IRAP Administrator
08-03-2007, 09:37 PM
I had started diving using my cousins gear, a tank with a 2 hose regulator. He only had one set, so we took turns in a cold northwestern lake. We had no wetsuit, no pressure gauge, and no BCD. I dove on and off for several years until the shops started requiring certification. It was 1969 and I had just moved to the southeast, and had to look in a phone book for a shop. When I got to the address, it had a 20 foot high sign that read "GUNS". I found out during the course that the instructor had recently lost 2 students on a OW checkout to Little River, so he was pretty anti cave diving. I guess it never occurred to him what a bad idea it was even taking them in there.
I built a camera housing during the time I was taking the class. I asked the instructor if I could test it when we went for our checkout. He said I could, but I would have to wait until he finished all the other students. He took us to Royal Springs (you would think he would have learned!) His idea of a checkout was go down an anchored line, buddy breathe, then do a free ascent. I waited until last, so I could check my housing. After a little over half the class was finished, he wussed out, and let his (uncertified) assistant finish the checkouts.
When we had all finished, I went to the instructor and asked him to take me back down to test the housing. He was too tired and cold, so he sent me to the assistant. The assistant was getting out of the water, and said "just take it to the bottom of the line, and come right back up" he added "don't tell anyone I didn't go with you."
I had a small flashlight in the camera housing, so I could see if it leaked. When I got to the bottom of the line, I looked in the housing. No leaks! Now I should have gone back up, but...
I looked around, and through the silt, I could see the cave entrance. I swam over to look in. I knew if I got caught, he would never give me my card, but the little flashlight was showing me just enough to urge me on. I went in about 100 feet or so. The only reason I turned back was fear of getting caught. After I turned around, I realized that I had been kicking straight down (still no BCD!).
All I could see was a cloud of silt. I knew that was where I came from, but I couldn't see the entrance. I swam for what seemed to be an eternity, until I could see an orange glow in the silt cloud.
The funny thing is, I was never afraid for my life, only that I wouldn't get my C-card.
I built a camera housing during the time I was taking the class. I asked the instructor if I could test it when we went for our checkout. He said I could, but I would have to wait until he finished all the other students. He took us to Royal Springs (you would think he would have learned!) His idea of a checkout was go down an anchored line, buddy breathe, then do a free ascent. I waited until last, so I could check my housing. After a little over half the class was finished, he wussed out, and let his (uncertified) assistant finish the checkouts.
When we had all finished, I went to the instructor and asked him to take me back down to test the housing. He was too tired and cold, so he sent me to the assistant. The assistant was getting out of the water, and said "just take it to the bottom of the line, and come right back up" he added "don't tell anyone I didn't go with you."
I had a small flashlight in the camera housing, so I could see if it leaked. When I got to the bottom of the line, I looked in the housing. No leaks! Now I should have gone back up, but...
I looked around, and through the silt, I could see the cave entrance. I swam over to look in. I knew if I got caught, he would never give me my card, but the little flashlight was showing me just enough to urge me on. I went in about 100 feet or so. The only reason I turned back was fear of getting caught. After I turned around, I realized that I had been kicking straight down (still no BCD!).
All I could see was a cloud of silt. I knew that was where I came from, but I couldn't see the entrance. I swam for what seemed to be an eternity, until I could see an orange glow in the silt cloud.
The funny thing is, I was never afraid for my life, only that I wouldn't get my C-card.