HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: waitsc@phoenix.sci.rpi.edu (Samuel C. Wait Jr)
Subject: Re: Shark Stories
Keywords: Stella_Maris, Bahamas
Reply-To: waitsc@rpi.edu
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY.
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 20:07:04 GMT

About 4 years ago, my wife and I went on a trip to Stella Maris,
a resort on Long Island in the Bahamas -about 150 miles south of
Nassau.  They have an area called shark reef. There were 5 of
us with two dive masters each of whom had a long -8-10 foot pole.
They took down a mop pail of meat to feed the sharks. Unfortunately
the pail tipped and spilled a little early. The sharks were waiting
for it -and about 10-15 of them really got excited -maybe not a real
feeding frenzy, but they sure got it in a hurry and cruised around for
more. I have one picture with one right over my head - I didn't know
he was there.
It was one of the most beautiful sights I have seen. The 6 to 8 foot
Carribean reef sharks are graceful and swim so effortlessly.   We were
warned not to flop around like a wounded fish and also that the
translucent fins that I had on were more attractive to them than colored
fins.
I also was diving at Heron Island off the Great Barrier Reef in Australia
and it was common to see reef sharks there. By all accounts they are
not going to bother you if you don't bother them.
I have never seen other species in the water while diving so can't
comment further.
 
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: mjs@hubcap.clemson.edu (M. J. Saltzman)
Subject: Re: Weight belt oops at 50'
Organization: Clemson University, Clemson SC
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 15:51:10 GMT

In article <1bd5p8INN6v1@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> eam13@po.CWRU.Edu (Elizabeth A. Madigan) writes:
>
>In a previous article, sdodd@OES.ORST.EDU (Stephen M Dodd) says:
>
>>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 had a close encounter too, only mine was being pinned against 
>an upside down freighter.  To make a long story short, the most
>important thing I learned was that buckles are cheap, so I now
>have two buckles on my weight belt.  I point out the fact to
>new buddies, have them both open the same direction and now have
>a little more piece of mind.  You need only see Neptune's wrath once
>eh Stephen?

A while ago, there was a discussion here about how much more secure
metal buckles are that the plastic ones.  I went out and bought one,
and I now concur that I feel much more confident using it than using
the plastic one that came with the belt.  The plastic buckle never
really felt like it locked positively on the belt fabric.  I always
felt like checking, adjusting, retightening it periodically throughout
the dive, and I never really felt like it was secure (particularly
when wearing a full wet suit).  The metal buckle locks down tight.  I
feel like I can "set it--and forget it".  I'd recommend this option to
everyone who hasen't taken it already.
-- 
		Matthew Saltzman
		Clemson University Math Sciences
		mjs@clemson.edu
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: njs@scifi.uucp (Nicholas J. Simicich)
Subject: Re: Any info on 160cf tanks?
Organization: Nick Simicich, Peekskill, NY
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 14:43:38 GMT

In article <920930020358_73467.2574_DHE60-4@CompuServe.COM> 73467.2574@CompuServe.COM (Andy Schmidt) writes:
>On Mon, 28 Sep 1992 17:21:40 GMT gd@blublaze.sw.stratus.com (Greg Dawe)
>writes in his message <6801@transfer.stratus.com>
>
>GD>A couple of weekends ago I was down on Long Island doing a bit of wreck diving.
>GD>After the first day of diving, the boat captain, also an avid wreck diver,
>GD>took us to a nearby shop to get air.  The shop's fill station was capable of
>GD>dispensing/mixing various different diving gases.
>
>Sounds like 'Enchanted Divers'. You didn't happen to dive with Howard,
>did you?
>
>GD>While waiting for my fill, I met a couple of divers who were getting 
>GD>ready to dive the wreck of the USS Monitor (a Gary Gentile's expedition, 
>GD>I believe).  When they manhandled their tanks over to the fill station I 
>GD>couldn't believe the size.  They told me they were 160 cf, but with 
>GD>overfills each tank could carry 200 cf!! 
>
>These are Faber 20 liter tanks, manufactured in Italy after a German IWKA 
>patent on the galvanized steel. They hold 20l (> 141 cu ft) at 200 bar (> 
>2900 psi). If you give them a 'standard' 3300 psi OVERfill then you have
>160 cu ft.  And, of course you can overfill them even further. Overall,
>they make neat pony bottles, don't you agree?
>
>Price is about $400.00 and they do NOT have DOT approval. However, now there
>are 121 cu ft tanks available (at 2640 psi) WITH DOT approval. Also European
>steel tanks and not THAT much smaller than the 20 liter monsters. 

