| Hi, Thanks for all the input guys. And Digger dont worry, its listening to comments like yours that bring me back to earth now and again. I have posted this here to get the kind of feedback Im getting. Yes its selfish and dangerous, but those issues dont apply to my personal circumstances. It would be more dangerous if I did it without your input.
I have done all the courses, including deep Trimix and dived to 75 and 86 in the Red Sea several times (Blue Hole, Thomas Canyon being my favorites). I have experience enough to make me feel ready to try the dive. (which is not the same as actually being ready) As Mark said - If I dont feel right I will make it a shallow dive. Ive done that before and have no problem doing it again. I also have a week to practice it, plus the constant practice Im getting here at Stony and the NDC. As for further practice Im doing a solo course just before I go which should just be a refresher from what I did on my advanced Trimix one - albiet in the cold dark NDC as oppose to the warm bright fish full Red Sea.
Im not uncomfortable with it or anxious about it, but obviously its more serious than my previous 86m dive - which actually was no harder than the 75m dives, which were not harder than the 60m dives. Once you are OK with the deco, kit, switches, multiple tanks, physics etc the actual number of meters is a mental thing. Im OK with that. Ive also not got any dependants to worry about. My family dont seem to mind when Im racing my off road bike at 70mph in the woods. Perhaps deep diving has a bad reputation.
However, none of my courses gave me the kind of real advice ive been getting. Sure I can work out the gasses etc, but its things like diet, keeping the Nitrogen % the same or less, people buggering off with your O2 hang tank, etc. Its all very cold theory and Ive actually learned more doing my own research on things like high or low Helium % in the mix, taking or not taking asprin, how to drink underwater and eat underwater, decostations, yellow blobs for signalling, which type of deco software actual deep divers feel is better for them and why. If you read the informaton in the manuals on things like counterdiffusion and gas choice you realise they fall short of complete advice.
I will continue to draw up my plans and improve them with the informaiton you continue to provide and stick them up for you to see, criticise, etc. I will do the dive and get back to you on how it went and what it was like.
I reckon the Blue Hole is going to be the best location (apart from the big hill and fast taxi to the chamber). I will have surface support with my O2 hang tank. I still prefer to do it on my own, Im not comfortable about being responsible for someone else down there. I know what thats like haveing taught and guided out there before. Its fine in sub 30m situations. All my previous post Trimix dives have been solo to all intents and purposes.
Cheers everyone.  |