HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dbrown@newssun.med.miami.edu (Daniel Brown)
Subject: Re: Nitrox Diving
Organization: University of Miami, School Of Medicine
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 13:59:28 GMT

In article <1992Dec14.151657.4167@cattnts.canada.ncr.com> craig@cattnts.canada.ncr.com (Craig Campbell) writes:

>	    he unexpectedly experienced a complete air failure.  (suck..no
>	    air forthcoming)  He thought he was finished.  He reached back
>	    and turned his (dual tank) isolation valve.  Thwump!! 2000 PSI
>	    now available.  Someone on the boat had closed his valve (by 
>	    accident, not malice). Had he panicked, he would have died.
>	    I'm not saying harassment taught him to stay calm and act, not
>	    react, but it certainly didn't hurt. 

While this is a commendable reaction to a stressful, my first reaction was
to ask myself, "shouldn't this guy have checked his air before he did his
giant stride?"  The last thing I do before I go underwater before EVERY 
dive is check my air while watching my SPG -- to make sure the air hasn't been
accidentally turned off!

It's true that such emergency management skills are important to a diver
because ultimately anything can happen.  I don't employ harrassment as 
a teaching technique in OWI classes because I believe that they can be
detrimental to a first-time diver (although I have used somewhat mitigated
harassment in advanced course).  Instead, I prefer to fine-tune the skills
that a student must have in order to react to an emergency situation, 
using exercises such as the ditch-and-don, bail-out,
multiple-diver-buddy-breathing, etc.

Dan Brown
NAUI #13366

Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: charlie@jmb2.jmb.com (Charlie Jernigan)
Subject: Re: Cozumel's Galapagos Inn
Organization: JMB Realty Corporation
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 23:16:37 GMT

Just returned from Galapago Inn before Thanksgiving.  Dived with Del Mar
18 months ago:

Nov 1992
Galapago Inn is more self-contained.  Good meals, good training
facilities, adequate (and very freely available) shore night diving, good
storage for stuff near the docks (bring your own padlock).  The boats run
on schedule and are slower than Del Mar's but faster than a lot of the
others. (The Galapago Inn is further north so the boat travel is 10 minutes
longer than Del Mar from La Ceiba. But then access to town is easier from
the Galapago Inn...)  DMs at the Galapago Inn were consistently good.  They
were accommodating, flexible, and safe.  The tipping recommendations are
clear, and they supply envelopes and a deposit box as part of the process.

Aug 1991
I dove with Del Mar while staying at La Ceiba.  The night diving was barely
adequate, and tanks were not readily available.  The boats were fast and
fairly small, but there were two major breakdowns/long delays in the week.
The DMs apparently work strictly for tips, and varied in quality.  The meals
were pretty bad.  Breakfasts soon moved to a nearby restaurant and evening
meals were in town.

Other Info
Neither operation supports photographers very well.  Be prepared to be self-
sufficient.  The Galapago Inn has one large boat and several smaller ones.
The day I dove on the largest one, there was a small class (4 divers and
the instructor) and two groups of divers (about 12 divers plus a DM in each
group).  The boat was large enough to accommodate this size of operation and
each group operated independently and really did not get in each other's
way.  The rest of the week was on the smaller boats with 6-13 divers plus
a DM (and captain and crew of course).  The boats could accommodate this
size of group.

Conclusion
I liked Cozumel diving well enough to go back, and now I can say I like
the operation at the Galapago Inn well enough that I will go back there.
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: judith@super.org (Judith D. Schlesinger)
Subject: Re: Cayman Brac Recommendations
Organization: Supercomputing Research Center (Bowie, MD)
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 20:46:48 GMT

In article <1853@wshb.csms.com> cee@wshb.csms.com ( HBS/WSHB Sr Station Mgr) writes:
>
>	When I was on the Brac this past August, the Tiara was going through
>some "labour problems."  It seems that the head of the dive operations, an
>American, was siphoning off the tips left by guests for the Divemasters.
>It got pretty ugly, and at least four U.S. citizens had their work permits
>revoked and sent back to the U.S.  We went over to the Tiara to scout
>around one day, and the Hotel could use a little maintenance, IMHO.  Of
>course, it's too big for my tastes anyway, so I may be a bit prejudiced on
>this account.
>
This came up on the net this past summer and, at the time, I wrote to a
friend who's a dive master at the Divi Tiara.  His reply came after this
discussion had passed and it didn't seem to make sense to bring it up
again.

