she had been. He made it back to the main passage and exited the cave. She died in the cave. This resulted in the cave diving agencies supporting a change in the line in the main passages. I believe the plaque at the entrance to Orange Grove is in memory of the woman who died on this dive.

If this occurred in the area I think it did, it's not difficult to drift into the side passage. It's more of a Y in the passage with the side passage being straight ahead rather than to the side. I mistakenly swam into this side passage once because I happened to be looking around at the right (or wrong) moment. I quickly noticed my error, but only because I looked down for the line and not only noticed it was on the other wall, but that it was white! We were only about 15' into that passage.

I heard this story from my cave instructor, as well as some of the instructors I interned with. I pass it on to all of my cave students.

My understanding is that this occurred at the distance tunnel jump and it makes sense. Coming back from Challenge you come up out of the hole in the floor and are facing almost directly at the distance tunnel line, while the mainline is over head and makes a very sharp bend away from you placing it outside your line of sight and actually behind you. If you are not watching the line, and/or have poor SA and are not expecting the turn in the line, it would be easy to miss and end up on the wrong line.

A semi-panicked diver or a diver in a hurry will see the distance tunnel line and if they are not on their game, may not notice the gap.

IMHO, it would also make sense to lengthen the jump to the distance tunnel to remove the line from easy view from that position and/or at least magnify the gap to make it more obvious and more likely to be noticed. However, the transition from gold line to white line is something even a clueless diver will probably pick up on before it gets tragic. And as is, it is potentially a great training device to induce an "oh ****!" moment when a student discovers he or she is on the wrong line.

 

[LiteHedded]

My understanding is that this occurred at the distance tunnel jump and it makes sense. Coming back from Challenge you come up out of the hole in the floor and are facing almost directly at the distance tunnel line, while the mainline is over head and makes a very sharp bend away from you placing it outside your line of sight and actually behind you. If you are not watching the line, and/or have poor SA and are expecting the turn in the line, it would be easy to miss and end up on the wrong line.

A semi-panicked diver or a diver in a hurry will see the distance tunnel line and if they are not on their game, may not notice the gap.

IMHO, it would also make sense to lengthen the jump to the distance tunnel to remove the line from easy view from that position and/or at least magnify the gap to make it more obvious and more likely to be noticed. However, the transition from gold line to white line is something even a clueless diver will probably pick up on before it gets tragic. And as is, it is potentially a great training device to induce an "oh ****!" moment when a student discovers he or she is on the wrong line.

or make it a T and train better divers

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I agree.

Putting a "T" 900' up the mainline in OG would have the added benefit of adding another deterent to Intro Level divers going farther when they should be turning on gas by then anyway.

But I suspect it would not be popular.

 

[lowviz]

Here's the story as I know it.

A couple (boyfriend/girlfriend) were diving Orange Grove. The woman's primary light failed .....//........

Note sskasser's link (post #19 in this thread) for the year 1984:

Accident analysis results allowed the NSS-CDS to produce a concise set of four rules:
1) Always run a continuous line out to open water.
2) Never use more than one-third of your air on penetration into the dive.
3) Avoid diving deeper than 130’.
4) Always use at least three lights apiece.

It is interesting to note that number four is highlighted (in sskasser's link) by larger text than the first three. Rob mentioned that it was in the 80's, maybe #4 is a reference to this particular accident. If so, it is added substantiation to this being where the "gold line" originated.