aquaCORPS’ Letters to The Editor (1990–1996)

aquaCORPS #2 SOLO

Fess Up 

I have recently finished reading AquaCorps Issue 1 — a well-worn, jealously guarded copy obtained by the owner of Ocean Explorers Dive Shop in Pembroke Pines, Florida. 

To say the least, this copy has generated considerable interest among the local I-won ’ t-admit-it-but-I-regularly- dive-deeper-than-130-feet divers. Given the proliferation of artificial reefs that have been established off of the Florida East Coast in the last few years, there is a growing community of divers regularly making decompression dives.—John T. Stanton, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 

The “D Word” 

All I can say is: It ‘s about time someone had the guts to deal with that “ D ” word, deep-decompression-diving. All the other “trade papers,” including Undercurrents, are so wrapped up in warm water vacation diving they haven’t said a single new thing in 20 years. 

Keep up the good work and don’t accept influential advertisements or pressure. Diving alone since 1962 and loving it. — Chris Dillon, Port Jefferson Station, NY 

Censorship Doesn’t Work 

I enjoyed reading your first issue of AquaCorps and agree that objective information on all sorts of advanced diving is in short supply. As a firm believer that censorship is never a way to keep people out of trouble, count me among your supporters. Divers with the experience and desire to go beyond the basics should have open access to information and procedures as long as the risks are presented alongside.— Kurt Pragman, Hyde Park, NY

Another Soldier of Fortune 

There are always those human beings who want to push beyond the limits. On the good side, that ‘s what has taken us beyond cave dwelling; on the down side, some macho divers who should really be playing lawn tennis will read AquaCorps, want to consider themselves “advanced divers,” and will kill themselves trying decompression diving or chasing sharks, thereby raising my liability insurance rates and the risk of government legislation for all divers. 

From my (admittedly conservative) viewpoint, your publication is to diving education as Soldier of Fortune magazine is to urban living. — Mike Williams, Montclair, CA (Editor of NAUI ’ s Sources magazine) 

The Protection Business 

My sincerest congratulations on a truly needed new voice in the diving industry. No doubt you will be criticized by some who regard your candor and “reality” about our sport as heresy. I think the issues you raise and the discussions of advanced diving practices have been too long ignored and locked away under self-righteous arguments of protecting the sport diver. I look forward to my subscription ’ s next issue: Good luck! — Bret C. Gilliam, New Orleans, LA 

No More Whispers 

For once, the industry and all of its complex segments have a forum in which to talk about subjects that, in the past, have been taboo or whispered about in dark corners. — Richard R. Nordstrom, Toughkenamon, PA 

Back-up Support 

I would like to congratulate you on bringing a publication to the market that really delves into the heart of diving and the complex issues that divers must face, discuss, and ultimately DIVE! To back up our support, I have ordered a subscription for our office and look forward to the coming issues.— Mike Ritenour, Olcott Beach, NY 

aquaCORPS #3 DEEP

The Buddy System, Revisited  

Solo diving gives up the “buddy” system. The use of the term “buddy ” conjures a specific image each of us has had since our entry level SCUBA course. We all know how ineffective our buddy has been as a first line of safety. It is the ineffectiveness of the buddy that lends appeal to solo diving.  

Cathie Cush, in her article “Air and Back Again ” (Issue #2, aquaCorps), asks the question, “ How often do you go into the water allocating any of your air supply for your buddy? ”Bob Halsted, in his article, “ On Your Own: The Buddy System Rebutted ” (AquaCorps, Issue 2), states, “One should buddy for pleasure, not safety.” He then goes on to say, “ If you decide to dive with a buddy, it is vitally important that you are certain that the buddy will be a safety factor during the dive and not an additional risk factor.” 

In a cave diving environment, your partner carries your emergency air supply and your emergency regulator on EVERY DIVE. The person you dive with in a cave is a partner, a member of a team. The function of the team, in an emergency, is to provide true backup and redundancy. There is no place for the image we have of an ineffective “buddy” during a cave dive.  

Rather than giving up the system of team diving for diving solo, it would seem prudent to evolve the buddy into a true partner. Someone you know can and will provide assistance, if necessary, throughout the dive.  There are diving environments which are considered hazardous even with a competent partner. These hazards are multiplied many fold when diving solo. To enter these environments alone, you must have a clear view of your death sitting on your shoulder ready to tap you at ANY MOMENT!Ӎ—EJ. Fiorell Santa Cruz, CA   

Diver Independence

“I have a business partner with whom I dive regularly; rather we share the boat ride to wherever the dive site will be. Unless there is some specific task that takes two divers to accomplish or we’re diving a small wreck, we rarely see each other until surfacing. I have always been under the opinion that the buddy system was dangerous. Instead of teaching confidence and independence, the industry in fact taught dependence. And dependence upon other people leaves much to be desired, especially in a life-safety situation.” —John T. Stanton American Marine Security, Inc. South Florida  

Stop “No-Stops ” 

“ I’d like to kiss Cathie Cush on her (probably somewhat chilled) cheeks for her ’ pro-stop ’ statement in ’ Hanging Around ’. It’s  the strict ‘no-stops’ policy of some large diving tuition companies, which keeps DC manufacturers from adopting safe, i.e., shorter-not- stop-limit algorithms for their instruments.  

Our national sport-divers association (VDST) never followed a ’no- stops’ policy, which would unduly restrict dives, because we use tables with considerably shorter no-stop limits than USN.”—Dr. Max H. Hahn Germany   

Buddies  

“The Buddy System certainly deserves periodic scrutiny. I still believe that it is very desirable when ‘done right,’ but my own experience with it is best symbolized by the fins of a stranger swimmer disappearing into the murk. Such experiences led me to coin the term, ‘Same-ocean buddy system,’ defined as the limited relationship between two divers diving in the same ocean at the same time.”—Rev. Edward H. Lanphier, M.D. Madison, Wisconsin  

The Next Step  

“The diving industry definitely needs you and your staff. Being a small resort and trying to specialize in advanced diving such as deep (below 130 fsw), computer assisted multi-level diving, solo diving, etc., we also catch a lot of flak from our more narrow  minded counterparts. We know that there are going to be some people who will get bored with ‘normal’ diving and will try pushing beyond the ‘safe’ limits. The danger definitely increases when this is done and the industry needs to accept this fact and be ready to assist these divers in learning how to safely become more advanced divers. ” 

—Monty Doyle Sunskiff Divers Nassau Bahamas  

Technical Diving Truism 

“As a married graduate student, I view the no-decom limit as a financial rather than a mental barrier!”—Phil Pfeiffer Madison, Wisconsin   

Safety Through Education (NAUI’s Right) 

 A response to NAUI’s editorial on technical diving, Sources, May/June 1990  

“Many people have been diving alone for ages, and will continue to do so. The same holds true for decompression and deep diving. AquaCorps is providing the advanced and novice diver alike with a bit of information. It is up to us to learn more about the issues and pursue or not pursue the diving activities appropriate to our ability. As long as I teach diving within the standards of my agency and do not promote this advanced diving as a macho activity, my students won’t blindly follow me into these types of activities. I need to train my students to think for themselves and explain their limits to them (since they are too new to know their limits). After that it is up to them to do what they want! I want this type of information and am entitled to it. So, AquaCorps, keep up the good work! Tell us the truth finally! ”—Hank Whittenberg Lunnfield, Massachusetts 

False Sense of Security 

“Your letter on buddy diving by Bob Halstead in Issue no. 2, hit the nail on the head! I ’ m not saying that every diver immediately drops their buddy and goes diving alone; however, it’s time that all instructional agencies stop giving divers the false sense of security that their buddy will be there to save them.”—Glen Fitzler, Co-Owner Truth Aquatics Santa Barbara, California 

From Russia With Love 

Dear Michael, Greetings from Russia! Thank you for the first issue of AquaCorps. I have got at last some serious information on the really advanced diving at the fountain-head. In spite of my complete wishes to participate in the introduction of the systems of divers training and education, developed by internationally recognized agencies, in the USSR diving community, I was embarrassed by some obligatory restrictions in their programs. The main of these restrictions are: solo diving, decompression diving, 140 feet depth limit. But I have calmed down after receiving your materials. Before, I knew a little about international achievements in advanced deep diving, such as cave and wreck diving. But I believe that such diving, as conducted by a few heroic single persons, such as Sheck Exley, Jurgen Husenmeyer, etc., only. Now, I see a giant potency of the American sport divers community, and I am anxious to develop contacts between American and Russian Sport divers. 

Buddy diving is not too developed in our Diving Community. As for me, I have conducted about 80% of my dives as solo. Our manuals strictly recommend diving with life-line, or float-line and say almost nothing about buddy systems, except for diving in tropical waters. I know only a few divers, who follow all recommendations of our out-of-date dive rules and manuals. Thus, we almost have no line Scuba diving already and from the other side, we have no buddy system, still. In addition, our Scuba diving is complicated as well by the absence of the BCD, the inflatable dry suits, alternate air sources, as the presence of Scuba equipment and dive treatment tables, which were designed in the sixties and before. I understand that dive rules and procedures of PADI, NAUI, etc., are not too suitable for advanced sport diving activities, but after comparing with our archaic ones, they became even too advanced! 

Dear Michael, please excuse my letter writing format. It is quite an informational attack from Russia! But, if I could write to you in Russian, I would have written much more about our wonderful Scuba diving realities. 

Sincerely yours,
Valeri Darkin 
Vladivostok, USSR 

Ed: Following up the attack, Darkin is now touring the U.S. (October — November) unofficially to establish relationships and open the door to Russian diving. We’re sure he would welcome your correspondence, of the Federation of Underwater Activities, Institute of Marine Biology, Valadivos- tock, 690032 USSR. 

aquaCORPS #4 MIX

Intelligent Life Forms 

I am not an active diver anymore for all sorts of reasons, but I did do some cave diving in my younger days and some strange things called PPLI in my early deep professional career back in the sixties (PPLI is a French acronym for “Light Deep Intervention Dives” involving scuba-based heliox dives to 300 fsw plus). 

From what I have read of your journal, I admire and appreciate what you are doing. There has to be some intelligent nonprofessional divers who are serious about the sport and are willing and capable of doing it safely outside the “safe rules” intended for the masses. Your articles on the buddy system confirms that you are prepared to reexamine concepts which have been taken for granted for so long, and reassess them in the light of experience. 

—George Arnoux, Diving Safety Officer, Comex U.K. LTD 

Continued Education  

It’s about time. Someone has come out with a publication that’s not afraid to discuss the proper ways advanced diving can be done safely. Proper training is the only answer. I have seen a large number of divers in the Florida area continue to follow unsafe practices, probably because they are unaware of the dangers that they are placing themselves into by entering caves, caverns or deep diving with improper equipment and gas supplies. Continued education is the only safe way to dive at any level, basic or advanced.—Curt Bowen, Sarasota County Fire Rescue Dept, Bradenton, Florida 

Fellow Tekkie 

Please accept my encouragement for the pioneering step you are taking to “boldly go where no publisher has gone before”.  As you correctly point out, divers DO exceed the recreational limits and a journal such as yours can only help to make this facet of diving safer and by extension, more enjoyable.—Derek P. Montague, Parkes ACT, Australia 

Bellwether 

I’m a fairly cautious diver (There are old divers and bold divers, but no old bold divers! ), so I read DEEP with a mounting sense of horror (scream marks heavily justified). Why? Just consider what you are doing. 

You start off with a relatively dangerous piece of equipment designed by Murphy and built in his workshop – the demand valve. When it fails, and it will, the failure will occur the moment after you’ve exhaled. Maximum panic. To compensate for this eventuality, we give the chap another. In addition, because open-circuit systems are inefficient, we load him or her up with multiple bulky gas cylinders stuffed to bursting, most of which is merely there to make up the volume required to breath at 7-15 atmospheres. Finally, because the diver is going far from home out into a hostile environment where failure of any part of his or her equipment or psychology is potentially fatal within seconds, we encumber him with a stiff suit and a battery of devices and instruments until he resembles the larva of a caddis fly— not a bit like the seal he emulate or wishes to. Then away he or she goes deep into the soup along with one or more buddies so that there’s an increased chance that if bad luck doesn’t get him directly then one of his buddies will. Contrast this with another approach. The diver slips away dressed in a much more flexible lightweight suit, because in spite of much longer bottom times, he or she is not exposed to the cold water for as long. He has virtually no gear on him, just a simple closed circuit set. The only extra gas the diver needs to carry is for emergency. No extra instruments, unless they are for his satisfaction or to do the job since he’s diving only a few feet away from his base, and is in voice communication with an attendant. And not only is my diver nearly as free as the seal, but if he needs some powerful lift and shift he’s got it at hand. Working from a bell is easy, safer, and cheaper in terms of dollars per diving minute. It can be installed anywhere from the surf line to the innermost recesses of the deepest cave or wreck and it has absolutely no macho-appeal whatsoever! Rule one and only, “the diver shall not be allowed beyond the reach of immediate and effective assistance,” It’s something to consider.—Mark Terrell, Kini, Syros, Greece 

Many people believe that habitat and bell technology will eventually be adapted for technical diving much as it was for commercial diving-a matter of safety and economics. Microbells? Decompression stations and closed circuit systems represent a first step. A little future pro- activity. — a/c 

Fair Game 

My concerns center on the philosophy that if a new technique of diving, e.g. enriched air diving, or a new technology, for example dive computers, are written about or used in the commercial dive industry, they become fair game for use by the recreational diver. There is an inherent danger in such a philosophy because the tools or methods will not be thoroughly understood or appreciated by the novice user. It can therefore be dangerously misused. The emphasis must be on “practicality and safety.” That can only be achieved through education, training and practice. I agree that there are probably many recreational divers with advanced training that can engage in diving activities that verge on professional, but we must not overlook the fact that most professional diving is done with a tremendous back-up infrastructure including support personnel and equipment that is not there for the recreational diver. There are also many hidden people behind these operations, including, the diving medical specialist, the diving paramedic, the gas mix specialist, the decompression specialist, research facility staff, and even the government regulators who have written many of the rules commercial divers must follow. The whole purpose of this infrastructure is the safety of the diver, and the need and desire to allow him or her to work underwater and return safely to the surface.—G.H. Koch, M.D., Hyperbaric Dept., Toronto Hospital, Toronto, Canada 

Like its commercial counterpart, technical diving has significant surface support requirements compared to recreational diving and there are many hidden support personnel associated with a given dive operation. Specific requirements depend of course on the operational parameters of the dive. Interestingly enough, technical diving may require greater training and knowledge at a diver level than the commercial industry, since the diver has to plan and manage his or her own gas supply, mix, decompression etc. Something to think about. — a/c 

For The Masses Or The Classes 

aquaCorps has been a new frame of reference where divers like myself can honestly start talking about issues totally ignored by the typical sport diver and their certification agencies. Having said that however, I must express a concern that has surfaced, no pun intended. I know it is necessary to define the limits of scuba by demonstrating what the ultimate fringe is up to. It makes for exciting reading and interesting conversations. However, I hope that after demonstrating these limits over the next few issues, aquaCorps will not become a journal exclusively for those technical divers who are professionally funded to levels unattainable by the majority of other technical divers.—Frank Novak, Mentor, Ohio 

We can all learn from the big projects and the experiences of the individuals who are working the envelope; that’s where the development work is going on. The important thing to realize is that the methods and much of the technology they’re utilizing is now becoming available to all of us. Our focus will be to help you understand the latest thinking and developments, relate the experiences of leading divers and practitioners, and help you apply it to your own diving environment and application. And have some fun to boot. That’s our rock’n ’roll strategy. Please let us know how we ‘re doing. — a/c 

Keeping Our Subscribers in Mind 

Like PFM, my long awaited issue arrived in the mail. It was a pleasure to read it, but I have a question with regard to your newly revised subscription offer at the back of the journal. My interpretation of this information is that this latest issue of the journal will be my second, and I will only be receiving two more for my $39. Originally, I understood that I would receive six issues with my subscription. I hope that your initial subscribers who paid $39 under the premise that they would receive six issues will be kept in mind as future issues approach. Looking forward to the best of the best. — Robert Seitz, Metro Dade Police, Underwater Recovery Unit 

We’ve been working hard over the last year to find the formula with regard to format, content, advertising etc., that will allow us to provide quality information to our subscribers on a consistent basis, and at the same time will represent value for your money. Our current subscriber plan gives you seven issues in total (four newsletters, two journals and one guide) versus the original six. We appreciate your patience and willingness to work with us on this issue, particularly those brave souls who signed up at the beginning. We are definitely keeping you in mind. — a/c 

If All Else Fails, Call 1-800- 

Having perused a copy of DEEP, courtesy of my Poseidon / Zeagle rep, I entered my subscription to your journal and have yet to receive anything. Every day I’ve trekked to my mailbox ardently hoping for my copy of what appears to be a well-written, highly interesting, topical and thought provoking journal all to no avail. Each day yields greater disappointment, ” Have they forgotten me? Have I been left by the wayside in this increasingly complex technological society? Is it just that they don’t like the way I spell my name?” It’s come to the point I’m holding a suicide prevention hotline number in one hand, and “flicking my Bic” near my oxygen filled aluminum 80 with the other. The time is ticking down.Please send me a copy of your publication post haste. 

