Deep Air Training?

[TheRedHead]

May not help, at least in Cozumel[/

It did for me, albeit not in Coz., but clawing was not an option at that site.

One need to be correctly weighted though, to have the benefit of all the lift available from the jacket.


Not something that you would easily forget ..


Seadeuce

There was an incident several years ago (it may have been reported here) with a half a dozen experienced divers took chamber rides in Coz because of down drafts. They all inflated their BCs.

I experienced one that dragged me down a sandy hillock on San Francisco Reef to about 140 feet until I let go and started kicking like a banshee towards open water. Scared the bejezzus out of me.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I think that for certain people, some limited deep air training may be useful, say to around 175 feet or so. It certainly could build some experience and confidence and might make you much more confident when diving in 120 ft.

However, many people get way too narced at this depth (175) and I feel that offering deep air training to anyone who meets certain relatively simple pre-requisits is too risky.

I taught myself to dive past the recreation depth limits on air by reading stuff on the internet and very slowly progressing to deeper depths, often on solo dives. Obviously this is not the optimal way to learn, but to complete 50 or 100 dives and then take a quick deep air course from some instructor who is willing to take people he hardly knows past 160 ft sounds more scary to me.

Diving to 150 or 160 feet in optimal conditions can be deceptively simple, but when a problem arises, everything becomes much more serious. Deep air scares me (every time).

 

[Mako Mark]

Deep air kills.

Kills whom?

This guy,Yuri Lipski,
he even filmed it for your viewing pleasure, watch and learn, it is not the going down that kills you, it is the turning around and trying to get back up that does it.

Watch and learn

 

[do it easy]

I've done some air dives- not to hit a number, but to learn what the narcosis feels like and how it affects me. My buddy was on trimix and we worked our way progressively deeper over a few dives. The long and the short of it is- save yourself the trouble and don't dive narced.

 

[nereas]

One can be correctly weighted and drop due to downwelling. Missing in some of these arguments is that things do happen. The question is what do you do when they happen?

This scenario doesn't concern me any more than any other potential scenario. Some Scenarios are commonly practiced and some aren't.

TDI has (or at least used to have) a deep air segment in their tech training program. It is named "extended range." Look on TheRedHead's profile and you can see she has taken and passed it.

You find out very quickly that it is not a fun dive to push this limit. One such dive is sufficient.

After you finish that segment, then you would likely be more cognizant of keeping your MOD to 100 fsw or thereabouts with air or nitrox, if you were not already. Any diving deeper than that normally warrants a different mix, starting with TMX 30/30, then TMX 25/35, then TMX 20/40, etc. Every association has their own "standard" mixes, and TDI teaches you to how to determine yours.

Your original question was what happens if you get blown down deeper while on air/nitrox by a down-draft type of current? If that is really a concern of yours, then I would suggest you take the TDI class.

 

[nereas]

There was an incident several years ago (it may have been reported here) with a half a dozen experienced divers took chamber rides in Coz because of down drafts. They all inflated their BCs.

I experienced one that dragged me down a sandy hillock on San Francisco Reef to about 140 feet until I let go and started kicking like a banshee towards open water. Scared the bejezzus out of me.

You have really nice equipment, TheRedHead!

And it looks like TMX is your next step.

 

[nereas]

My wife is going into labor unexpectantly...she calls me at the bar where I had 4 beers to drink. I make a judgement call and drive home in the car to take her to the hospital (insert any other similar scenario here). Wouldn't it have been prudent if I would have practiced driving intoxicated prior to this event...say 5-10 times just so I know what it feels like?

Doesn't make a lot of sense...does it?

If yer goin on a binge, McDermitt, then tell yer wifie ta call 911.


________________________________________________________
binge

noun, verb, binged, bing·ing. Informal. –noun 1.a period or bout, usually brief, of excessive indulgence, as in eating, drinking alcoholic beverages, etc.; spree. –verb (used without object) 2.to have a binge: to binge on junk food.
[Origin: 1850&#8211;55; dial. (Lincolnshire) binge to soak < ?

]

 

[do it easy]

If yer goin on a binge, McDermitt, then tell yer wifie ta call 911.

Or a cab

 

[Dark Wolf]

I don't know about where you guys live, but here it would probably be faster to call a cab! And a whole lot cheaper!

 

[nereas]

I don't know about where you guys live, but here it would probably be faster to call a cab! And a whole lot cheaper!

Indeed! My youngest sister was actually born in a cab. My dear old mother loves telling that story!