"I love my job, I love my job ..."

[Illumina Drathiran'ar]

However... I recieved this in email quite a few months ago.. Maybe more... And it really *does* sound like an urban legend. Don't want to ruin the fun, but I'd like everyone to keep it in mind.

I mean, think about it! Would there really be no filtration system in place? That would mean that all the salt in the water is getting pumped in as well, and that would itch like HELL. Let's not forget plant matter and all that other lovely stuff that floats around in the water... Small fish... I mean, really now.
Hell, the salt alone is liable to collect in the bottom of said guy's suit and weigh him down, possibly tearing it or rendering him unable to swim.

[ 02-04-2004, 11:05 AM: Message edited by: Illumina Drathiran'ar ]

[Micah Foehammer]

Uhh, sorry Illumina but those arguments don't "hold water". First of all, the salt is in solution in the water; it does NOT pool in the bottom of your suit like a big pile of table salt. Although salt water IS corrosive and can cause damage to diving equipment, that requires prolonged exposure (we are talking months or years) and benign neglect of your equipment. Some people DO have reactions to exposure to salt water and the "fish matter" that you describe, but a professional diver is NOT likely to have that problem. And living in New Orleans, I can verify that there IS a corporation called Global Marine Divers which provides numerous offshore diving support for various oil companies etc.

I've been scuba diving numerous times (over 400 logged dives) and had a couple of run-ins with nasty little critters called "sea wasps". They are basically very tiny jelly fish, almost impossible to see, and can cause some very nasty irritations. They could easily slip through a something the size of a garden hose.

Where the story DOES break down, however, is in the description of the dive, decompression and equipment. The diver was must have been working at significant depths for extended periods as evidenced by the need for him to do both a 35 minute deco stop PLUS a dry chamber decompression. Recreational dives made to depths less than 120 feet typically mandate a 15 minute safety stop, not 35 minutes. And dives to depth of 120 feet allow the diver to remain at depth for less than 10 minutes. That's insufficent time for any practical task to be accomplished. Divers working at depths requiring dry chamber decompression do not use WET SUITS, but either use dry suits in which NO water is permitted in OR specialized fully contained diving rigs which are ALSO water proof. In the latter case, you would be compromsing the integrity of the suit if you jury-rigged a garden hose into it.

Still it is a hilarious story, which hit home because it IS close to home. lol I can feel the guy's pain.