HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dremsen@mbl.edu (David Remsen)
Subject: Re: shark stories
Organization: Marine Biological Laboratory
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 92 16:15:08 GMT

I agree that seeing sharks in the wild is an awesome and exhilarating
experience.   Seeing one in clear, warm waters however, is a little bit
easier on the nerves than catching a glimpse of one passing by the periphery
of your vision in ten foot visibility.  In New England good visibility and under
water shark sightings are rare occurances but they sometimes do occur.  I was 
diving in a cove off one of the Elizabeth Islands a couple of Septembers ago with
the typical ten foot visibility. I was head down in an eel grass bed when a shadow
passed overhead. I look up and to my rear just in time to see the tail and about
up to the claspers of a quite large shark as it disappeared back into the gloom. I was
not quite as enthusiastic as I might have been if this had been the Red Sea and I
could have watched him continue on his merry way.  Instead my imagination had
him continue to circle in slowly decreasing loops until he was sneaking up my
backside.  This mental anguish quickly exhausted me and I had to return to the boat.

On the other hand I have seen sand tigers here on nice clear days and what a thrill!
Even in thirty foot visibility it's a completely different story.  I must admit I still
got a bit of a fright when I inadvertently cornered a six footer and it suddenly shot
past me with a quick tail pump or two.  It's amazing to see how much power they
can muster.  Quite a shock when you are used to their leisurely drift through the
water.

- Dave Remsen

Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: fnf@fishpond.uucp (Fred Fish)
Subject: Re: How about the Oceanic Datamax?
Organization: Amiga Library Distribution Services
Distribution: world,local
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 04:06:23 GMT

In article <29SEP199209011670@mrsvax.mis.arizona.edu> jms@arizona.edu writes:
|On a recent dive trip, I heard a story about an instructor using the
|Datamax while training four students on a "deep dive" course.  This
|was out of El Mar, the largest dive shop in Arizona, and supposedly
|happened quite recently. 
|...
|Result: all four students, and the instructor, got bent.  

Just for the record, while I was in El Mar today I happened to mention
reading this rumor.  It appears to be totally unfounded.

-Fred
-- 
|\/ o\  Fred Fish, 1835 E. Belmont Drive, Tempe, AZ 85284,  USA
|/\__/  1-602-491-0048 {asuvax,mcdphx,cygint,amix}!fishpond!fnf
From: jms@carat.arizona.edu (A virtually vegetal non-entity)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Weight belt oops at 50'
Date: 12 Oct 92 18:25:00 GMT
Reply-To: jms@Arizona.EDU
Distribution: world,local
Organization: University of Arizona MIS Department - Mosaic Group
X-Lunar-Date: 6 days, 18 hours, 41 minutes since the first quarter of the moon
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.50A

In article <Bw0M9E.A8L@news.orst.edu>, sdodd@OES.ORST.EDU (Stephen M Dodd) writes...
> 
>I fought back a rising sense of hopelessness.  After all I had lost my
>weight belt and deserved to die.  

I hope you put some smiley faces on this one.  No one deserves to
die for losing a weight belt.  But I'm still unclear as to why you didn't
just ascend on the anchor line?  

Anyway: speaking of weight belts, anyone named "Finch" out there lose 
a 24 pound weight belt near San Carlos?  We found one on a dive a couple
of weeks ago.  You can have it back (if you'll pay shipping...).  

Was the first time I was glad of having a real BC, and not one of the
low profile ones...

jms

Joel M Snyder, 1103 E Spring Street, Tucson, AZ, 85719 
Phone: 602.882.4094 (voice) .4095 (FAX) .4093 (data)
BITNET: jms@Arizona  Internet: jms@arizona.edu  SPAN: 47541::telcom::jms
Yow!  Are you the self-frying president?
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: spindler@rcf.rsmas.miami.edu
Subject: Re: Titanic salvage
Reply-To: spindler@rcf.rsmas.miami.edu
Organization: RSMAS
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 92 16:07:55 GMT

In article <1992Oct15.172424.11894@cattnts.canada.ncr.com>, 
craig@cattnts.canada.ncr.com (Craig Campbell) writes:
>In article <16880F18D.ISTRE-A@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU> istre@ricevm1.rice.edu writes:
>>Fortunately for the Bismarck, due to the fact that she is a warship, she
>>is property of Germany under international law and therefore is protected
>>from salvagers and treasure hunters. Personally, I would like to have seen
>>the Titanic protected in such a manner.
>
>Why?  The titanic is out of reach for tourists.  It is not a rare natural
>formation in need of preservation.  It is an old, rusting ship that went down
>some 80 - 90 years ago.  Why not clean our garbage off the ocean floor?

