How did you get the name of Deep Diver?

Steve (ex SurD02 and He02 diver)

SteveB wrote:
How did you get the name of Deep Diver?

Steve (ex SurD02 and He02 diver)


Maybe a name a girlfriend gave him? ;-)

John

"SteveB" wrote in message
news:2j4ge.24733$fI.11025@fed1read05...
How did you get the name of Deep Diver?

Steve (ex SurD02 and He02 diver)

Hi SteveB,

Unfortunately, I have not yet "dived" into the realm of Trimix, HeO2,
Surface Decompression On Oxygen, or other exotic breathing gases or
decompression techniques. Although I'd like to learn some of those skills
one day.

I got the nickname from an instructor when I was getting my Divemaster
certification many years ago (I've since earned my Instructor rating). He
wanted to teach me the effects of nitrogen narcosis, but could never observe
any symptoms in me, even past the "recreational limit".

Of course, JohnM's reasoning holds some merit too... :P

- Michael

"DeepDiver" wrote in message
...
"SteveB" wrote in message
news:2j4ge.24733$fI.11025@fed1read05...
How did you get the name of Deep Diver?

Steve (ex SurD02 and He02 diver)

Hi SteveB,

Unfortunately, I have not yet "dived" into the realm of Trimix, HeO2,
Surface Decompression On Oxygen, or other exotic breathing gases or
decompression techniques. Although I'd like to learn some of those skills
one day.

I got the nickname from an instructor when I was getting my Divemaster
certification many years ago (I've since earned my Instructor rating). He
wanted to teach me the effects of nitrogen narcosis, but could never
observe
any symptoms in me, even past the "recreational limit".

Of course, JohnM's reasoning holds some merit too... :P

- Michael


I had high adventure from 1974 to 1980 in the Gulf of Mexico. Mixed gas,
surface decompression in a chamber, underwater welding and cutting, setting
explosives, building things, pipelining, and all sorts of things.

I started diving in 1969. Since I quit in 1980, I haven't had a scuba tank
on since. I would like to do some shallow water diving, maybe in Central
America this summer. You do so much, that it gets to be like work. Cold
water. Bad weather. Danger.

It was a real adventure, and I am glad I followed my heart and did it. All
diving is a kick, no matter the depth.

Once you got your head underwater, it's all the same, anyway. And diving
where you can see is a pure D joy. A lot of ours was in muddy water with
the feel technique.

As per nitrogen narcosis, it hits everyone different. Just like booze or
drugs. The trick is to know when it has hit you, and to recognize when it's
coming on. Some people can still stay focused though impaired. To learn
our limits on CO2 buildup, we had to ride a stationary bicycle at the bottom
of a pool of water until we passed out. That was fun. To learn our
narcosis level, we just had to go into a chamber.

Take care.

Steve

"SteveB" wrote in message
news:mrege.29004$fI.14521@fed1read05...

"DeepDiver" wrote in message
...
"SteveB" wrote in message
news:2j4ge.24733$fI.11025@fed1read05...

I got the nickname from an instructor when I was getting my Divemaster
certification many years ago (I've since earned my Instructor rating). He
wanted to teach me the effects of nitrogen narcosis, but could never
observe any symptoms in me, even past the "recreational limit".

I started diving in 1969. Since I quit in 1980, I haven't had a scuba
tank on since. I would like to do some shallow water diving, maybe in
Central America this summer. You do so much, that it gets to be like
work. Cold water. Bad weather. Danger.

I can see how the difficult work aspect of commercial diving can take some
of the joy out of being underwater. Did you ever do much recreational
diving?

I hope you get back into the sport of it. Particularly in a plaec where the
water is clear and warm and filled with amazing things to see.


It was a real adventure, and I am glad I followed my heart and did it.
All diving is a kick, no matter the depth.

True. We all have to work for a living. Might as well do something
adventurous, right? Something about only living once...


As per nitrogen narcosis, it hits everyone different. Just like booze or
drugs. The trick is to know when it has hit you, and to recognize when
it's coming on.

Yes, I know. And it even hits the same person differently on different days
or under different conditions. I didn't intend to sound flipant about my
experiences below that magic depth of 130', it's just that on those dives
with that instructor where we happened to go deep, I didn't narc out. Of
course, that's not to say that if I were to go deep the next time I dive,
that I would still be resistant to the effects. One should never become
complacent.


Some people can still stay focused though impaired. To learn our limits
on CO2 buildup, we had to ride a stationary bicycle at
the bottom of a pool of water until we passed out. That was fun.
To learn our narcosis level, we just had to go into a chamber.

Sounds like some of the fun aeromedical testing and training I did when in
the Navy.


Take care.

You too. If you go diving this summer, have a safe and fun time!

Regards,
Michael

DeepDiver wrote:

[Commercial diving] was a real adventure, and I am glad I
followed my heart and did it. All diving is a kick, no matter the depth.