Sign me forlorn In Escondido, 
Perry Armor 
Escondido, CA 

Dear Forlorn, Enclosed is your copy of the journal. My apologies for the wait. Because of our small staffing level, we often wait to accumulate orders and process them in batches. Sometimes this causes delays, a situation we’re working to gradually improve. If you think we might have missed your order, please call our toll free number and leave a detailed message and your address (it’s often difficult and expensive to return calls) or drop us a line. How high do you have that “oxygen-cleaned” 80 pumped to, anyway? — a/c

aquaCORPS #5 BENT

Is too much knowledge dangerous? 

I am a 38 year old pharmacist, working on my Masters degree in medical writing, and am also a PADI and EAN ( enriched air nitrox) instructor heavily involved in helping my brother run a dive store. I have been diving since 1979 and have made about 200 decompression dives, most on East Coast wrecks, and frequently dive solo: a fact of life for an instructor, but also my preference unless I’m working with another diver I trust. 

I think you would find it interesting to know that my son, Jim, was certified in EAN last year when he was 1 3 years old. That should speak volumes to anyone who asks me whether I think technical diving knowledge is mortally dangerous. In fact, I believe the opposite. The reason why recreational diving is restricted to short, shallow dives is because the usual training, techniques and equipment make dives outside “the limits” hazardous. Technical methods on the other hand are being developed by the leading divers in our sport to safely perform challenging dives. Following this thinking to its logical conclusion, recreational divers could profitably use some of these technical methods to make their own dive safer. 

My son’s diving is a great example of how access to advanced technique can be used to increase diver safety at the recreational level. You ought to see the raised eyebrows he shoots at me when he sees other people wreck diving without a redundant air system, hang tanks, up line, double buckle weight belt, extra lights, and most important, solid dive plans.It doesn’t make sense to him. 

Observing both Jim’s reaction and that of other new divers who have had access to technical diving information has convinced me that it is not a Pandora’s box. This is a big change in my position. A few years ago, I would have argued vehemently that this knowledge needs to be guarded. My current belief is that the dissemination of information about technical diving is analogous to the risk vs benefit analysis made in medicine. Doctors don’t hesitate to prescribe a drug like penicillin when it’s needed, even though a small percentage of the population will have an adverse reaction, even die from taking it. The benefit outweighs the risk. In a similar way the dissemination of technical diving information will help ordinary divers, both technical and recreational dive safer. 

Of course, a very small number of people are bound to misuse the information and hurt themselves; that’s the risk part of the equation. They will get hurt, not because they used advanced techniques, but because they ignored the rest of the essentials. I believe that the people who would get hurt abusing high tech information would find a way to do a number on themselves anyway- if not in diving, then in a car or somewhere else. They are in it for the risk. —Tom Carroll, New Windsor, MD 

Personal responsibility 

This is just the kind of publication my dive friends and I have been looking for. And let me emphasize one thing; we accept (the aqua Corps) “Warning Statement” and the philosophy behind it. Personal responsibility and a “level head” is our code too. 

Kevin Smith
Corning , New York 

Freedom Of information 

It is important that the general diving public be exposed to these (technical diving) concepts. It is up to the individual to decide what makes sense for them and what should be discarded. In a free society information should be shared and discussed, not held as a closely guarded secret. 

Scott Huffman 
Miami , Florida

Community 

For The Rouses 

Chris and Chris Rouse Jr . died 12 Oct 92 as a result of an entanglement that delayed their exit from the submarine, the “U-Who”, from which they ultimately were unable to recover. They were NAUI divemas­ters, and full-cave certified cave divers, who had been presented with the Abe Davis award for more than 100 safely completed cave dives. Chris Sr was also the regional safety officer for the National Association for Cave Diving (NACD). 

Their credits included dozens of dives beyond two to three hundred feet in Florida caves. Their ocean diving experience was equally varied and spectacular; in 1992 alone they explored the Andrea Doria (245 fsw/7 4 msw), the “U-Who” (230 fsw/70 msw) and the “Oil Wreck” (175 fsw/53 msw) off the New Jersey coast, and the Empress of Ireland (145 fsw/44 msw) in the frigid waters of the St. Lawrence Seaway, Canada. The Rouses used state-of-the-art cave diving equipment with which they had many hundreds of hours of experience, and were extremely proficient with both air and mixed gas tables. Simply stated they were very, very good at what they did and they backed it up with experience in virtually every kind of diving environment imaginable, except for ice. Chris Sr. didn’t particularly relish the cold. 

Chris and Chrissie will be honored by all who knew them and were touched by their fervor for diving. The cave diving community feels their loss keenly; so much so, that with the consent of the original discoverers, the famed “Hinkle Restriction” in  Devil’s Eye cave system, High Springs, FL., has  been renamed the ” R  O U S E Restriction.” (Per their wishes, their ashes will be scattered at the restriction-ed.). The management of Ginnie Springs will also be dedicating a plaque in their memory. For myself, I will continue to dive to celebrate the courageous and daring lives of my friends. I loved them very much. 

Ian Jones 
Doylestown, PA.

Turkish Contingent 

The kinds of dives you treat in your journal are just what we make here in Turkey (deep/ deep wreck). We have a lot of interesting shipwrecks in our seas sunk since 1900, including two intact, 1200 ton submarines with equipment inside (80-90 msw) that nobody tries to dive. We make frequent dives to 60- 70 msw and rarely to 80 meters with a maximum of 100 meters for me, and 114 meters for another Turkish diver on air. We sometimes breathe oxygen after these dives for safety. Here there is no organization or dive clubs for organizing such serious expeditions to do this kind of diving. 

Asim Karscakar 
Istanbul, Turkey 

Northwest Tekkies 

Having completed an IANTD trimix program in California at Ocean Odyssey with my friend Eric, I just wanted to let you know that technical diving now at least has a toe­ hold in the Pacific Northwest. I put my training to good use as soon as I got back to Washington, doing a couple of deep practice dives on the passenger liner, the S.S. Governor. The Governor is our answer to the Andrea Doria although somewhat smaller at 400 feet. She went down in 1921 after being rammed, and rests in 250 fsw (76 msw) of cold, dark, fast water in the middle of the main Puget Sound shipping channel. Everything she carried is still there. Puget Sound is almost totally untapped as a wreck diving resource.­ There are enough deep virgin wrecks to keep a diver busy for years. 

James R. Negris 
Mukilteo, WA. 

Mix Technology

An Apple among IBMs? 

If technicalDiver confused other aquaCorps readers as much as it confused me, you may be in trouble, and I’m a Sun workstation user. You may be narked by your passion and expertise. Let me ask you, “Are you looking to be a financial success or are you hoping to simply help defray the costs of your own (mixed gas) diving?” I am afraid that from my perspective, you are boxing yourself into an esoteric success and financial failure. 

Would it be better (financially) to ascend a few feet into the more mundane world of diving deeper on air for the time being, and evolve towards other breathing mixtures as they gain in popularity? Even PC’s did not achieve success overnight. It took years of declining costs, increasing standardization and customer (business) acceptance for them to become economically viable. 

Are the economics of mixed gas such that it will gain popularity quickly enough to insure your success? How many mixed gas dives per year will even well-heeled divers be able to afford? Consider the fact that a well known wreck diver up here looked for a cheap way out when his tank bands rusted through recently, or the fact that I still dive my Tekna regulator! 

Would you do better to address the needs of those who regularly dive in the 1 20-180 fsw range but do not have the money or the desire to push the envelope? Isn’t that the root of aquaCorps success? I think aquaCorps/technical Diver has an identity problem. But then again, you might be on your way to becoming the Steve Jobs of technical diving. 

Bill Schmoldt 
Brielle, New Jersey 

aquaCOPRPS #6 COMPUTING

Balance Is Everything 

I want to compliment you on the thoughtful, well written, and, best of all, BALANCED presentation on the controversial topics that you and your staff address. I appreciate your efforts to provide, not only the most technically accurate and up to date information, but also to put the information into a perspective that is appropriate for technical rather than recreational divers. I disagree with the attitude of editorials I have read in recreational magazines such as “Skin Diver”, in which editors stick their heads in the sand and from that illustrious vantage point proceed to dictate policy on all aspects of diving. Ignorance, selective or otherwise does not promote safety. Quite the contrary, the more informed, trained, and skilled an individual is, the less likely that they will hurt themselves or others. 

Hank Ellison 
Downers Grove, IL 

Information Access 

The technical diving debate rages on in the UK as you are no doubt aware. However, I sometimes feel the pros and cons are misunderstood by both sides. I get the impression aquaCorps ’ contributors are concerned with advancing scientific and technical barriers, making dive sites accessible and improving safety in the process. This objective is commendable and long may it continue. 

The diving organizations in the UK are reluctant to implement technical advances for the “diving public.” On the face of it this is detrimental to diving. I have been a Diving Officer of a BSAC branch with a 100 members ranging from novice divers to long standing experienced divers who regularly carry out 50 msw plus dives on air. From where I stand, technical diving will improve “advanced ” diving. The BSAC is doing its experienced members a disservice by its reluctance to promote technical diving to this group. 

Tim Cashman 
Exeter, UK 

Tubular Dude 

We have talked to many people about the problems encountered when mixing enriched air and other mixes in T and K cylinders. The gas has a tendency to stratify in layers and the tanks must be rolled for several hours to obtain a mix. The only other option is to let the tanks sit for 24-36 hours before analyzing. 

We have developed a stainless steel tube which can be inserted into a cylinder. The tube is crimped at the lower end and screws into the valve. We have drilled holes in the length of the tube. As oxygen, air or other gases are introduced into the cylinder, the gas sprays out the holes allowing an even mix to be obtained immediately. This same principle could be used with an ordinary scuba cylinder by coupling the stainless steel tube onto the siphon tube of the valve. 

We are happy to share this device with the community. If any of your readers are interested they should contact us. 

Wayne McCall, Keller Mccall, Bob Kinder 
250 Mt Springs Rd 
West Union, SC 29696. 

Maintenance Job 

I wanted to let you know of a recent experience that really opened my eyes to the importance of properly operating equipment. I recently attended a fantastic regulator repair program offered by Diving Technologies, Davies, FL. When I disassembled my Poisedon regulator for examination and maintenance, I was shocked to find that not only was the regulator out of adjustment, but that several internal parts were damaged and needed replacement. The regulator is only 8 months old. 

The demands of high tech diving place a high premium on having properly performing life support equipment at depth. I can’t help but wonder what my responsibilities should have been in establishing a regular prevention/maintenance program to avoid this type of problem. 

Andy Mrozinski, 
Miami, FL 

Underground Happiness 

I am a HAPPY cave diver. Mike Madden and I did a double tandem scooter dive with 1 04s and double stage bottles in Nohoch Nah Chich. Our plan was to scooter 10,000 feet back from the main entrance to the “Pablo Diaz ” line, that I installed last September during the 1992 NoHoch Project. 

Our goal was to explore an enormous pit discovered by Madden and Bill Main that appeared to reach 100 feet in depth or more. We were in “awe ” as NoHoch averages 23 feet in depth and the deepest anyone has seen in the system is 65 feet. 

We dropped our first scooter at Dinnerhole which is 4700 feet back. We then switched scooters and stages and motored another 5000 feet to the “jump ” where the new line begins. Mike told me that there was one tight restriction to negotiate on the way to the pit. He was right. We arrived at the room and saw where the line ended. I swam out over the hole and nearly died and went to heaven. We were looking at at least 150 foot depths. The place reminded me of the Cube Room in Sally Ward Spring, crystal clear water with a blue tint and huge pure white boulders. I was ready to “skydive ” down. 

Mike tied off and we swam over the edge and began our descent. As we floated down I was “screaming ” through my regulator like a kid. We hit a hundred and the thing was still going. I was stoked. We held the dive to 214 fsw though there still was depth to run. MAGNIFICENT. The dive ranked up there as one of my best and favorites. We ’ ve decided to call it, The Blue Abyss. Green side up, check your six and MAINTAIN.

Steve Gerrard 
Playa Del Carmen, QROO, Mexico 

aquaCORPS #7 C2

South African Connection 

Since talking to you while I was in the US over two years ago, my colleagues and I have been working towards our first venture in the world of technical diving. We have had to overcome many obstacles in the way of equipment and knowledge. Finally over the weekend of 29 MAY 93 we conducted two successful trimix dives to 250 fsw (76 msw) and 300 fsw (92 msw) at Danielskuil which is believed to be the deepest volcanic pipe in the world. Our bottom times were 12 and 8 minutes respectively. For our small group this is a major accomplishment, although our time at depth was relatively short. Without the information and the contacts we have been able to establish through aquaCorps it would have taken us much longer to get where we are today and we certainly would not have had the breadth of knowledge we needed to make the operation as safe as possible. 

Andy “Drew” Gray, 
Rivonia, South Africa 

To Air Is Human? 

Hopefully the diving your way has been going well. We still have not got mix up and running over here (damn government intervention), but that can only be a matter of time. We still do air dives in the beyond-the-accepted limits. Unfortunately, we had a fatality several weeks ago (see Incidents Report) — a 78 msw/254 fsw air dive that resulted in a CO2/O2 hit. Not a good thing! Do you guys ever use air at those depths or are ALL dives done on mix? If mix were not available would this dive be done on air in the US? To be honest, the site in question was a nice Paddle Steamer /Tug which sank in 1920 (the bell is most probably there!!) and I had a good dive, thanks to good planning and preparation. I am not asking you to condone the dive, but information on current practices regarding air dives (with oxygen decompression), preferably not just the “official” stance of the tech agencies,would be interesting. 

Richard Taylor 
Deep Diving Technologies 
Sydney, Australia 

Deep air dives (beyond 200 fsw/ 61 msw) are still being conducted in some circles though the overwhelming community consensus is that these dives are extremely hazardous and are becoming increasingly impossible to justify given the risks and availability of mix. This view is supported by the accident toll. Deep air kills. Of course there is still a small group of divers who pride themselves on their ability to dive deep on air and survive. One individual — a mix instructor — recently told me that, “There’s only a handful of us that can handle air at those depths [beyond 90 msw/293 fsw].” These individuals are a likely vanishing breed. We will be discussing air dives in the next issue of aquaCorps, N8, AIR. Stay pumped. 

Imminent Threat

I am writing to ask for your help in bringing attention to an imminent pollution threat to Florida’s freshwater supply. Florida’s springs and rivers, supplied by vast underground fresh water reservoirs called aquifers, are vital markets for the diving industry.They are also Florida’s primary source of one of life’s essential ingredients. aquaCorps’ assistance in raising awareness and lobbying on behalf of protection for the aquifers is urgently needed. 

Currently, a toxic chemical storage site and feeder pipeline are being planned in locations that have direct access to our extremely vulnerable aquifers. A consortium called Colonial Pipeline (comprised of AMOCO, TEXACO, CITGO, BP and others) plans to lay a gasoline pipeline across miles of wetlands and sinkholes near the town of Lloyd in Jefferson County, northeast of Tallahassee. The pipeline will supply a proposed gasoline tank farm to be owned and operated by TEXACO. The facility will be perched on a hill surrounded by four enormous siphons — major aquifer recharge points. Two other siphons are also in the same drainage area. Residents and local governments are under pressure by the powerful petroleum consortium to sell wetlands, swamps, and groundwater recharge basins for the pipeline route and enormous gasoline tank farm. 

Dismal pollution records belie all the claims of “safety” made for facilities like these. A fire or any other accident that allowed gasoline off the planned site near Tallahassee would send thousands of gallons of gasoline directly into our drinking water. Because the mostly uncharted aquifers are underground, they have virtually no legal protection. When a pollution event occurs in our underground reservoirs, mediation is impossible. 

Please ask all members of the technical diving community to write or call Florida Governor Lawton Chiles, Florida’s Secretary of Environmental Regulation, Virginia Wetherell, and the corporate offices listed below to express our grave concern and to seek a complete factual environmental impact study for this pipeline and storage facility. 

Christopher A. Brown 
National Association for Cave Diving 
Tallahassee, FL 

aquaCORPS #8 HARD

Abalone History 

Thank you for the copy of your fine journal. I am amazed to realize there is a market for literature of such technical depth. Congratulations. 