Dr. Ballard and his associates at Woods Hole felt that the site of the worst
peacetime maritime tragedy should be considered as a shrine to those who lost
their lives in it.  The WHOI research team treated the site with the highest
regard, following the diving axiom "Take only pictures, leave only bubbles." 
The subsequent French expedition was a far cry from Ballard's, with the
culmination of their effort being an embarassing episode on national television
when they opened a safe lifted from the wreck and purported to contain all
sorts of valuables.  The contents turned out to be a sodden mass of decayed
paper.  I favor Dr. Ballard's view that the site should be left as a memorial.

----
Todd Spindler                                  
TSpindler@rsmas.miami.edu                 RSMAS/MPO  University of Miami
From: jms@carat.arizona.edu (A virtually vegetal non-entity)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Bechaut Alladen
Date: 7 Oct 92 16:22:00 GMT
Reply-To: jms@Arizona.EDU
Distribution: na,local
Organization: University of Arizona MIS Department - Mosaic Group
X-Lunar-Date: 1 day, 16 hours, 38 minutes since the first quarter of the moon
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.50A

In article <qp08l5g@twilight.wpd.sgi.com>, story@sgi.com (David (Duis) Story) writes...
>In article <7022@transfer.stratus.com> gd@blublaze.sw.stratus.com (Greg Dawe) writes:
>>
>>I doubt that there is a useable or reliable method of determining whether
>>or not a battery is "too low".  
> 
>The bottom line is that you still need a consistent voltmeter.
> 

Well, that's not the only solution. The main problem is that Skinnydippers 
are designed improperly: they draw too much amperage for the batteries
which fit.  This means that a long dive trip (independent of temperature)
will stress them differently than a series of short trips.  Let me give
an example with made up numbers: one set of Dipper batteries will work for
100 dives if you make two 10-day trips a year.  The same set of batteries
will work for 200 dives if you make 20 2-day trips a year. 

The Marathons draw less current, and fit within the rated capacity of
the batteries they use. 

jms

Joel M Snyder, 1103 E Spring Street, Tucson, AZ, 85719 
Phone: 602.882.4094 (voice) .4095 (FAX) .4093 (data)
BITNET: jms@Arizona  Internet: jms@arizona.edu  SPAN: 47541::telcom::jms
Yow!  I'm imagining a surfer van filled with soy sauce!
Xref: sparky rec.scuba:5430 sci.med:18798
From: sdodd@OES.ORST.EDU (Stephen M Dodd)
Subject: Re: Weight belt oops at 50'
Organization: Oregon Extension Service, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Or.
Distribution: world,local
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 21:58:30 GMT

In article <12OCT199211254276@carat.arizona.edu> jms@Arizona.EDU writes:
>In article <Bw0M9E.A8L@news.orst.edu>, sdodd@OES.ORST.EDU (Stephen M Dodd) writes...
>> 
>>I fought back a rising sense of hopelessness.  After all I had lost my
>>weight belt and deserved to die.  
>
>I hope you put some smiley faces on this one.  No one deserves to
>die for losing a weight belt.  But I'm still unclear as to why you didn't
>just ascend on the anchor line?  
>
   Now is the time for smiley faces :-).

   Weight belts cost too much to leave behind.

   The problem with the anchor line is that we were in a modest current
   and the anchor was at a very low angle and I was unsure it would
   hold.  If I started to rise I could expect the least help from it as
   I broke the surface and I sensed that my last 15 feet would be a
   pretty much unrestrained asent with or without the anchor line.
   The situation was under pretty good control where I was.

   Surge played a role in my decision to not go up the line immediately
   too.  There was enough action to propell an unweighted dry suit diver
   up several feet durring a slack moment.  I chose to be patient with
   my fresh tank and high energy level until I had to go up the line.

   Steve
-- 
- Stephen M. Dodd, System Analyst, Oregon Extension Service
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
sdodd@oes.orst.edu          Internet          Oregon State University
503-737-3550                                  Corvallis, OR 97331
From: tjfeue@bb1t.monsanto.com
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Weight belt oops at 50'
Date: 12 Oct 92 12:54:09 CST
Organization: Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO

[Stephen Dodd's weight belt loss story deleted]

Well folks, we've all heard of Spare Air (I'm a pony bottle advocate 
myself)...  

