What if you lose your stages, or their gas?

JT2 · Jun 11, 2002

I first would like to start by saying that I am not cave certified, or certified to be using stages in any way, I am however very interested in cave diving as well as other forms of tech diving, and I hope ya'll don't mind me invading the tech section to ask a curious question. I do not intend to use this information to go jump in a cave or any other kind of tech dive, it's just a question! What I am wondering is, what happens if you plan a dive using multiple stages, and when you reach your time to turn the dive and come back you find that someone has taken your stages (which I realize probably doesn't happen) or somehow the reg on one or more of the stages has free-flowed and you have lost all of that stages contents??? At this time do you start to hear the fat lady sing, or is there another way built into your dive plan to allow you a way to save you and your buddy's bacon?

WreckWriter · Jun 11, 2002

Always cut tables for lost gas scenarios too. V-Planner makes it real easy, I think all the good software has lost gas capabilities.

Tom

MikeFerrara · Jun 11, 2002

We don't let the fat lady sing. I intend to be very old and not in a cave when that time comes. We only use a portion of the gas in any tank on the way in. If the stage was gone I would have enough back gas to get out. For big dives one can stage extra tanks or plan to do the whole dive on stages saving all back gas for contingencies. When a stage is not in use the valve is turned off so the gas can't be lost. OW divers have been known to pick up equipment that they find. The dive needs to be planned so that this won't do you in. A cave diver would know better than to pick up or disturb equipment.

Divesherpa · Jun 11, 2002

This question is better answered in the context of a class where the individual is learning the skills to stage and the protocols involved. Although the question was posed in a very respectful manner, when you need an answer to this question, you will already know it.

Dive safe.

O-ring · Jun 11, 2002

And see what can happen if you lose your stages...good book and it will give you one possible answer to your question. If you are getting interested in tech, you won't be able to put it down...

Divesherpa · Jun 11, 2002

"The Last Dive" or commonly referred to as "I'm a bumbling idiot...... now I'm bent.... now I'm a hero..... I think I'll start a magazine."

The Rouse's death is a great argument for how not to use stages in several ways, the least of which being to surface with that much deco obligation with a stage slung on your side.

Cave staging and wreck staging are two different animals with very different protocols.

O-ring · Jun 11, 2002

Like we haven't heard that before...like hindsight isn't 20-20.

JT2 said:

I am however very interested in cave diving as well as other forms of tech diving

Just pointing him to an interesting read about another form of tech diving...not suggesting that he learn proper stage bottle rigging and usage from it...

Besides, the Rouses were cave divers...

Divesherpa · Jun 11, 2002

no offense to you, O-ring. In certain venues hindsight has to take place before the dives, since hindsight isn't an option when you're crab bait.

O-ring · Jun 11, 2002

Sorry you didn't like the book...

Cave Diver · Jun 22, 2002

I asked a similar question about the loss (theft) of equipment in regard to the placing and leaving reels in a cave while setting up circuits. The answer I was given was that in Florida, someone could be prosecuted for attempted manslaughter for this. I do not know if this is true or not, but that answer does give pause for thought to the situation someone could be put into by removing equipment.

I also asked what was to happen if someone ran low on air, then found a stage bottle that was placed by you in a cave and they used that in order for them to make their exit without your knowledge. The answer to this was that if you planned your dive properly and dove your plan, then you should never be in a situation where the loss of a single cylinder would put you in a life threatening situation. You should still have reserve backgas, as well as at least one dive buddy with reserve gas and your dive plan should be conservative enough that you could deal with the loss of a cylinder.

Dive often, but dive safe

John

What if you lose your stages, or their gas?

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