The liveliest letters from the Diver mailbag...

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ON A WING AND A PRAYER
It was my day off, so to Portland I went for a "hop and pop". The dive was to be a deepish drift off Grove Point, and my buddy was an Advanced Diver.
I had never dived with him before, so a thorough buddy check was done. We went straight down to 27m, where the drift was about 2-3 knots with about 4-5m gloomy viz.
Ten minutes into the dive, I noticed that my buddy was dragging his feet along the seabed, trying to slow down. His bottle had slipped out of the tank band and he was holding its boot with his feet. When I got to him it was impossible to refix the tank due to the strong tide, which just kept pushing us along and allowing very little control. We were also heading into deeper water by the second.
I signalled to go up. His second stage was nearly out of his mouth, as the first stage was at the base of his back, and the BC inflation hose pulled up over his shoulder. However, the tank had one thing that enabled me to lift him securely, a strong carry-handle that had trapped the tank band and stopped the bottle and his DV slipping any further.
My buddy had little control over his ascent as he tried to hold the tank with his ankles, so I continued to grip the handle and drag him up from behind. One other thing helped - my wing, which so many ignorant divers say is dangerous because it might or might not push you forward at the surface. I think I could live with that problem, if it ever was one, but what a wing does have is superior lift to a normal BC.
I wear a medium/large wing with a 29kg lift capacity, and that enabled us both to reach the surface safely without ditching any weight. The average lift for the same-size BC is only 12-17kg, depending on make. We are so confident in wings that we have introduced a sport wing into our school with great success. Long live wings and good tank handles.
Martin Cripps, Bristol Scuba Centre

Deep diving - and the heat goes on
I read the letter from Mark Ellyatt (Deep Divers Under Pressure, Off-Gassing, June) with interest. He made some reasonable points but, I'm afraid, misquoted me as saying "public funds should not be put towards medical help for extreme diving exploits". I would not deny anybody medical help at any time, but merely raised the question in open debate of who should pay for medical services for irresponsible diving exploits.
I invited the audience to consider the question from a commonsense point of view.
Mark was also concerned about the lack of criticism of deep free-divers and asked why "extreme divers attract such vehement criticism".
For the record, I too question the ethics of and rationale for encouraging and sponsoring deep free-diving. I believe this subject also needs to be brought into open debate.
I did not venture into this equally sad subject during my debate with Mark Andrews because he is not a free-diver and we needed to remain focused. However, any competitive "sporting" activity, the limiting factor of which is injury and/or death, is surely senseless.
Finally, my 457m saturation dive record for the Royal Navy back in 1970 was not, as Mark Ellyatt put it, "ill-conceived". It was part of a long-term programme to develop the Royal Navy's ability to rescue trapped crews of sunken submarines.
It drew international acclaim from top diving scientists and naval authorities around the world, including Behnke, Brauer, Buehlmann, Chouteau, Lambertsen and MacInnis, to mention but a few.
John Bevan, London
While I do not disapprove of Mark Ellyatt's deep-diving activities, and certainly would not begrudge my taxpayer's mite in agreeing to provide medical care should they go wrong, I must object to his statement that Dr John Bevan's 457m dive was "ill-conceived".
The dive was part of a scientific diving continuum begun by Professors Leonard Hill and John Scott Haldane at the turn of the 20th century. It formed a link in the very serious investigation of the practice and effects of deep diving, carried out to advance technology which, in turn, would provide advantages to this nation and others, both economic and military.
By contrast, the dives Mr Ellyatt describes are essentially egotistical. They break no new technological, scientific, physiological or even exploratory ground. Indeed, they possess little value beyond the participants' personal satisfaction at having survived them.
I would not wish to prevent Mr Ellyatt pursuing whatever goals he might have, and indeed would defend his right to do so. His determination, spirit and ability are to be admired.
However, he must realise the difference between a proper scientific investigation and what is in effect a personal sporting challenge.
Nick Baker, Brierley Hill, W Midlands

