Exactly how deep is "Deep Air?"

[boulderjohn]

One of the reasons I suggested the revisions is because I know someone who strongly advocates ENDs <100 and who dives helium mixes whenever he is below that depth...

..except for a recent trip to a very remote, tropical location where he had the opportunity to do a spectacular dive to 170 feet. There was no possibility for helium whatsoever, and the only tanks available were AL 80s. He rigged up a stage assembly so he could take two tanks and did the dive. Sometimes temptations like that can really test your convictions.

Years ago, before I had any helium training or certification, I did a dive to 181 feet on air into a hold on the San Francisco Maru in Chuuk. There were a lot of safeguards in place. Would I do such a dive again if that were my only option? Probably. Would I use a helium mix instead if it were available? Absoutely.

 

[Slamfire]

..except for a recent trip to a very remote, tropical location where he had the opportunity to do a spectacular dive to 170 feet. There was no possibility for helium whatsoever, and the only tanks available were AL 80s. He rigged up a stage assembly so he could take two tanks and did the dive. Sometimes temptations like that can really test your convictions.

Versatility and pragmatism enable and empower. Rigidity and mental myopia hinder.

 

[DaleC]

well he is on the deep air death list...
just sayin'

And the first time I saw that list his name jumped out at me and caused me to suspect the validity of it (the list). It didn't do the person using the list to support his argument any favours.

 

[ucfdiver]

And the first time I saw that list his name jumped out at me and caused me to suspect the validity of it (the list). It didn't do the person using the list to support his argument any favours.

Sheck tied himself in the line or was severely tangled. I'm not so sure a sober person does that...

Also there's a few caves in the leon sinks area where he just "dropped" a reel unsecured in the dirt and turned the dive. While Sheck did many amazing things, I would say there's sufficient evidence that his deep air tactics weren't something to model our diving after.

 

[Slamfire]

Sheck tied himself in the line or was severely tangled. I'm not so sure a sober person does that...

From Wikipedia and Diving into Darkness, ISBN 0-312-38394-0 at page 22:

The line was also wrapped (deliberately) around Exley's tank valves. Bowden and other experts have theorised that Exley may have done this in anticipation of his own death to prevent any dangerous body recover dive being necessitated.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Thats a bit of a reach I think... but who knows?

 

[tflaris]

187'
At a PPO2 of 1.4

People dive it deeper.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Superlyte27]

Sheck wasn't diving air when he died.

Kinda funny you guys missed that actually. There's detailed info about his last handful of dives. Not to mention the fact that had he dove 800' just a few weeks earlier (which he did), but was on air (which he wasn't), it would have taken several World Records away from people. Notably Hal Watts cave dive on Air (previously mentioned on this forum) and Dan Manion's deep dive on air just a year later at 509'. Sheck's successful dive 1993 was to 863' (successful in that he didn't die). How then was Manion's record set at a mere 509'.

 

[PfcAJ]

But his END was what? 400' or so ft?

 

[Rhone Man]

Sheck wasn't diving air when he died.

Kinda funny you guys missed that actually. There's detailed info about his last handful of dives. Not to mention the fact that had he dove 800' just a few weeks earlier (which he did), but was on air, it would have taken several World Records away from people. Notably Hal Watts cave dive on Air (previously mentioned on this forum) and Dan Manion's deep dive on air just a year later at 509'. Sheck's successful dive 1993 was to 863' (successful in that he didn't die). How then was Manion's record set at a mere 509'.

Manion's record was for the deepest ever dive on air. Exley's record (subsequently broken several times) was deepest ever dive on any gas mixture.