I talked to the guy who was planning on importing these over the
weekend at ICUE.  He has changed his plans: He will not be importing
these tanks at all, other than the test market ones.  He will be
importing the 3AA 121 cuft tanks, or such are his current plans.  He
says to tell you hi, Andy.



-- 
Nick Simicich - uunet!bywater!scifi!njs - njs@watson.ibm.com
SSI #AOWI 3958, HSA 318, NAUI #14065
Join the movement ---  turn 'to bush' into a verb.
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: sdodd@OES.ORST.EDU (Stephen M Dodd)
Subject: Re: Weight belt oops at 50'
Organization: Oregon Extension Service, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Or.
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 02:14:25 GMT

In article <16339@mindlink.bc.ca> Bruce_Dunn@mindlink.bc.ca (Bruce Dunn) writes:
>> Stephen M Dodd writes:
>>                                                   As I approached the
>
>        This posting has generated a considerable response centered on how to
>keep buckles from slipping, on weightbelt replacement policies of
>instructors, clubs and stores, and on what to do in such a situation.  The
>most obvious problem has been missed:  Where was Stephen's buddy when this
>happened? (No personal flame intended). The incident is at least as

  As discussed in another post I need to state that my buddies did come to
  my assistance.  It was just complicated by numbers.  Indeed three
  people directly contributed to helping me recover from the situation.

  Steve


-- 
- Stephen M. Dodd, System Analyst, Oregon Extension Service
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
sdodd@oes.orst.edu          Internet          Oregon State University
503-737-3550                                  Corvallis, OR 97331
From: bbaker@na.novell.com
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Video lights in S.F. Bay Area
Date: 16 Oct 92 18:06:38 GMT
Reply-To: bbaker@na.novell.com ()
Organization: Novell, Inc., San Jose, Ca

Anyone know of places in the San Franciso Bay area that rents underwater video
lights?

Anyone willing to rent me theirs if I was to give a cash deposit covering the
full replacement cost?

I want to document a trip, but don't want to fork out the big bucks.  I've 
nailed down the camcorder and underwater housing.  I just need the lighting.

Thanks,

Brad Baker
bbaker@novell.com
408/473-8408
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: adrian@niagara.ucs.ualberta.ca (Adrian Smith)
Subject: San Francisco in March?
Reply-To: adrian@niagara.ucs.ualberta.ca
Organization: University Of Alberta, Edmonton Canada
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 20:51:42 GMT

I don't get to read this group, so I'd aprpeciate any answers to my  
question being emailed to me. Thanks.

I'm planning a trip to San Francisco in the beginning of March next year,  
and would like to do some diving while I'm there. I've never dived there  
before, but I do dive off the West Coast of Canada every so often, and  
March is a good time because of a lack of plankton bloom, etc.

Does anyone have any information on good sites to check out while I'm  
there? How about general dive conditions in March?


Thanks,
--
Adrian Smith
University of Alberta NeXT Campus Consultant
adrian@niagara.ucs.ualberta.ca
Audix: 5482
From: jonke@brl.mil
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Ride wanted from Marathon to Key West
Date: 14 Oct 92 20:58:26 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: NASA GSFC

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: I'm posting this for another person who does NOT have direct access
to this group.  Please email all responses to him - you should be able to
reply directly to this article, or if that doesn't work, try the address:
   jonke@brl.mil

Steve
--------------------------- message follows -------------------------------

I will be diving in Marathon Key, Florida, over the Thanksgiving holiday
and I need a ride from Marathon to Key West on Sunday November 29 in
time to catch a flight at 6:11 AM. Is there anyone out there who might
be able to give me a lift?