      *NOW* TEDCO (a division of Flybynight Telemarketing)
            proudly announces their newest product:   

                         *SPARE LEAD*

Yes, with this handy-dandy lifesaving product, when you have one
of those embarassing losses of your weight belt at depth, you simply 
remove your Spare Lead (R) (patent pending) from its convenient 
holster (sold separately) and put it around your waist.  Then
simply continue your dive as if nothing had happened!  Also sold
separately is the patented adaptor that allows you to fill the
Spare Lead (R) from your existing weight belt!  Yes, now you can
simply and safely avoid those pesky air embolisms.  Suggested retail
price:  $259.95.  Dealerships and franchises are now available!

             E-mail your check or money order today!

Ted Feuerbach - Scientific Systems Consultant
Disclaimer:  Monsanto doesn't know I said this...  Tell them and I'll 
             hunt down your children, kill them and eat their livers.
             Well, then again, that might be a little harsh, eh?
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: kingdon@cs.columbia.edu (John Kingdon)
Subject: RFI: diving around St. John and other USVIs.
Organization: Columbia University Department of Computer Science
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 21:29:13 GMT

Hello net.divers:

I am going down to St. John in January and would like to find out good 
places to dive around the St. John area.  I will be staying at the Hilton
there and know nothing about diving around St. John.

The archives had one article pointing to a "good beginner" diving outfit,
but there was no other information.

Have you been there?  Where did you dive?  Who did you dive with?  What did you
think of the diving at St. John's?  Do you know where I can find out more
info about diving in the USVIs?

Thanks!

John Kingdon
kingdon@cs.columbia.edu
From: 73467.2574@CompuServe.COM (Andy Schmidt)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Fatalities
Date: 17 Oct 92 03:48:21 GMT
Article-I.D.: CompuSer.921017034821_73467.2574_DHE37-1

On Thu, 15 Oct 1992 14:15:11 GMT craig@cattnts.canada.ncr.com
(Craig Campbell) writes in his
message <1992Oct15.141511.10464@cattnts.canada.ncr.com>
 
CC> At some point in time during the dive there
CC> was a collapse behind them, blocking their exit.
 
Has that been confirmed? First hand accounts differ from those initial
speculations.
 
CC> They succeeded in finding
CC> another way out, but by the time they did, they were out of air
CC> and unable to reach the anchor line.
 
The cause for Rouse's Jr. out of air will eventually be reported. Exiting
single file probably made assistance difficult for Rouse Sr.
 
CC> They chose a free ascent.
 
Rouse Sr, upon exit, saw his son's free ascent and followed but unable to
catch up and provide assistance.
 
CC>There is no hint that the Rouses made any errors.
 
The accident analysis is under way based on the information available from
one victim and crew. Early third hand accounts are mostly 'rumors' and
VERY questionable, at least, compared with facts currently being collected.
Specially on this incident we ought to wait for the official accident
analysis report BEFORE we speculate on causes, errors, preventions etc.
 
Andy
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: zzsb@kursix.rrzn.uni-hannover.de (Wolfgang Sander-Beuermann)
Subject: Short Baja Report
Organization: RRZN
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 08:09:04 GMT

Although there is no question at the moment about the following, I think
it could be of some general interest, at least for the SCUBA archiv
of Peter Yee (IP-Adress: 128.102.18.3). Therefore I post it:

Short Report on Baja
--------------------

This year (1992, 2-nd half of May) I did my third trip down to Capo San
Lucas and some places in between. The other two trips however were in
1980 and 1981. So I was extremely curious, how things have changed. And
in fact, at some places they have changed that much, that one can not
recommend them anymore. This is true for very south area around Capo San
Lucas. This place has been a small fishermens town 11 years ago and now
is a touristic city. There are several dive shops, which offer all sorts
of SCUBA diving etc, but it is just to crowded.

The places, which are still really beautiful (under water and above it),
are located south of Mulenge within the 'Bay of Conception'.  There are
still the most beautiful beaches one can imagine.  For SCUBA dives
however the nearest dive shop is the one at Mulenge, which offers boat
trips too.  But that place (Mulenge and vicinity) is in no way as
beautiful as the former mentioned beaches more south (like Playa
Requeson for example).  One can't miss these beaches, because they can
be seen from the main road.  Although the underwater visibility is
limited (to about 4-7 meters) the water is rich which all sorts of
fishes and underwater live.  Because of the location inside the Bay of
Conception there are nearly no waves or surf.  And the water is warm
enough to go without wetsuit. 