Well, since it's been raised again, I'd like to say that my friend
reported that there were a few "temporary" permit holders who had
their work permit revoked.  None of the "full-time regulars" were
involved in what went on and, if I remember correctly, the people
involved were *not* American.  The head of the dive operations at
that time--and probably still--was not an American, and I know that
first hand since I was at the Divi in July.

It seems that when this story was heard, it had been blown way out
of proportion.  There simply was no big deal going on and everything
is just fine there.

Just thought I'd clear this up--

Judith
From: pky@fmg.bt.co.uk (Pete Young)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Tank sizes/capacities
Date: 18 Dec 92 13:52:14 GMT
Organization: British Telecom
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5

David Weingarten (dmw@lclark.edu) wrote:

:  I've heard that some places in the EC have come up with tanks
: that hold like 140-170cf at something like 4500psi, but have not had
: this reputably confirmed.  If this is so, what are they made of?

Most diving cylinders on sale in the UK (at any  rate, the ones
in my local dive shop) are rated at a working pressure of 232 bar
(roughly 3600 psi). In Europe, cylinders are sized by the amount of
air that they hold at atmospheric pressure.

Popular sizes are 10 litres, 12.2 litres and 15 litres. I have heard
rumours of 18 litre cylinders from Italy but I've never seen one.  Since
these cylinders are usually steel they are much lighter and more compact
than an aluminium cylinder. I have a 232 bar 12.2l which is roughly the
same size as an aluminium 232 bar  10l, weighs less and holds 20% more 
air.

A 232 bar 15l, according to my calculations, holds 136 cu ft.
Someone please check and confirm this!

These cylinders are usually used with A-clamp fittings. DIN hasn't
really taken off in a big way.

The BT club visited the Police divers in Chelmsford this year. They do
most of their work on lifelines, but when they need to be self-contained
they have a superb set-up. Twin 4 litre cylinders pumped to 300 bar
(approx 4350psi) , using DIN fittings and Poseidon regulators.

We estimated that this set-up holds the same amount of air as a 232bar
12.2l, but the bulk of the thing is much reduced. Imagine a pair of twin
pony bottles, and it's smaller than that!

During my recent trip to Quiescience in Key Largo I was supplied with
80 cu ft 3500psi cylinders. These are almost identical in size,
weight and capacity to an aluminium 232 bar 10l.

Also at Quiescience, Bill showed me his new set - a twin 30 3500psi rig.
Once more, very compact. This one was fitted with DIN fittings. Bill
said that from a certain date (can't remember when but very soon), all
new cylinders on the US market rated at more than 3300 psi will have to
be fitted with DIN fittings.

I hope I've explained this correctly. Please feel free to comment ( I
know you will anyway).

Should we have something in the FAQ about capacities of US and European
cylinders? I'm sure it's come up before, as the girl said.

Regards

Pete
-- 
  ____________________________________________________________________
  Pete Young        	  pky@fmg.bt.co.uk        Phone +44 473 227151
 "Cast your bread upon the waters and you will get back... soggy bread"  
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: ab@lems18lems.brown.edu (Alexandru Barba)
Subject: NAVY Divefarer Program
Keywords: NAVY Divefarer
Organization: Laboratory for Engineering Man/Machine Systems
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 06:36:09 GMT

I am looking at the Divefarer Program, and in general NAVY Special
Warfare as a possible career path. Is there anyone with
first hand knowledge of this program, and or SEAL teams in general?
Alex







Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: charlie@jmb2.jmb.com (Charlie Jernigan)
Subject: Nikonos TTL Pinouts
Organization: JMB Realty Corporation
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 14:31:02 GMT

Can anyone provide (or point me towards) information concerning the
function of the various pins in the Nikonos V strobe connector?  I
could also use the electronic parameters for the various signals such
as voltages, currents, frequency response (signal transition times),
etc.

Thanks

Charlie
From: danbe@master.CNA.TEK.COM (Dan Beougher )
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Shark Attacks (long)
Date: 18 Dec 92 15:53:44 GMT
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton,  OR.



In reference to shark defense, when I was a mere minnow, I heard that
if you are attacked head-on by a shark, you should try to smack it
in the nose.  It has a nerve center there and there's a good chance
of it retreating after said smack.  Any validity to this?  Seems to
me anything would be worth a try if you're about to be munched, but
it would be nice to know if it even has a chance of working.

I've only seen nurse sharks, but a even big one of those can have you
blowing bubbles out both ends.


dB
From: exumart@exu.ericsson.se (Martina Hughes,xt-df,0634)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Diving in Roatan, Honduras
Date: 15 Dec 92 16:37:11 GMT
Reply-To: exumart@exu.ericsson.se
Organization: Ericsson Network Systems
X-Disclaimer: This article was posted by a user at Ericsson.
              Any opinions expressed are strictly those of the
              user and not necessarily those of Ericsson.