I’m writing to ask you to correct an error in your publication that very few people in the world would recognize, and perhaps only one would give a damn. I am that one, and I have a strong desire to keep the history of the evolution of diving systems correct. On page 22 (aquaCORPS N7, C2) you show a picture of my (Westinghouse) CCM-1 over the title of a KSR 5. As the principal designer of the CCM-1, I object to having one of my few accomplishments attributed to someone else. 

Al Krasberg joined us in 1963 at J. H. Emmerson Co. where I was employed as a diving system designer and we constructed two testable prototypes of the KSR 13, based on his ideas. After successful bench and swim tests we designed the KSR 4 to compete with the G.E. Mark 10 for Navy dollars. The G.E. Mark 10 was, at that time, firmly entrenched at EDU and the Navy did not show significant interest in the KSR 4. I am unaware of any further utilization of that design. 

Haven Emmerson, Al Krasberg and I joined Westinghouse and I was able to pursue my own design concepts. At that time, the Navy was interested in funding an advanced semi-closed apparatus. We (Westinghouse) won that contract and were funded to design and construct an advanced prototype. The advanced unit was my own design, the Abalone (Named after the mollusk due to the shape of the backpack ­ ed.). The Navy chose the Abalone for production and it became officially the USN Mark XI. I’m told that Westinghouse did over $8.5 million on that contract. 

In addition to improved breathing bag hydrostatics, the Abalone incorporated advanced ergonomic concepts that were equally applicable to fully closed circuit apparatus. Since the Navy had not yet selected a closed circuit system, Westinghouse funded me for the design of a “ closed circuit ” Abalone. The Westinghouse/ Krasberg technology had been obsoleted by the Bio Marine 3-sensor and voting technology. 

I elected to employ the Bio Marine electronics in the closed circuit Abalone. Though the prototype was constructed at Bio Marine, with the exception of the electronics, it was done completely to my design. 

With three rigs to choose from, the Navy conducted a “swimoff” between the G.E. Mark 10, the Bio Marine OCR and the Westinghouse CCM-1 (EDU report 9-72: The CCM-1 scored high in swimmability, comfort, SDV compatibility, human engineering, and was the only neutral buoyant unit tested; the rest were negative. — ed.). Even though the divers liked the CCM best and the unit was superior in several respects, the CCR won, primarily on price. Several years later in a pub in Aberdeen Scotland, Fred Parker took some delight in explaining that Westinghouse purchasing had failed to obtain a firm fixed price commitment from Bio Marine for their electronics. When it came to quoting the Navy for our respective apparatus, Bio Marine simply raised the price for their electronics to a point where they would profit equally whether the Navy selected either rig. This drove the Westinghouse price sky high and put Westinghouse out of the running. So you see, I designed a better rig but lost out to the cut-throat aspect of business. 

W.J. O ’ Neil 
Wilbur J. O ’ Neil & Assoc.
West Severna Park , MD USA 

Rebreathers On ICE 

I am very excited about diving (so to speak) into new technology. I have enclosed a copy of an 8 minute segment of the CBS weekly series, “ How Do They Do That?, ” featuring some of the images I have captured underneath the polar ice cap.

I am returning to the Arctic this summer to do more work on Walrus. I am very interested in experimenting with a rebreather in the Arctic to see how effective filming will be absent of bubbles. I plan to work in the Arctic for many years to come. 

Adam Ravetch 
Venice Beach , CA USA 

C2 

Congratulations on your N7 journal! It’s an excellent publication. I read it cover to cover. I began diving C2 in 1990 with units leased from Biomarine. Bob Cranston and I logged forty hours on those units while filming hammerhead sharks in the Sea of Cortez. Since then, I have purchased a pair of Mark 15.5 rebreathers which Bob and I have significantly modified for wildlife film work. To date, we ’ ve logged nearly 400 hours in the Sea of Cortez, the Caribbean and California on C2. 

Most recently I’ve been commissioned to direct an Imax 3D film. This is the most extravagant film format in existence. Out of water the $3 million camera system weighs nearly 2,00C lbs. Every seven minute film load weighs fifty pounds and costs $13,000 to purchase, process and print. Needless to say, setup time underwater is more complicated than shooting with Hi8 especially in California waters where the film is being made. So far, 90 percent of our dives with this system have been made with C2. The extended dive duration and increased no-decompression limits at moderate depths (using a 1.3 PO2) have made our work much more efficient. In the future, I estimate more than 50 percent of my diving will be done on C2. Keep up the good work. 

Howard Hall 
Howard Hall Productions 
Del Mar, CA USA 

Rebreathers 4Sale 

Since the publication of aquaCorps N7, DECA Diving has started to receive requests for information on mixed-gas rebreathers. In the past week, I have received inquiries from three people. We are currently only able to sell rebreather units to government agencies, and we are looking for information on systems that may be available for sale to the general public. DECA Diving is interested in expanding into this area. 

Ryan Elliott 
Diving Equipment 
Company of America 
Santa Barbara , CA USA  

Sheck Exley

This was my last correspondence from Sheck, dated 12 JAN 94—m2 

First of all, congratulations on another outstanding tek conference. You truly know how to put on a fabulous show! Also, thanks for including the report of Charles Maxwell’s SA/US Bushmansgat Expedition in the pro- .gram, and in your most recent issue. Unfortunately, your fine publication deleted a list of our sponsors and an important paragraph which details their contributions and the success of their equipment. I am sure that this is merely an oversight. 

Also, the accompanying table of deep dives made some unauthorized changes, changing “ HEAir ” to “ Trimix ” and the depth of Jim King ’ s dive. Much more importantly, it omitted the final paragraph acknowledging those that provided the information. While I am not especially concerned about the surprise changes to the table, I am indebted to those that helped with its compilation and would urge you to recognize them in your next issue. I am sure that you will be relieved to know that thus far I have not heard any complaints, so maybe we can fix the damage without hurting any feelings. 

In a separate enclosure I have listed my humble suggestions for next year’s tekkie award. But I would like to advertise my repeated suggestion of you as perhaps the most deserving recipient. Your publications and conferences have provided an invaluable service to the technical diving community and it seems a supreme injustice to me that you cannot receive the award because you give it. Isn’t there a way that this can gracefully be done? I am sure that many other people feel as I do. Thanks, and keep up your great work. 

—Sheck Exley

Nominations: 

Michael Menduno: His publications and conferences have made an unequaled contribution to technical diving safety and the technical diving community. 

Mark Leonard: The products of his company and his outstanding leadership of the world ’ s largest cave diving organization (he has served as NSS-CDS chairman twice), have made diving safer for all of us. Further, he has trained more cave divers than the next two most active instructors in the world combined. 

Tom Mount: Tom made enormous contributions to cave diving safety and education in the late 1960s and early 1970s through his many publications, instruction, and leadership of NACD. And of course, his more recent leadership of the world ’ s foremost technical training organization (IANTD) speaks for itself. 

Hal Watts: Through his many record dives and years of instruction, Hal discovered many of the techniques used for deep diving, including acclimation to narco ­ sis. He invented the octopus regulator, revolutionizing gas sharing in emergencies, and distributed the first buoyancy compensators to the technical diving community. He was also the first diver in the U.S. to make a technical dive on helium mixtures (Mystery Sink, 1970), and his organization (PSA) has trained many more deep divers than any other. 

S.Exley

The paragraph we omitted was as follows: 

“The Bushmansgat dive (See aquaCorps Journal N7, DEEP Underground) was successful due to the efforts and assistance of the entire team, as well as the cave’s owners, Andries and Debbie Van Zyl. Special lights were manufactured by Dive Rite Manufacturing, the dry suit used included a “P-valve” manufactured by the Floridan Aquifer Surveyor (Roger Werner) and the marvelous electric heater was provided by Repetitive Diver Inc. Special regulators were prepared by William Dooley. All equipment performed flawlessly, including the lights. Other American sponsors included; Underwater Connection, Hal Watts ’ Forty Fathom Grotto, Paul Deloach, Mary Ellen Eckhoff, and DEEP Inc.”

Regarding the table , “Comparison of Sub -500 Foot (150 m) Technical Dives ”(see aqua Corps Journal N7, DEEP Underground, p . 65) I changed the term “HEAir ” (an oxygen, helium , nitrogen mix made by adding helium to air) to “ trimix, ”the standard term for these mixtures, for consistency. The depth of Jim King’s dive @ Dean’s Blue Hole was 663 fsw. Using a conversion factor of 34/33 yields 683 fsw j (feet of fresh water) as stated in the table. Credits for compiling the table are due to: Jim Bowden, Nuno Gomes,  Jochen Hassenmayer,  Jim King , and me, Dr. Ann Kristovich 

In the Arena 

Here is the quote that I found for Sheck Exley: 

“ It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again…who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at least knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while doing greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”—Theodore Roosevelt

—Capt. Howard Klein / Levittown, NY 

Appropriate Technology? 

I was saddened to learn of Sheck Exley’s death, but not totally surprised. 

I do not know the details, but from my perspective, I do not think this incident can be attributed solely to “ human error. ” An analysis of the events, I believe, will point to the choice of an inappropriate technology pushed far, far beyond its operational limits. 

This tragedy is a wake up call to the technical community. It’s time to stop, step back, and look at the big picture. Just what is the objective of technical level diving? Is it to die by ignoring physiological and technological boundaries, or to dive safely through acknowledging them? 

I know you have heard the same theme over and over from the commercial diving community. I ‘ll repeat it again anyway: umbilical, umbilical, umbilical. 

The commercial diving industry has gleaned hundreds of thousands of hours of operational experience making extreme, extended range exposures, virtually all of it umbilical based. With billions of dollars at stake in the offshore oil industry, if open circuit SCUBA was a viable technology, it would have been adopted decades ago. 

The fact is in the late ‘50s and ‘60s it did make some inroads, until fatalities mounted. As you know, Lad Handleman prohibited its use at Oceaneering International, while CEO there. Other responsible diving services providers did too. Now, according to Bev Morgan of DSI, and Steve Linton of Dive Rescue Inc., more police search and rescue squads are converting to umbilical-based diving. These facts are telling evidence. Open circuit SCUBA is not the all-purpose life support rig that one might think. 

As technical diving matures, it must embrace proficiency with multiple diving technologies. Open circuit, umbilical, C2, hard suits, and ROV all have operational strengths to be exploited, and weaknesses to be mitigated. A vital step of the planning process is choosing the appropriate technology which will ensure the safety of the participants and the success of the mission. 

This tragedy ought to compel the technical diving community to expand its repertoire of tools beyond open circuit SCUBA now. End open circuit chauvinism. Why be hindered and endangered by its limitations? 

In closing, my condolences to Mr. Exley’s family and friends. Perhaps there is some comfort gained knowing that Sheck died pursuing his avocation. Let it not be in vain. 

Doug Wisner 
Associate Editor, Working Diver 

I find this a compelling perspective on diving technology.—M2

Breaking Trail 

I received the news about Sheck during a speakers luncheon at the Underwater Canada Conference. The elders of the sport diving fraternity mouthed “inevitable,” “foolhardy record attempts,” and the stuff that you ‘d expect. I said that I thought that his work was at the very edge, but Sheck himself was not. I thought him modest and self-effacing. Careful and deliberate in his thinking and preparation. Conservative, if anything. Compelled? Sure. Obsessed? Probably. Foolhardy? No. 

What do we learn from this? Not much. The crew that’s breaking trail is short one guy. He’ll be hard to replace ‘cause he was a good one. If he’d stayed at home and watched TV, he’d still be alive. Sort of. 

Phil Nuytten 
Hard Suits Inc . 
Vancouver , BC, Canada 

Bad Shit Happens 

Disaster struck at the heart of technical diving in the UK. On the evening of 21 MAY 94, following a 75 m/244f trimix dive @ Dorothea Quarry in North Wales, Martin Smith ’ s car (a Toyota Carina) was stolen from Bradford near Manchester along with his and Chris Hellas ’ s diving gear valued at over U.S. $25,000. Items stolen included: two 12 liter cylinders marked nitrox/trimix, five Poseidon regulators and gauge setups, Dive Rite Wings w/ custom harness, a Northern Diver dry suit and underwear, AGA full face mask, Nikonos camera and accessories equipment, torches, reels, knives, lift bags, an aquaCorps T-shirt and much more. If you have any information regarding this gear please contact Martin @ +44.344.421545, or Chris @ +44.274.878944. Bummer! 

Long Distance 

On 14OCT94, 26 years old Jens Hilbert, a German cave diver and active combat swimmer with the German Navy’s Waffentauchergruppe at Eckernförde, will head for a new world record in long distance open circuit diving. His first world record back in 1987 took him 35.5 km (22 miles) within 14 hours. This time he plans for 51 or more kilometers (over 32 miles) within a 24 hour period. Hilbert is a PADI Divemaster and a certified commercial diver. His personal best in breath-hold diving is a remarkable 6 minutes and 17 seconds. Take another breath—submitted by Walter Comper  

Commercial View 

It is probably best at the outset to state that, frankly, you folks scare the hell out of the commercial diving community! Why? Because we can look to history, can see mistakes being made, people getting injured and killed, and all for the sake of diving deeper and longer. We also made those mistakes several decades ago and had to learn our lessons the hard (and expensive) way. We also had a divided population of safety conscious individuals and “cowboys.” We also tried many of the same types of equipment, gas mixes, and diving procedures you are now experimenting with. However, just as will you, we learned our lessons the hard way. We learned that there can be no substitute for safe diving practices, for the use of proven and reliable equipment, and for the necessity to impose safe practices upon ourselves which would be those acceptable to the regulatory authority. 

What else bothers us? The fact that when there is a diver injured or killed that the general public considers the generic word “diver.” They (and the insurance underwriters) do not differentiate between the recreational and commercial diver. Given that the insurance rates for commercial diving activity are already grossly out of proportion to factual incident rates, we in the commercial diving industry cannot afford those rates to be further skewed by reported incidents which paint our industry to be unsafe! I use the term “ technical sports diving ” to describe your community rather than “technical diving.” Why? Simply put, due to the fact that commercial diving activities are themselves highly technical in nature, and there should be no inference of relationship between the two communities. 

At the 94 tek conference, there appeared to be a substantial lack of understanding with reference to “government regulation.” The technical sport diving community needs to be more aware of the implications of regulations now in force! For example, 29 CFR (OSHA) Subpart T – Commercial Diving Operations, in 1910.410 (Scope and application) states: 1) that it applies to every place of employment within the waters of the United States, etc.; 2) applies to diving and related support operations conducted in connection with all types of work and employments, etc., and does not include dividing operations: (i) Performed solely for instructional purposes, using open-circuit, compressed air SCUBA and conducted within the no-decompression limits. 

Thus, an instructor of diving operations performing outside the above limits would be subject to the regulatory provisions of 29 CFR. I doubt that the many instructors and companies who are training personnel in technical sport diving understand this! How about an underwater photographer performing for pay? Does he/she, if diving outside the limits of SCUBA, fall into the category of conducting commercial diving operations? What about the treasure salvor who is promised a “ share? ” That also is performing diving operations for hire! These, and a number of other issues should be looked at. 

I would personally recommend that the Technical Sports community establish some form of Safety, Medical, and Education Committee which would be tasked with the preparation of standards, programs, and documentation directed to improvement of safety within the community served. 

In closing, the offer to cooperate is “ on the table. ” ADC interests are obviously two-fold: 1) to ensure that no diver is harmed by entry into the water unless properly trained, equipped, and willing to do so and, 2) to clearly indicate that there is a distinct and evident difference between the conduct of commercial and recreational diving and that commercial diving must be left to those who practice such activity in a professional and safe manner. 

Ross Saxon 
Executive Director 
Association of Dive Contractors 
Houston , TX 

Narked 

I read C. Allen’s “The British Sub-Aqua Club’s Report On The Use Of Enriched Air Nitrox” (aquaCorps, N6, COMPUTING), with interest. One remark that drew my attention, however, was that “there is reason to believe that oxygen can produce the same narcotic effect as nitrogen.” 

The research you quote was only a pilot study presented orally at a conference, and I doubt that the authors would be willing to go even as far as your qualified statement. In fact, the research in this area is conflicting, and I think the jury is still out on the matter. 

On the question of a reduction in narcosis, I endorse your general point completely. The problem here is that there have been no definitive studies which have measured the threshold for narcosis. My bet would be that the threshold for behavioral effects would be at or above 35 meters/113 fsw. 