Don't forget our minesweeper!
I was disappointed to read your news item concerning the sinking of the Stanegarth at Stoney Cove (A Very Public Sinking, News, June), in which you claim that this event marked the first time a vessel had been sunk specifically for divers in the UK. This is not the case; there are no fewer than six vessels sunk at Capernwray specifically for divers, including Podsnap, a Dickens Class WWII minesweeper more than 19m long!
These wrecks have been providing safe, interesting underwater attractions to visiting divers here for five years, as you yourselves have pointed out in the past (Diver, February 1997).
It's good to see fellow inland centres developing their diving facilities, and I'm sure the Stoney team enjoyed sinking their new attraction and will receive much positive feedback from customers.
I am aware of the bashing that commercial sites, and Stoney Cove in particular, attract from certain quarters. Projects like this go a long way to show customers that we are trying to move the game on and improve the inland centres all the time.
But please get your facts right, and don't forget that there are a huge number of divers out there who live and dive north of Watford Gap!
David Hack, Managing Director, Capernwray Diving & Leisure, Carnforth, Lancs

Long and the short of it
A question has been playing on my mind: when I see pictures of free-divers, their fins seem to be massive, but scuba-divers' fins seem to be getting smaller. Surely the basic requirement of propulsion applies to both sports, so why do you never see one wearing the other?
Julian Clarke, Worcs

Not much cop?
I read John Bantin's review of The Underwater Photographer (Forget the Green Lady and Develop your Own Rules, June) only to conclude that the reviewer has a personal grudge against Martin Edge. What does the fact that Edge is a policeman have to do with his accomplishments as a photographer? What does it tell us about the book?
Bantin does acknowledge that Edge is an award-winning photographer, something he himself is not. Doesn't that tell you something about your photographs, John ?
John Collins, Kinsale, Ireland

Ex-mechanic doesn't buy DIY
I am not yet a diver, but the article about regulator servicing by John Liddiard (Who Buys DIY?, June) worried me a bit. As an ex-mechanic,I have had to sort out a lot of cars that were repaired or serviced by their owners, but you can't do that 20m under the water.
You would also be a fool to rely on your spare regulator, because it would have been worked on by the same idiot as the one which packed up. What is needed is better training of staff at service centres, and at a reasonable price.
I read that many people in diving want to get away from the idea that their sport is dangerous, but letting people service their own regulators will increase the number of accidents, because not everyone is sensible.
Diver is a very good magazine and will be better when I can understand all the jargon!
David Henchy, Milton Keynes

Advanced training should be in-branch
I am a BSAC Dive Leader and Club Instructor and 95 per cent of the training I needed to reach this level came from within the branch.
I am now working towards Advanced Diver so that I can become an Advanced Instructor. Having completed two skill development courses (SDCs) last year, I booked the remaining three via our regional coaching squad. To date two have been cancelled due to lack of numbers, and I'm waiting to see whether the third will be too.
During my five years in the BSAC, nobody in our branch has qualified as an Advanced Diver. Most of our existing ADs qualified under the old system, when the grade was taught within the branch. I would be interested to know how many people are qualifying now compared to then.
If, since SDCs were introduced, fewer divers are taking the Advanced Diver course, is the BSAC going to suffer a shortage of experience when all our existing ADs are gone? Without the branches and the valuable time spent by members and instructors preparing new divers for their first dives and then supporting them as they progress towards Dive Leader, there might be no BSAC.
How can I become an Advanced Instructor if I cannot get the training I require to become an AD? We should be able to provide this training without people having to travel out of their area, which is what I shall most likely have to do.
Isn't it time the BSAC considered placing the training of ADs back in the branches? The experience available there could be supported by that of the regional coaches. If the current system does not change, other training agencies will happily wait on the sidelines, ready to take our place when the BSAC starts to fall apart at the seams as a result of this problem.
I have noticed on my travels around the UK and abroad the high regard for BSAC divers and the BSAC training system. Let's keep it this way. Come on, BSAC, the grass roots know what's going on within the branches, and we are your best source of information, vital to your survival!
Peter Dalton, York

No weapons, no explosives
Beware of taking Eurostar if you're going diving - not only will it not let you take a dive knife, but it also refuses to take pony cylinders, or indeed any kind of tank.
I was quite clear when making a booking for nine divers going to the south of France that we were divers, but was not told about this restriction in advance. Perhaps some staff training to warn prospective passengers about what equipment is prohibited would be helpful.
I understand the cylinder problem, but do not see how a pony with 10 bar at ambient temperature in a carriage is dangerous.
Adeline Cantais, London

Eurostar says: Sorry our salesperson didn't pick this one up, but because of restrictions, particularly in respect of the Channel Tunnel, divers are advised on booking to let us know if they intend to bring anything that could be used as a weapon (a knife) or which could explode (a cylinder of any sort). These items can usually be booked into the hold as freight.

