Deep Sea Detectives.....

[novadiver]

Of course it is. Anyone who would dare to post that they are a better diver than Chatterton is would also be full of it.

But it's human nature to slam everything in order to feel better about yourself.

I also find the history of the wrecks very interesting. I think they do a good job finding info and eye witnesses to events to help them peice together what happened to the ships they dive. I guess that would be the " detective " part of the show.

Your right about human nature, Some people should be more possitive. It would rub off on the rest of the world.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Of course it is. Anyone who would dare to post that they are a better diver than Chatterton is would also be full of it.

But it's human nature to slam everything in order to feel better about yourself.

I would never post that I'm a better diver than any one. I've seen JC dive (as has the rest of the world) and I've seen lots of others and I wouldn't even put JC in the top half. But that's just me.

 

[cyklon_300]

it's the dumbing down of the content by the producers. The repetitive nature of the narrative that plows the same thin 'plot' line over and over and the creation of tension and drama when none obviously exists is what irritates a lot of viewers.

When even average divers can easily find fault with the gear configs and dive planning shown, then it's fair game to critique those details. The fact is, this show is for non-divers and those with any experience in the sport are just expected to be appreciative that there's any dive-related programming at all...

I'd trade place with Chatterton in a heartbeat...hell, I'd even wear a snorkel if the director told me to...

 

[MikeFerrara]

Nevertheless, John C. is there, doing the show, and we, all of us, are not.

I guess that would only be relevant if we wanted to be? Yes he's doing a show. I don't think much of the show and don't watch it (I have but I don't). Now if some one aired a diving show that was interesting and showed what I would think is good diving...I might watch.

Here is a question that I know will get flamed: Who can prove that John's techniques in the cave-diving episode were less correct than what is taught by others? Quoting what some organization or another writes about the matter won't do it.

First of all, he was doing a cave class and exploration in like the same week. He was a beginner cave diver and he looked like one. There's nothing wrong with a new cave diver diving like one but lots of instructors would have spent more time working on the basics outside the cave. I do think there's something wrong with people somehow thinking it's good diving just because it's on TV though.

Why won't quoting cave training agency standards "do it"...especially as it relates to a beginner just completing their cave training?

It's no surprise that he looked a little rough using techniques that he had just been taught but at the same time it also looked like there may have been some shortcuts or at least some extra leeway given in order to get on with the exploration that the show was supposed to be about.

Lets face it, to the trained eye, experienced cave divers would have been far more impressive to watch than a student cave diver.

I don't say any of this to discredit him but he's an entertainer and, IMO, it doesn't do diving, in general, any good for that kind of sloppy diving to be held up as great because it's on TV. The non-diving public (and much of the diving public)doesn't know the difference and they know it.

 

[novadiver]

I guess that would only be relevant if we wanted to be? Yes he's doing a show. I don't think much of the show and don't watch it (I have but I don't). Now if some one aired a diving show that was interesting and showed what I would think is good diving...I might watch.

First of all, he was doing a cave class and exploration in like the same week. He was a beginner cave diver and he looked like one. There's nothing wrong with a new cave diver diving like one but lots of instructors would have spent more time working on the basics outside the cave. I do think there's something wrong with people somehow thinking it's good diving just because it's on TV though.

Why won't quoting cave training agency standards "do it"...especially as it relates to a beginner just completing their cave training?

It's no surprise that he looked a little rough using techniques that he had just been taught but at the same time it also looked like there may have been some shortcuts or at least some extra leeway given in order to get on with the exploration that the show was supposed to be about.

Lets face it, to the trained eye, experienced cave divers would have been far more impressive to watch than a student cave diver.

I don't say any of this to discredit him but he's an entertainer and, IMO, it doesn't do diving, in general, any good for that kind of sloppy diving to be held up as great because it's on TV. The non-diving public (and much of the diving public)doesn't know the difference and they know it.

The fact that he needed cave training was a plus! This lets non divers and novice divers know that cave diving is dangerous and needs to be trained for. Even you would find the task loading impressive if you stoped being critical of technique and thought of the fact that this show brought a true wonder of the world to your TV at home.

How many divers and non divers would be interested if all they talked about was O2 fractions, PPo2 at depth, END of helium. deco time and gas? they keep it dumbed down for reason. And on top of all that " He draws a paycheck" .

 

[diverbrian]

I thought that I would touch on comment in particular. Yes, I have noticed a degree of silting. Am I going to be hypercritical about it? No.

John spent a lot of time as a commercial diver. Translation: He is very used to working in NO vis environments. Also, for people that don't dive North Atlantic (I don't but, I know where this comes into play) wrecks, it is nearly impossible to remove artifacts without stirring up the silt. Again, anti-silting techniques would be important, but not as key as in a cave or a wreck where all that is going on is observation.

How many of us would look perfect on TV cameras with full film crews to worry about and a TV show to think about? Somehow, I doubt that most of us would. I have seen too many of the things that have been accomplished (like identifying a submarine that most of us wouldn't have the guts to work on) to say that he "wouldn't even be in the top half" of divers.

No, this is not a cave diver like JJ. This is a man who loves marine history and does what he feels is necessary to clear up misconceptions about it. He also has the philosphy that not all expeditions are perfectly successful (hence the number of shows with no positive answer) but that you HAVE to try. Can I respect that? Of course I can.

I'll say this as well. With mainly trash on TV now, this is one of the few programs that I watch. It is better watching this (to me) than most of the shows on TV now which couldn't hold my interest for five minutes.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I would never post that I'm a better diver than any one. I've seen JC dive (as has the rest of the world) and I've seen lots of others and I wouldn't even put JC in the top half. But that's just me.

Not in the top half of the world Mike? Well I think you must have some dislike of Chatterton for some reason. Maybe you're talking about his techniques or something along those lines. If you're talking about diving accomplishments then I'd place him close to the top because very few of us have gone the places Chatterton has gone, and returned.

 

[garyfotodiver]

Not in the top half of the world Mike? Well I think you must have some dislike of Chatterton for some reason. Maybe you're talking about his techniques or something along those lines. If you're talking about diving accomplishments then I'd place him close to the top because very few of us have gone the places Chatterton has gone, and returned.

I second this sentiment.

 

[Scott Riemer]

I'll just stick to what I know which is whether or not I like the show. I do. I wish it were better but I enjoy watching it.

 

[lamont]

Not in the top half of the world Mike? Well I think you must have some dislike of Chatterton for some reason. Maybe you're talking about his techniques or something along those lines. If you're talking about diving accomplishments then I'd place him close to the top because very few of us have gone the places Chatterton has gone, and returned.

And Chatterton has returned in some cases entirely through stupid luck. I don't think that violating rule #3 ("nothing underwater is worth dying for") is a good example to set, or makes for a good role model.