Posted by seahunt on March 09, 2004 at 10:53:25:
In Reply to: Re: Holy Mackerel! posted by Kendall Raine on March 09, 2004 at 09:20:53:
First, it's not about getting home, it's just about getting too the surface under control for me. I don't push the tables.
Second, what was his depth at the time? You should have that number. Farnsworth is an unusual spot.
Third, his air consumption more than tripled! I'll ask you the same questions. Was he an accomplished freediver? Did he rigidly train his control? Have you read breathe about hypnotic training for control of breathing? You've got your gear and your plans, but how much have you actually trained your mind and body for an emergency?
I have a different attitude on this. I have great familiarity with equipment failure and emergency situations. It doesn't phase me any. My first regulator was a double hose, single diaphram that I got for 3 dollars. It failed regularly. My second reg was a Mark 1 with problems when I got it used. It could drown you on a good day. It gave me my deepest reg failure while at 83 feet. That was a lot of water. I have more than 1000 hours of freediving, much of it in the nasties of not only the North Coast, but also the San Mateo Coast which can be worse. You get regular practice with emergencies there. Almost all of it was solo in the water.
You depend on your gear. I depend on myself. It has always worked.
Realize, I was at a full sprint when using John B.'s regulator and it fell off the hose. Now I wasn't deep at the time or I wouldn't have made it up, but it was control that got me up.... (And whoever heard of putting a regulator together so loose that it can fall off its hose anyway?) As a note, I'm never going to use borrowed gear again without trying to rip it apart. I can't think of a failure condition that could be worse. An exploded LP hose wouldn't necessarily be as bad.
The truth is, I should test the pony tank on an ascent and see its characteristics. Still, forget comparing my responses to anyone elses. I've played where others don't go and know my responses to emergencies. I stay calm and instantly make rational decisions right to the end. When I say that it is OK to panic, after you're dead, I know what I'm talking about.
If panic is the main hazard, I wouldn't worry.
Enjoy, seahunt
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PS. I still think EO (whoever that is) is a bit gutless for being EO, but I will congratulate you and John for the UB88 work. Very cool..... I wish I could have made it to the presentation. Ha.... who said he was going to dive it when he got back!