Lost black DR gap reel marked w/ "JEH"

[diveconjeff]

Sort of a good news bad news thing.

The good news - I successfully completed my full cave this weekend. Among the dives was a stint at Ginnie up and back through the mud tunnel followed by a light out air share on the exit through the key hole.
No silt to speak of in the mud tunnel and completing the lights out air share was a great feeling.

The not so good news - I am confident that I left the mud tunnel with three gap reels attached at my side. All attached with double end bolt snaps. Then during the surface debrief, I noticed I still had three double-enders on my hip, but only two of them contained reels. I suspect that one of the reels torqued just right and popped of the snap. Maybe during that super smooth lights out drill

If someone happens across a black DR old style gap reel marked with JEH, and you would like to contact me that would be great. If not, then I consider it a small sacrifice to the cave gods and will not mourn the loss.

Subsequently, I have converted all my reels to single ended swivel snaps to eliminate the torque off issue. I am also evaluating reels of other makes as I have noticed their are a number of them that seem much more compact and are already distributed with swivel snaps.

[Kelly Jessop]

The not so good news - I am confident that I left the mud tunnel with three gap reels attached at my side. All attached with double end bolt snaps. Then during the surface debrief, I noticed I still had three double-enders on my hip, but only two of them contained reels. I suspect that one of the reels torqued just right and popped of the snap. Maybe during that super smooth lights out drill

.

That is one of the reason I hate spools,and have a huge collection of double enders I find in the cave. Good luck in retrieving it.

Mud tunnel? They take students in the Mud tunnel?

[diveconjeff]

Why, is the mud tunnel a big deal? Leave the silt on the floor, maintain control and enjoy the dive...

[JahJahwarrior]

If a full cave student can't handle the mud tunnel, they probably shouldn't pass the class. Now, doing drills in the mud tunnel might be a different story. I believe it wasn't until I was pulling the reel that all hell broke loose when I was in the mud tunnel for class.

I believe I heard a spool was turned in to Ginnie staff, but that doesn't help you.

[Kelly Jessop]

Why, is the mud tunnel a big deal? Leave the silt on the floor, maintain control and enjoy the dive...

Not a big deal,I just was surprised. Mud tunnel had an interesting asymmetric clay mound in the middle of the floor.

[diveconjeff]

I hope I did not come off as sounding smug, but my thoughts are right in line with the sentiments echoed by Jajawarrior. After apprentice, I spoke to some of my instructor's former students to get an idea of what was in store for me when I got around to going after my full cave cert.

With their responses in mind, I dove my a$$ off whenever I could, I asked a lot of questions, and I really listened to the answers. I have practice skills in caves and learned a great deal about myself in the process.

When it came time for full cave, we completed a series of dives that became progressively more interesting. The idea being that botching anyone of them meant "Nice diving with you, see you when you come back for full cave the next time".

I did not pay for my full cave card, I earned it. I paid my instructor for the benefits of his experience.

BTW, I have heard back that my reel was located and will be attempting to contact them tomorrow.

I look forward to meeting some of the entertaining charters in this forum going forward.

Thanks

[flyguy199]

I hope I did not come off as sounding smug, but my thoughts are right in line with the sentiments echoed by Jajawarrior. After apprentice, I spoke to some of my instructor's former students to get an idea of what was in store for me when I got around to going after my full cave cert.

With their responses in mind, I dove my a$$ off whenever I could, I asked a lot of questions, and I really listened to the answers. I have practice skills in caves and learned a great deal about myself in the process.

When it came time for full cave, we completed a series of dives that became progressively more interesting. The idea being that botching anyone of them meant "Nice diving with you, see you when you come back for full cave the next time".

I did not pay for my full cave card, I earned it. I paid my instructor for the benefits of his experience.

BTW, I have heard back that my reel was located and will be attempting to contact them tomorrow.

I look forward to meeting some of the entertaining charters in this forum going forward.

Thanks

who was your instructor for apprentice and full cave??

[diveconjeff]

Reggie Ross

[Kelly Jessop]

Glad you were able to locate your safety spool. Spools have a greater probability of getting lost versus reels,have someone show you how secure the spool with an o-ring so it doesn't get lost as easily.