Does anyone have any information about diving in Roatan, Honduras. I thinking about booking a package this XMAS with the Romeos Hotel. Has anyone ever heard of it. Is there much of a current down there. Any info on the place would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance / Martina H.
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: moriarty@tc.fluke.COM (Jeff Meyer)
Subject: Re: Shark Attacks
Reply-To: moriarty@tc.fluke.COM (Jeff Meyer)
Organization: The John Fluke Mfg. Co.  /a.k.a. The Gizmonics Institute/
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 22:59:37 GMT

In <1992Dec18.151654.13894@watson.ibm.com> andrewt@watson.ibm.com (Andrew Taylor) writes:

>In article <Af=rfWe00iV0A2xOI6@andrew.cmu.edu> "Peter A. Simon" <ps3p+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:
>>2.  Prior to WWII, shark attacks on swimmers was unheard of. Sharks were
>>turned into "man-eaters" because of the easy pickings due to the carnage
>>of war.  True?
>
>Completely false. Records of shark attacks in Australia go back almost 200
>years. I'm sure they go back much further elsewhere.

Definitely, though records are scarcer as you go farther back.  However,
there are any number of paintings of people being eaten by sharks -- I can
think of at least four hanging in the National Gallery.  (Made the art
museum much more interesting to me at age 9.)

Actually, little children falling from their mothers' arms into the sea, and
the mouths of sharks, seems to have been a rather popular subject.  Maybe it
was the "in" thing for earls or barons in the 17th century (later replaced
by impressionist works or drawings of big-eyed children.)

                           "[Seen on] a kid's Halloween costume (Superman) -
                            stitched into the cape was a tag saying, `Warning:
                            Use of This Device Does Not Enable Wearer To
                            Fly'."
                                           -- Barry Brumitt
---
                                        Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
INTERNET:     moriarty@tc.fluke.COM
Manual UUCP:  {uunet, uw-beaver, sun, microsoft}!fluke!moriarty
CREDO:        You gotta be Cruel to be Kind...
                 **>> Keep circulating the tapes <<**
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: posmond@bmerh531.bnr.ca (Paul Osmond)
Subject: Weight Question
Reply-To: posmond@bnr.ca
Organization: Bell Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 92 19:43:53 GMT

I posted this artical once before but I don't think it made it to the outside 
world.

Quick question about weighting in salt water.

I recently bought a Viking vulcanized rubber dry suit.  I have used it in fresh
water but not in salt and I wonder what the weight difference can be expected 
when I go to salt.  I realize any answer will be a very rough estimate. Anyway
here are my stats.

170 lbs
5'9"
average shape
(fresh) water weight belt 30 lbs plus 4 lbs on my ankles which makes me barely
negatively buoyant when I empty my suit/BC. 

Any info would be helpful.

Thanxs
From: C900%SIUEMUS.bitnet@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU (Douglas Eder)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: North Florida caves (was Crystal River manatees)
Date: 12 Dec 1992 12:13:40 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

Especially to Chris---

Uh, Chris, yes, there is indeed "a place in North Florida where you
can dive in caves...." In fact, there's hundreds of such places.
Some of them are really beautiful and some of them are properly
classified as caverns because they have basically straight-up access
to the surface and enough daylight within them to see.

                  BUT---

Please do NOT (I didn't think I would have to say this on this network)
just "go diving" in North Florida caves...or recommend for others to
do so. There are numerous excellent instructors of cave diving
technique and even some of them die in caves (recently!). Non-cave
trained divers should STAY OUT of the Florida caves. I say this
as a former long-time resident of North Florida who DOES know where
many of these caves are and as a divemaster (non-caver).

On the other hand, there are a couple cavern/cave experiences where
big, thick guide ropes permit intro-cavers to have a relatively safe
cave experience. Blue Grotto at Williston comes to mind...no one has
died there to my knowledge and the management is VERY conservative
and safety-oriented.

