Lessons learned- embarrassing but true

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Why is a rebreather bad for unexpected depth changes? I think that's where my rebreather excels.

I'd prefer to teach in eCCR. I don't teach while on CCR, but I will once I become a CCR instructor. Here's why.

About two years ago I was teaching a Trimix class at Eagle's Nest. We made our dive to 200'ish feet for the specified period of time. It was basically follow the leader. Everything went off without a hitch until we got to 150'. We all had computers, but were running run-time tables as our primary. We got back to our ascent point about two minutes early, so we were waiting out the clock so our run-time tables were on the money. When it became time to ascend, a student froze. I gave him a thumbs up. Nothing. I asked him if he was okay, he answered okay. He was breathing, awake, eyes open and responding to questions, but would not ascend. He would not move. I finally grabbed a hold of his harness and started moving up, we were already late for our tables. Once we moved up 20 or 30 feet, he seemed to snap out of it. But I'm already worried at this point. I don't know what might happen from here. He could bolt for the surface or the floor, become unresponsive again, who knows. So I'm babysitting him like never before. I've got one hand on him, but of course, I've got my all of my bottles to contend with, gas switches, air breaks, venting the wing, venting the drysuit, etc. I also have to watch to make sure all his stuff happens without a hiccup. Is he breathing the proper bottle/reg. Did he change his computer after the gas switch. Blah blah blah... And there's another student. Now, this is doable, and it's the reason we limit class size, but on eCCR its a lot easier.

On backmounted doubles do I mix the best mix for the planned dive, or do I mix just in case the student ends up on the floor? If I mix for the floor, now our deco doesn't line up. But, if I mix for best mix for the dive, and the floor is 100' below us and something goes wrong, now I risk myself going to rescue him. How many stories are on Scubaboard about students descending way below their instructor. It hasn't happened to me.... yet. But I plan for it. Given the right amount of idiocy, and just about anything can happen, I believe. -- On my rebreather, I can put in 10/60 have the best mix for the dive, and if some goober ends up on the floor, I can go get him. I hope this never happens, and I think I weed out crappy students pretty well, but this is a benefit to the rebreather.

So, lets assume a student is going to freeze, but this time I'm on an eCCR rebreather. What do I have to do? Well I can tell you what I don't have to do. I don't have to manage additional bottles. I don't have to switch gases. I don't have to do air breaks. Both of my hands are free to hold onto my student if necessary. Because when students freeze up, they forget stuff like venting their suit and wing. They forget to change their computer and gas switches. The less I have to do for myself, the more I can focus on them. And eCCR allows me to do that.

I believe diving a rebreather at trimix level depths is safer, especially if you're teaching. That's just my 2cents. I'm sure all of you will disagree. lol
 
Or not teach trimix diving at places where you have those kinds of potential problems? Or everyone dives the same gas? Or you don't take students into a cave environment for trimix training?

Good lord.
 
Talking about armchair quarterbacking non-instructors. It's completely within standards to teach Trimix to Full Cave Divers in a cave. However, it's against standards for a Normoxic student to be diving a 15/50 gas. It's gotta be somewhere in the neighborhood of 20%. But, as I stated, I want to be able to dive deeper incase they wind up doing something foolish.

Last I checked, you can never know what a diver may or may not do something foolish. Remember the WKPP guy who plugged in 50% at what 270' deep? Geesh, really wish that potential problem didn't get real, real fast.

Relax man. Try to schedule a dive. Sure, you don't get to dive the cool stuff anymore, but maybe check out Alexander Springs, or Blue Springs... something. You seem tense.
 
Talking about armchair quarterbacking non-instructors. It's completely within standards to teach Trimix to Full Cave Divers in a cave. However, it's against standards for a Normoxic student to be diving a 15/50 gas. It's gotta be somewhere in the neighborhood of 20%. But, as I stated, I want to be able to dive deeper incase they wind up doing something foolish.

Last I checked, you can never know what a diver may or may not do something foolish. Remember the WKPP guy who plugged in 50% at what 270' deep? Geesh, really wish that potential problem didn't get real, real fast.

Relax man. Try to schedule a dive. Sure, you don't get to dive the cool stuff anymore, but maybe check out Alexander Springs, or Blue Springs... something. You seem tense.

I dive cool stuff all the time. Not sure where you got an idea that I can't. I can even park on the grass.

If its unsafe to teach trimix to the level you're teaching at because your students might drop below the MOD of their gas, maybe you should select a different training location? Just a thought.

And I do remember the WKPP guy. His name was Jim and he was a friend of mine. That's part of the reason that I take technical/cave diving pretty seriously.
 
Yeah, I can't park on the grass, but we did add 200' to your line. Bwuhahahaha....
 
Its gunna be a long project 200' at a time. Good luck.
 
No, I think you misunderstand....
You guys were there for 20+ years. Less than a week after we had access, we extended your line 200'. LOL
It really wasn't our plan, certainly wasn't intentional, but it was so easy with the proper technology. LOL....
Really happy right now you guys didn't embrace CCR
 
You surveyed it, right?

I don't think I'd be bragging about laying a safety spool's worth of line considering all that line was put in on open circuit.
 
We're off topic, so this will be my last post before I go to bed. Sorry Diver0001

AJ, that's sorta my point. A bunch of people who couldn't embrace technology or the future were limited by their poor choice in gear. Think what could have been done if you guys weren't led by a guy who thought the RB80 was the way to go. Way to go little sheep.

Hey, at least sidemount is okay for you guys now. Too bad you're nearly 3 decades behind the curve.

Goodnight all.
 
lol yeah, poor RB80 divers. Last time I checked all the distance records and connections were made by RB80 divers. Wasn't it seven THOUSAND feet explored in Turner this October?

Meanwhile you're bragging about a scrap of line you laid. No survey. But hey you emptied a safety spool so you're a hero.

You guys are somethin alright.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/
http://cavediveflorida.com/Rum_House.htm

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