ScubaBoard Inspiring Terror!

[pauldw]

I learn a lot reading threads here. Apart from mask clearing and ear equalization, my dive training in the 1980's focused on not going too deep, on coming up slow (follow the little bubbles to the surface), and on breathing all the time. Being overweighted was easier than being what I'd now call being properly weighted, because it made it easier to use the BC as an elevator. Now it's clear that I not only don't know a lot, but that there's probably a great deal that I don't even know that I don't know it.

Over on Reddit SCUBA, everyone seems fine talking about the pretty fish they saw. Which is kind of what my speed is too.

Here, there are a lot of things to learn from the underwater astronauts. I wasn't aware that it is possible to go down in a wet suit and not be able to come up, even using a BC. Nor was I aware of downcurrents along reefs that apparently function as freefalls to hell. Or of dynamic airway compression. Or of immersion pulmonary edema. Or of a lot of other things. And I'm not even talking about the perfectionism of the DIR cult, just dive physiology and whatnot in general. All the research in recent years is good, but it sure illustrates a gap between us recreational folk, and the people who are way into this! Still, the education is worth the scare, I reckon. So thank you to the people on ScubaBoard who teach the rest of us how to be safer!

 

[The Chairman]

If it motivates you to diving safer, then so be it.

 

[JackOfDiamonds]

This is definitely not what i expected when reading the headline lol

 

[flyboy08]

Best thing you can do is to continue your diving education...AOW and Search and Rescue classes will bestow confidence in your abilities to deal with personal issues and with others in distress.

 

[Khrissi]

Oddly @pauldw I did find the same. However I mostly am on tree forums and it's just like this... it's the way it is. Enjoy yr diving an if you feel comfortable then yr doing OK mate k

 

[NAUI Wowie]

I learn a lot reading threads here. Apart from mask clearing and ear equalization, my dive training in the 1980's focused on not going too deep, on coming up slow (follow the little bubbles to the surface), and on breathing all the time. Being overweighted was easier than being what I'd now call being properly weighted, because it made it easier to use the BC as an elevator. Now it's clear that I not only don't know a lot, but that there's probably a great deal that I don't even know that I don't know it.

Over on Reddit SCUBA, everyone seems fine talking about the pretty fish they saw. Which is kind of what my speed is too.

Here, there are a lot of things to learn from the underwater astronauts. I wasn't aware that it is possible to go down in a wet suit and not be able to come up, even using a BC. Nor was I aware of downcurrents along reefs that apparently function as freefalls to hell. Or of dynamic airway compression. Or of immersion pulmonary edema. Or of a lot of other things. And I'm not even talking about the perfectionism of the DIR cult, just dive physiology and whatnot in general. All the research in recent years is good, but it sure illustrates a gap between us recreational folk, and the people who are way into this! Still, the education is worth the scare, I reckon. So thank you to the people on ScubaBoard who teach the rest of us how to be safer!

I think 99% of the readers here including myself are recreational in the broadest sense. Many will say that cave and trimix is recreational also but id just call that technical.

I tell ya man this site has scared me too and im grateful. because of this site when I did my wreck diving I had redundant air. and i always carry cutting tools, lights, smb, and i theoretically know what to do now if caught in a downcurrent. I know that in my AOW class I had a CO2 hit and could have died I was lucky. I know about other divers and dangers things to look out for.

I like that I am diving now with eyes open to all the dangers as opposed to most tropical vacation divers that dont know anything except basic diving.

Think of this as Scared Straight but for diving lol.

its all real on a sadder note. ive read back 15 years in the accidents section and many many contributers and staff on this site and all ridiculously experienced and qualified

I learn a lot reading threads here. Apart from mask clearing and ear equalization, my dive training in the 1980's focused on not going too deep, on coming up slow (follow the little bubbles to the surface), and on breathing all the time. Being overweighted was easier than being what I'd now call being properly weighted, because it made it easier to use the BC as an elevator. Now it's clear that I not only don't know a lot, but that there's probably a great deal that I don't even know that I don't know it.

Over on Reddit SCUBA, everyone seems fine talking about the pretty fish they saw. Which is kind of what my speed is too.