True. We all have to work for a living. Might as well do something
adventurous, right? Something about only living once...

I know a guy who's a commercial diver & welder. He's been at it for
ten or fifteen years, and he's good at it: he's one of about a dozen
people on the planet certified to weld the pressure hulls of nuclear
subs while they're still in the briny.

He's the Manly Man type, but he says the work is just plain Godawful
hard (plus there are lots of ways to die while doing it). To him,
diving is about as exciting as laying bricks. But he's very, very
well paid, works when he feels like it and doesn't when he doesn't.
He has lived and worked all over the world -- name the place, he's
had a job there. He knows the nightlife, the daylife, and the
wildlife of places I can't even pronounce. Speaks enough fragments
of enough languages to get around most any seaport in the world. Has
lots of stories to tell, and if they're mostly lies, who cares? Now
he's in his mid-thirties, lives on his very large property in the
Philippines, works a couple of months each year, and owns a few
businesses. Nice.

Me? Thank you, no. I really like my unexceptional life.

Pete

--
Artful Bodger
http://www.artfulbodger.net

"artfulbodger" wrote in message

I know a guy who's a commercial diver & welder. He's been at it for
ten or fifteen years, and he's good at it: he's one of about a dozen
people on the planet certified to weld the pressure hulls of nuclear
subs while they're still in the briny.

That's an amazing assertion. A "wet" weld can only have 80% strength and
50% ductility becaues of the quenching action of the water. There are only
a couple of rods that will work underwater. How is it that a weak brittle
weld would be allowed in a pressure hull weld? I don't believe I've ever
heard of that cert.

He's the Manly Man type, but he says the work is just plain Godawful
hard (plus there are lots of ways to die while doing it). To him,
diving is about as exciting as laying bricks.

It is just the elevator that takes you to work. You have to know what to do
when you get there. It is far easier to teach a welder how to dive than a
diver how to weld. You can teach a monkey how to dive. Diving is a blast
when you can see. It's just that most of the time, you can't see anything.
How does one weld when they can't see the weld?

But he's very, very
well paid, works when he feels like it and doesn't when he doesn't.

That's odd. When I worked, if you "didn't feel like working" when a company
called you, they just didn't call you again. 80% of life is showing up, and
when you won't show up, they will use a more reliable if less able worker.
"Not feeling like it" was not a valid reason. There were no valid reasons
unless you were injured. And you stayed until the job was done, even if
that was six months working 12 hours a day.

Burnout is high. Most divers don't last five years due to burnout or
injury(ies). Your friend, at fifteen years is either very lucky, or very
talented, or very burned.

Repetitive decompression wreaks havoc on the body tissues. Please refer to
dysbaric avascular necrosis in google. You just can't do it for long
periods of time. Well, you can, but some people just have a higher pain
threshold. It damages you for the rest of your life.

I have a friend that lives in ******** City, Kansas, named Tony. He retired
after about five years with Taylor/Brown and Root and 900' of water in the
North Sea. He went back home and bought most of his little home town. Most
divers are a pirate mentality, and end up with little or nothing. If you
read this, Tony, the welder, get back to me.

Steve, Ocean Corporation Class of Nov. 1974
Gulf of Mexico, 1974-1980

HOLY CRAP. THAT'S 31 YEARS AGO!

--
Artful Bodger
http://www.artfulbodger.net

"DeepDiver" wrote
..

I can see how the difficult work aspect of commercial diving can take some
of the joy out of being underwater. Did you ever do much recreational
diving?

I hope you get back into the sport of it. Particularly in a plaec where
the water is clear and warm and filled with amazing things to see.


You too. If you go diving this summer, have a safe and fun time!

Regards,
Michael


Thanks. I had ten years of heart problems ending with a five way bypass and
aortic valve replacement June 20, 2002. If I go diving, it will be on a
limited basis in protected water where I can just putz around and look at
things in shallow water. I get the urge now and again, just haven't done
it. Might even rent one of those minisub things.

Steve

SteveB wrote:
"DeepDiver" wrote
.

I can see how the difficult work aspect of commercial diving can
take some of the joy out of being underwater. Did you ever do much
recreational diving?

I hope you get back into the sport of it. Particularly in a plaec
where the water is clear and warm and filled with amazing things to
see. You too. If you go diving this summer, have a safe and fun time!

Regards,
Michael


Thanks. I had ten years of heart problems ending with a five way
bypass and aortic valve replacement June 20, 2002. If I go diving,
it will be on a limited basis in protected water where I can just
putz around and look at things in shallow water. I get the urge now
and again, just haven't done it. Might even rent one of those
minisub things.
Steve

I wouldn't do that Steve.
Even 'putzing' around entails lots of stress on the old bod.
I have seen folks washed out of diving for lots less problems than you have.
I would suggest just snorkling but I know (from bitter experience) that once
you have tasted the freedom and the rush from that tank on your back you can
never settle for that.
Ken (certified since 1974)