The good, the bad and the stupid
I have just seen my first copy of Diver and it is the best diving magazine I have read. I recently returned from some memorable diving in Thailand on a liveaboard with Sea King Divers, a small British-owned company in Phuket, and its level of service and professionalism was superb.
Would that every other company behaved in a similar manner. We witnessed poorly organised dive groups charging around under water, upsetting marine life with cameras and showing a casual disregard for the environment and for other divers. We saw boats dump raw sewage into the water daily and one saw fit to drop anchor repeatedly onto the seabed, destroying huge areas of coral each time.
Despite all the information provided, it seems some people are just too stupid to care.
Anyone thinking of booking a diving holiday in Thailand should examine the environmental policy of those offering it. As individuals we can do little to stop such behaviour, but at least we don't have to encourage it.
If boat companies could offer evidence of good, responsible behaviour, perhaps some sort of environmental standards mark could be adapted for diving purposes. Then the public could easily choose who it wished to support.
Hugh Kelly, Salthill, Galway

Respect on the Salem Express
Reading the article on the Salem Express wreck (Danke Schšn, Safaga, June) brought back many eerie memories.
In March 1996, when a group of 18 of us descended on the wreck at about 10m, it became clear what a terrible disaster had occurred. Children's toys, personal radios, handbags, briefcases, unused lifeboats, clothing and shoes were strewn about the seabed.
We swam down to the propellers which were, as your cover photo shows, an awesome sight. We swam around to the crow's nest and the funnel, which fish were beginning to colonise.
I looked through a porthole into a cabin, and all that lay there was one man's shoe.
Back on our boat, no one spoke for several minutes. For all the wrong reasons, this was the most moving dive I have experienced.
I hope every other diver who visits the Salem Express treats it and those lost on board with the same respect we showed.
Janice Roach, Cleethorpes, Lincs

Ena deeper
The wreck of the Princess Ena is not at 36m as stated in your June issue (Stripped Princess, Wreck Q&A) but in 50m of water. She is also fairly well broken and it is therefore not really possible to remain at a shallower depth.
Mike Paige, Blue Dolphins, Guernsey

Heavyweight to Hawaii
In reference to all the recent letters about airline baggage restrictions, I would inform other divers of the superb diving equipment allowances on United Airlines.
On enquiring about a trip to Hawaii last September, I was told that for a flat fee of £70 return I could take one piece of each item of scuba equipment including cylinder and weightbelt (full), but they did not see any need to impose this charge as the allowance in economy seating was 65kg and two pieces of hand luggage, with only a size restriction on those.
This was in sharp contrast to May this year when, flying to Thailand with BA, I was told there were no allowances for divers and the weight allowance was only 23kg checked-in luggage and 7kg hand luggage. Any excess would be charged at £15 per kg each way. I know which would be my choice of airline in the future.
Kerena, Blackpool.

Effects of diving on young bones
I was interested to read the statement on bone necrosis made recently by the UK Sport Diving Medical Committee (Medical Q&A, February). My concern relates to the increasingly young ages at which some training agencies allow people to learn to dive nowadays.
I understand that one agency allows 10-year-olds to learn to dive. Ignoring such issues as proper maturity, I wonder about the effects that pressure can have on young, and growing, bones.
Christian Gerzner

Dr Phil Bryson of the SDMC says: We still don't really have enough evidence about children diving to know for sure. However, most youngsters dive very shallow and for short periods, and it seems highly unlikely that such profiles would result in bone necrosis.

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Appeared in DIVER - August 2000

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