To complement this post and Rddvet in post #9, there have been several high profile cave divers that met a tragic ending, and overly liberal gas rules was felt to be the main cause.Originally Posted by TaraR
"Not all change is improvement...but all improvement is change" Donald Berwick
@bullfrog
Why don't you just use one size larger tanks?
These tanks go to 11.
This argument is used frequently by Little River divers. " If I turn on thirds I end with half my gas".
Bent, larger tanks don't always solve the problem.I used to dive LP108. I now use LP-85's. I get farther on LP-85s. Take the example to the extreme, How far would you get with two H tanks? Kelly I would like to hear the story about the near drowning at Ginnie. Is there a thread? Were scooters involved? And for those who think it is insane to break thirds in Ginnie What is your turn pressure in Peacock? Have you ever coasted out of Peacock?
It happened before there was the internet or forums,so it isn't documented. It almost ended up being a fatality,in which case documentation would have occurred. Basically, how I remember it, was a team did a penetration,choosing not to use 1/3rds, counting on he flow etc. They ran into some issues, and they encountered a team at the Hill 400 jump area, and shared air with them,because they didn't have enough for an exit.
I never count on flow to speed up and exit, or clear low viz. I remember doing an exit in the evening, and someone doing Harry's Crack, stirred up a lot of clay in the water. From that point to open water I had about 3ft of viz. My exit was slowed significantly,even though I had gold line the whole way.
As for Peacock, I always exit with 2000 psi or more,and that is using 95s. I use conservative gas management in low flow systems. But, this has never shortened my dives, and if there is something that needs more gas,then I will use larger tanks, or a stage,but this is rare.
Alive and well, with extra gas,works for me.This argument is used frequently by Little River divers. " If I turn on thirds I end with half my gas".
"Not all change is improvement...but all improvement is change" Donald Berwick
I have to say that I've never heard anyone admit to breaking thirds before, this is certainly a premiere.
Would you mind sharing your name with us so we don't risk being teamed up with you by accident?
That's the point of diving conservatively, to exit the cave and still have plenty of reserves.
For the most part I end up between 1800-2200psi when exiting the cave after a dive to thirds.
It amazes me that these kinda threads keep coming up.
Very good and big name divers have died breaking thirds... Isn't that enough to keep others from doing it?
Is the extra 5 mins really worth it? It's all wet rocks in the end.
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To me, that means a cheaper gas fill....not that I wasted "penetration potential."
I used to think flow was all good and helpful, but there was a story on here that scared me straight where a roll-off caused the diver to think he was OOA and the flow played a part in blowing him off the line....but I can never find it when I need it.
Also in high flow caves, e.g. Ginnie, if you have low/zero vis and need to stay on the line, you're not always in a good flow position at all. In many places the line takes you through Eddies that can be very annoying to kick out of.
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