Cave Diving Fatality

[mitsuguy]

Originally Posted by ianr33

Ignore.

Apologies

well, we don't really know, nor will anyone every know for sure...

it could have been a o2 sensor failure, corrosion/contamination, etc...

it appears it failed either way, as the o2 bottle should not have been empty...

[Dive-aholic]

Originally Posted by DaneMeyer20

I mean, thats nearly 2/3 of a mile into a cave system. How long would something like that take?

On a scooter, it takes me about 40 minutes to get back to 4000', and I have a slow scooter...

From the article it sounds like his Rebreather malfunctioned. They also found two side mount steel tanks empty next to him.

It didn't malfunction...

Originally Posted by thesmoothdome

Holy crap! I stand completely corrected and admittedly ignorant of cave diving as a whole. Diving that deep into a system alone is just a little more than I'm willing to do and guess I just assumed that like most diving communities, cave divers would frown on it.

A lot more solo diving happens in cave diving than is admitted or discussed. It's actually quite common and accepted in the community by most. Extra safety measures are usually taken such as only breathing off a stage bottle and saving back gas for reserves.

Originally Posted by mitsuguy

that's what I gathered as well, the statement about corrosion on the electronics makes it almost seem as though some maintenance was overlooked... now, obviously I didn't see it, but typical corrosion takes days, weeks to form, and was more than likely there prior to the dive... although I don't typically speculate, it appears that some maintenance could have prevented this...

Remember, RBs have chemicals in them. The scrubber was flooded. Chemical reactions can cause corrosion to speed up.


There has already been a bunch of speculation on TDS. A fairly good conclusion has been reached. Rather than more speculation, sign up on TDS and read the thread. It should answer lots of questions.

[DaneMeyer20]

^^^^ so you can get back to 4000 ft on a scooter in 40 minutes? What happens if the scooter fails? How long would it take to swim back to the entrance or would you be shyt out of luck?

[ianr33]

Originally Posted by DaneMeyer20

^^^^ so you can get back to 4000 ft on a scooter in 40 minutes? What happens if the scooter fails? How long would it take to swim back to the entrance or would you be shyt out of luck?

That depends on how well you have planned your dive.

If you have a backup scooter,or your buddy can tow you,or you have enough gas to swim out then no problem. If not then you are dead.

Would take about 80 minutes to swim 4000 feet without any help from the flow. At 100 feet with a SAC of 0.8 (swimming hard and scared ! ) Thats 256 cu ft of gas. Better have a bunch of O2 for deco as well.

Anybody with 1/2 a braincell takes a cave DPV class before using a scooter in a cave.

[thesmoothdome]

[quote=ianr33;190271]

Originally Posted by DaneMeyer20

Would take about 80 minutes to swim 4000 feet without any help from the flow. At 100 feet with a SAC of 0.8 (swimming hard and scared ! ) Thats 256 cu ft of gas. Better have a bunch of O2 for deco as well.

Anybody with 1/2 a braincell takes a cave DPV class before using a scooter in a cave.

That SAC is generous. Mine'd be higher than that.

[Dive-aholic]

Originally Posted by DaneMeyer20

^^^^ so you can get back to 4000 ft on a scooter in 40 minutes? What happens if the scooter fails? How long would it take to swim back to the entrance or would you be shyt out of luck?

With the flow in the system I'm referring to, it took me 33 minutes from 2500' to swim out. That was while pushing my scooter and breathing off an AL80 stage bottle...and I had plenty of air left in the tank to get out from over 3000'. As Ian pointed out, there are some safety measures taken when penetrating beyond a certain distance, usually 3000'. If I'm going beyond 3000' I'm going to tow a backup scooter or bring a buddy bottle with me. My gas planning will be extremely conservative. Usually, I stage back to 2500' then plan on 1/4 of my side gas beyond that. I rarely go the entire 1/4 before turning. That gives me 3/4s of my side gas and 2/3s of my stage to get myself out.

Originally Posted by ianr33

Anybody with 1/2 a braincell takes a cave DPV class before using a scooter in a cave.

I guess I don't have 1/2 a braincell...

There are things called mentorships...

[mitsuguy]

Originally Posted by Dive-aholic

Remember, RBs have chemicals in them. The scrubber was flooded. Chemical reactions can cause corrosion to speed up.


There has already been a bunch of speculation on TDS. A fairly good conclusion has been reached. Rather than more speculation, sign up on TDS and read the thread. It should answer lots of questions.

Yah, I finally got a chance to read that thread... I have a little clearer view of what happened now - there is a little more info over there than just the IUCRR report...

[ianr33]

Originally Posted by Dive-aholic

I guess I don't have 1/2 a braincell...

There are things called mentorships...

Guess I should have said "or equivalent"

How many caves require the card to take a scooter in?

[Dive-aholic]

AFAIK, only Devil's. But I also understand that it you're Abe Davis, that will work in place of a Cave DPV card.

[diver-wife]

that is sad, my prayer go out, although that is reason 543 that I will never go cave diving, just not for me