Barry Fowler, Ph.D. 
York University 
North York , ONT, Canada 

Dr. Fowler’s paper, “Under The Influence: A Performance Guide To Managing Narcosis,” appeared in aquaCorps Vol 3, DEEP, Winter 1991. For more information on the narcotic effect of oxygen, see: “Llnnaarson D., Ostlund A, Sporrong A, Lind F, Hamilton RW. 1990. Does oxygen contribute TO THE NARCOTIC ACTION OF HYPERBARIC AIR? In Sterk W, Geeraedts L, eds . Proceedings XV th Meeting of The European Undersea Biomedical Society.” Also Undersea Biomedical Research 

Guidelines 

Let me say first that I very much enjoy every edition of aquaCorps: it is definitely the most interesting diving magazine in the world (and I read diving magazines in four different languages). The only gap I believe is the lack of information about diving clubs and resorts outside the U.S.. For instance, can one practice tech diving in the Red Sea or in the Med? 

I believe that you are currently in an exceptional position: that of being able to set standards in a new sport. However, if technical diving takes off in a big way, the window of opportunity may be short and there may be a proliferation of standards which, ultimately, will only be an obstacle to divers themselves. 

The way to go forward, I think, is to set guidelines, i.e. minimum standards that allow flexibility, rather than setting norms which are straitjackets and that are disregarded anyway. Technical diving is potentially too dangerous for you not to set up standards for clubs to guide readers towards the more safe operators. 

Tom Dechaene 
London , UK 

For a working set of “community consensus” operational guidelines for technical self-contained diving see: “Blueprint For Survival Revisited,” by M. Menduno & Capt. B. Deans, aquaCorps N6, COMPUTING, pg . 19

The British Are Coming (Back) 

On 28 Dec 1993, a further push was undertaken by the dive team of Chris Hellas, Denis Widdop, and Rob Royle in the disused quarry, Wales, England. The Dorothea Enigma is drawing to a close. After examining many old photographs of the work prior to flooding, we observed an area that looked promising. Utilizing trimix 14/45, EAN 32 and 100% 02 and following deco schedules generated by Proplanner Software, the dive team maxed out at 95m 1(309 ft) with a bottom time of 15 i min. Due to consistently cold water (4° C /39°F – BRRR!I), argon suit inflation and dry gloves were mandatory. The elusive 100m (325 ft) still escapes us. Many thanks for a very informative, inventive and controversial tek.conference. The Brits will be back!!! —Chris Hellas Bradwell ,N. Yorkshire, UK. See you at 1995 TEK! 

Under Pressure 

In 1985, prior to the installation of a recompression chamber on Roatan, I successfully recompressed four divers w/DCS at 30 fsw on 100% oxygen without any apparent problems whatsoever using the Royal Australian Navy protocol. 

The next two cases are much more interesting. Both divers were Honduran Moskito Indians engaged in the commercial lobster diving fishery. Both individuals suffered severe CNS, Type II, DCS. They in fact were completely paralyzed from the waist down and partially paralyzed above the waist and in the upper limbs. The day the hit was sustained, they had been diving in 96 to 102 fsw or deeper. One was hit near the end of his sixteenth dive of the day using 80 cu. ft. tanks. Interestingly enough, there were 25 other divers on the boat with similar profiles that did not get hit. About 20 to 25 minutes after commencing treatment, feeling began to return to the legs. About 4 to 4 1/2 hours later, he climbed on to the surface support vessel under his own power. The following day, we did a shorter treatment to relieve some residual knee pain. Treatment of the second diver yielded the same results. I have most of the experience recorded on 8mm video tape and also have some 35 mm slides and flow charts. I would be happy to share the data with anyone who is interested.

J.L. “Doc” Radawski
Doc’s Dive Shop 
French Harbor, Roatan 
Honduras 
fax : +504.45.1312 

Psychological Strain 

I would appreciate seeing a series of articles on the views of various instructors on the psychological strains inherent in deep diving, cave diving, etc. and their ideas on how instructional standards could be devised to attempt to exclude those with dangerous tendencies from participating in instructional courses that could be lethal to their makeup. The recent run of cave and deep fatalities is remaining largely unexplained, and it may take the expert opinion of outsiders to diving to open new areas of discussion concerning the suitability of certain people to high stress/risk diving. 

R.D. Milhollin 
Miami , FL 

Minor Detail 

I enjoyed Olivier Isler’s article, Measured Elegance, (aquaCorps Journal N7). Isler’ s contention that “even minor details become significant” is an understatement! That’s why we need to know more about the system he developed for urinating outside of his drysuit. 

Andy Cohen 
Seattle , WA 

I suggest you write and ask Isler himself. His address is: Olivier Isler, Ch Muveran No.8, CH-1026 E Chandens , Switzerland  

Emergency Preparedness

Last summer proved to be a busy one for diving injuries! Along the Palm Beach County and adjacent coastal areas with 36 non-fatal and six fatal diving accidents occurring from May| through August. [As a result of] the media attention that followed, the local commissioners felt that residents and visitors needed protection from the hazards of our local attraction, the Atlantic Ocean, in the form of a county-wide comprehensive; emergency assistance plan. 

After several governmental meetings with selected local multi-disciplinary experts, initial draft recommendations were drawn up outlining risk management solutions for the sport diving industry. This was our first opportunity to establish guidelines for a standardized system to improve the manner and quality of assistance available for offshore medical and diving emergencies. The guidelines also include a proposed ordinance for oxygen equipment and training. Current Florida law requiring prescription and medical training for oxygen use needs modification to allow properly trained divers to obtain and provide oxygen. encourage interested individuals to contact me for more information and a copy of our guidelines. 

Andrew R. Mrozinski 
St. Mary’s Hospital /Hyperbaric 
Medicine Service 
West Palm Beach , FL 33407 

aquaCORPS #9 WRECKERS

dirty word 

Congratulations on an excellent magazine. Prior to coming across it for the first time (aquaCorps N7), I was beginning to think that trimix was a dirty word, and that everybody thought the ocean was 40 m deep. 

Dr. PJ. Ross 
South Africa 

observed 

Just finished reading N7: C 2. Very informative! Well done! Keep up the good work! Your progress is being watched with interest. 

Mark Lonsdale 
Frogmen Unlimited 
Los Angeles , CA 

balls 

The mag is the cat’s nuts! 

Colin Maslen 
Harvard, Massachusetts 

ciao corps 

I read in “Aqua,” an Italian publication for divers, that your magazine treats some specific matters of diving. In Italy your magazine doesn’t arrive and there isn’t anywhere you can read something more on specific branches of diving. My question is: Would you make an Italian version of your magazine? 

Masi Massimo
Florence, Italy 

How about an English version delivered to your door? Contact our new Italian distributors: Emilia Toscano @ 39 40 36 5482 

cold aggressive and clever 

We’d like to congratulate you for the wonderful journal of which you are the authors. It ’s really more than one could expect for the type of subjects you treat, the facility of the comprehension of the text, the cold, aggressive and clever way of approaching the subjects, in other words technical. We are enthusiastic and eager readers. 

North Eastern Coast Divers 
Trieste, Italy 

more mix 

Here’s a thought for you. Many local tekkies (5 or so…about half of them!) have commented on the single topic focus of aquaCorps. The consensus up here would like to see more Corps per year with multiple topics.

I personally like the idea of having different departments…deep air, mixed gas, closed circuit, etc… in each issue. This would be a great way for aquaCorps to keep its material fresh and also present material to the “mainstream” tekkie (god…I never thought we would have a main­stream tekkie!!!). Anyway, just a thought…. 

Steve Pierson 
Adventure Diving 
Seattle, Washington 

Does this mean aquaCorps is becoming mainstream? Eek. Stay tuned for more topics more frequently. 

filling a niche 

We just received the newest issue of aquaCorps, and we had to write and tell you that you have certainly come a lon-n-n-ng way. aquaCorps has really become an information filled, spectacularly designed profession journal. The technical sport diving industry needed a relatively unbiased “communication” system and aquaCorps is doing a fine job filling the niche. 

Andrea Zaferes/Walt Butch Hendrick 
Lifeguard Systems Inc. 
Hurley, New York, 

need for improvement — boobs aside 

My wife Margo just received your recent “Get in the Loop” for FREE solicitation. We both want to support your organization. However, as you know from my previous correspondence, I expect high quality service. Don’t get me wrong, we like your conferences and will be at tek95. But to support my case on administration, proof your loop flier. You show the [tek] date as 21-24 Jan.1994. Not good considering what that flier must have cost. I suppose you may think I am a pick. However I am merely trying to emphasize the importance of good business and the need for you to improve the administrative aspects of your fine organization. 

Also, let me tell you that sending a flier with a bare boobed woman on it to my wife was not a good idea. I handle Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) stuff all the time on my job. This thing would get you in big time trouble in most business circles. 

Norman S. Brinsley 
Tomah, Wisconsin 

dangerous misconceptions 

When I read about the supposed advantages of scuba over tethered diving [aquaCorps Journal N8, “ El Cazador, ” by Gary Gentile], I realized that Mr. Gentile was inexperienced with commercial diving and that printing his opinions without attentive editing may have led some divers into dangerous misconceptions. I’m referring to Mr. Gentile’s insulting fantasy about technical divers being able to work in currents that would sweep a commercial diver off the worksite and leave him dangling mid-water like a piece of bait at the end of a deep-sea fishing line. 

When a commercial diver works deep in a heavy current, he’ ll pack on 60 lbs. of lead, or more, descend to the bottom in a weighted stage, say to 290 fsw, pull himself a few coils of hose for slack, pass through the stage so that any current pull on the umbilical from 290 fsw to the surface is transferred to the stage, not the diver. He is then strong on the bottom, without hose drag. In this standard manner, Pee Wee Herman could work in a current that would blow Arnold Swartzeneggar and his triple tanks to Biloxi. 

Robert Izdepski,   Editor/Publisher 
Universal Diver Magazine 
Lacombe, Louisiana

s.a. underground 

The Cave Diving Club of Southern Africa is a newly formed club, the first of its kind in Africa, founded under the auspices of the South African Speleological Association (SASA), but now operating independently and supporting the caving clubs of Southern Africa. Our members include Charles Maxwell who arranged the expedition to Bushmansgat last year in which Sheck Exley took part. Another one of our members is Nuno Gomes who recently did a dive to 250 meters [814 f] in Bushmansgat. We also have a member in our midst who has been your Southern Africa correspondent for some time, namely Drew Gray from Boing Boing Boing fame. 

We would like to extend an invitation to any serious cave divers wishing to visit our beautiful country or the southern Africa sub ­ continent to come in contact with us for possible joint expeditions to Bushmansgat, Dragon’s Breath Chinhoyi (formerly called Sinoia) and possible other venues. 

Cobus Groenewald 
Secretary, CDC 
Cresta, South Africa p: 27-11-622-6780 
f: 27-11-622-7696 

South Africa is a hot bed of technical diving. Check it out. 

r-e-s-p-e-c-t 

Tomorrow I do another dive downstream from the Monolith Cenote of the Dos Ojos Cave System. We are at 92,000 feet plus. Reports are coming in that Mike Madden has pushed Nohoch Nah Chich close to 100,000 feet but we are not sure as differ ­ ent people are saying different things. Strange. Dived on Saturday and was able to add 150 feet. Tomorrow Kay Walten and Dan Lins make a push dive upstream to add line. Last week they added 450 feet of line. Slowly but surely we are getting closer to 100,000 feet ourselves. Love this competitive spirit! 

Incredible discovery made by Lins and Walten yesterday [25 OCT]. They found a pit twice the size of The Blue Abyss (located in the Nohoch System) and it was 265 feet deep with going cave passage. Outstanding! Was also told that a huge new cenote was found by Mike Madden and Eric Hutcheson from the Pablo Diaz and “ X ” lines heading toward Dos Ojos. Same area that Dan Lins and Kay are pushing toward Nohoch. Now it is a horse race trying to connect Dos Ojos with Nohoch. Exciting! 

Please put more info on cave diving in your aquaCorps Journal. Cave diving is still the only aspect that emphasizes and demands the art of technique. Many of the best divers evolved from cave diving. Sure, wreck diving represents 80% but please…I beg you…don’t let the tech world lose respect for cave diving, much less forget it exists. 

Steve Gerrard 
Aquatech Mexico 

Expect to see more underground coverage. 

watts 4 tekkie 

In response to Shec ’s nominations for this year’s TEK[KIE] award, I would like to suggest Hal Watts. Hal has been assisting the “technical” diving community since before such terminology was thought of. To be exact — 32 years. This is over half his life. Considering that Sheck recognized Hal as the first ever to make a technical dive, this should be reason enough for him to receive this prestigious award. 

Steve Hoffman 
Ocala, Florida

brits subsurface 

Received “HARD” — nuff said — as usual! Bravo, etc., etc…. Feeling Brit-side (not underground but sub-surface) is that the market still cries out for a regular journal that is THE bible, that is contributed by the few, read by the involved, and hallowed by the many. We have tried over here in the UK with mixed results. (Commercialism sucks….?) The “community” would support it, as evidenced by, I am told, unfaltering understanding by the few, patient anticipation by many, and frustrated expectation by the “ freshers.” I and Martin Smith, Rob Palmer and others are keen to see the information exchange gather speed. Consider this as a tentative approach on our behalf to input whatever material you feel appropriate for inclusion in the “corps” from this side of the water. We have few prejudices (except for Jack Daniels, trimix, C2, and loose women!) and are keen to see the concept develop. 

Chris Hellas 
UK 

Are you the tech divers our mothers warned us against? What about loose men?  

no longer proud (; — <). ouch 

I have always esteemed your publication highly. As a PADI DiveMaster, former commercial diver, and, at present, a dive store manager, I enjoy the professional tone and technical data. You bring diving into the 21st Century, far from the reckless macho-man picture that most people have of technical divers. I’ve also noted with pleasure and admiration the inclusion of positive, respectful representations of female technical divers, not to mention the absence of sexist (sexually exploitative) images of women in your publication. aquaCorps has made me proud to be a diver… Until now. 

I was surprised and extremely displeased to see the blatant, sexually violent imagery on pages 44-45 of aquaCorps Journal N8 Hard. What kind of twisted sexuality derives pleasure from crushing a woman’s breast with pliers? And what does sex in general and misogyny in particular have to do with technical diving? It is not only adolescent in appeal, and therefore an embarrassment to you as an allegedly professional journal, but detrimental to building a climate of respect for women as equals in this predominantly male field. Presumably, you would prefer to see the image of technical divers as that of a clear-headed, competent, scientifically prepared professional. However, with that “spread” you threw diving back into the dark ages of double hose regs, j-valves, and wild men wielding spear ­ guns and 12 ” knives. 

I am definitely not against sex or the depiction of sexual imagery. But there is a time and a place for it. In the pages of technical journals describing the newest scientific advances of our time, one finds good ol ’ fashioned tits and ass. The positive image of women and the progressive image of our industry is damaged each time material like that appears. 

Not only is explicitly sexual material inappropriate in a professional journal, but the fact that the sex is violent is downright offensive. Worse, as a woman, it is scary. It is obvious that to clamp one’s nipples is torture. The depiction of the woman’s breast was erotic. To combine the two is to encourage men to think that hurting women is erotic, that women are masochistic, and that this behavior is acceptable. The feeling that came to mind upon seeing that image is not pleasure, but one of horror because as a bearer of a breast I can feel all too keenly the imminent pain of that clamp. I see her powerlessness and degradation. 

Only a man desensitized to the feeling of a woman and consumed by his own pleasure could enjoy looking at that. If that breast belonged to a male viewer’s mother, sister, or lover, I doubt he would find the image harmless fun. What type of man were you trying to reach? 

Publishing images like that one trivialize coercive sex, objectification of women as objects for male sexual use, and women’s struggle to be taken seriously in the workforce. Even if you don’t care about contributing to a hostile climate for women working in our industry, or the societal damage that glorifying and encouraging sexual violence against women causes, maybe you care about your income. You risk alienating a growing client/customer base for not only your magazine but for the entire dive industry by continuing with that type of Playboy illustration.

I was considering carrying aquaCorps in my shop, but in the absence of a satisfactory response from you, including a commitment to refuse publication of similar material in the future, I will neither sell nor promote aquaCorps. 

Kristin Schoonover, 
Manager, Divers West 
Vancouver BC

tek talk 

I was staggered by the number of people who attended tek94, and I’m sure tek95 will be even bigger and there will be a demand for an even more polished, professional product. I felt that in general, the sessions I attended at tek94 were poorly chaired and that there were too many panelists. Many of the sessions developed into a rambling talking shop, where panelists deviated from the topic and recounted tales of past experience. Chairpersons should be carefully selected and well briefed, not necessarily on their ability as a diver, but on their experience/ability to chair a meeting.