Please respond via e-mail since I do not have direct access to this group.
Thanks in advance!

Pat
From: Bruce_Dunn@mindlink.bc.ca (Bruce Dunn)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Weight belt oops at 50'
Date: 14 Oct 92 21:16:44 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Distribution: world

> Stephen M Dodd writes:
>
>                                                   As I approached the
> top of the reef, I had to pause for divers already there to disperse.  I
> hung head down along the anchor line for a few minutes, holding it
> beneath my chest.  Just as everyone in front cleared away from the line
> I released the line too and began to follow them.  But the surge pushed
> me back and as I relaxed to let it pass I swept over the anchor line
> again and felt it catch and release my weight belt.
>
> [stuff deleted]
>
> Basically there were only a few choices.  My friends could return
> and find the belt.  I could rise to the surface kicking down all the
> way.  I could ascend the anchor line ... but it was so stretched out
> that I feared that it would give me little downward control.  I could
> also grab the anchor and ascend holding it.  It wasn't as heavy as the
> belt I had lost but it would help.  But that would set the boat adrift
> without the knowlege of my buddies.  None of these ideas seemed a clear
> choice.  I was stuck without enough clear information to make a choice.


        This posting has generated a considerable response centered on how to
keep buckles from slipping, on weightbelt replacement policies of
instructors, clubs and stores, and on what to do in such a situation.  The
most obvious problem has been missed:  Where was Stephen's buddy when this
happened? (No personal flame intended). The incident is at least as
instructive as to the necessity of maintaining some form of buddy system
during group dives as it is about weight belt buckles.  A buddy could have
looked for the belt, dumped his own BC and acted as a weight during ascent,
or found a convenient rock for Stephen to carry.
        I have been myself on several groups dives where buddy pairs were not
clearly assigned for all involved.  I find such situations potentially very
dangerous, as it is all to easy for someone tailing behind to get into
trouble and not be seen.  Buddy support is not just a theoretical issue.  I
personally have been involved twice in helping others with lost fins, once in
helping with a dropped weight belt (the diver held on, and we got it buckled
back on ok), once with untangling my buddy's tank valve from some
monofilament line, and have been on the receiving end of help when I
discovered underwater that the air hose to my dry suit was not properly
connected to my suit valve.
        There isn't always safety in numbers  - too many divers can mean that
problems can get overlooked!

--
Bruce Dunn    Vancouver, Canada   Bruce_Dunn@mindlink.bc.ca
From: eam13@po.CWRU.Edu (Elizabeth A. Madigan)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Weight belt oops at 50'
Date: 13 Oct 1992 00:38:00 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: eam13@po.CWRU.Edu (Elizabeth A. Madigan)
NNTP-Posting-Host: slc5.ins.cwru.edu


In a previous article, sdodd@OES.ORST.EDU (Stephen M Dodd) says:

>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 had a close encounter too, only mine was being pinned against 
an upside down freighter.  To make a long story short, the most
important thing I learned was that buckles are cheap, so I now
have two buckles on my weight belt.  I point out the fact to
new buddies, have them both open the same direction and now have
a little more piece of mind.  You need only see Neptune's wrath once
eh Stephen?
From: larisa@tcville.edsg.hac.com (Larisa Stephan)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: RE: Console Configuration
Date: 8 Oct 92 20:33:28 GMT
Reply-To: larisa@tcville.edsg.hac.com
Organization: Hughes Aircraft Co. EOS, El Segundo, CA

Dave Fortner (Fortner-D@3mail.ksc.nasa.gov) sent me a mail message
following up to my previous post and I am posting it for him 'cause
he can't.

