18 replies to this topic

[TRINITY]

Lasr summer I did a dive alone, nothing new (about 10% of my (approx. 900) dives over the last 28+ years are alone) in a local open pit iron strip mine. (Portsmouth Mine, in the Cayuna Range in Crosby- Ironton, MN, for anyone wondering) Done as safely as a single dive can be, 100cf cylinder, 30 cf pony, drysuit, familar site, good equipment, calm conditions, non diving friends on the surface who knew my plan.. In dropping down the bank, steep like most mines I had intended to go to 100', I hit 75' and a strong thermocline, stopped due to bad vibes though, backed my cylinder into the bank, to hold my position, look over my gauges and have a look around, looking across the thermocline layer, I see these whispy silt like swirls, three of them, within my lights beam ( just made of silt settling down the steep banks from kids or boats nearer the surface settling down the banks hitting the thermocline and spreading out across the seperation) its overcast on the surface so I've got my light cannon on, but I'm getting this overwhelming, sense of doom. Stop to think, since its never happened before, WTF????? It seems to get a little better so I continue my decent, about 15' below the thermocline (now approx. 90') it comes back, stronger now, like,,,, get out dude. I'm thinking am I narced, unlikely, too shallow, I've been to 238' in 4 degree C water on air, I know what narced is. Is it some sort of metaphysical ghosts, I'm not really into believeing that, I've dove on wrecks in Superior with 6 cadavers on them, it adds to the overall weirdsness of the dive ( lol, ya think!) but in seeing them it didn't make me feel they were out to get me, they just weren't getting ANY better looking after 75 years submerged. Was it bad air, was it what I had for lunch, naw too long ago, was it lusting after that gal (while in church), ok, could be that one. It was then I decided its time to end the dive and head out, in crossing the thermocline where the silt swirls were, I look across my lights beam and there are now maybe a dozen of these silt swirls, and ( ok I'll admit it, causes me to bolt up the bank) Never before and, hopefully, never again. Was curious if anyone else had ever been really scared in this way, and your thoughts on this one,,,,,,,,,,THANKS! Tery

[NJBerserker]

I've gotten a bad feeling like that during my first dive in a site on the Cooper River referred to as "mudballs". It is freaky to say the least. Huge chunks of mud (some the size of a VW Bug) in some ridiculously black water with no real current to carry away silt as it's blocked by the balls. It is VERY, VERY freakin' easy to either a) lose your sense of direction. b) Wind up in an overhead environment without knowing it (freaky as S*** if you've not mentally prepared for it) or c) become entangled in heavy catfishing monofilament (happened to me once on my second trip, I had to cut myself out blind. Both my scariest and coolest underwater moment).

I blame that feeling on not having much experience with the site and still being a relatively new diver. I have come to love mudballs now, even though I've been told there are experienced divers that opt out of that particular site. I also get a bad vibe on the surface sometimes due to conditons (big swell, etc.) and just won't dive. I had no problem turning to WreckWench on the NC Wreck trip and simply saying "I'm not diving." When asked why the response usually was "Just not feeling it". You have to listen to yourself. I joke with my friends that diving is like sex. Anyone involved can call it off at any time for any reason without consequences. Safety first.

[diverdeb]

I joke with my friends that diving is like sex. Anyone involved can call it off at any time for any reason without consequences. Safety first.

THat's a great analogy. I agree. If you get a really bad feeling, especially one that strong, maybe someone's trying to tell you something. If I feel someting's not quite right, no matter if it's just a feeling or something more, I'll call a dive in a minute. That's the sign of an experienced diver.

[Landlocked Dive Nut]

It's also a sign of a smart diver!

[scubaski]

I've had the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end a couple times underwater. I did a quick 180* turn in that small compaion way that I did 2 days earlier. Too much silt and no handy light. Scare survival kicking in.Ss

[Victoria]

Ya know, it doesn't matter whether you call it intuition, or instinct, or wisdom, or "someone upstairs", ghosts or your "little voice." I learned over time to pay it heed. Damned near every one of my disastrous or near miss experiences resulted from ignoring or discounting that little voice in my head that said "You reeeaaaallllyyy don't want to do that.....".

Edited by Victoria, 14 February 2009 - 09:32 PM.

[Pheniox]

I joke with my friends that diving is like sex. Anyone involved can call it off at any time for any reason without consequences. Safety first.

THat's a great analogy. I agree. If you get a really bad feeling, especially one that strong, maybe someone's trying to tell you something. If I feel someting's not quite right, no matter if it's just a feeling or something more, I'll call a dive in a minute. That's the sign of an experienced diver.