I also felt last year that there were too many sessions. I, like many others, was completely overwhelmed by the number of sessions to attend. I often found myself having to choose between two or three sessions that I wanted to attend. Despite my grumbles, I must emphasize that I really enjoyed tek94. It’s just that I think that tek95 could be the premier diving event with a few alterations. 

Graeme Lawrie, Diving NIG 
Health & Safety Executive 
London, UK 

Thank you for your excellent input. We ’ve already implemented some of the changes you proposed. Check it out @ 95tek. 

not approved 

[In response to an advertisement placed by the Heritage Maritime Consulting] I’d appreciate it if you could see to it that no ads are published promoting any “DCIEM Technical Diving Tables.” [Air with 02 tables]. This terminology is not approved by DCIEM. 

The name “DCIEM Technical Diving Tables” is not approved as it is unclear what the term “technical diver” means. At best, the definition for this category of diver is evolving. The tables may not be suitable for the type of diving that will eventually be defined under this category.

Furthermore, we are extremely uncomfortable with extending the depth on the plastic tables to 240 feet [74 m]. The modified version of the O2 tables which appears in the DCIEM Diving Manual is a modification of an O2 table intended for commercial hard hat divers working from a platform stage. The 240 f depth is not suitable for free-swimming wreck or cave divers breathing compressed air. 

In the next month or two, [letter written in SEP] we expect that DCIEM will authorize the publication of a laminated edition of the modified DCIEM tables. At that time we will produce a supply of these tables for agencies and dealers in North America. Until the DCIEM authorized edition is published, we would ask you to refrain from advertising or marketing the modified 02 tables. 

Gain Wong, President
Universal DiveTechtronics 
Toronto, Canada 

male from the man 

We have received several calls and letters regarding our new zine, HARD ­ CORE, that was launched in aquaCorps Journal, N8, HARD. The zine presented a futuristic ADS diving fantasy between a man and a woman that contained some nudity (both male and female) including an illustration depicting a NEWTSUIT manipulator reaching for a woman’s breast. Readers reactions varied. 

As an open forum for issues and ideas, aquaCorps disdains sexism in any form. We believe in the empowerment of the individual and in individual choice. Our purpose in creating the HARDCORE zine was to have a little fun with our subject matter — ADS technology — in order to get people to look at it in a new way. 

The image of the manipulator reaching out to pinch (not crush) the upturned nipple was inspired by a colorful comment from NEWTSUIT developer Nuytten in the “Think HARD” interview regarding the suit’s seemingly prodigious abilities. We surmised that this was one of the activities future hard suit divers would inevitably contemplate and illustrated the engineering challenge in replicating a human hand. We added a twist by including the opening of a quote from Herbert Simon, “A man viewed as a behaving system is quite simple..” (Some readers would no doubt agree). The quote then continued on subsequent pages to raise the fundamental question of the piece, “the complexity of his[sic] behavior is a complexity of the environment in which he[sic] operates. ” 

How complex is the human environment that evokes strange behaviors ranging from taking care of the important business of sex to creating exotic pieces of technology such as hard suits? In fact, why do we go under water at all? Because it’s fun, lucrative, and compelling. Like art. That’s what the Zine was all about. 

Thank you for feedback. M2 

aquaCORPS #10 IMAGING

thumbs down

[Reprinted from “In Depth,” a dive consumer newsletter] 

This month our Thumbs Down award goes to aquaCorps, a slick, small-circulation magazine for technical divers, including those who use nitrox. In the latest issue, Publisher/Editor Michael Menduno went off the deep end with gratuitous graphics that caused our staffers — both male and female — to squirm. Now, I don’t care what kind of voluntary sex you techies are into, but pictures of robot clamps going for a bare breast became a no-no with the first Woodstock. At the bare minimum, a financial contribution to your local women’s shelter is in order. 

Ben Davison/In Depth 

75703,3351 ©CompuServe 

degrading 

My only concern has always been that images such as this, which are degrading, don’t have a place in a consumer dive publication. 

Sue Kovach: SCUBA 

forum: COMPUSERVE. 

tasteless exercise 

Popularity and attention you got. My subscription you don’t. And I won’t be looking for newsstand sales either. I really think this was a tasteless exercise in how to lose friends and scare people away. 

Ben Parker 71450.2735 

©COMPUSERVE.COM 

desktop mgmt 

I am, NO WAY, going to leave the “Nipple Pincher Special” lying on my desk. Hell, if someone wants to show how sensitive a grip is, use an Egg — much easier to damage than a, er, nipple. 

Rick: [email protected] 

small print 

The print text says it all about what the true intent was: [A] ” Man viewed as a behaving system is quite simple.” 

Steve Kelsay 73602.240@ 

COMPUSERVE. COM 

not offended 

The scathing reviews of your recent artwork seem reactionary to me. Political correctness aside, I am not ashamed of my own sexuality and was not offended by “the pincher and the breast.” Nor would I have been offended by a graphic of “the pincher and the penis.” 

Chuck Noe (about to take some heat from the forum) 

Scuba Forum: COMPUSERVE. 

antithetical message 

I picked up the N8 issue in January in FL, and on a long drive back to Ohio, read it. There’s no chance I will drop another $12.95 on this kinda crap. I thought about how hard I had worked to make my small entry into the technical diving community, and I thought about how the message of this publication was antithetical to my efforts. 

While someone out there might be able to stretch some artistic value or meaning out of the centerfold, some of your small “funny” graphics, e.g. p. 84, continue the sexist theme. I know it is small stuff, but the more women enter the “ men’s club ” of technical diving, the more women are going to take notice and offense at this. From my point of view, a quality tech diving publication should support all technical divers, not just those with a penis. 

Mary B Ricker: SCUBA

Forum CompuServe 

depicting women 

I feel compelled to tell you that I was offended by your pictures related to the article entitled Big Blue by R. W. Hamilton [N8, HARD]. What does a woman ’ s breast (pages 44/45) and a woman straddling a man have to do with rebreathers? Maybe you feel you need to depict women in this way to sell your magazine. As a woman and a professional in the industry, I would hope that future issues depict women in a more positive manner. 

Rene Flowers 

NOKIA 

wanks or what? 

Regarding a letter sent to you by Kristin Schoonover [N9, WRECKERS, CORPSpace] — I agree with everything she had to say and I am bothered by the way you seemed not to address the issues she raised. You responded to many letters in the magazine — why not hers? However, by the “diving discipline” spread in this issue, as well as the cartoon of the mermaid being chased by a snorkeler, I fear what she had to say really didn’t get thru to you. Why would you include such things in a magazine such as yours? Are you a Journal for underwater explorers or is your magazine striving to be one-handed reading? 

Karl Stanley, 

St Petersburg, FL USA. 

sex, dives and video tape 

to ME, the “zine” was an amusing addition and certainly not offensive. . . if anything the light-heartedness of its very presence said something about your attitude to diving and the journal that T liked, there IS a cutting edge quality to aquaCORPS that i, for one, would not like to see go away just to appease the most conservative (in several ways) of your readers, i dive AND I read AND I have sex. . .combining these things is not inappropriate to MY way of thinking. YES, I ’ d like a more consistent delivery schedule (I bet you’ve never heard that before eh?) but otherwise i admire the work you do…keep it up. 

w2 

hiding the issues 

Although AC has a lot of good info, it is trending toward “ Heavy Metal,” which I have no desire to subscribe to. I have spent some time and effort trying (with limited success) to convince my wife and family that technical diving has a lot of science and knowledge behind it. 

So what do you think happens when someone picks up AC at my house and sees graphics of robots pinching nipples? The argument of “I only get it for the articles” wore thin on Playboy so my alternative is to hide my issues in order to maintain credibility. 

Chris Elmore: chris@otis. 

HSSC.SCAROLINA.EDU 

elvis NOT 

One of the messages defending [editor] Michael Menduno as non-sexist described the original Idea as coming from comments made during a discussion of the sensitivity of the suit. Now I can just imagine this discussion. I ‘m sure there were many other highly evolved ideas coming from this informal brain-storming, NOT. 

Mary Morris:75473. 

3006@ COMPUSERVE.COM 

PS: Finally got my chance to see it. For anyone who thought this was art, even art in the ‘WIRED’ vein, well it’s pretty much a velvet Elvis. 

more practice and theory 

I finally got all my missing aquaCORPS issues last night. Minus the “centerfolds,” they did have some good articles. The centerfolds weren ’ t quite as bad as everyone made them out to be on the internet, but I don’t think they belong in a first-rate dive magazine. I wish you would return to your Old format like in the early issues of aquaCORPS. These issues had both more practical and theoretical information in them. 

Christina Young 

CHRISTINA_YOUNG@ 

WARREN. MENTORG.COM 

diving discipline 

As an older (42) diver of 20+ years in the commercial area, I ’ d just like to give some support to the style of aquaCORPS. The article content is as good as Techdiver was and I like the graphics. To me it’s the best of both disciplines. Don’t completely abandon it because of the current criticism on techdiver@opal. com. My $0.02 worth. 

MERCER@ 

FRC. MAFFISH.GOVT.NZ 

dear penthouse… 

Alternative perspective of the AC “exploitation of women” sequence: a bionically-equipped amputee finds love with a quadruple breasted woman. Rather touching love story, really, albeit one that has little reason to be in a diving magazine. Penthouse Letters maybe… 

Terence Fails 

76050.3124

©COMPUSERVE. COM. 

mutants to port 

OPPRESSED?? I am just sick of everybody denying this crippl — no that’s handic — no how bout physically challenged man the right to stimulate this mutan — no multi-mamaried woman’s nipple 

< seg >. M: Scuba Forum: 

COMPUSERVE. 

bosom of life 

Pincer reaching for a female secondary sexual characteristic?? Hmmmm… let’s see, how could this relate to technical diving?? The sea is the bosom of all life and technical divers and their “ tools ” are reaching out to suckle at the breast of Mother Earth??? Yeah! That’s it! Why, there’s nothing SEXUAL_at_all_! It’s just that “guys who can’t leave their Mommies syndrome” extended into the realm of underwater exploration. Now, for women explorers this could represent, say, the divine spark of technical exploration, (the pincers) being transferred to the nekkidly-ready breast of womanhood! OK! WELL, we got THAT settled! 

Next question??? 

JoeL: Scuba Forum: 

COMPUSERVE. 

weird science

I got the Hard and Wreckers issues. Something had changed, and my guess is that it was really two things; someone bought some high power macs, and someone else connected them to the net. The layouts were even more impressive, and the editorial style started to take on a manic glee reminiscent of William Gibson. While I appreciate both of these forms, they don’t appeal to the side of me that dives. That side tends to gravitate more to the stable, predictable and boring (OK, there, I said it) aspects of technology. Yes, there’s a certain thrill factor in diving, but it ‘s not the *point* of diving, it’s a side effect. The point is to go there, do something, and come back to tell the story. I think technical diving adds the further aspect of describing in detail *how* you got there and came back. Less form, more content. My $.02. Less razzle-dazzle, more science. Less machismo, more exploration. 

Scott Cherf: 

[email protected] 

incredibly sexist 

I’ve ALWAYS found aquaCORPS an incredibly sexist publication. The target audience has ALWAYS been testosterone-overloaded machismo Rambo Navy Seal wannabes. The technical articles can be good, however. I still have the rebreather issue (N7), very informative. However, one look at the VIKING ad on page one, and you see the target audience CLEAR AS DAY. For another prime example of this kind of thinking, just turn to page 20 of issue N7, the C2 issue. In discussing the redundant capabilities of the Cis-Lunar MK-4 rebreather, the text explains how you fully have 8 hours of back-up gas, which gives you “enough time to contemplate one of these,” as an arrow leads you to a picture of an attractive girl laying on the beach, playing with her hair. Cute little “plaything”, no? The tek industry has to wake up and smell the coffee on the issue of sexism and other immature thinking. Food for thought. 

Phil Radelat: 

70314.1503

@COMPUSERVE.COM 

inspired 

The aquaCORPS C2 issue was outstandingly awesome! Impressive graphics and composition! Your publication continuously outdoes itself with each new issue. I love scuba diving and all its technical aspects. It broke my heart to have to briefly stop my double-tank diving to give birth to my daughter, but I quickly resumed my diving 4 months after the event by taking Ed Betts’ Trimix course in NY. Your publication was my inspiration to continue my pursuit of new challenges in diving. Thank you so much for a most remarkable and intelligent publication. 

Dawn E. Salvan: 

SALVAND@

WASHPOST.COM. 

animal house 

I have been a subscriber for nearly 3 years and look forward to every issue. However, I question your use of illustrations in yet another issue. Your magazine touts itself as the first word in technical diving and emerging dive technologies. But how can I trust what you print when you show an apparent disrespect for divers both male and female? Diving — even technical diving — is not about macho images. It ‘s about using your brain, perfecting underwater skills, and good judgment. There is a place and time for all things. Your questionable illustrations indicate your editorial staff lacks judgment about the appropriate place and time for these kinds of graphics. 

Where else in your articles are you making poor choices or relaying bad information? How can I trust you were thinking with your big head rather than your little one when writing about decompression, C02 buildup, or any other crucial subject? Get a clue guys! Technical divers need people with judgment giving us information not testosterone driven animals. 

Rick Allen, Fayetteville, 

NC, USA 

@ the limit 

“Perusing the envelope” is part of what makes A/C such a unique publication. I encourage you to continue exploring what the outer bounds are in your medium, I endeavor to do the same in mine. I think in this case, you just might have found one of the limits. 

Chris Parrett, Abysmal 

Software: 72233. 457@ 

COMPUSERVE.COM 

1 of a kind 

Congratulations on a most excellent publication. Your journal is the most comprehensive and informative of its type, actually it is not a type, it is one of a kind. The form, function & enthusiasm by which it is created can only come from the soul of a diehard challenge ­loving diver. 

Sami N. Dajani, EIT 

tek 

business, ideas and people 

Thank you for putting on tek. I had a great time. I met a lot of friends from the net. And I made a lot of contacts who asked me for resumes. I’m trying to get out of aerospace and into diving: sensors, imaging, design. I think I have something with a company I met locally doing machine vision. First product: identifying species of fish passing around hydro dams through fish ladders. This little shop might be able to work with some of the guys I met @ tek to design some software for their sensors. Lots of healthy business at tek. 

Lots of ideas too. I came back with a dozen things I want to build in my garage or at this startup company. Blue/green lasers underwater could scan and produce really high- res images, or pulse, and build up high-res 3D images in real time…underwater night vision, archeological mapping…loads of fun. 

I met some people I’ve always wanted to, guys like Gary Gentile and Billy Deans, people who have really entertained this armchair tekdiver. I also met a lot of not-so-well known people who were just as outstanding. Jim Corey from the secret service is a great guy doing some cool stuff. You should interview him for aquaCORPS. Thanks again. See you next year. 

Roger “Gravy Boy “Carlson: 

HTTP://DARKSIDE.SP 

quality assurance 

slow and unnerving 

Almost four years ago I met a Swiss cave diver at a cave and he introduced me to aquaCORPS. The frequency of the issues is extremely slow, and unnerving, but when I finally get it, I forget the anger! Thanks to your publication and the information (both direct and indirect) that it carries, our diving has evolved and it’s now much safer and more enjoyable. [It’s] The Bible for the technical diver. 

S. Roncali, Italy 

inadequate 

I subscribed to aquaCORPS last April by phone, and had the then current and a previous issue mailed to me as a special favor. In sum, I have never received a regular issue as a subscriber, nor have I received any request to renew my subscription. You would probably do a lot better if you had an adequate subscription office. 

Larry Martin 70530.262@ 

COMPUSERVE. COM 

pissed 

In addition to content changes, you should review your treatment of subscribers! I for one am quite pissed off that the local tech diving shop has had the latest issue for a month, and there’s been no sign of mine! I’m sure that for the next little while, you’ll be afraid to check your email-apologies. You should treat your subscribers better — they’re the ones who have real faith in the quality and content of the next issue! 

Pat Shaw: 

[email protected] Canada 

sales gall 

I really enjoyed reading the early editions of aquaCORPS. The last two issues with their skin ­ mag-like spreads have undermined its credibility. So do the perpetual subscription problems. I’ve never received an issue in a timely manner, and on three occasions have had to call aquaCORPS directly and practically beg for my issue to be mailed out. The worst case was when I called and spoke to a salesperson at aquaCORPS about my tardy “Hard” issue; he had the gall to tell me that he’d mail it out directly, IF I purchased a ticket to tek95 while on the phone! (I went to Tek anyway.) Not the kind of service that I expect for such an expensive, and presumably reputable, publication. Drop the gloss, drop the models, and start to concentrate on substance again. 

