Diving with Crocodiles tv show - Not doing it right

[00wabbit]

Just watching Diving with Crocodiles on Smithsonian and I could just see SB having a field day with them.

In one scene they follow a 15ft crocodile into a cave formed by floating papyrus tree roots. The decide not to use a guideline because it would slow them down and be cumbersomb. They are flutter kicking their way in. They go 90ft into the cave and let their air got to 500psi before they decide they should find their way out (They actually show the SPG at 500). All the while there are the roots from papyrus trees overhead that could entangle at any time and their is still a 15ft croc and another croc they didn't notice. I could just see some SB'ers twitching while watching this scene.
The narration also made them sound like great adventurers rather than foolish risk takers.

 

[BDSC]

I suspect most of what you saw was staged anyway. Most of those shows are. Not likely any danger at any time.

 

[00wabbit]

Probably not but the knuckleheads watching it wouldn't know better. "Hey this cave is bigger than that cave on the croc show we'll be fine!"

 

[drrich2]

It is frightening for how it may impact some divers. On this forum, it's easy to forget that a lot of OW-certified divers got certified in brief courses (sometimes tropical resort quickies), don't interact much with the greater diving community, don't read scuba-related literature much and don't peruse online forums like scuba board.

So, if the t.v. divers think diving in cave-type environments with no guide-line and running their air down to 500 PSI before heading back is okay, with an enormous crocodile present, than how bad can poking around a big cavern or going up in a cave a little ways be?

If I owned Vortex Springs or a similar outfit that catered to regular OW divers but also had cave access, I would NOT like this program as you have described it.

Richard.

 

[AfterDark]

They have a film crew filming and following them. I'm pretty sure those people want to get out. They are probably taking care of business.

 

[drrich2]

But does the relatively ignorant vacation diver watching the show from home know that?

Monkey see, Monkey do, can get you killed!

Richard.

 

[BDSC]

But does the relatively ignorant vacation diver watching the show from home know that?

Actually, I think they do. I feel pretty sure that most folks coming out of an open water class will know not to try cave diving without the training. Sure, every now and then some idiot will die in a cave because they didn't have the training and decided to go in anyway. But I doubt they just had no idea it was dangerous. Most folks know the difference between a TV show and reality.

 

[tkevcu]

Most folks know the difference between a TV show and reality.

I hope so, but it seems that the number of folks who do are dwindling in numbers.

 

[supergaijin]

Most folks know the difference between a TV show and reality.

You give "most folks" waaaaaaaaay too much credit.

 

[BDSC]

I hope so, but it seems that the number of folks who do are dwindling in numbers.

Probably. There are actually some folks out there that believe what they see on "TruTV" is true because the name of the channel says it is.