It's also a sign of a smart diver!

I'll third this one.

[TRINITY]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts everyone! Especially you New Jersey and Victoria, you both made me think.
I knew I had to go back to this mine and try it again, ( diving has been too good of time for too long) waited a few months, (lol, while I thought threw the wiseness of that decision?) so, same deal, alone, same depth, same gear, little different section of the mine. Headed down the bank waiting to see what was felt, and, nothing! I thought ,,,huh! I sure showed them!!! Some demons from a close to 400' deep 50 year abandoned iron mine thought they'd mess with me! I came out of that dive feeling like my cylinders had somehow morphed into the, "unlicensed nuclear accelerators" from the ghost busters movie.
But the whole deal made me wonder, they say the dead dont rest in an unmarked grave, perhaps some mine cave in, some murder site? In looking back, that is what the experience felt like. These mines have trees/brush growing on the banks to help control errosion and there all long dead but most still standing. So as you cross 50-60' everythings dead, there are no fish, no vegetation, just occasional cars, and abandoned mining equipment, and due to the small surface area compared to depth, 100' is about the limit of light penetration. So there is a lot of the mine with cold dark dead, nothingness. Just seemed strange that after proweling the depths of Superior (with its well over 1500 lost souls still interned) that this bizzare of dive shows up in a small iron mine in northern MN. I appreciate your thoughts, THANK YOU! T

[TRINITY]

I joke with my friends that diving is like sex. Anyone involved can call it off at any time for any reason without consequences. Safety first.

THat's a great analogy. I agree. If you get a really bad feeling, especially one that strong, maybe someone's trying to tell you something. If I feel someting's not quite right, no matter if it's just a feeling or something more, I'll call a dive in a minute. That's the sign of an experienced diver.

Hi Deb and NJB!
I've heard divers say that before that "diving is just like sex", at the risk of swinging this post off course and hopefully not down into the ditch. I'm just not seeing it, I didn't think I was totally clueless about either one, but maybe after all these years,,,, I've really been missing something, but could someone explain this one to me, (here's where I'll be slaughtered, no doubt, LMAO!) THANKS! Terry

[diverdeb]

I joke with my friends that diving is like sex. Anyone involved can call it off at any time for any reason without consequences. Safety first.

THat's a great analogy. I agree. If you get a really bad feeling, especially one that strong, maybe someone's trying to tell you something. If I feel someting's not quite right, no matter if it's just a feeling or something more, I'll call a dive in a minute. That's the sign of an experienced diver.

Hi Deb and NJB!
I've heard divers say that before that "diving is just like sex", at the risk of swinging this post off course and hopefully not down into the ditch. I'm just not seeing it, I didn't think I was totally clueless about either one, but maybe after all these years,,,, I've really been missing something, but could someone explain this one to me, (here's where I'll be slaughtered, no doubt, LMAO!) THANKS! Terry

Well, I am sure we could go all kinds of ways on this . . . but I'll control myself. LOL. I think here it's just what NJB said, if someone thumbs a dive, that's it, no questions asked. No one should dive outside their comfort zone and they are the only ones that can decide what that zone is. If someone had a problem with me thumbing a dive, I wouldn't dive with them again.

As for the similarities with sex, you were diving alone - - - - and you called the dive. I can't, I want to, but it's just too easy. I'm going to stop typing now.

[WreckWench]

In a loving and committed relationship you can 'opt' out of sex if you feel like it without any issues or hassles. The same holds true for diving...although some people I know would rather give up sex than diving!

p.s. yes I know I'm on a boat in the Caribbean...and I am using a members aircard...they are really cool but sort of slow.

[NJBerserker]

Hi Deb and NJB!
I've heard divers say that before that "diving is just like sex", at the risk of swinging this post off course and hopefully not down into the ditch. I'm just not seeing it, I didn't think I was totally clueless about either one, but maybe after all these years,,,, I've really been missing something, but could someone explain this one to me, (here's where I'll be slaughtered, no doubt, LMAO!) THANKS! Terry

They are both ridiculously frustrating to have aborted after you've started.

In both situations a latex seal failure can cause unplanned leakage.

There is great dissent about how much visibility is required to fully enjoy the experience.

You can put in a lot of $, time, effort, and planning to dive in that awesome location you've lusted over for years. . . just to get "blown out" at the last minute.

You should research your site beforehand so you are aware of any potential "hazards"

The more "buddies" you have, the more often you can do both.

Everyone learns to dive single cylinders, still most men one day want to splash with doubles.