Andy Cohen: Andrew_Cohen 

@CCGATE.SSRNMFS.GOV 

aquaCORPS #11 XPLORERS

jerking us around 

I have been a subscriber and supporter of your magazine almost from the beginning, but you are driving me into the arms of Sub-aqua Journal because so much of your copy is nearly illegible. 

I am afraid you will cutesy-wootesy your magazine out of existence. 

I don’t care how wild your pictures get, but please knock off the jarring background to the copy. It is as if someone is jerking us around. 

Dave Glickman 

Bangkok, Thailand 

can’t get enough

I am a subscriber of aquaCORPS from Montreal, Quebec, far north of where you live! My diving experience is quite humble compared to your diving community (4 years), but my passion is just as strong. 

I have a question for you: 

Do you have some good reading material to suggest on deep air diving, something that will permit me to further my diving knowledge. What I am looking for is something that will show me how to plan a dive carefully, and also give me some general info on the subject of deep diving. I am presently averaging 100 to 140 feet and looking to do 160-170 feet this summer. But before I want to further my knowledge on the matter. I have a feeling that I will be surpassing the capability of my Omni Pro computer very soon! 

Can’t get enough of reading aquaCORPS, I enjoy the philosophy of the people who contribute to this magazine. Keep on with the good work. 

Merci beaucoup de votre temps! 

Godefroy Bourbonnais

75477, [email protected] 

wet and wired 

I have been following your publication since the time of my cave training several years ago. I have been using the Internet for several years also. I would like to see some aquaCORPS content, interactive discussion between peers, and presence of agencies available electronically.

Are you ready to write HTML content? I can maintain part of a Net presence dedicated to technical diving. I am currently aware of the Opal/TerraNet offerings of techdiver lists and homepages. I have wanted to promote this development for several years. The development of tech diving services on the Internet can be used to spread shared resources. 

Rick Neiswonger 

[email protected] 

more lusey 

After hearing Gary Gentile ‘s presentation about the Lusitania expedition at tek, I remember walking back to the hotel thinking about what I had just seen. The more I think about that dive, the more questions I find. 

Then, I got to thinking about the motivation for the dive itself. These people are not doing this sort of dive simply for recreation. Some are doing it as a commercial enterprise because they stand to gain financially from it, through books, photos, and lectures. Never mind that they might claim that they lost money on the whole deal. If their expenses exceed their income, that ‘s not my problem. The fact that they are selling their work makes them a commercial industry with regards to safety. 

I have a problem with this sort of diving being presented at a “technical diving” conference because, at last year’s conference, technical diving was defined as recreational diving. I think that most of those in attendance that evening do not have the amount of experience that those Lusitania divers have. Yet, this sort of diving is being encouraged by such a presentation, and will probably have disastrous results. People die diving the Andrea Doria all the time. 

aquaCORPS should come out editorially against this sort of thing. I think what is needed is to up the ante with regards to safety. Perhaps an example needs to be set. A group of divers could be formed for the purpose of doing challenging dives like that on the Lusitania, but with an added goal of doing the dives safely. The dives would have to be a challenge so that people would want to go and hear about them. For the most impact, such a team could give a presentation each year at a tek forum. Not only would the results of the dive be presented, but also all the safety issues that were found and the steps taken to satisfy them. The actual costs of doing the dive should be presented, too. This will drive home the message that these dives are not to be attempted on a shoestring budget. In this way, those in attendance would become educated in the tools of safety and how they can be used. After several such presentations, the audience would vigorously question any dive team that performed like those on the Lusitania. There would be no more comments like the one about such dives “pushing the envelope.” 

Christopher Lavoie 

Catonsville , MD 

We addressed both sides in the Lusitania expedition debate in the Forum section of N10. aquaCORPS has always been dedicated to improving diver safety and will continue to harp on it. 

shamelessly bent 

Reading Polly Tapson’s interview in N9 . I was simultaneously surprised and distressed that an active technical diver should be upset or embarrassed from suffering a dysbaric injury. By definition, technical divers routinely dive beyond the norm of well-tested tables…usually on “best guess” decompression algorithms. Granted there are a couple of deco gurus whose best guesses are pretty good, but an increased element of risk is inherent in all of these decompression protocols. Therefore, failing to acknowledge that possibility and the probabilistic subsequent consequences of decompression sickness follows the lead of the ostrich. 

Recognizing and acknowledging decompression illness prior to the 1990s among the more sporting of divers was uncommon at best. Self treatment usually included over- the-shelf remedies such as Midol, Pamprin, copious quantities of liquor, and/or recreational drugs…sometimes some leftover prescription painkillers from the last accident. By the time a typical “experienced” diver sought help at a diver treatment facility, he had endured progressive stages of the disease. This caused longer lasting treatments that were less effective initially; that often meant the diver went undertreated. 

Mike Menduno was quoted at tek this year that technical divers must acknowledge the added risk of diving outside the envelope and plan accordingly. Nothing could be more true. Technical diving beyond recreational nitrox (really USN EAD “no-symptom” tables) assumes an increased risk of bubble trouble. It is nothing to be embarrassed about. Snow skiers seldom shy from their leg casts. Tennis players don’t usually hide their elbow wraps. So why should a technical diver hide the fact they’ve been bent? You shouldn’t! It’s unnecessary to announce it to the world. But, realize that so long as your problem is recognized and treated, you don’t have anything to be embarrassed about. It’s not only okay for a technical diver to get bent, it’s expected! 

Many of us who came out of the commercial diving field were bent from time to time, but recognize that it was simply an occupational risk of that era. Today, commercial diving incidents of DCS are way down from a decade ago. Through experience and repetition the larger dive companies found which tables worked and which ones didn’t. Their system works for them, but is not readily adaptable to technical diving. The same is true of the US and Royal Navy decompression tables (new and old). 

If we all leave our collective heads in the sand, then we deserve what we get. Unrecognized, undetected, and untreated decompression illness can lead to permanent long term sequelae. These latent sequelae are not typically obvious. Your right arm won’t fall off, but you may develop a slight limp. You probably won’t forget how to add 2+2, but problem solving might become a little more difficult. You probably won’t notice a thing. You’ll just not be quite the man or woman you were not so long ago. 

Ron Ryan 

Key Largo , FL 

bubble head 

I got one issue of aquaCORPS. The topics are very interesting for me. I have 160 dives in my life (20 years). I think the open breathing diving systems are very unthrifty, because 95% of the air filling. A 100% closed diving system (with three oxygen sensors in the contralung) is the most economical. I dive only for my fun. With a closed diving system (I dived with an oxygen rebreather), it is more comfortable; you do not have buoyancy if you breathe in. 

I am the owner of the French LAMA bubble glass helmet. I’ve dived several years with this helmet. One day, I put my Walkman into the Viking drysuit and the helmet, and listened to meditation music underwater. I remained at 20-feet deep for more than one hour. All muscles were relaxed, unmovable. I found that feeling good. The problem with the open system is that it goes up and down when I breathe. And the noise, and the weight of the big bottles. I will do research work in meditation underwater with weightlessness, darkness. During that I will control the EEG EKG (heart rate, and so on). And I will put a virtual reality glass into my helmet. I will mix the newest space technology with old methods of meditation, and computer techniques like virtual reality. Is it possible to cure emotional sickness, alcoholism, and addiction to the drug habit? Can you give me the answer? I think, today nobody knows the answer, I will find it out. Underwater I had many experiences. Most may be registered in the subconscious. But that subconscious is important for our lives. Please help me to find people and medicines in the USA to make me realize my plans. The USA is a big country, and I think I have more chances to find the right people. 

Horst Metzig 

Wehr, German 

tired of the slam dunk 

Just thought I’d rehash an excerpt from N7 concerning the technical revolution. Guess I kinda took offense to Bob Ibzepski’s [Universal Diver editor] off-base desk ­ point view of things. 

First of all, anyone who becomes desensitized from reading about diving accidents needs to affix the six P’s in their mind: Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance. While I realize that I could die whether I’m doing commercial or technical diving (I do both), I also know that eternal vigilance is the price of integrity. There are also some very top-notch divers working to improve technical diving who are serious professionals and not weekend cowboys, and to say that our system of diving is “rotten to the root” and that “safety will scarcely improve” is a very offensive and close- minded statement. 

I also do not understand how he wants to “right a wrong” concerning technical diving. Technical diving is evolving; it has seen great accomplishments, which set higher standards. I am not saying that I disagree with commercial diving’s safety record, but for technical diving, practicality and monetary feasibility are what I see in neon lights. 

Finally, he told us we are “working too hard.” I guess if we followed his advice, all us mountain climbers would stay at home while the rest of you went to the top of the hill in a helicopter. 

Keep up the good work, guys and gals!! 

Please print this. I am tired of Robert Ibzepski slam dunking us. 

Jon Doud 

Lockport , NY 

yen for JAPAN 

I feel that an area that aquaCORPS can make its presence felt as the definitive word on tech diving in Japan is with continuing diver education. One of the big obstacles here is that there first has to be a “need to know” established in the general diving community. Despite all the sexy Scuba Pro advertisements in Japanese dive mags, this country is still about 10 years behind America in the dive business. It will take a while for tech diving to catch on here, but I believe that eventually it will. While there are obstacles to being adventurous and pioneering in this country, that’s also what makes it exciting to live in Asia. 

Let me share a few details about the market over here. Dentsu advertising, the largest ad agency in the world, estimates that there are about 800,000 certified divers in Japan. I, and other dive associates here, feel that estimate to be inflated. That number includes everyone who ever bought a snorkel with a ping pong ball in it. Realistically, some recent figures estimate that there are between 300,000 and 500,000 divers, with about 100,000 to 200,000 active divers who take a dive trip twice a year and spend $4-5,000 per year. Interesting to note that there is a very high drop-out rate after the first year of certification. Over 85% from figures I’ve seen. Yes, it’s a lucrative market, but with a high drop-off rate, expensive equipment ($1,300 for a Scuba Pro classic black BC), and little follow-up training. 

It’s hard to get a consensus on the state of the art here from other Japanese diver operators; everyone is pretty mute on the point. Things appear to be somewhat dull and saturated at the moment: A glut of operators, high costs associated with training, equipment, and travel, plus an economy with decompression sickness. I’m not saying that the trendy fascination with diving is over, because it’s not, but rather that there’s a lot of gauges and BC’s Col- lecting dust behind their paper doors because the group mind is looking for a new and improved yuppie toy. 

I believe that there ‘s an enormous dormant market ready to be re-ignited, especially since overseas travel to exotic islands is the new romantic trend. The company that sells the new Japanese rebreather (Fieno) also believes in the sleeping giant theory; notice the ads for the rebreather that they’ve designed. It features a sexy little 5’ girl in a bikini wearing the unit. Not exactly the same high tech image that other new rebreathers are promoting. Basically, it tells you who dives in this country, and who decides what trends and products float or drown — the women! Japan may still be a chauvinists paradise, but the girls will always control the wallets. 

Personally, aside from appealing to the female market, which could be a hard sell, I feel that in order for tech diving to move forward here, first, government regulations of the gas law must change. Currently DAN set up a branch here, but is unable to conduct any oxygen first aid courses because of the compressed gas laws. They’re now in a holding pattern, selling only their dive insurance, from what I understand. Second, a Japanese-based tech diving instructor’s network must be established, with Japanese instructors and all training materials in Japanese and in the metric system. 

There is an organization called the Japan Mixed Gas Association. I’m not sure what they’re all about, but recently there have been articles referring to the popularity of nitrox diving in America. Eventually, a Japanese organization like this will take control of the tech market’s direction here in Japan. In the beginning, though, they will have to access American know-how and resources to safely build their base. 

This is where I am building my niche, and where aquaCORPS can be the leader by being involved in that training process. But there are some significant challenges to overcome, namely language. Due to the technical nature of many articles, it’s quite a difficult read for Japanese readers. For example, Asian Diver isn’t even sold in Japan because of the English content. 

Shane Novak 

International Marine 

Explorers Society 

Kanagawa -Ken, Japan 

foley’s folly 

In N9, Theresa Foley wrote an article entitled “Who Owns the Lusey?” Either her reporting skills were way off base, or else her personal prejudices interfered with her editorial responsibilities. 

As the Federal District Court in Virginia stated in its April 1 995 decision in my favor, “It is ordered and adjudged that Bemis has established an accurate and complete chain of title to the RMS Lusitania etc.” 

This title was readily available and discernable in 1994 and 1995 to Theresa Foley, Polly Tapson, Gary Gentile, Muriel Light, and all others who through negligence or willful disregard for the rights of others were party to Foley’s misstatements and incorrect allegations in her article. Before slandering honest and law abiding citizens, aquaCORPS should make greater efforts to uphold a higher media tradition than exemplified by Foley’s folly. 

F Gregg Bemis Jr.

Santa Fe, NM 

Gregg Bemis reminds us of why trial witnesses are required to tell not only the truth, but the whole truth. See “Pursuant to the law of finds…”on page 85 for an update on the legal machinations regarding the Lusey. 

mush mouth and aqua ears 

We had a problem (in the interview with me) [Bringing the Image Home, N10] with a mixture of my mush mouth, your diver ears, and the phone line. The important corrections include: 

Geographic’s editor at the time (and now President) was Gilbert Grosvenor, not Thomas Gilbroker. The Titanic bow and propeller photos were made in 1991, not 1985. My F 2.8 lens was misstated as an F28. It was a tow camera not a tote. The Loch Ness monster hunt was 53 days, not three. The dive site at 9,000 feet was much larger than a basketball court. The film Dive to the Edge of Creation was misnamed Docking the Creation. The Prodolvin was credited with a job done with the Breadalbane. And then there were those names; EG& G not EGG, Tom Kennedy not Kenny, Krall not Kroll, Low not Loew, Rolleiflex not Rolloflex, Squale, not Squalling. But, loved the story…you captured the feel and fun of what I do. 

Emory Kristof 

National Geographic Society 

aquaCORPS #12 SURVIVORS

how much is a hammerhead worth?? 

We are professional divers who would like your respected advice on a problem we have in our area. You may or may not have heard of Pescador Island, Philippines. This dive site has many things to offer us as PADI divers, such as a wall dive to 130 feet, with tremendous coral growth from 100 ft. up! However, during winter months — our peak season — we are visited by schooling hammerhead sharks at depths ranging from 130 f to 200 f. Who do we contact with experience in interactions with such creatures? We have fears of the use of air as a decompression gas and have no support of an education programme in high tech diving. How can we obtain certain gasses within the law and learn how to mix them? Until such a time comes that we can offer a solution to our problem, divers will still be making decompression dives with no proper guidelines or training other than the use of a computer and a hang tank. We, as Visata Divers, look on tech diving with respect, but we know it’s being carried out the wrong way here. Any advice you can give us would be greatly appreciated. Michael Menduno’s article in Asian Diver was one that I had been waiting for for years. The sooner we can take progressive steps, the better. 

Garyth Moxey, 

Visata Divers 

Cebu, Philippines 

setting the nitrox record straight 

I just received N10 and would like to comment on “PADI Hits the Gas,” because I feel your readership might be misled into thinking that nothing was happening in the UK with nitrox/technical diving prior to the BSAC’s recent acceptance of the gas. 

The Sub Aqua Association (SAA), of which I am Vice President, is the UK’s second largest Air training agency, with 10,000 members. We were the first air agency in the UK to recognise and accept the use of nitrox for our membership some three and a half years ago through the auspices of IANTD. 

As an agency, we recognised that there was a lot of experience within IANTD and later TDI, so we did not presume to reinvent the wheel by producing our own nitrox training programmes. Instead, we processed our members through the two agencies and granted them SAA recognition once they produced proof of having qualified. Our insurance scheme is such that it covers our membership not only for nitrox, but also for trimix and rebreathers, should we so decide to add them to our programmes. Our only requirement to our members being that they must register their nitrox qualifications with our National Diving Officer’s database to ensure that they fall within our insurance cover. While we warmly welcome the arrival of both the BSAC and now PADI on the nitrox scene, it’s important to note that there are an awful lot of UK divers diving the gas to whom all this razzmatazz from the newcomers is rather amusing, not to mention bemusing! I hope this sets the record straight. Keep up the good work. 

Vic Bonfant, Vice President 

Sub Aqua Association 

re-insured 

In N10, Billy Deans is quoted as saying, “IANTD is the only agency to have insurance for rebreather training.” Well, that’s simply not the case. TDI has had insurance for such training since 1994. 

Bret Gilliam, TDI 

Bath, ME 

Correction noted. 

massage therapy 

I just received my first issue of aquaCORPS. I like it so much and recommended it for my diving friends. 

[email protected]. BR 

push it reel good 

Just received my N10. Great Job!!! You are truly outstanding and the publication second to none. I know that Corps Space was at the height of controversy, but if I may interject, if the people that responded spent more time in the water and less time cyber ­ diving, they may have a clue. 