So all you Christmas divers visiting my former home: enjoy the clear
waters, bask in the sunshine...but clean up your dive site and stay
out of the caves unless you have SPECIFIC cave-diving certification.
Better that way to greet the new year.
                                          ----Doug
From: gd@gehenna.sw.stratus.com (Greg Dawe)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Nitrox Diving
Date: 15 Dec 1992 19:28:43 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Software Engineering
NNTP-Posting-Host: gehenna.sw.stratus.com

In article <1992Dec15.180742.20550@mailer.cc.fsu.edu> mayne@cs.fsu.edu writes:
>In article <1992Dec15.140405.11375@newssun.med.miami.edu> dbrown@newssun.med.miami.edu (Daniel Brown) writes:
>>In article <1992Dec14.160128.4711@cattnts.canada.ncr.com> craig@cattnts.canada.ncr.com (Craig Campbell) writes:
>>
>>The risk of O2 toxicity isn't new, that's true, but the risk of it occurring
>>at shallower depths is new.  I can't remember an air dive I've done where
>>depth was restricted by O2 toxicity.
>
>
>However the risk of O_2 toxicity using nitrox is grossly exaggerated.
>A 32% mix is fine down to 130 fsw for longer than anyone but a technical
>diver could stay down anyway. 

Hmmm.  Yes, it's true that the NOAA Oxygen Exposure Tables for a Working Diver
were padded a bit for conservatism, but I'm surprised you came right out and
said that.  What about repetitive divers?  Oxygen exposure, like nitrogen 
absorbtion, is a cummulative thing.  I could forsee some pretty aggressive 
recreational diving profiles which might run into O2 problems - especially 
with an increase in exertion or stress towards the end of the profile.  I
suppose you could argue that these divers are just as likely to run into DCS
as CNS Ox/Tox.  Still, I think it's not in anyone's best interest to say that 
those limits are grossly exaggerated.
-- 
Greg Dawe                        | Disclaimer: I don't speak for my employer,
Voice : (508)-490-6666           |             nor they for me...
e-mail: Greg_Dawe@vos.stratus.com|
From: ps3p+@andrew.cmu.edu (Peter A. Simon)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: sharks in general
Date: 18 Dec 92 21:40:10 GMT
	<1992Dec17.160952.14352@watson.ibm.com>
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

andrewt@watson.ibm.com (Andrew Taylor) writes:

>>In summary, IMHO it would be relatively simple for man to accidently
>>make the tiger extinct in a short period of time.
> 
>Probably not, marine fish seem much less vulnerable to the effects of man
>than other groups.  The Tiger Shark's size and age of sexual maturity
>do make it more vulnerable but its huge range should make it secure.

Like whales, right?

Peter Simon 
NAUI I #1434
From: gd@gehenna.sw.stratus.com (Greg Dawe)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Stress and diving - so called "Instructor Entertainment"
Date: 14 Dec 92 14:34:11 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Software Engineering
NNTP-Posting-Host: gehenna.sw.stratus.com

In article <1992Dec14.021942.3979@cs.su.oz.au> gregr@cs.su.oz.au (Greg Ryan) writes:
>I think that instructional sessions which have been discussed in this
>group under the subject "Instructor Entertainment" have their place.
>
>The Cave Diving Association of Australia (CDAA) courses have elements
>of diver "harassment" in them.
>
> ... great description carefully deleted ...
>
>I've described this as a game, but that is probably unfair.  The CDAA
>courses are designed this way to simulate stress levels that can occur
>should things go wrong during a cave dive.
>
The IANTD technical courses (TRIMIX et al) have a stress test in the pool.
There are 10 events, which progressively add stress beginning with high
drag swims, then adding new problems with each event, such as regulator
failure, progressing all the way to divers apart with no-visibility and
a regulator failure.  After doing this stuff in the pool we then did the
same events (over 2 dives) at about 100 FSW on an area wreck.  It was a
tremendous confidence and team building exercise!

>I presume from this article that these 'stress' exercises have been removed
>from NACD training.  Anyone from the NACD (or NSS CDG) care to comment?
>
I would like to hear an NACD instructor/member/diver comment on this as well.
I had heard that some NACD instructors have added stress tests in the pool
to their repetoire.  Given the nature of cave diving perhaps NACD or NSS
give their instructors this type of latitude, whereas, other training 
agencies would not.
-- 
Greg Dawe                        | Disclaimer: I don't speak for my employer,
Voice : (508)-490-6666           |             nor they for me...
e-mail: Greg_Dawe@vos.stratus.com|
From: mjohnson@zeus.calpoly.edu (Mark S. Johnson)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Need Tanks
Keywords: Big Lungs
Date: 11 Dec 92 17:55:42 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Mechanical Engrg. Dept., California Poly. State U., SLO

In article <8668@lhdsy1.lahabra.chevron.com> drj@lhdsy1.lahabra.chevron.com (Dave R. Jones) writes:
>Hi,
>
>My buddy was interested in buying the Steel 95' from Scuba Pro
>but was turned off by the $300 price tag. He's got big lungs.
>I told him that a nifty place like rec.scuba might be able to find
>him a deal on some used tanks so I thought I'd throw out a leader.
>
>Does anyone have info on used tanks, big, normal or small.
>We're in the So. Cal. Area.
>
...
>
>-- 
>  David R. Jones                                      drj@chevron.com
>  Chevron Oil Field Research Co.                      (310) 694-7105
>  SCUBA.... KAYAKING.... Parallel Processing....   What more is there?

