Now Ye're Talking - to a Commercial Diver

Lisha wrote: »

Sounds fascinating.

When you are on holidays do you take part in diving in beautiful places or are you strictly a land lover on hols?

Were you ever taken by surprise by something breath taking while working underwater?

Good question, people automatically assume I only go on diving holidays but thats not the way it is at all.

Before I became a commercial diver I was a recreational instructor and prior to that a recreational diver. Once I began teaching recreational students, I no longer needed to get my own personal fix of the underwater world as I was diving great sites on a regular basis with enthusiastic dive buddies. I guess once I got into the commercial side of diving it took all the fun from it, the last thing you want to do on your day off is pull a drysuit on and get into the water after spending 5 or more days diving earlier that week. I remember a friend telling me just before I became commercial that the best way to ruin something you love doing is go to work at it, and I guess they couldn't be more right. It is sad and I miss my old view on diving. That said I do force myself to go on maybe 1 or 2 dive weekends in Ireland a year, to remind myself how great it can be, with old dive buddies.

To answer your question, holidays are generally on land, hiking and general outdoors stuff. I try to keep away from the water, the misus doesn't want to hear a word about diving or boats when we are away so holidays are generally on her terms too.

Have I ever been taken by surprise? Yes a few times, once while working off the north of Scotland on a fish farm, I was diving outside the salmon nets (large commercial nets in the sea where salmon is grown for the commercial market, nets can be fairly deep, sometimes 25-35 metres.), I was removing very heavy weights to be sent to the surface when I just felt a presence with me in the gloomy depths, when I turned around I was met by 4 very large (Bigger than me) seals standing upright midwater just watching me, its a little unsettling when its just you and 4 other large mammals at that depth and your in their territory. I've never seen seals this size in Ireland, these were over 6 foot and as fat as they come (All the salmon they probably eat from the fish farm), they generally aren't violent towards divers but you would be weary near them when they have young with them

vandriver wrote: »

What's the cash like!And can you get life cover.
How many years would be a divers career.

Sorry missed 2 questions in the last post.

Life cover is a nightmare, it can be got, but cost big bucks.

How many years really depends on the individual, the vast majority are self employed so work as subcontractors for diving companies, this raises the issue that if you can't dive you can't work and more often than not you get injured and can't dive. We do a very comprehensive dive medical each year, and the day you don't pass it is the day you give it all up, but most times people see it coming. So health generally stops most, average age to start is late 20's early 30's, not many still diving over 45, but there is exceptions. Most want to get out of it by that age and get into supervising etc.

Mr.S wrote: »

What happens if you need to sneeze?

We use full helmets that encapsulates our whole head, there is a rubber piece inside the helmet that surrounds our nose and mouth, so when you sneeze the air is exhaled out into the water but any saliva etc. gets caught and you get to enjoy the rest of your dive breathing through it all, not that pleasant.

An itch now is a whole different problem !!!

Saruman wrote: »

Can you/Do you dive below 40m? What's the deepest you have gone?

As a commercial air diver I can dive to 50m, saturation divers can go much deeper. We would generally only work at depths of up to 40m due to time restraints. I've been to 50m, its all the same to me once you leave 30m to be honest, just more water !! Its cold, dark and lonely at 50m, not much enjoyment about it.

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

Wow, great job!

Do you have plans for your next career?

Ever get caught short while working?

I would like to get involved with the emergency services, fire or ems hopefully.

Many times and it ain't always an option to just get out and go the toilet. I will admit I've had to disinfect and thoroughly wash the inside of my drysuit on more than one occasion, but it was worth it for the relief (At the time of course). Hazard of the job I guess !!!

mahoganygas wrote: »

Those poor lads working on the Shannon who drowned. I heard there were divers standing by but couldn't get to them in time. Such an awful tragedy.

Have you ever had any similar scares?

I understand Limerick Marine SAR have emergency divers they can deploy on the river there as part of their search and rescue work, such a great resource to the communities on the river, (I am not aware of specific details of that tragedy and who was involved etc, it was a very sad indeed)

I am involved with a search and recovery unit which is all voluntary, just like many other recreational divers across the country. Unfortunately usually when it comes to divers it is a recovery operation as the person is assumed to be deceased.

Rescue dives are common in the commercial world to rescue our diving colleagues, whenever a diver is in the water, a second diver is fully dressed in on the surface ready to respond to an emergency. I have been "jumped" (As we call it, when you enter the water in a rescue attempt) on a few occasions, thankfully all ended well on all occasions, but it most certainly does get the blood pumping that bit quicker. 99% of the time the standby diver has the handiest day out of everyone on site, but i the supervisor tells you to jump, you jump.

OiL RiG wrote: »

Have you ever experienced nitrogen narcosis during a commercial dive, and if so, how did you deal with it?

I don't think I have personally during commercial dives, i have during recreational dives back when I started diving. An interesting feeling of being drunk at depth. I've heard crazy stories of people taking their gear off as a result, but for me it was just an immense feeling of relaxation.