Why are you posting the same video I posted before in this thread? Am I missing something?
Welcome to the Cave Diver's Forum.
Why are you posting the same video I posted before in this thread? Am I missing something?
Sheck and Ned stayed in and used an air service in Cozumel for the first dives in X'caret and Nonec caves. Bill Stone and the USDCT brought their own composite tanks to Tulum. The OW reef diving business was pretty much centered in Akumal. Excursiones Akumal had the only reliable compressor on the coast for many years. OW diving activities were laid back in this area. Open Water diving was seasonally oriented even when the first local underwater caves were being discovered and surveyed.Originally Posted by FW
Most all the original tanks in Akumal were transported by car or private boat from Texas. I can't tell you how many tanks I drove through the border. The Texas dive industry (already quite familiar with Roatan and Coz) had many supporters and residents in Akumal including Tom Young and Dick Blanchard at Excursiones Akumal. Everyone used AL80's due to their price, weight, ease of use by OW clients; and that's what they were familiar with. Keep in mind that dive computers were in their infancy, and there was no mixed gas at the time. OW divers used "the tables". AL80's were a perfect container for compressed air - and later mixed gas.
Yes the local diving industry grew. Mike Madden, the DeRosa family, Buddy Quattlebaum, Guillermo de Anda and others continued to use the AL80's in their businesses.
Tom Young and I drove a number of steel 104's and 95's down from Texas to Akumal. Paul, Sheck and John Z. did a lot of cool dives on those tanks. Sheck bottomed a couple of Yucatan cenotes and had lots of fun in others. Tom and I toured Paul and Sheck in Sac Actun. They used 104's, we used AL80's.
I guess one could pose the question; is there a place for steel tanks in shallow decorated caves"? I believe a cave conservation issue should be answered by each diver, whether they use steel or aluminum tanks.
I know that steel tanks were indispensable during our Muknal Siphon exploration and mapping effort in the Muknal region of Sistema Ox Bel Ha. These tanks not only helped to map the cave, their use helped to point the way for later explorers to make a connection to the OBH cave. But as previously mentioned, AL80's are the normal tank for this area. Steel tanks just never became a popular tank in the coastal area of QRoo.
Jim
NICE HISTORY, JIM! Thank you. Even without having dived both, I would argue that the conservation starts and ends with the diver, not his equipment. Awesome contribution.
Very interesting Jim. Thanks
Freediver your question about an instructor is one only you can answer. If you are set on getting trained in a certain geographical area then that will narrow the field. There are numerous good instructors out there you just have to find the one who's personality and teaching style matches yours. I would find the ones in the area you are looking at getting trained in and interview them. You are hiring them. If they don't want to take the time then cross them off the list. I highly recommend you get comfortable in sidemount before taking an overhead class. If you are looking for one who isn't in it for the money ask what they do if you don't pass the class in the alloted time and you need a little more work on something. I think the answer to that question will let you know immediately what their motivation is.
Well, dropped a little coin today... got two matching mk25/g250 regs, a set of Scuba XS LP85's, 2 reels, 4 spools, 2 more back up lights (5 total), a compass, diving wrench multi-tool, another line cutter, bag of directional arrows, and bunch of other miscellaneous odds and ends. Think these main components will do well for my upcoming education? Your thoughts and dare I say opinions? Lol.
I love my mk25/g250v's and worthington 85s. Did you just buy arrows? You will need cookies too, and depending on your instructor's opinion, some REMs wouldnt hurt.
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Got it all off my cousin, all he had were arrows for tech diving wrecks and deep dives, he never did cave. I'll definitely grab some cookies and REMs at the dive shop that I train through. The worthingtons came banded and manifolded together because he backmounted them. If anyone needs some 7-1/2" clamps or the manifold, let me know. Something I noticed while inspecting them was that the middle valve didn't seem to isolate or share the flow from one bottle to another. Seemed stuck closed maybe? Valve turned easily though, so maybe I just don't understand how it "should" work.
So in fashion of more "small questions", the valves and regs are DIN vs what I'm used to with my OW stuff. Any benefits or drawbacks to leaving it this way for sidemount in them?
DIN? OW usually uses Yoke. Do the regs screw into the valves, or just clamp on? If they are really DIN, then that is perfect for sidemount.
The mk25 g250's are great regs. I probably only have about 6 sets of them. I think you will be much happier with them than just about anything else. The 85's rock too. Sounds like you did good. The din is a much more secure connection than a yoke valve. You are less likely to have an oring blow out.
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