No-mount cave diving video

[DA Aquamaster]

JE - ya gotta make up for the bouyancy of the drysuits/undergarmets somehow... being crazy positive is not going to help the situation while moving through that tight little cave against that flow. Its WI water, which I'm sure is alot colder than our FL springs, so more undergarmets and/or thicker suits(and more bouyancy).

Your instructor likely was not teaching you how to dive this kind of cave.

Agreed. My first thought was "he's never dove the frozen north". Up there dry suits are for warmth, not redundant buoyancy. Some of the deeper dives we did in WI had 35 degree bottom temps even in August.

A 7mm neoprene Atlan dry suit like one shown in the video is quite warm with or without heavy undergarments, but very floaty. Even a trilam with heavy enough undergarments for 40-50 degree water will be very positively buoyant. No weight would have meant 15-20 pounds of buoyancy trying to press the diver against the top of the cave. If nothing else, that woudl make it feel even tighter and impede mobility to an even greater degree.

[TJDiver]

Agreed. My first thought was "he's never dove the frozen north". Up there dry suits are for warmth, not redundant buoyancy. Some of the deeper dives we did in WI had 35 degree bottom temps even in August.

A 7mm neoprene Atlan dry suit like one shown in the video is quite warm with or without heavy undergarments, but very floaty. Even a trilam with heavy enough undergarments for 40-50 degree water will be very positively buoyant. No weight would have meant 15-20 pounds of buoyancy trying to press the diver against the top of the cave. If nothing else, that woudl make it feel even tighter and impede mobility to an even greater degree.

Man, I can attest to that. I have a DUI TLS350, and wear Weezle Extreme+ undergarments in the winter. With that exposure config and a pair of steel 130's on my back, I still have to add an 11-puond v-weight, or I cork in about 6-8 feet of water if my tanks get down to 1000 psi or less. I can get by with an 8-pound weight, but have to vent my suit until I'm literally vacuum packed to keep from corking in shallow water.

[MORGAN]

Stuff like this makes me realize what a line-following tourist wussy cave diver I am!

[shagyluke]

Stuff like this makes me realize what a line-following tourist wussy cave diver I am!

LOL +1

Makes me wish I would have started cave diving a very long time ago.

[johnny boy]

I think i would have to loose some serious weight before i tackled that cave. although i could lube up....

[Expedition Divers]

I think i would have to loose some serious weight before i tackled that cave. although i could lube up....

Fat is better than muscle for no mounting. Fat is squishable!

[underwaterjedi]

Just curious, what did you use for the soundtrack? It's awesome!

Jose

[johnny boy]

yeah, good music. very atmospheric sir.

[JE]

A 7mm neoprene Atlan dry suit like one shown in the video is quite warm with or without heavy undergarments, but very floaty. Even a trilam with heavy enough undergarments for 40-50 degree water will be very positively buoyant. No weight would have meant 15-20 pounds of buoyancy trying to press the diver against the top of the cave. If nothing else, that woudl make it feel even tighter and impede mobility to an even greater degree.[/QUOTE]



my Log book: {je}

Door County, Wisc OW: 100+ hours including cavern
Washburn Cty, Wisc OW: 300+ hours including cavern
Isle Royale Nat"l PK, Lake Superior: 25 hours hours OW & wrecks
Various midwestern lakes, rivers & abandoned mines: 150+ hours
{ice dives included}
High altitude Mtn lakes, rivers, & resvoirs, Colo: 100+hours
Florida including rivers & caves: 350+ hours
Certs: OW- Naui, Padi, Cavern & Cave-NSS/CDS including Abe Davis
***

"Agreed. My first thought was "he's never dove the frozen north". Up there dry suits are for warmth, not redundant buoyancy. Some of the deeper dives we did in WI had 35 degree bottom temps even in August".

"With my double PST 104's I have never needed weight at all, even when diving dry". JamesK
"Pressed Steel 104s? At 1000psi they're a boat anchor. At 3600psi they're two boat anchors". Russell {Sludge}

i dove entirely on 2 sets of PST 104's during the late 80's thru the mid 90's.......I never needed lead weights......but you are right...diving neoprene dry suits with fluffy undergarments makes for a different story. I now use LP 95's & sgle LP 85's. I have an oversized Henderson Neoprene dry suit that is way too boyant for me, not to mention the poor neck seal & oversized attached booties ! Et All......I have to revamp !
No grudges, but i been down these roads !
~^_^~
jack

[JamesK]

Jack,

I am confused on your last post. I think DA Aquamaster was actually agreeing with what you said and just trying to reenforce your point.

Then you quoted me from a different thread. What were you trying to show? I have never used weight with my PST104's and drysuit. Only an AL backplate. Of course, my drysuit is a trilam, and my undergarments are not very fluffy.