Re: Deep diving on holiday

I thought the below story might be of some interest. I did notice when I was in Cuba back in May, that many divers where reaching depths of 25 -30 metres on a Padi Open Water Certificate level. This qualification enables divers to dive to a max of 18 metres. Should any of them had problems decompressing or had a runaway ascent,and needed hopspital treatment, I wonder if their insurance would of paid out.
 Nobody checked any of my dive qualifications whilst in CSM, and it was clear that the majority of the divers on the boat were open water certified, yet the dive guide still completed a deep dive first which was usually way below the 18 m that most people were qualified.
 
 The guy in the story below obviuosly pushed it but it is very easy to be tempted to complete a deep dive abroad, when faced with great conditions and viz.
 
 http://www.divernet.com/news/stories/130805bill.shtml

[bellagio]

Very interesting Wossa.
 
 My insurance is through Lloyds TSB also.
 
 Thank goodness I don't dive!!!!

[Gambitt]

Guilty as charged, your Honour!
 
 Last time I was in Cuba, I was down to 95 feet.  At that time, I only had my Open Water as well.
 
 Looking back through my log book, Most of my dives to date, were below the 60ft / 18 meter level.  My only excuse really, is that the two guys diving with me, are both Master Divers, so I have plenty of experience to rely on.
 
 But, I have now done the right thing, and have both my Advanced, and my Enriched Air certifications.

[bellagio]

Originally posted by Gambitt:
 
 But, I have now done the right thing, and have both my Advanced, and my Enriched Air certifications.
 

Glad to hear that Gambitt.  I don't want you suffering from 'the bends' with my visit imminent.  :rof:    :rof:

[Gambitt]

I was reading up on the diver, who's insurance wouldn't pay up, and I actually Agree witht the insurance company.
 
   

Anthony Allen, from Solihull, carried out a dive to 49.5m, a depth confirmed by his tour company. The dive is reported to have been carried out correctly, in terms of profile requirements stipulated by his diving computer.
   

49.5 meters, is over 150 ft.  The absolute limit, according to every diving group (PADI, SSI, NAUI), for "recreational" scuba diving is 130 ft. with a reccomended limit of 100 ft.
 
 Going beyond those depths falls under "technical" diving, and it requires special training and insurance.
 
   

Now the 68-year-old's MP, Lorely Burt, has revealed he could be jailed under Egyptian law because of the unpaid bills, which she said could hit £40,000.
 
 "I have been told he could have his passport confiscated and be jailed unless the bills are paid," she said. " I am deeply disappointed the insurer has stuck to the wording of the policy's small print to justify not helping this family."
 
   

Is she for real???  He broke the rules of the policy, but the company is wrong and should still pay???  And the next guy, who goes to 170 ft?  Should they pay for that one too??

I totally agree with you Gambitt. The guy knew he was diving outside of his insurance and will now have to pay the consequences.
 
 Are we not all guilty of this though ? Diving in warm water and clear vis, perhaps going deeper then we would normally go to. I know I have done so.
 
 I went diving in Thailand last year and there was a chinese guy who just wanted to get as deep as possible as quick as possible, very bizarre. He would then come up and then parade his computer around the boat asking what depth everybody got to as if it was a competition.
 The odd thing was he had completed his open water the previous year and had logged 22 dives since. He never knew the levels of which oxygen toxicity would become an issue, and didn't really understand nitrogen narcosis when I was talking to him, yet he was diving to ridiculous depths for the type of diving we were meant to be doing.