Just my two cents...the Scubapro 95s seem to be very hard to find
used.  The only ones I've seen have been been priced about $250
(because people know how popular they are?) A shop here in SLO had
some for $250 new, but I think that was some sort of "door buster"
special.  (I ended up with used steel 72s, but I've rented 95s for
boat dives.)

These are way cool tanks, especially for boat diving...boat
compressors can fill 'em (2400 psi working pressure) and you don't
have to lug them very far when all you're doing is jumping off the
side!

However, unless you're a big-time air consumer, these big tanks don't
help much unless your buddy has one, too. (A buddy with an AL80 filled
to 2400-2600 on a boat will hit 500 psi when _you_ hit about 1000 psi
(if you're breathing at the same rate), and 1000 psi is a lot of air
in a 95. A super nice safety cushion, though...

If you and your buddy both have 95s, you probably want to be on a
computer if you are doing multiple dives...its easy to force LONG
surface intervals based on the tables using these big tanks. (Let's
see, new tank, $300; new computer, $600...just how much is this sport
costing me PER MINUTE, anyhow??)

I love these tanks...I wish they'd give one away with every C-Card :-).

Please forgive my jabbering...I haven't been diving in 3 weeks and I'm
feeling rather jittery....

Safe Diving,
Mark
-- 
Mark S. Johnson        mjohnson@stn9.me.calpoly.edu      (129.65.19.9)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: graff@atux01.att.com (Christopher Graff)
Subject: scuba
Organization: AT&T Corporate Education and Training
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 20:36:33 GMT

	Please pardon my posting screwups as I try to finess my posting skills.

	Chris
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: pstonge@TrentU.CA (cmdr keener)
Subject: Re: Nitrox Diving
Reply-To: pstonge@TrentU.CA
Organization: Trent University, Peterborough
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 19:30:45 GMT

In article <1992Dec15.180742.20550@mailer.cc.fsu.edu>, mayne@phi.cs.fsu.edu (William Mayne) writes:

[Deep diving and NITROX discussion, safely stored for later use 8-)]
>					 And anyone diving in the 130 foot
>range who doesn't keep good track of their depth shouldn't be doing that
>kind of diving and isn't safe no matter what they are breathing. It is
>easy to control the risk from O_2. And the safety and health benefits
>from reduced N_2 are considerable. More than that, it could be argued
>that the hypothetical Complete Idiot Diver needs the safety margin
>provided by nitrox the most, assuming that the bottom will prevent going
>deep enough to worry about O_2 (as is usually the case) and the Complete
>Idiot isn't competent to manage his N_2 exposure. (I assume that since
>I am talking about someone who is incompetent it is PC to use masculine
>pronouns.)

hypothtical Complete Idiot Diver = upcoming diving accident statistic ???

But can the Complete Idiot Diver actually get NITROX?  Or an air fill for 
that matter?  Too bad diving courses can't test the probability of common 
sense in a participant after the course... 8-(
>
>Bill Mayne


Pete
From: m16532@mwunix (Steven Bayer)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Diving at/near Playa Del Carmen
Date: 18 Dec 92 15:35:25 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: MITRE Corporation, Houston, TX

Have fun.
                     __o                                          
                    ~\<,                                          
___________________()/ ()______________________________________________________
Steve Bayer                                       bayer@gothamcity.jsc.nasa.gov
The MITRE Corporation        
1120 NASA Road One, Suite 600                                    (713) 333-0978
Houston, TX  77058                                          fax: (713) 333-5147
_______________________________disclaimers ad nauseum__________________________
From: leej@sgi.com (Lee Jones)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Dive Sites Around San Luis
Date: 14 Dec 1992 19:11:21 GMT
Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
NNTP-Posting-Host: diver.asd.sgi.com

In article <bill.724189960@booster> bill@cac.washington.edu (Bill Whitson) writes:
>Everything is covered with
>anemones and there are some large rocks covered with club-tipped anemones
>(a type of soft coral). 

I'm no invertebrate biologist, but aenemones are not coral.  Not even 
soft coral.  They're both beautiful and they're both invertebrates, but they
aren't subsets of each other.

Regards, Lee
Newsgroups: rec.scuba