Here, there are a lot of things to learn from the underwater astronauts. I wasn't aware that it is possible to go down in a wet suit and not be able to come up, even using a BC. Nor was I aware of downcurrents along reefs that apparently function as freefalls to hell. Or of dynamic airway compression. Or of immersion pulmonary edema. Or of a lot of other things. And I'm not even talking about the perfectionism of the DIR cult, just dive physiology and whatnot in general. All the research in recent years is good, but it sure illustrates a gap between us recreational folk, and the people who are way into this! Still, the education is worth the scare, I reckon. So thank you to the people on ScubaBoard who teach the rest of us how to be safer!

just spend a day reading back on the accidents section. I went back 15 years and its opened my eyes.

I learn a lot reading threads here. Apart from mask clearing and ear equalization, my dive training in the 1980's focused on not going too deep, on coming up slow (follow the little bubbles to the surface), and on breathing all the time. Being overweighted was easier than being what I'd now call being properly weighted, because it made it easier to use the BC as an elevator. Now it's clear that I not only don't know a lot, but that there's probably a great deal that I don't even know that I don't know it.

Over on Reddit SCUBA, everyone seems fine talking about the pretty fish they saw. Which is kind of what my speed is too.

Here, there are a lot of things to learn from the underwater astronauts. I wasn't aware that it is possible to go down in a wet suit and not be able to come up, even using a BC. Nor was I aware of downcurrents along reefs that apparently function as freefalls to hell. Or of dynamic airway compression. Or of immersion pulmonary edema. Or of a lot of other things. And I'm not even talking about the perfectionism of the DIR cult, just dive physiology and whatnot in general. All the research in recent years is good, but it sure illustrates a gap between us recreational folk, and the people who are way into this! Still, the education is worth the scare, I reckon. So thank you to the people on ScubaBoard who teach the rest of us how to be safer!

Scubaboard - Scared Straight for Scuba!


on a serious note you will learn much if you research the accidents forum. I read it all the way back 15 years. Its definitely more dangerous than mountain biking but safer than driving a car anywhere on the planet.

Its also unnerving reading so many experts and board members and mods that used to post here and are gone. You can not take the ocean or any dive for granted though we all do it.

 

[happy-diver]

on a serious note you will learn much if you research the accidents forum

where is the benefit of hypotheticals disrespect and disagreement from inexperienced people
whose only factual information is there was an incident

You can not take the ocean or any dive for granted though we all do it.

how different we all are where in fifty years of ocean submergence
I have treated every dive as a complex challenge

 

[beester]

I learn a lot reading threads here. Apart from mask clearing and ear equalization, my dive training in the 1980's focused on not going too deep, on coming up slow (follow the little bubbles to the surface), and on breathing all the time. Being overweighted was easier than being what I'd now call being properly weighted, because it made it easier to use the BC as an elevator. Now it's clear that I not only don't know a lot, but that there's probably a great deal that I don't even know that I don't know it.

Over on Reddit SCUBA, everyone seems fine talking about the pretty fish they saw. Which is kind of what my speed is too.

Here, there are a lot of things to learn from the underwater astronauts. I wasn't aware that it is possible to go down in a wet suit and not be able to come up, even using a BC. Nor was I aware of downcurrents along reefs that apparently function as freefalls to hell. Or of dynamic airway compression. Or of immersion pulmonary edema. Or of a lot of other things. And I'm not even talking about the perfectionism of the DIR cult, just dive physiology and whatnot in general. All the research in recent years is good, but it sure illustrates a gap between us recreational folk, and the people who are way into this! Still, the education is worth the scare, I reckon. So thank you to the people on ScubaBoard who teach the rest of us how to be safer!

Naaa it's not that bad! Don't underestimate the forum effect. We need stuff to talk about, and most experienced contributors tend to group around "interesting topics" like incidents, dive plans, dive strategies, etc... so they get blown up. In fact (recreational) diving is very very very safe.

However like you say, it's always nice to read up on new stuff, and expand your horizons. I've been on and off on this forum, but I've been reading a long time, and I always find something interesting to read, and sometimes hallmarks of the industry or science contribute and provide real eyeopeners.

So just keep diving, take a course or 2 (rescue is a really good one, so is a fundies type class), and keep enjoying yourself.

Cheers

B

 

[Outbound]

@pauldw Can I talk to you a minute about the many benefits of BP&W diving...

 

[pauldw]

@pauldw Can I talk to you a minute about the many benefits of BP&W diving...

An evangelist! I just got a thought. With so much zeal for DIR out there, it ought to be possible to develop a MLM program to cash in on it! Give me a day or two to think this through, and I’ll have something to talk to you about.