Keep pushing the envelope in whatever fashion you see fit, and to hell with the rest. You can always tell a pioneer because he has several arrows sticking out of his back. 

Chris Prutzman 

Diveology 

[email protected] 

out of greed? 

While I applaud your magazine from angles of safety, innovation, layout and general interest, I question the potentially damaging effects your January 1995 issue (N9AX/reckers) could have on preserving the wreck sites that the issue was devoted to. As a student in Maritime Archaeology, it pains me to see statements such as, ‘Take only photos, leave no bubbles? Yeah right.” It seems that world-wide, conservationists are garnering praise for actions taken to preserve sea life (whales, turtles, seals…see p 48) and yet when the archaeological community attempts to conserve the ever-threatened pool of submerged cultural resources so that man can better understand not only history, but the sea and her travelers, there is a barrage of criticism coupled with a knowing shake of the head. To repeat an argument heard time and time again, if everyone took only one artifact from a single shipwreck, what would be left? 

I realize that all too often the archaeological community has been as unwilling to cooperate as salvors, but there actually can be a middle ground. In several countries, salvors are required by law to report the artifacts that are retrieved to the government, which can then exercise first option to buy. Again, many salvors are under the serious delusion that this means they do all the work for little or no financial gain, but governments and, indeed, archaeologists, know their limitations. It is terrifically expensive to conserve items properly, and with that in mind, many governments take very few of the artifacts recovered, leaving the rest for the salvor’s personal collection or for sale. Archaeologists’ main objective is information. Would it truly be bad to require an archaeologist to do a brief site survey before salvage took place? We would gain our information, government would gain a few museum pieces, and salvors could have the bulk of the wreck. Rather than breaking the law and spending years in various court ­ rooms, a little cooperation could benefit everyone. 

At the very least, some sort of non- derogatory treatment in the ‘zine would be great. As you quoted in your first issue, “Would you venture into the unknown out of greed?” The sad thing is, many do, costing not only divers’ enjoyment, but a cultural record that belongs to everyone. 

Kimberly S. Watson 

Bermuda Maritime Museum 

Mangrove Bay, Bermuda 

We were reporting on a culture. The saying, “Take only pictures. Leave only bubbles.” was invented by cave divers. Thank you for making your points. 

a demanding task 

Your mag contains some of the most interesting reading material I receive in the mail. NIO is outstanding. The Kristof interview was a blast to read, as was the interview with “Obi Wan” Mount. I also was intrigued with the Lusey debate, kudos for publishing all sides and for editing that three-way so it was clear and understandable (not easy). Finally, I loved the way you just damned the torpedoes and printed 16 negative letters on the last issue, sort of a “I did it and you can say what you want” attitude (even running the “offensive” image again! Hah!). 

Barry Brisco (B2?) 

Dive Log Asia 

[email protected]. SG 

disney discipline 

On Friday, I was walking through the warehouse at PADI wearing my tek95 Diving Discipline T-shirt. Edgar, in receiving, who was given the same T-shirt by Scott Jones in Marketing, told me the following story: 

He went to Disneyland with his wife, who was wearing his Diving Discipline T- shirt. The Disney Gestapo stopped her at the gate and asked her in polite Disneyese to either turn the shirt inside out or change out of it. It was found, by Disney, to be in violation of park dress code policy. 

Congratulations!! 

Ken Berry [email protected] 

Though some T-users report that they offer protection from u/w wildlife, these discipline shirts definitely cause trouble. (; — 0). fortunately there’s only a few left, if u deserve 2 call: 1. 800.365.2655 non-us:305. 294.3540. <> 

LUSEY IN THE SKY 

We’ve received an avalanche of mail on the Forum in N10/lmaging, “The 94 Lusitania Expedition — Seductive or Suicidal?” Here is a sampling of reactions from readers, as well as from some of the participants. 

the important artifact 

Was diving the Lusey a safe operation? 

Yes, this expedition was well-planned and thought out. Lad Handelman is right that any dive trip could be made safer, but we have to weigh out cost versus our capabilities. I have been on many Doria trips with Gary Gentile, I have seen him call a dive because his arm was sore from typing. I have listened to Gary giving advice to first ­ time Doria divers: ‘The most important artifact is you.” Gary is a very safe diver, not a glory seeker. I only wish I could have been on this Lusitania trip. 

Jack Moulliet 

Cincinnati, OH 

out of line 

In your August issue, Mr. Gentile refers to commercial divers being monkeys? Along with his explanation of Lad Handelman’s “lack of experience, “this was way out of line. If Mr. Gentile believes that he has not held himself up as the “tech diving poster boy, example for the masses,” it only shows his lack of understanding, as well as a “lack of experience.” His comments demonstrated total irresponsibility. 

The quote from Ms. Tapson on page 28 is most professional. In closing, the same quote goes for you all.

Les Joiner 

The Ocean Corporation 

Houston , TX 

more of these please 

Many of the techniques used by the Lusey team, including not anchoring into the wreck, are well established UK procedures. They are well established because they work better than other procedures in the UK diving environment. They have allowed thousands of safe sport dives performed by a range of experience levels from four open water dives to four thousand. Short tidal windows affect a large number of our most popular wrecks on the south coast. Therefore, decompression stops are often under “sausages.” Nor do I think that reporting this expedition is going to adversely influence the thousands of recreational divers who are diving these wrecks between 25-50 m. aquaCORPS has a duty to publicise expeditions of this nature without glamourising the sheer hard work that goes into them. You also need to publicise the less successful ventures, too. I don’t know Polly Tapson at all, but from all reports of her expedition, it was well thought out, well organised, and the people that trained the Brits in trimix thought that the Tapsons et al could handle the dives. The message I get from this is not “go dive the Bismark, ” but to get my experience level up, both in diving and expedition logistics, before doing something like this. The absence of an onboard chamber is a reality most of us have to live with. Fortunately, in the UK we’re never that far away from a helicopter and pot. I’d agree with Polly that this is a personal choice. I assume that Mr Handelman will be requiring horse riders to have crash-mats strewn wherever they ride in case they get Thrown and break their necks (much more likely than a bad bend). I’d also be interested to hear from the other expedition members who Mr Handelman quotes as saying that many things that were done were unsafe. 

I liked the way you reported the interviews with no aquaCORPS comment — very professional. More of these please. 

Brian Taylor 

sjg 5939 

@GGR.CO.UK 

added balance 

I thought the N 10 Forum was very interesting. All of my information about the expedition is second (or more) hand, from articles like yours and discussions with other divers via the Internet. Given this limited knowledge, I have to believe that there was nothing suicidal, or even negligent about the dives. 

I read and evaluated Lad Handelman’s comments with interest. I just didn’t agree with most of them, but they were good for adding balance to the article. 

As for whether aquaCORPS should have published articles about the expedition, YES! Even if it had gone sour and Mr. Handelman’s fears had materialized, it should still be covered, maybe more so. I like to read about this type of diving, and that is one of the reasons I subscribe to aquaCORPS. Heck, if I could afford it, I would be there with them. Please keep up the good work with articles like these. 

Jim Warren 

[email protected] 

I.T.D., B.M.I.I. 

The members of Irish Technical Diving (I.T.D.) would like to reply to ‘The 94 Lusitania Expedition: Seductive or Suicidal?” 

To the commercial diving community: The remark by the American Tekie about putting ‘a monkey in a hard hat rig and put him down at the bottom of the ocean’ is without exemption a ridiculous remark which only serves to widen the gap between both of our communities. 

To Mr. Lad Handelman: The remark about skiing by the same Tekie was uncalled for and somewhat below the belt. The language used by the British Tekie to Mr. Handelman was offensive in the extreme. We have never seen or ever hope to see that sort of language used in public again by any member of our community. The printed story about the Irish team’s incident in 1994 has now gone from the ridiculous to the sublime…It came as a surprise to all of us here to learn that an alleged trip to D.D.R.C. was made, as the Irish chamber was supposed to be ‘Inadequate,’ despite the fact that we had a chamber operator trained in mixed gas technology, which when called on worked perfectly. No trip to the UK was deemed necessary. 

On a point of clarification to the misleading representations which are typical of the uninformed, the average dive experience of the Irish Team was twice that of the British team and all are senior active instructors, several of whom worked for the National Diving Organisation’s Technical Commission. 

Contrary to what the uninformed would have you believe, the hard fact of the matter was the Irish Divers training and experience, coupled with a knowledgeable and well equipped surface support team prevented an accident from becoming a fatal incident. Some of the aspiring Tekie pioneers have forgotten the old adage: THERE ARE OLD DIVERS, THERE ARE BOLD DIVERS, BUT THERE ARE NO……

Des Quigley, Brendan and Eugene @ Irish Technical Divers 

[sic] 

blazing our way 

As a member of the 1994 Starfish Enterprises Lusitania team, I am dismayed that the expedition continues to generate controversy. Constructive criticism will help all technical divers plan and execute better expeditions, but the public excoriation received by the Starfish team, and Polly in particular, is uncalled for. The personal attacks by members of the Starfish team in response to the criticisms were out of line too. 

I would like to respond to some of the criticism leveled at the expedition: 

Technical diving is still being defined, but we took many of the lessons learned the hard way by commercial divers such as Lad Handelman to avoid oxygen poisoning, DCS, and accidental blow-ups. Technical divers know they run the risk of serious injury, paralysis, or death, and accept that risk. However, they don’t want to get hurt, so they utilize redundant equipment, plan bailout schedules, and rehearse emergency procedures. 

“Shit happened” to the Starfish team, boats failed, underwater entanglements occurred, divers lost the ascent line, Regulators failed, and a host of other “emergencies” were encountered. In each instance, appropriate intervention prevented escalation. 

Tech divers by perceived necessity travel light, cheap, and work fast. After all, most tech diving takes place on a vacation or a weekend. Four-point moorings are time consuming to establish, often taking a full day. Having an on-site chamber becomes a financial showstopper. 

Life is compromise. Starfish Enterprise utilized trimix and more reliable decompression algorithms. The team completed over 120 dives without injury. Such a record is the best testimony to the training, techniques, and skill level of the team. 

The Starfish team debriefs after each expedition dive. They learn from their mistakes and keep improving and refining their techniques and skills. Even for those who cannot accept the level of risk that this team of deep explorers are comfortable with, many would do well to emulate the methodical and meticulous approach to the team’s dive planning and training. 

Many of Lad’s suggestions are great ideas, but we have to make the best we can of the time and budgetary constraints we live under. Perhaps in the future recompression chambers will be common or even standard on dive boats. It might not happen today or tomorrow, but someone will refine the logistics and recompression chambers will start appearing on dive boats with increasing frequency. That is the natural progression of technology. In the meantime, don’t characterize those who don’t have a chamber on-site as irresponsible. 

A toast to the future, to the pioneers who blaze the way, and a toast to those who will dive long enough to be there. May I be among them. 

Barb Lander 

Jacobus, PA 

starfish trooper 

Last July I was very privileged to be invited to dive the Lusitania with the Starfish Enterprise. I am British, though currently reside in the US. I have dived extensively in the English Channel and on some of the “tech wrecks” on the US East Coast: Andrea Doria, Norness, Curb, etc. 

There were seven divers actually diving the wreck, plus two support divers. The decompression setup was similar to 1994. In my experience, this was one of the best organised enterprises I have ever been involved with. We all worked together for the benefit of the team. For instance, the decompression station needed checking, assembling, and deploying each day, which required teamwork. 

Those who have routinely dived wrecks in the 60-80 m range will know that it is not unusual to be on a 35-foot boat seventeen miles out to sea. This is how the world’s wreckers dive, isn’t it? The US standard practice of anchoring into a wreck and using the anchoring line to travel to and back would not have worked: a lengthy decompression can only be conducted by drifting. Mostly this is done alone or in pairs. The Tapson method is unique in my experience, and has major safety advantages over hanging under a bag, or sausage. The group are together and can easily be monitored, sent extra equipment, brought to the surface in the case of emergency, etc. Sadly, on our second dive, one L of the group experienced acute oxygen toxicity whilst at 6m on the dec station. I witnessed the whole thing whilst hanging at 9m and must say that the diver probably owes his good health to the dec station, the support divers, his buddy, and ultimately to the experience and planning that went into the expedition. On many other trips I have been on, a diver in similar condition may not have been so fortunate. The planning, organization, and leadership were exemplary. 

Innes McCartney 

New York , NY 

free spirits 

The British dive team known as The Starfish Enterprise has conducted tech diving operations on the Lusitania — all legal — on three separate occasions in the past fourteen months. We have been astonished to find the opinion in some quarters in the US that this was American-organised diving. We did invite four Americans on one trip and kept them abreast of decisions made in London prior to the event, along with an open invitation to contribute to the planning. However, I cannot recall a single recommendation on their part to change any of the plans which the British divers had made. Whilst our guests were delightful company and never failed in their own individual areas of responsibility during the expedition, I feel it necessary to point out that the US contribution was otherwise minimal. 

Likewise, Lad Handelman’s comments in N10 about these particular dives. The Lusitania lies in tidal water twelve miles offshore and a four-point mooring is inappropriate for the environmental conditions. If this had been saturation diving, then we’d have had a four-point mooring, bell, and chamber onboard, but it was not. On the third trip, when a diver experienced an O2 hit, helicopter evacuation was effective and the chamber on shore is located within a few minutes flying time from the site. We had previously visited it to talk over our gas mixes and dive schedules, and jointly agreed that it was in close enough proximity for our comfort. 

Lad’s apparent experience of diving missions about which he stated “chaos and confusion are the climate” is contrary to our experience in which focus and discipline are the climate. He has missed the point, not only the reason and logic behind some of our operational procedures, but that technical divers are free swimming and free thinking — and constantly finding fresh solutions to new challenges, whereas commercial divers are trained in standardised procedures and rigid protocol which is designed to reduce the employer’s liability. Whilst making the distinctions between commercial and technical practices, the hybrid should also be considered as a category in itself: Billy Deans’s El Cazador expedition (which included an onboard chamber) is the epitome of well-thought-out commercial/technical operations. The antithesis is the Bemis and Quigley Lusitania group — the so-called “official” Lusitania dive which claimed to be engaged in a commercial operation using tech diving practices (without a chamber onboard). These distinctions are as important to make as the distinction between accidents which happen as a result of inadequate rehearsal, poor diving techniques (such as blowing up from 300 feet), and accidents which occur within what are generally accepted to be safe diving practices. 

The Starfish Lusitania expeditions Have been attacked by the ill informed and inexperienced. They were safety conscious, they were legal, they were highly organised. It is likely that if the critics focused on what can be emulated rather than trashed, then perhaps there might be less to worry about in their own backyards. 

Polly Tapson 

London, UK 

re-examining deep wreck diving 

I would like to respond to some of the specific issues raised in ‘The ’94 Lusitania Expedition: Seductive or Suicidal?” which appeared in N 10. 

My Qualifications as a Diver 

I have spent several thousand hours underwater, most of them on either helium mixes, nitrox, or oxygen. When I was diving, there were no proven tables to go by and every lesson was learned the hard way. I personally suffered oxygen poisoning twice and handled other divers’ cases as well. I had mixed-gas bends at least thirty times. I have had my share of “incidents” and know all about the resulting consequences. While I am not a “technical” diver, I have first hand knowledge of the dangers that these recreational divers face. 

Do Reasonable and Proven Safety Measures Have a Place in Technical Diving? Does Deep Wreck Diving Require a Different Approach than Shallow Wreck Diving? 

Diving to depths such as those where the Lusitania now sits requires lengthy decompression to return to the surface. If a diver at these depths is forced to leave the water suddenly, without first decompressing, the traumatic effects of bubble formation don’t discriminate between commercial, technical, or recreational divers. Immediate recompression is essential to prevent permanent injury or death. 

But wait! According to Gary Gentile, “real” technical divers “don’t use chambers.” Onboard chambers will “increase the cost of the expedition about three-fold to five-fold” and “chambers aren’t available for rent.” What a bunch of crap! With this kind of mis ­ information, it’s no wonder that technical divers don’t insist on having a chamber at the dive site. If the originators of such misinformation had bothered to check, they would have discovered that having an onboard chamber would increase the overall cost by no more than 10%. An onboard chamber can be had for $20,000. On a dive boat costing between $250,000 and $750,000 (suitable to support a dive to the Andrea Doria, for example), an onboard chamber would increase the price of the charter only nominally. Compare this small increase with the cost of helicopter evacuation, hyperbaric treatments, rehabilitation, wheelchair training, and life-long medical care for one who is permanently injured in a diving accident. You will easily see that the cost of an onboard chamber is nothing compared to the alternatives. 

