At one time there was a sub-forum for commercial divers but it must not have gotten a lot of action so it is no longer I guess.
So I will just put this here and admin will move it if they like.
We all know made for TV reality shows play it up for the camera. I have had to sit through more episodes of crab fishin than I care to admit.
Great Lakes Warriors was another I could not keep from watching. My wife would have to take the kids to another room or even outside while I was watching because of my profuse swearing at the TV.
I worked with a good deal of those fellas and no nothing had changed since I quit them in the 90’s.
This gold dredging show is much the same. As a former military and civilian diver I can not keep from watching it.
Let me start by saying this…
BUY A FUCKING BAILOUT BOTTLE FOR CHRIST’S SAKE!!!
I have seen dumbass after dumb ass get himself in trouble and have to make an emergency ascent.
These dumbasses are lucky they are only working in less than 1 atmosphere.
But the disturbing trend is that now they are starting to go deeper.
Does anyone know if Nome, AK even has a hyperbaric chamber?
They are going to need one pretty soon.
I am shocked their have been no fatalities so far.
There should be some type of regulatory agency overseeing these guys to make sure they are fit to dive and also have the right equipment to do so.
Many years ago native divers along the Mosquito Coast were going deeper and deeper in search of spinney lobster to sell to Red Lobster.
They were coming up dead or if they were lucky just bent.
They used cocaine, weed, and whiskey to kill the pain and keep on keeping on.
Most enjoyed getting back to depth because that was the only place they got relief from their symptoms.
The natives were being taken advantage of by a couple white guys who gave a shit less about the natives and their families. All they wanted was lobster to sell so you could have your lobster dinner at Red Lobster for you anniversary or birthday.
Some ethical divers heard about what was happening and took it upon themselves to educate these natives about dive tables and they even raised enough money to have a hyperbaric chamber shipped in.
Many divers would still go way too deep so they could get the red gold that paid them so well but at least they had a decent chance of living when they came up bent.
There was a boycott by many divers against Red Lobster and as far as I am concerned there still is.
I have not eaten there in years.
Point of the anecdote being someone needs to step in and educate these divers. Even if they don’t want it then it needs to be forced upon them.
Their equipment needs to be certified as safe and the divers need to have some type of formal training before entering the water.
Some of these guys are working for someone else thus making them employees. Therefore they are governed by OSHA.
Even if they are being paid in cash then the “sub contractors” need to carry their own worker’s compensation insurance.
And you sure as hell ain’t getting insured by anyone I know running a ramshackle operation like the ones I continue to see time and time again.
It is not fair to the divers to have a supervisor that doesn’t know his ass from a snorkel. It is not fair to the families of these divers to not properly train these “divers” before letting them dive.
I would boycott something in protest if there was something to boycott but it is pretty hard to boycott gold.
However some of the equipment being bought, sold, and or traded is for purchase by certified divers only. Seems to me like it is a free for all up there.
What about MSA? They make sure all the other aspects of mining operations are safe and that the miners have at least basic training.
Seems to me that maybe they should take the lead with the USCG and any other government entity that can get involved to put a stop to these very dangerous diving ops.
I have seen guys surface dead as a doornail. It is something that haunts you forever. The deeper these “gold divers” go the more likely an “air embolism” or some other type of diving related illness is going to occur.
Oh, wait…that’s right…that kinda crap makes for better “Reality TV”.
GMAFB
Just one nobody’s opinion…