The road down the peninsula is about in the same shape as it always was:
most parts are quite good, some are fairly limited.  But one should stay
on the main road (Mex 1).  The people are still nice and friendly,
except if one tries to go by ferry over to the mainland.  There was so
much paperwork to do for that purpose, that we finanlly gave up.  And
next time I'm going to learn more spanish (which is even worse, than my
(german-)english). 

In case of any more questions, please feel free to contact:

Wolfgang Sander-Beuermann, email: zzsb@kursix.rrzn.uni-hannover.de    or
                                  wolfgang.sander@rrzn.uni-hannover.dbp.de (2-nd)
From: gordon@meiko.com (Gordon Henderson)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Nitrox for safety?
Date: 12 Oct 92 15:43:23 GMT
Organization: Meiko Scientific Corp.

Just thinking about Nitrox ...

Anyone out there using Nitrox for safety purposes, as opposed to using
to extend bottom times or reduce deco. times? (Which would be hard for
me to do anyway, as no one else in my club is even thinking of using
Nitrox yet)

I was thinking of doing a course, so I could use it, then use it with
existing tables and computer models. It's use being nothing more than
to give me an extra margin of safety. (Can you be too safety conscious?)

My local shop has recently started selling Nitrox, but they are
charging #5 (UK pounds) a fill for it (#2 for air). I'm not sure it it
would be worth the extra charge, just for the added safety. (I'd
probably need to get a 2nd tank too, as I usually do 2 dives a day when
I dive.)

Anyone comments from anyone already doing this?

-- Gordon Henderson
From: bbaker@na.novell.com
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Documenting Australia
Date: 16 Oct 92 17:59:23 GMT
Reply-To: bbaker@na.novell.com ()
Organization: Novell, Inc., San Jose, Ca

Any readers out there in Australia? Or recent/frequent visitors of Australia?
Is there any places to rent underwater video, or still, photography equipment 
in Australia?  
Any recommendations for a shop to rent our scuba equipment?
Dive site recommendations?
How much can we expect to spend ($US) for the above items for a weekend, and
for multi-week rates?

A friend and I will be visiting from California, for 4 weeks in December.
Since it is my first trip to Australia (and my first trip out of the country!),
and I just got my OW C-card, I'm looking for an economical way to document my
trip, and specifically the underwater activities.
  We are planning to fly into Sydney, rent a car and all of our scuba equipment,
and drive up the coast stopping at various places to eat, sleep, dive, etc. 
I'm not that familiar with the the area (my buddy is doing the planning), but
I know we will be going up through Carnes and possibly Townsville (sorry if the
spelling is wrong).
  We figured renting from one "non-turist" shop for the duration of the trip
would be cheaper than multiple rents from turist dive shops up the coast.
The only deal I could find so far, short of buying all my own equipment, 
is borrowing a friends Sony TR81 camcorder, and renting an underwater housing 
for $250 from a place in San Francisco.  But there's still the problem with
lighting.  It would cost me about $400 more to purchase a couple Ikelite 50 
watters, and I don't want to purchase them. Anyone know where you can rent
underwater lights here in the states? (I know it seems strange that a place 
would rent the underwater housing but not the lights.  The camera I could 
understand.)


Thanks in advance,

Brad Baker
bbaker@novell.com
Newsgroups: rec.scuba,sci.med
From: craig@cattnts.canada.ncr.com (Craig Campbell)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Women and doubles
Date: 14 Oct 92 14:36:56 GMT
Organization: AT&T / NCR Canada Ltd., Toronto, Canada

In article <13OCT199219521791@watson.bms.com> ram@watson.bms.com (Gena Ram) writes:

>I have a problem that maybe someone can help me with.  I have recently 
>returned from a 4 day live aboard where I was using double 72's and a super 
>pony.  I don't usually use that many tanks and was wondering if any women out 
>there dive with doubles.  My problem is that climbing the ladder is extremly 
>difficult due to the fact that women have less upper body strength than men.  
>The current was a slight bit choppy and because I was unstable, I sustained 
>many large and ugly bruises (not to mention painful).  I do not have a problem 
>on deck or in the water, it is that lousy ladder climb.  The boat captain 
>suggested reaching up high on the ladder and pulling my body up without 
>putting my feet on the rungs (yeah right!)  Taking off my gear in the water is 
>not an option, as none of the boats I've ever dived on allow this (I guess if 
>you can"t handle it, you shouldn't use it?!)