Is the extra degree of danger brought on by not having a chamber onboard really necessary to make deep wreck diving satisfying to the technical diver? Are there not already more than enough dangers present just in going to the wreck, in the wreck, up from the wreck, and in hanging-off in rough, cold waters? Must we also deny ourselves a way out — -just in case something unexpected does happen? 

Are Training and Experience Adequate for Back-up Equipment? 

Gentile and Tapson believe that training and experience are adequate substitutes for back-up equipment. They said that they weren’t expecting embolisms, decompression sickness, or equipment failures that they couldn’t handle. 

I will never understand such thinking. Do they seriously believe that, with enough training and experience, the unexpected will not happen and every equipment malfunction can be handled? 

Diving equipment can and does fail. Trained divers can suffer oxygen poisoning, decompression sickness, or get trapped in a wreck. The very best of us can get in a position where one cannot “effect his own rescue.” We cannot change this. It will happen. Look at the record of some other Lusitania dives. In August 1994, after freeing himself from an entanglement, a diver rocketed to the surface. Onshore treatment was too late, and he is now paralyzed from the neck down. In August 1995, a diver suffered oxygen poisoning in the water and had to be airlifted to the emergency unit at Haulbowline Naval Base. After seven hours of recompression, he was transferred to a hospital. 

This evidence indicates that things don’t always go as planned. There are simple things that we can do to deal with these unavoidable events when they do happen. 

Those at the Frontiers of Technical Diving Should Actively Discourage Inexperienced Divers from Attempting Very Risky Dives. 

I sincerely mean no disrespect to champion technical divers who “push the envelope.” These divers have thousands of hours of hard experience and for them, technical diving is a primary endeavor. They obviously are capable of doing without chambers and nearly all other types of redundancy. What they personally do is at their own risk, and they truly do create a greater frontier for all the rest. They are a special breed. 

What I vehemently object to, however, is that some of the “leaders” of technical diving appear to have no regard or understanding of the greater mass of new technical divers whom they know lack the years of experience and know-how required to attempt a very difficult dive such as the wreck of the Lusitania. For the new technical diver, whose diving is only a part-time sport, the suggestion that such difficult dives can be made without back-ups is a suggestion to commit suicide. 

More than anyone else, those at the frontiers of technical diving should be willing to stress that the unexpected always happens, emergency gear is always good, and back-up and emergency equipment is affordable. 

Let’s re-examine our approach to deep wreck diving. Let’s carefully look at the trail before we decide whose footsteps we follow. 

Finally, if expedition leaders or boat owners need help in determining how to acquire or rent an onboard chamber, I’ll be glad to consult with them. 

Lad Handelman 

Santa Barbara, CA 

Whew. And this is just a sampling of letters received! We believe that all parties have had ample forum to air their opinions, and unless we decide to publish a special Lusitania Forum issue (not!), we will close corps space to further comments on the Lusey expedition. We will, however, continue to cover breaking news stories and related technical questions in future articles. Please see “Chambers 2 go” on p 25 for an introduction to portable chambers. 

erratica 

The diagram in “Evaluating Rebreather Performance” (p71 , N10/lmaging) has the P factors reversed. The horizontal diver’s P is negative, and the vertical diver’s P is positive. In “Does EAN improve deco safety on no-stop dives?” the last sentence should read: “Even so, it is probably worthwhile to use EAN in the range 50 to perhaps 130 fsw (1 5 to 40 msw).” 

aquaCORPS #13 O2N2

WAH WAH WAH WAH 

We received numerous letters, faxes, phone calls, and email on our story, “Call of The Wah Wah,” 11 /Xplorers, that examined extreme air diving practices. Here’s some of what they said. 

stupid shit 

Received the new issue [11/Xplorers] yesterday, and it is great. Everything seems to work well, and it passed the ultimate test — I picked it up, flipped through it and ended up spending an hour with it. Given my present, panicked mindset [finishing a lOOk-word book], that should tell you how good I think the issue is. 

Re: the “Wah-Wah,” your coverage was not only excellent, but one of the most intelligent and honest looks at what I think is a developing problem. Your editorial should be reprinted and distributed to every visitor to tek. Honest, I think you did real good on this one. It amazes me that Rodale’s is busy revealing that Caribbean dive ­ masters hump their students while people are dying from just plain old stupid shit — exactly the kind of shit you’re talking about here. 

Michael Bane 

MBane666@ aol.com 

(Over The Edge magazine creator) 

hot air 

In the “Wah Wah” piece, Bret Gilliam claims he “can’t explain” why he breathes “half the gas volume that other people do.” Seems pretty clear to me that he enters the water with enough hot air to suffice well into the next decade. How come he can’t figure that out? 

Will Campbell 

Riverhead, NY 

withholding judgment 

I certainly enjoyed, as well as completely concurred with, your article in the new ACj (nice job overall, by the way: I never cease to be impressed). As I recall during “Improving Technical Diving Safety ” at tek. 94, deep air took quite a hit on the cranium, as well it should. Now, I’m going to withhold final Judgment (unlike the OJ jury) until I have spoken with the principals (Joe Odom was my EAN instructor…hmmm, his initials in reverse are…is there a connection?), but it would seem to be a rather reckless endeavor. In spite of one person’s observation that “you [M2)] are not a guru,” you are most certainly the voice of reason. 

David Trimmier 

Fairhope, A

A scary thought! 

dive fiction 

Didn’t the Bee Gees already address the “Wah Wah” issue when Travolta arched over on his back going, “Wah..Wah..Wah..Wah..Stayin’ alivee…aaaive.” [pause] Doodlee do. Do do do do. Doodlee do. Do do do do. 

coastal110@ aol.com 

hold them accountable 

I think that it is about time that a dive magazine uncovered some of the rampant hypocrisy (“do as I say, not as I do”) exhibited by so-called dive industry leaders (“Call of the Wah Wah,” N1 1 /Xplorers). I applaud aquaCORPS for this piece of investigative journalism and for its courage to publish it. These so-called leaders must be held accountable for their actions, since they are in the business of instructing others. Apparently, “lead by example” is lost on this bunch of macho daredevils. Please continue to expose such attempted cover-ups in the future. 

Robert Selchow 

102715.3541 ©COMPUSERVE.COM 

debt to pay 

Your article vilifying Joe Odom and Bret Gilliam is not only unfounded, but horribly ridiculous in scope and nature to those of us who feel that basic science and human physiology are venues to be explored and expanded to the farthest reaches of all human capability and understanding. 

I do not do deep dives. As well, I do not cave dive because I do not have the degree of confidence in the integrity of the equipment involved or in my own ability necessary to attempt such dives. But in the same breath, I certainly don’t condemn the thousands of people who enjoy cave diving. I very much respect their abilities and levels of skill. 

Not everyone who straps on a tank wants to be a consummate deep diver or cave diver. But we will all be forever indebted to modern day pioneers and explorers like Mr. Odom and Mr. Gilliam. Without their insight and “guts” to take calculated, not very calculated risks, those of us who are passive recreational divers and even many very advanced divers would have no limits or “envelope” to work within. These guys work directly for the benefit of all of us divers. They do not work against us! Deep dives for the general diving population are dangerous. But, for extremely advanced and qualified divers like Mr. Odom and Mr. Gilliam, only they can possibly define their own limits, and from their experiences, impart their wisdom to the rest of us. Leave them alone to explore boundaries which they enjoy and are qualified for and from which we can all benefit. 

Michael J. Neeley 

Hartselle, AL 

practice what you preach 

Judging from the “Wah Wah” article (what a mf slam dunk…great, great) in N1 1, I would suggest a Code of Ethics for all professionals in the tech industry. You preach it, by God, you better practice it! If you choose to break the rules of safe tech diving, particularly in a public forum, then you must be punished or criticized. The egos must be put in check. Gilliam and Odom deserve to be hammered. 

Steve Gerrard 

Tulum, Mexico 

rebreathing in the bahamas 

In reference to your article “Call of the Wah- Wah” in the Oct/Nov 95 issue, we were very disappointed and feel your editorial staff showed poor judgment in linking the UWATEC/Draeger rebreather project to a series of deep air dives which took place in the. Bahamas this past July. 

UWATEC and Draeger in no way condone the diving which took place and were unaware that any deep air dives were being conducted. If your writers had taken the time to give us a call, you would have found the rebreather project and deep dives were completely independent of each other. 

Rebreathers are an exciting new frontier in recreational diving, and for the first time 12 production recreational units were used with over- corps spa illustrations by ce Jack Zhivutsky aquaCORPS Journal 13 13 whelming success. However, your magazine seemed more concerned with sensational journalism than with what is sure to be the first step in a new age of recreational diving. 

UWATEC and Draeger were unable to control the practices of divers who wished to take part in such dives, especially when we were unaware that the dives were being conducted. We are, however, able to control in which magazines we choose to advertise. We hope that this article is an isolated case of irresponsible journalism and that you will think before you leap in the future. 

Also, we recommend you investigate the actual rebreather experience in the Bahamas. I think your readers will find that equally as interesting. 

Frank Marshall 

UWATEC 

dos no hooch no dos ojos… you are my baby 

Several of the individuals featured in this Yucatan-based cave diving story that appeared in 1 1/Xplorers had more to add. 

el grande nohoch 

FYI — 

1. Only one member of our team is paid… Eric Hutcheson… all other members pay all their own expenses and rely on their jobs to help support the exploration of Nohoch. 

2. The CEDAM Cave Diving Team was not named for my dive centers…It was named for CEDAM, an organization formed in the 1950s and dedicated to underwater exploration in Mexico…currently a non-profit corporation that operates the only nautical archeology museum in this country. 

3. We have no public relations arm of the team…just me. 

4. Dos Ojos was never bigger than Nohoch at any time. We published a map in 1992 with a total number of surveyed passages listed on it. . .there was an article in 1993 claiming that Dos Ojos had exceeded the published amount of passages on the map but we had added nearly 20,000 feet of line since the map had been published. 

5. We have one base camp in the jungle… not several. 

6. The ejido is called Jacinto Pat, not Pat Jacinto and if the cave systems join, the combination will be called Nohoch Kinich, which means “Giant Bright Eyes.” 

Mike Madden 

74052.1031 

©COMPUSERVE. COM 

not weekend warriors 

My exploration in Dos Ojos has been intensely personal and I have not actively sought any publicity from it. However, I must take exception with the idea (in “Dos Nohoch No Dos Ojos,” N1 1/Xplorers) that I am part of Steve Gerrard’s exploration team. During the last two and a half years, I have led exploration teams to the furthest reaches of Dos Ojos. Lori Conlin and I have pushed the cave to its furthest northern extent. Buddy Quattelbaum and I have explored the cave to its eastern boundaries. Gary Walten and I have discovered the cave’s western ­ most pas ­ sages. Kay Walten and I have spent a year working on a connection route to Nohoch, and along the way discovered the deepest pit known in the Akumal area. We are way more than a bunch of weekend warriors. The personal competition between Gerrard and Madden has nothing to do with me and my motivations. 

It is interesting to note that of all the dive shops mentioned in the Qroo illustration (by Eric Hutcheson), the original Akumal dive shop was not mentioned. It is the oldest shop on the coast and has always actively supported cave exploration in Quintana Roo. I do not work for the DeRosas. 

Not one inch of line would have been laid without Buddy Quattelbaum’s expertise in logistics and land owner relations. My cave diving partners and I have discovered and surveyed over 50,000 feet of cave passage since March, 1993. Steve Gerrard has never led us anywhere. He has always followed. 

Dan Lins 

Playa del Carmen, Mexico 

Not listing Akumal Dive Shop — the oldest facility in the Yucatan was an oversight on our part. Contact them @: Akumal Dive Shop, Postal 1, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico 77710, p: (52)987.41259. 

just the facts, jack

The Dos Ojos cave system is currently 114,000 feet. And over the years, those passageways were explored by a “team” of many divers. Sometimes as an organized team, sometimes not. It is each diver’s discoveries that make up an amazing cave, and a true story of Dos Ojos. 

Diving and exploring Dos Ojos is not drive-up and jump-in diving. It’s days of coordinating and moving equipment. Cutting paths. Driving beat ­ -up vehicles to move tanks into the jungle, changing tires, re-filling the radiator numerous times, getting stuck in the mud. It’s dragging two horses, glue factory candidates, loaded with gear bags, tanks and scooters to the cenotes. Scrounging up enough pesos to pay sherpas I to haul four 95s, four 72s, and three equipment bags to a hole four miles away from anything remotely resembling civilization. 

Diving and exploring Dos Ojos is…called dives. Dives canceled because of work obligations, tanks that didn’t get moved, lost horses and missing sherpas, non-running jungle vehicles and that sixth sense telling you that it would just be better to wait for another day. Diving and exploring Dos Ojos is…the exhaustion of a 4 1/2-5-hour dive and then hoisting equipment out of a cenote with ropes. Walking out of the jungle at night, ants marching up your pants, running through the jungle for help after a horse has fallen with a load of gear. It’s Buddy Quattelbaum sitting spread-eagle on an open running engine dripping gas into the carburetor to keep the truck moving. It’s assembling a rescue team, when two x-plorers haven’t returned, only to meet them on the dirt road of Dos Ojos after they have had a long dive and truck problems on the way out. 

Diving and exploring Dos Ojos is an obsession. We are slaves to her cave. But through the obstacles to dive her, Dos Ojos reveals many different personalities, from beautiful white speleothems to grim, silty side-mount cracks. Ripping rimstone dams and trenching canyons. And one of her deepest secrets is a pit we discovered last year. At 240 feet we were still looking for the bottom. 

Diving and exploring Dos Ojos is caving, hard work, dedication, determination, a financial commitment, and truly a wonder of the world. 

In the last two to three years a small group of divers have made Dos Ojos grow. Buddy Quattelbaum has been the kingpin in the growth. Besides being a side-mounter, not one dive gets done without his help with logistics. Dan Lins, Gary Walten, Lori Conlin, myself, and Steve Gerrard have all contributed in exploring one of the largest underwater caves in the world. 

Dos Ojos is a geological phenomenon, not a political one. 

Those of us who continue to x-plore Dos Ojos do it because we truly love the cave and cave diving. And after all, isn’t that what exploration is all about? 

Kay Pozda W alten 

Dos Ojos X-plorer 

Akumal, Mexico 

NOT what their HOOTERS look like 

Question: What do the editors of aquaCORPS Journal and Bob Packwood have in common? Answer; They just don’t get it.” It boggled my mind when I saw in N11 that you had a two-page, full-color photo of two women divers bathing in the jungle. In a 14- page series of articles on Zacaton, you had a mere 34 square inches of underwater diver photos. Just what is your goal in publishing the journal? To be “leading the underwater generation,” or to titillate a bunch of horny guys? If the editors must get their thrills by looking at photos of naked women, that’s their business, I don’t care. But I do care that the money I pay to buy aquaCORPS Journal has been wasted on irrelevant material. I buy the journal to find out what the high tech divers of the world are doing underwater, not what their hooters look like. Please get your act together. 

Barbara Anne am Ende 

baa0500@ aol.com 

spazzed 

When I read the Scientific American article about tech diving and saw the sentence, “.. .even has a glossy magazine,” I had a spaz, thinking they should have said the name of it; you, obviously. But reading down the page, I saw your quote and magazine attribution. No mendacity, no publicity!!! 

Pat Fish 

[email protected] 

woody 

My search for the best diving publication has ended. I just received my first issue of aquaCORPS today, and I am impressed. I placed my order on a Friday, and the issue arrived on Monday. Your magazine is great. I mean, hell, it gave me wood! 

L. Allen Beard 

Gig Harbor, WA 

not your average UK mag 

I purchased a copy of your magazine at the Euro.tek exhibition in Birmingham, UK. As I have recently undertaken training in basic EAN, I was most pleased to finally find a magazine dedicated to more technical issues than the average UK diving publication. I found the content to be both fascinating and informative, and I am really looking forward to the next issue. The articles on deep mixed gas expeditions were particularly interesting, as was the article on in-water recompression. The case studies have provided food for thought as this has traditionally been taboo. Keep up the good work! 

Scott Thompson 

Edinburgh, Scotland 

technology access 

I am a dive instructor working on an island off of peninsular Malaysia and am in need of a new computer. I have seen ads for the Nemesis in your publication, but no fax number. 800 numbers do not work from this island. Thank you. 

Angie Watson 

Pulau Tinggi, Malaysia 

Dive local. Think global. Nemesis maker Cochran Undersea Technology can be reached at p: +7 (214) 644.6284 , f: +1.(214)644.6286.

DIVE DEEPER

InDEPTH: Examining Early Technical Diving Deaths: The aquaCORPS Incident Reports (1992-1996)