Posted by AADIVER on December 24, 2000 at 14:04:42:
Just signed aboard the Great Escape's annual January 1st trip to the wreck (artificial!)of the PALAWAN; my first dive of the 21st Century. Reminds me of my first jump on her. It was a month or so after she was stripped and sent to the bottom off Redondo Beach. My buddy was Jim Wadsley of the Brother Jonathon fame. My rig was double 72's and my trusty air chisel. If they'd left any brass on her I was armed and ready. About five minutes into the dive at 90 or so fsw I started to remove an electrical box only to discover it was made of bakalite. At almost that precise moment my air chisel connection to the LP hose broke and 21% started streaming out of it. Bending the hose in an attempt to reduce the escaping air from my 72's, I began a controlled free ascent. Naturally, as I rose the air continued to escape at a greater and greater volume. At the surface my SPG read zero. Back on the boat I said a prayer of thanks that the "failure point" failed at the beginning of the dive and not at the end, because, fellow scubanuts, Jim and I had become totally separated. And the fault of the failure? Strictly mine because I had neglected basic maintenance of the chisel and hose. Pilot error had I "bought the farm". So on Monday the 1st of January you won't see me armed with an air chisel, 'cause my friends there ain't nothin' left on the old lady of collectable value. Excuse me for this rather long winded war story. I post it to remind everyone that no matter how top of the line, rugged, and reliable our gear is, it all needs continuous TLC. Thanks for listening.