>I need any tips on technique 
>anyone has to offer.

>Thanks, Gena   rd     ridt

Doubles are a b**ch for everyone, and climbing onto any boat with them is not
easy.  Tips?  Asside from a serious strength training program 
(Ms. Schwartzeneger? :-)), talk to your friends on the boat.  You should be 
able to handle yourself and all your equipment without assistance.  That does
NOT mean that it is necessary or desirable to do so.  Up here, at least on the
boats I've been on, everybody HELPS everyone else.  This includes helping to
pull you up the ladder, walk on a rocking deck, etc.  This is not because
you are inadequate or unable, but because it increases everyones fun and 
safety.  (Hauling yourself and doubles up a ladder after a good dive is 
EXERCISE, and you, as a freshly nitrogen enriched diver are supposed to avoid
exercise.)  On my most fun trips, I barely get to dress myself, as the group
works hard to get everyone suited up, in the water, and then out of the water 
and unsuited as quickly as possible.  Everyone helping out really improves the
efficiency and fun for everyone.

Hope this helps, and that you end up on some friendlier charters,

craig

P.S.  If your ever up here, I'll help haul you out! :-)
-- 
Craig Campbell		|	These opinions are entirely the result of a 
Systems Engineer	|	small butterfly crashing into the far side
NCR Canada,		|	of the planet.  Chaos Rules.
an AT&T Company		|	I speak for no one, except, possibly, myself.
From: awright@gssec.bt.co.uk (Alan Wright)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: computers as a backup to tables
Date: 7 Oct 92 12:09:33 GMT
Organization: BT, Software Engineering Centre, Glasgow, UK

In article <1992Oct7.032140.25882@cs.su.oz.au>,
gregr@joyce.cs.su.oz.au (Greg Ryan) writes:
 
|> Using tables as a backup for a dive computer (or computers) has been well
|> discussed in this group.  I thought it would be interesting to raise the
|> alternative - using a dive computer as a backup to tables.
|> 
|> Planning is an issue with all dives, but it becomes particularly important
|> in planned decompression dives.  Ensuring adequate gas supplies for bottom time,
|> ascent, deco and a comfortable margin for safety requires the dive profile to 
|> be worked out before you get in the water.  The  classic square profile is 
|> typical of diving the wrecks around Sydney and there is little multi-level 
|> advantage to be gained from computer use.  The use of tables, like Buhlmann's 
|> ZH-L12 or the DCIEM's, becomes entirely appropriate here provided you do the 
|> usual 'plan the dive, dive the plan'.
|> 
|> A dive computer still has a role though, as we all know about the best
|> laid plans.  A dive computer (preferably one using the same model as the tables 
|> you trust) provides a useful fallback when the dive is aborted well short of 
|> the planned bottom time.  Before computers were available I recall a few dives 
|> where on reaching the bottom (you could tell it was the bottom because you 
|> couldn't go any deeper without digging) the only reasonable decision was to
|> turn around.  Now rather than risk reading tables in this circumstance my buddy 
|> and I always fell back to the deco for the shortest dive we had planned, and
|> often this would be excessive for the now very short bottom time.
|> Having a computer calculating a profile for you to use as a backup is extremely
|> handy in this circumstance.
|> 
|> Does anyone else use their dive computer in this way?
|> 
|> 				Greg Ryan	gregr@cs.su.oz.au
|> 
 
This is the way I was taught to dive, although Greg sounds a bit more serious
than me - I only do no-decompression dives. Create several dive plans using tables
prior to the dive and then to use the computer during the dive. The extra table
calculations give fall back options. Maybe just something like doing calcualtions
for 20m, 25m, 30m and 35m. This way you may have planned to dive to 22m but
during the dive you find a depression down to 27m. You can go and have a look
without worrying about having to miss the next dive by switching plans. As Greg
says the computer is useful during the dive and especially during the ascent.
 
Also, it may be just me, but I think messing with the tables prior to diving
increases the anticipation and extends the fun.
 
     Alan.
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alan Wright, BT Software Engineering Centre     Email: awright@gssec.bt.co.uk
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.scuba