Are people getting carried away?
There have been a lot of deaths on the Arabia but that, much like the Marsh in Kingston, is mostly because it is a very popular wreck that entices people who shouldn't be in 110 feet of lakewater to go visit her. We often forget that diving up here most days is considered extreme diving elsewhere in the world. It's dark, it's cold, and the gear considerations make it doubly hard. Throw in a low vis day with the narcosis of 110 feet, a single 80 cylinder with a crap fill, and a not so experienced diver and you have a very potent recipe for disaster time and again. It's no wonder so many people die on the thing.
People talk about having advanced certification. Big deal. At least one agency we all know of will allow a diver to immediately after completing your 4 open water dives do your 5 "advanced" dives right away. So now you have a diver with a grand total of 11 dives (only 1 below 60 feet) able to do the Arabia and other wrecks in that range. That is ill equipped. It takes time to develop the problem solving and gas management abilities needed to handle an issue at this depth. That's it. You just need time in the water that a lot of people don't have before going there.
Advanced certification is an ill concieved cash grab that is fed buy a dive shop and charter industry that enjoys the $250 or so plus fills plus equipment rentals plus charters to take you on 5 guided dives over two days with little or no in class time spent. It's probably the only course that shops make a clear cut GOOD profit on and it does nothing for the diver except allow them to step onto a boat and do an "advanced" dive that they probably shouldn't be doing. The arguement is that it is guided time in the water doing things you normally wouldn't do on your own for experience. True. But if you think you are at your safest and about to become an advanced diver by being jammed in the water with 5 or 6 other students and 1 instructor and 1 dm at 100 feet for one dive you are kidding yourself. It leaves you completely lacking to do a wreck in the 110 foot range.
The remainder of those deaths are as someone mentioned earlier,"old guy issues", due to health pre-conditions or poor health in general. Luckily the majority of deaths in the water seem to be due to poor health according to DAN reports. I mean luckily because it is not a diving related issue per say. The same things arguably could have happened playing hockey or some other sport. However, the sooner training agencies stop pushing the idea that diving is NOT a sport and doesn't require good health and fitness the sooner we will stop seeing so many deaths like heart attacks while diving.
I'm not talking about simply overweight. I am talking about healthy. There IS a difference. Big people can have the heart, lungs and muscle to handle a situation that a rake thin dude may not because he has a low cardio tolerance, precondition , etc. Everything is hunky dory until there IS a current or something and then these poor folks little couch potato hearts pop like a champagne cork after the championship game.
At the end of the day it is really up to the diver if they can and should do the dive. Let's face it. A lot of people get into diving because they consider it an extreme sport and WANT to push their boundaries and take risks. Others prefer getting all the training they can to offset the risk factors. The first group have just as much right and just as valid a reason as the second and as long as their attitude and outlook don't endanger the latter half then what is the big deal. They pay their insurance and taxes too. I personally like the training and have attempted to prepare myself as best I can physically, skillwise, knowledgewise and equipmentwise. Thats it really. I'm just not a risk taker and I picture myself dying an angry little (dirty) old man some far away day.
Just one vocal opinion. Others may and will vary.