As a pre-post script, my comment is that I bought the Oceanic (in
the compass-on-back configuration) because I liked its design best
of all the ones I looked at.  I found the compass on the back easier
to read, as did Dave's wife.  Read on . . .
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Larisa,

I gust purchased an Oceanic console w/ gauges for my wife. Oceanic 
currently carries 2 styles of console boot. The style they call NAVCON 
has the compass on the front side. The other one (I don't remember what 
they call it) has the compass on the back side. My local SCUBA shops 
carry both, if you are interested in the Oceanic catalog you can 
call thier toll free number (800-458-8880) and request one. Secondly the 
thermometer on the Oceanic gauge is in the pressure gauge, this is so 
that when/if you get thier DataMax Sport computer to install in your 
console, you still have the thermometer.

My wife loves this console, it is very compact and easy to read when 
Narked. Also the compass is side view when ounted in the console, 
therefore she grasps the console with both hands (one on ech side of the 
compass) and holds it out at arms length. She feels that this is more 
accurate than in-line consoles (eg. my Sherwood console). What is your 
opinion? Lastly, the Oceanic gauges have a lifetime warrant, most of the 
other gauges that we looked at only had one or two years.

Dave Fortner - PADI AOW
Fortner-D@3mail.ksc.nasa.gov

P.S. For some reason I can read the postings but can't post myself. If 
you feel that this is of interest to anyone else you can post it for me.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-- Larisa
larisa@tcville.edsg.hac.com
From: sdodd@OES.ORST.EDU (Stephen M Dodd)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Weight belt oops at 50'
Date: 16 Oct 92 04:04:18 GMT
Organization: Oregon Extension Service, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Or.

In article <keulen.719203966@possum> keulen@possum.csu.murdoch.edu.au (Mike van Keulen) writes:
>sdodd@OES.ORST.EDU (Stephen M Dodd) writes:
>
>>   I did want to point out to the net that on this occassion I noticed a
>>   definite effort required to stay on task and resist the temptation to
>>   allow events to proceed in an ad-hoc basis.  This is where the real
>>   danger lies.  
>
>Hmmm ... do you think this may have been partially due to nitrogen narcosis
>setting in under a stressful situation?  50' is normally too shallow to have
>serious narc effects, but what with the stress of losing your belt, the effects

   I was only in the water about 2 minutes when this occured.  The sense
   of acceptance I felt was only mental.

   Steve
   of decisive action was only on
-- 
- Stephen M. Dodd, System Analyst, Oregon Extension Service
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
sdodd@oes.orst.edu          Internet          Oregon State University
503-737-3550                                  Corvallis, OR 97331
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: Bruce_Dunn@mindlink.bc.ca (Bruce Dunn)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Computers,Tables,Bottom Timers.
Date: 12 Oct 92 19:26:43 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Distribution: world


> smckenzi01@cc.curtin.edu.au writes:
>
>   With all this talk of computer use, and mistakes using tables. It seems
> to me that I see a lot of divers nowadays supposedly diving to tables that
> "fudge" their bottom times in their calculations. This appears to be
> because
> "we" get used to not having to check times at the beginning of the dive.
>
>         How are these people, diving with a computer, going to have any
> idea
> what their bottom time is if their machine fails ?


        In a large percentage of cases, the diver's buddy will have an
operating computer or bottom timer.  Provided the pair is really diving as a
pair, the other diver's time should be good to within the nearest minute or
so.
--
Bruce Dunn    Vancouver, Canada   Bruce_Dunn@mindlink.bc.ca
From: dunbar@boulder.Colorado.EDU (S Dunbar)
Subject: Re: Shark Stories
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: 14 Oct 92 19:34:23 GMT

I guess it depends on where you are diving, if you will see sharks
i saw sharks on all my dives in polynesia, white tip, black tip, gray sharsk
and a lemon shark, plus we saw manta rays as well,
so if you go to polynesia, i am sure that you will see sharks, however, if
you go to the carribean, i understand that it is more unlikely that one would
see sharks.

