Peer Pressure in Chuuk

[ScubaInChicago]

No...I got your "point" but simply thought I would provide some "facts" to go along with it.



My "point" was that the "higher points" to which you refer on the SF Maru start at a depth of 150fsw, with the stuff everyone wants to see on the main deck at 165' (battle tanks) and 1st tween deck at 175' (mines, trucks, etc). To suggest that someone diving an AL80, without any appropriate training or experience, could do a "multiprofile dive" (guessing you meant multi-level) on a wreck that offers an effective depth range of 150'-175' is recklessly naive at best.

If there's a "point" that's been missed I think perhaps it's you missing Kev's...if you believe he's suggesting doing the SF Maru on an AL80 of air off a skiff from one of the resorts is a good idea.

No, it's not a "suicide mission" it's just a REALLY bad idea. (Which of course is how an awful lot of "suicide missions" start out.)

That 999 looked too tempting.....

 

[StreetDoctor]

it's not a suicide mission, even on an AL 80, if you behave yourself.

That's awesome advice!

 

[scubafanatic]

No...I got your "point" but simply thought I would provide some "facts" to go along with it.



My "point" was that the "higher points" to which you refer on the SF Maru start at a depth of 150fsw, with the stuff everyone wants to see on the main deck at 165' (battle tanks) and 1st tween deck at 175' (mines, trucks, etc). To suggest that someone diving an AL80, without any appropriate training or experience, could do a "multiprofile dive" (guessing you meant multi-level) on a wreck that offers an effective depth range of 150'-175' is recklessly naive at best.

If there's a "point" that's been missed I think perhaps it's you missing Kev's...if you believe he's suggesting doing the SF Maru on an AL80 of air off a skiff from one of the resorts is a good idea.

No, it's not a "suicide mission" it's just a REALLY bad idea. (Which of course is how an awful lot of "suicide missions" start out.)

...and yet, the boat DM, who probably has vastly more experience leading dives to the wreaks of Chuuk than anyone who's yet posted on this thread doesn't seem to think this dive plan is a death wish ?

 

[Katamuki]

If its the typical asian DM I dive with they are probably 5'2" with a 24" chest, dive a hundred times a month and have a SAC of .30 or less. Its all the frame of reference. Besides, they get paid to dive with customers and not to sit on the boat.

 

[ScubaInChicago]

If its the typical asian DM

:ar15:

 

[RJP]

...and yet, the boat DM, who probably has vastly more experience leading dives to the wreaks of Chuuk than anyone who's yet posted on this thread doesn't seem to think this dive plan is a death wish ?

Having a dive guide is like having a dive computer - diving with one does not assure that the dive you are going to do is actually safe, and even the best of either one will let you kill yourself on any dive you like.

 

[AmyDelyla]

Hey guys!

Thanks for all your support. It made me feel better as I watched the boat leave the dock for the San Fran knowing that I made the right decision. (I got a little grief for bailing, but not too much.)

Anyways....Who needs the SF Maru when opting out on that trip gets you a private tour of the Nippo Maru that is only in a measly 130 ft of water?

Two trucks, a tank, hundreds of saki bottles, gas masks, guns, bullets which the dive guide spelled out my name in, schools of barracuda, jack and GT, eagle rays, sharks, beautiful soft corals... It was AWESOME, safe and no nerves ahead of time. Best dive of my life!

Diving Chuuk rules. Especially diving it safely.

 

[RJP]

Hey guys!

Thanks for all your support. It made me feel better as I watched the boat leave the dock for the San Fran knowing that I made the right decision. (I got a little grief for bailing, but not too much.)

Anyways....Who need the SF Maru when opting out on that trip gets you a private tour of the Nippo Maru that is only in a measly 130 ft of water?

Two trucks, a tank, hundreds of saki bottles, gas masks, guns, bullets which the dive guide spelled out my name in, schools of barracuda, jack and GT, eagle rays, sharks, beautiful soft corals... It was AWESOME, safe and no nerves ahead of time. Best dive of my life!

Diving Chuuk rules. Especially diving it safely.

Nippo is a great wreck, and sounds like you had a great dive! There's really not a bad one in the lagoon, and you're certain to see much more during a 30-45min recreational profile on one of the other wrecks than you would in 5-15min on the San Francisco.

 

[Buoyant1]

I'd be interested in hearing what your ...um..."friend" did on that wreck today? Hopefully he bailed on that dive as well!

 

[TSandM]

Good for you! It's hard to say no, especially when you WANT to do the dive. But there is always another day to dive, if you don't get yourself killed today

Lots of people have talked about your decision not to go (which was the right one). But you also asked how to get started, if you want to learn how to go do that dive right. To do a 170 foot dive safely, you need redundancy, and you need to be able to do staged decompression (and preferably accelerated decompression, if you don't want to spend all day in the water). A great place to begin is with an Intro to Tech class, or GUE Fundamentals. A class like that will introduce you to the level of skill that's necessary to do those sorts of dives competently -- it's very different from what's expected from recreational divers. The equipment is different, as well.

You're in Micronesia, and I don't have any idea where you would find a tech instructor to work with. You can take Fundies in Singapore, I know; I believe there are two GUE instructors there. I also believe Gideon periodically teaches in Hong Kong. There are also technical instructors (and GUE instructors) in Australia. There may be some closer to you, but I don't know who they are.

Good luck with this! Getting more training, in addition to allowing you to do dives you can't already do, also improves the quality of all the diving you ALREADY do.