I could keep going, lol.

Trinity, I think you're gonna get us both in trouble man. Haha.

Edited by NJBerserker, 16 February 2009 - 01:51 AM.

[peterbj7]

I'm used to wreck diving off the south coast of England, where sometimes the only way you know you've reached the wreck is when you bang your knees on it. I've even entered a wreck unintentionally and without realising because visibility was effectively nil and I just happened to find the hole!

But a few times when I've been diving alone, something I often do, I've suddenly had a near-panic attack and wondered whether I would ever be found if I were to expire right there where I was. I remember feeling that strongly on one particular dive, when I was on the bottom at maybe 80mtr admiring a couple of huge and gleaming bronze propellers, having not seen any other divers from my group for a good 20 minutes.

Just as when you're over-exerting physically you need to stop working and allow your body to catch up, so in these cases I stop my mind working and allow the thoughts to go away. Going through some safety drills can often help to make your mind focus on the here and now instead of the "what if?". It's always worked for me so far, at any rate.

[diverdeb]

Hi Deb and NJB!
I've heard divers say that before that "diving is just like sex", at the risk of swinging this post off course and hopefully not down into the ditch. I'm just not seeing it, I didn't think I was totally clueless about either one, but maybe after all these years,,,, I've really been missing something, but could someone explain this one to me, (here's where I'll be slaughtered, no doubt, LMAO!) THANKS! Terry

They are both ridiculously frustrating to have aborted after you've started.

In both situations a latex seal failure can cause unplanned leakage.

There is great dissent about how much visibility is required to fully enjoy the experience.

You can put in a lot of $, time, effort, and planning to dive in that awesome location you've lusted over for years. . . just to get "blown out" at the last minute.

You should research your site beforehand so you are aware of any potential "hazards"

The more "buddies" you have, the more often you can do both.

Everyone learns to dive single cylinders, still most men one day want to splash with doubles.

I could keep going, lol.

Trinity, I think you're gonna get us both in trouble man. Haha.

Hey, I dive doubles. hee hee

[TRINITY]

Ahhhhhhh, Deb and Kamala, I was going to say after NJB's dandy list of anologies, ( Dude! I was impressed, if you came up with that list off the top of your head, I TIP MY HAT TO YOU! more to you, after this) that I was looking for the female perspective on anologies. D and K, I thank you both for that, and I agree with you both. In my search for the female perspective, the only one I could think of was an interview on TV I watched years ago with Dr. Ruth the sex therapist, when asked for her definition of, "good sex", she thought a second and stated, "its where everyone gets wet" Heck, I didnt even know she was a diver! Obviously another person who agrees with the anologies between sex and diving. I mean who hasn't felt bad for the diver who couldn't get wet, left on the boat, too seasick, too hungover, dealing with major gear bummers, sitting there watching everyone step off the boat, hell, I've been there myself, for all three reasons.
Kamala I agree, air cards are a drag in that they seem as slow as snail mail, but how handy they are, its what I'm using now in the tub, typing this,,, not all that different then the Carib really, the airs warm under the heat lamps, the waters warm, thanks to my new water heater, the Guiness is still cold,,,,,,,, ok its no F-ing way like the Carib, but they are handy going down the highway sending and recieving e-mails, and how handy on a boat in the Carib..
Ok, NJB, (sorry for referring to you like a beer I wouldn't actually drink,,, what is your name?). I 've heard that anology between sex and diving, for a long time, for about six years longer then you've been alive. But I have to say, that list you came up with, dude, thats impressive, sounded much more like the list 6 well experienced divers in a bar would come up with. Your a lot younger then the rest of us, but there's dandy good perspective in your list. I hope our paths cross so I can buy you a beer for the smile it brought to my face to read. THANKS Man!
Peter, I can relate, we have a wreck just outside Duluths Harbor, near the entrance of the St. Loiuse River into Superior, where the warm water of the river stays above the cold of Superior, so you dive thru 30-50+ feet tanic acid water (coffee colored) to get to the wreck. So on the wreck its like a night dive. Shes split open so you can find your self inside w/o actually knowing it, where you dont dare let go of the anchor line during decent, that and your right in the middle of shipping lane with 1000' ore carriers cruising over your head. Its not 80 meters, (that on air?) but tricky just the same. I've been on dives like that where you feel the panic on your shoulder, your sucking your air like there's no tomorrow, well, for you anyway, and your correct to take a min. to rethink your situation, realize your not dead yet, then think how am I going to make sure I stay that way, Curious you ful time in Belize? THANKS EVERYONE! TRINITY