The sharks seemed to be totally un interested in the humanoids, i never
felt threatned, even on the shark feed ing dive,
so i agree with the majority, sharks are usually harmless, however they
can be unpredictable.

my wife was the most afraid person in the world when it came to sharks, after
our first dive she was looking for them

scott
 
Scott\      /\/\  /|email: dunbar@boulder.colorado.edu
  /***\  /\/*/**\/*|Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
 /  /\ \/**\/    \ |University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO  80309-0347
From: leej@sgi.com (Lee Jones)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Titanic salvage
Date: 16 Oct 92 18:10:12 GMT
Article-I.D.: fido.1bn0i4INNadv
Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
NNTP-Posting-Host: diver.asd.sgi.com

The subject of "Should the Titanic be left as a memorial or salvaged like
any other ship?":

The "Arizona" is, in some senses, just a rusting hulk in Peral Harbor.  I
doubt many folks in the U.S. advocate salvaging it.  Matter of fact, I heard
that many WWII veterans were terrified by the thought that Hurricane Iniki
would destroy what was left of the ship (it didn't).

Sometimes, we attach value to something far beyond its real value, and to some
degree, we find it important to leave it as it was, untouched.  Impractical 
surely, but a real, common human emotion.  I think the Titanic fits easily into
this class. 

Let it lie.

Regards, Lee
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: cff0347@mcnews.mcdata.com (Chuck Frans)
Subject: Re: Going to Cozumel - questions
Organization: McData Corporation
Date: Wed, 07 Oct 1992 21:03:44 GMT

In article <583@tsw.UUCP> ray@tsw.UUCP (Ray Izumi) writes:
>Izzcalled lomotil - works real good!
>
>-- 
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Ray Izumi, The System Works, Redmond, WA     206-823-4685      uunet!tsw!ray
>"No amount of not finding something proves it doesn't exist."
From: ray@tsw.UUCP (Ray Izumi)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: regulator reccomendations?
Date: 14 Oct 92 15:45:56 GMT
Organization: The System Works, Redmond, WA

In article <ldma78INNkfi@exodus.Eng.Sun.COM> falk@peregrine.Eng.Sun.COM (Ed Falk) writes:
>replace it.  All the new plastic regulators look exactly alike to
>me.  Any recommendations?  Anything I should avoid?  I'm leaning
>towards one of the new USD Conshelf regulators simply out of brand
>loyalty and price considerations.
>
>So, what's your favorite regulator and why?
>
After using a Scubapro G250 and an Oceanic reg, I finally settled on the
Poseidon Cyklon because:

1) Exhaust vents to the side - doesn't get in your face.
2) It breathes as easy at 185' as it does at the surface.
3) Works well at any angle, even upside down.
4) Howard Hall uses one. This guy dives every day, so he's had some experience.
   Not only HH, but you'll find most pro divers use Poseidons.
5) Poseidon pays for parts for annual service, saving about $50 / year.

Has anybody had any bad experiences with Poseidons? I've heard that the
Odin can be a bit touchy sometimes...
-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ray Izumi, The System Works, Redmond, WA     206-823-4685      uunet!tsw!ray
"No amount of not finding something proves it doesn't exist."
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: ram@watson.bms.com (Gena Ram)
Subject: Women and doubles
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Organization: Bristol Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 00:52:00 GMT


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
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: gregr@joyce.cs.su.oz.au (Greg Ryan)
Subject: Cayman Recompression Chamber bans Nitrox divers
Reply-To: gregr@cs.su.oz.au (Greg Ryan)
Organization: Basser Dept of Computer Science, University of Sydney, Australia
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 23:50:44 GMT

I've been told that the Cayman Islands Watersports Operators Association
and the Cayman Recompression Chamber have banned divers using nitrox from
the RCC at Grand Cayman.  As I'm a bit remote from this area, does anyone
on the net know anything more about this.  Is it true, and if it is, what
is their reason for this ban?

										Greg Ryan	gregr@cs.su.oz.au