Page 19 - AlertDiver_Winter2013

on me — so many things can go wrong.
Matt tells me cave divers must have perfect
buoyancy; one fin kick into the sediment at
the bottom of a cave can cause a dangerously
disorienting “silt-out.” Over the past few days
I have been hearing stories of divers who lost
their way, had equipment malfunctions or
simply panicked and lost their lives inside the
caves. Some tried to claw their way out of the
cave until their hands had no flesh left on the bones.
I am keen to learn about safety lines and the complex
underwater language of cave diving. I am very aware of the knot
in my stomach as Matt ties a sweaty bandana over my eyes to
simulate complete darkness. He sets up a course in the middle of
a small grove of trees to teach me how to navigate inside a cave.
As I stumble over rocks and crash into trees while pretending to
lay safety lines, I try to imagine I am deep inside a cave, alone and
trying to find my way out. I have never been so focused in my life.
After we practice our drills over and over in the suffocating
jungle heat, we finally get in the water for a real-life drill.
I dive blindfolded to demonstrate my ability to navigate
along a cave line solely by touch while maintaining perfect
buoyancy; I find myself at peace and actually enjoying the
moment. Matt tests my handling of emergency situations
by purposefully tangling my fins and bailout regulator in the
line. I must remain calm and focused and act with intention
even in the most life-threatening circumstances.
This is only day three of my 17-day course, and I am already
physically and emotionally spent. If I pass my Closed-Circuit
Rebreather (CCR), Cave Diver and Deep CCR Trimix diver
courses, I will be qualified to descend to the bottom of the deep
and dark sinkhole to complete my assignment and connect
the readers of National Geographic to this rarely explored
underworld. I hope my training will provide the skills necessary
to produce powerful, evocative images while working under the
duress of being so deep in the darkness.
I am often asked why I go out and risk my life for National
Geographic. The best answer is I don’t. My hope is that the
kind of training I am doing today will make me a better, safer
diver and ultimately a better photographer and storyteller.
— Paul Nicklen
www.alertdiver.com | 17
FOR MORE
INFO
For a somewhat more
prosaic account of
rebreather training,
check out this issue’s
Advanced Diving
article on Page 40.
Cristina Mittermeier
ONLINE INCIDENT REPORT
Report an incident at:
DAN.org/IncidentReport
Phone: +1-919-684-2948
DAN has established an online dive safety
reporting system, designed to enable divers
to anonymously report nonfatal accidents
and the details surrounding the event.
The data gathered will help identify trends and
establish baselines to further research efforts
and enhance the safety of our sport.
Your Dive Safety Association