Sidemount- Specialty or the new normal?

[Sludge]

You've been away from the CDF too long. I first sidemounted in 2003, but reached the point where most of my dives were Jackson Blue mainline scooter dives, or Ginnie mainline scooter dives, or Peacock or Little River or Manatee, and I went several years using backmount exclusively. But last year I got a Nomad JT and have made maybe a dozen sidemount dives since then. Jug Hole is one place where backmount has NO place because of the bedding plane near the entrance.

[gasdiver]

Isn't that what the little xxx s are for on the system maps? I would think that the last thing we need is to add more man made stuff in the system in the name of cave policing.

Ok, so putting a marker in the cave may be extreme, but putting notations on a map is hardly extreme. The xxx was around long before sidemount became popular and does not mean "sidemount only passage". To me it means "impossible to go further". Sure, over the years the xxx's have moved as people with different gear configurations have pushed them, but at some point even a sidemount or CCR explorer is likely to xxx. Some of the newer maps have "SM" on them to indicate sidemount passage. This only perpetuates the problem of differentiating between a gear configurations and a type of passage. The problem I'm hearing is that people are adopting a gear configuration without the skills to dive a certain type of passage. Calling them the same only exacerbates the issue.

I'm simply promoting the notion that marking the system maps may help reduce damage by making people, who are unfamiliar with a particular cave, aware that certain sections are sensitive to gear configuration. I can think of a lot of reasons why updating maps would be difficult, but the problem of protecting these systems is also difficult. Maybe it's a stupid idea, but I know that if I was 1) not familiar with a system, 2) not skilled in diving small tunnel with the a particular gear configuration and 3) saw indication on a map that a certain configuration plus skill level was required, I would not plan to dive that passage. I would like to think most cave divers would behave in a similar fashion. True, there are some who would not.

[MichaelAngelo]

Ok, so putting a marker in the cave may be extreme, but putting notations on a map is hardly extreme. The xxx was around long before sidemount became popular and does not mean "sidemount only passage". To me it means "impossible to go further". Sure, over the years the xxx's have moved as people with different gear configurations have pushed them, but at some point even a sidemount or CCR explorer is likely to xxx. Some of the newer maps have "SM" on them to indicate sidemount passage. This only perpetuates the problem of differentiating between a gear configurations and a type of passage. The problem I'm hearing is that people are adopting a gear configuration without the skills to dive a certain type of passage. Calling them the same only exacerbates the issue.

I'm simply promoting the notion that marking the system maps may help reduce damage by making people, who are unfamiliar with a particular cave, aware that certain sections are sensitive to gear configuration. I can think of a lot of reasons why updating maps would be difficult, but the problem of protecting these systems is also difficult. Maybe it's a stupid idea, but I know that if I was 1) not familiar with a system, 2) not skilled in diving small tunnel with the a particular gear configuration and 3) saw indication on a map that a certain configuration plus skill level was required, I would not plan to dive that passage. I would like to think most cave divers would behave in a similar fashion. True, there are some who would not.

The Xs mean restriction, XX means tighter restriction or major restriction, XXX means extremely tight restriction, at least that's the way I was first began training. I am not looking to be rude but to me your suggestion is dumbing down cave diving with redundant cement markers further corrupting fragile systems so that poorly skilled and trained divers can avoid hurting themselves or the system. What I am saying lets stop passing poorly skilled divers. Someone made money passing these divers. Dumbing down cave diving isn't going to help improve the skills of a poorly trained diver. It will just encourage them to go further into the system that they shouldn't be in. The information to plan a dive is on the maps, learning to read the map is part of the basic skill.
Ok this horse is dead and beaten, tenderized steaks are being cut out of it and sold at Winn-Dixie as grade A beef.

[DL348]

I would assume Naui, as Naui allows provisions for instructors to instruct students in "nontraditional" tech setups as long as the instructor is approved to do so, which I hear is not difficult.

You're right, I spoke to Tim O'Leary about it before. He confirmed that both NAUI Cave 1 and 2 CAN be completed in sidemount as long as the instructor has received approval from him.

[phillip1]

See posts 34 and 38. The horse has been reduced to a pulp.


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awesome I'm a horse, horses are cool

[rddvet]

You're right, I spoke to Tim O'Leary about it before. He confirmed that both NAUI Cave 1 and 2 CAN be completed in sidemount as long as the instructor has received approval from him.

Thank you for the confirmation.

I knew i was right but i was attempting to be gracious towards cerich since he pulled out the technical director card on me.


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[Paulmal]

The Xs mean restriction, XX means tighter restriction or major restriction, XXX means extremely tight restriction, at least that's the way I was first began training. I am not looking to be rude but to me your suggestion is dumbing down cave diving with redundant cement markers further corrupting fragile systems so that poorly skilled and trained divers can avoid hurting themselves or the system. What I am saying lets stop passing poorly skilled divers. Someone made money passing these divers. Dumbing down cave diving isn't going to help improve the skills of a poorly trained diver. It will just encourage them to go further into the system that they shouldn't be in. The information to plan a dive is on the maps, learning to read the map is part of the basic skill.
Ok this horse is dead and beaten, tenderized steaks are being cut out of it and sold at Winn-Dixie as grade A beef.

Yummy, grade a hoarse, oops I mean beef.

[DL348]

awesome I'm a horse, horses are cool

Thank you for the confirmation.

I knew i was right but i was attempting to be gracious towards cerich since he pulled out the technical director card on me.


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It's best to call NAUI HQ directly and not rely on what one technical CD says

[diveongas]

There are two differences. There is sidemounting and sidemount configuration. Most people who have shifted to sidemounting are basically back mounting but with their tanks on their side-this is sidemount configuration. Sidemounting,or the act of using this configuration in small,restricted situations,really does involve a specialty. A sidemount diver knows how to enter/exit restrictions with partial or complete gear removal,knows how to communicate to their buddy in tight conditions with zero visibility,knows team mechanics in very small cave,capable to self rescue/extrication etc etc. There is really a true knowledge base that comes with using sidemount in small cave,and people who don't understand how to sidemount,but assume a side mount configuration is enough to see themselves through tight conditions,may be putting their lives at risk. We have seen two fatalities from people who got over their head in sidemounting.

Your observations are spot on and reflects your substantial experience in sidemount.

You're also right about people "basically backmounting with their tanks on their sides." Some time back Edd had observed some of these folks with their low hanging cylinders and referred to them as actually "front-mounting", a term which I really got a kick out of.

Sidemounting should reflect all the capabilities you described above.

[diveongas]

In the last couple of years I keep hearing in the Great Lakes area more then one newly minted OW sidemount diver telling me that they weren't going into tight places, that it was better trim less drag etc. In my opinion they are lying either to me or to themselves....

I believe it's been proven it's not less drag.

Several years back when Edd converted me to sidemount, the "lower drag" discussion did come up. Edd speculated that the drag could actually be somewhat higher in SM.

I eventually conducted my own empirical study into the matter. Using a spring fish scale attached near the entrance of JB, I allowed myself to flap in the wind in both BM and SM while measuring the strain. In BM, I used OMS 85 twins with a DR 50# lift wing; in SM, I used OMS 85s with a Nomad with 50# lift wing. The difference was something less than a half pound in favor of BM. All other equipment was the same. Well, sort of. In SM I had a slim canister butt-mounted (small of back). In BM I had the canister under right arm against inside of the wing. As I remember, there wasn't even a 5% difference. Realize that drag is a square function of velocity. At lower swim speeds, the difference would likely be even smaller.

How you individually configure yourself would make the more telling difference, regardless of your choice of BM or SM.