Narcosis -- insidious and subtle

[benjamin]

Where does zero viz ever happen in a well traveled cave?

Back in 1994 my buddy and I were exiting from a swim up around double lines, we were going to exit Hill 400 when we got back to the 1000' arrow we ran into a total silt out. This is a large passage and unbelievable to see 0 viz. We went touch contact where the passage turns from west to south. We were 0 viz from there all the way down Hill 400 (knowing that through this large 0 viz downstream passage, there are undercuts in the floor, syphons, side-passages, depth changes, and all this with a big hairy guy hanging on to me was a real barn burner), about 40' before the Main Line (about 500' 0 viz). Viz went to about 20' and gradually improved some on the way out, we exited the Ear. Viz was messed up the rest of the day on the front end. We talked to people around the camp ground and found out that someone on a scooter team had hit and dislodged a really large rock in the ceiling right before the 1000' arrow. That rock is about 1/2 the size of my truck hood and about a foot and a half thick, it fell a long way and when it hit the clay floor it made a serious mess. Now every time I pass that rock, I thank God for the line, and say a prayer for all the Instructors that have given so much of themselves to teach people how to do things right, thank all of you. Dive safe, dive strong, dive long.

[CGriffing]

It is about time US instructors taught the proper use of them! There is NO reason to find a cookie on a line, when there are no other teams in the cave. The same is true of *personal* arrows, or clothespins.

Forrest, you are going to have to show me that omnipresent trick you apparently can do which allows you to attend all of the instructors' classes to know what and how they are teaching.

[FW]

Forrest, you are going to have to show me that omnipresent trick you apparently can do which allows you to attend all of the instructors' classes to know what and how they are teaching.

Well maybe I should have said all US instructors.

[CGriffing]

I still want to know that trick!

[Rubis]

Hi Lynne,
once I started diving the Kiss in caves, very quickly we added helium to the dilutent.
I remember the first dive in Little River, we went to the new deep section. It was a bit murky over there and the vis in the cave was probably 40 feet at best.
Well it was a quite "crisp" dive. I remember all the details. In a silt out, I remember watching the grains of silt ...
Again the first time in Ginnie with mix, I remember all the tiny details of fossils in open passages I had never seen before.
I would say on the macro side, diving mix did not change my general behaviour or awareness, *I think* but it is amazing how the dive were "crisp" with helium.I felt like putting glasses on and I was not even wearing contacts on those dives.

YMMV, my 2 cents on the subject

[Sludge]

I still want to know that trick!

"He sees you when you're sleeping; he knows when you're awake..."

[CGriffing]

I was picturing him with a wizard's hat.

[FW]

I was picturing him with a wizard's hat.

Like in "Caverns Measureless to Man"?

[AB8CD]

All I can say to Forest is, "...Eat! Santa, Eat! Or the children will have a skinny Santa this year!"

[JahJahwarrior]

"He sees you when you're sleeping; he knows when you're awake..."

You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not silt out
I'm telling you why
Forrest Wilson is coming to town
He's putting in line, he's pulling it tight,
gonna find out the cave distance all right
Forrest Wilson is coming to town
He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if trim is bad or good
Know Rule 6 for goodness sake!
You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not silt out
I'm telling you why
Forrest Wilson is coming to town

He's getting a fill, checking pressures twice
gauge gonna hit four grand all right
Forrest Wilson is coming to town
He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He invented the line arrow
Cookie use makes his finger shake
You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not silt out
I'm telling you why
Forrest Wilson is coming to town