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thebravecowboy
climber
The Good Places
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Aug 16, 2016 - 09:34pm PT
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i heert tell of underground lakes at altitude. i, PADI adv opendork, finally see worthiness of altitudinous SCUBz
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Aug 16, 2016 - 09:39pm PT
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Once in a while someone will post inquiring about the climbing in Cabo or Costa Rica and many replies are don't waste your time, go surfing instead.
It's kind of like that. If you are at high altitude go climbing.
I've only dove once at altitude. It was fun and I'd do it again. And I've done a few cold water ocean dives with 5mm+ wetsuits. But it makes me think that if I'm planning a dive trip I'm going to Hawaii or someplace where I don't have to struggle into and out of a thick wetsuit and still freeze my ass off when I first get in.
It's fun and experience and all, but give me warm water, lots of colorful wildlife, and lava tubes to swim through.
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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Aug 16, 2016 - 09:47pm PT
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I dove in OC in the 80s with a guy who worked with NASA in a tank of water to simulate space and how they would put the space station together. It was originally in Denver, but they ended up moving it to socal because of the decompression issues
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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Aug 17, 2016 - 04:46am PT
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There have been some high-altitude diving at high lakes in Mexico (if I recall correctly, > 12,000 feet).
Tulainyo Lake is one of the highest major lakes in North America, and people have been diving there, but no one has gone deep.
Gear and decompression tables are the biggest challenges.
The water is really cold, so in addition to tanks, cold water regulators, etc., you need a dry suit. Any while you're there, how about an underwater camera?
There is no data on how to adjust the tables for recreational no-decompression dives. And there is no real data on how to adjust the decompression tables, either, so it's a crap shoot. Better have a tank of oxygen just in case you get bent (more gear to carry).
I have always wanted to explore the bottom of Tulainyo Lake. It would take a train of pack mules to get all of the gear anywhere near that lake.
Topsy Turvy lake is another place that I would like to dive (c. 10,800 feet).
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Poseidon
Mountain climber
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Sep 25, 2016 - 11:22pm PT
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There isn't any life, essentially, in high altitude lakes. With the exception of Lake Tahoe, which is a known dive site, most of them are off limits and usually not worth the hassle. Topography in Lake Tahoe may be of interest; sheer walls resembling canyons and visibility of 90 plus feet. Some may find treasure hunting and salvaging near marinas quite fun. There are plenty of anchors for small boats for the taking along with an occasional iphone and a few sun glasses. If you are into cray fish you may find it worth your time as well. I say , save your air for salt water! If you absolutely have to see what's in those lakes , I recommend donning a wet suit and surface snorkeling. There will be plenty of ambient light to see some lake grass and a tadpole or two. hahahahahaha
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Poseidon
Mountain climber
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Sep 25, 2016 - 11:26pm PT
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It's funny how some people on here give advice about something they have no clue about. If you don't know just don't say anything and confuse others. Saying something that you have no idea about does not add to your credibility.
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kev
climber
A pile of dirt.
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Sep 26, 2016 - 12:35pm PT
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Okay I feel a few things need to be corrected because a lot of what people have been posting is just wrong.
1) When diving at altitude you actually are absorbing less nitrogen because there is less pressure. Why is this true you ask - well at sea level there is a huge column of air and there is pressure. In fact we call that pressure 1 Atmosphere (1 ATM). It turns out that 1 ATM is the same amount of pressure that a 33 foot column of sea water exerts. So at 33 feet under sea water you are at 2 ATMs. Okay now go up to the sierras - now you have a shorter column of air on you so there is less pressure - you don't have a whole ATM of pressure on you.
1b) What's the issue with diving at altitude then? There are two issues. First you're depth measurement device (depth guage or dive computer) was calibrated for sea level - you've got to correct for this. The second problem is that when you surface you don't have 1ATM of pressure so the relative pressure change (the gradient) is larger.
2) The math is simple to adjust for this - the basic model for nitrogen absorption for the human body is requires understand nothing more than freshman chemistry and a little basic physics and calculus.
3) There are diving tables for for diving at altitude.
4) There are conversion factors to use regular tables
5) Dive computers will adjust for this (you've just got to tell them your at altitude)
6) PADI (the worlds biggest scuba certifier) even has a class for this.
7) Why would you want to dive at altitude? Who knows we all do some strange ass sh#t.
8) It too cold - nah just suck it up or get a drysuit.
Okay I'll stop rambling now.
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kev
climber
A pile of dirt.
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Sep 26, 2016 - 01:00pm PT
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Oh there is a B-29 in lake mead that was located in the last 10-20 years or so. Not sure of the elevation at lake mead but that's been on my to do list for a little while. It (the plane) used to be pretty deep (200ish) but I think it's way less due to many years of drought.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Sep 26, 2016 - 01:47pm PT
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Rebreathers... discuss...
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BFK
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Sep 26, 2016 - 02:09pm PT
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My sister and her husband are on the leading edge of Closed-Circuit-Rebreather (CCR) diving. They specialize in wreck diving off the Northeast and have made several discoveries. Her team's most notworthy discovery was the YF-415, a munitions ship that went down off of the coast of MA in 1944 with the whole crew (pretty heady dive to get the engine plates off and prove it was the YP-415)
In addition to running a wreck diving charter, they also teach several tech diving courses and are certified CCR instructors for the Hollis Prism 2 and SMI Prism Topaz basic MOD 1.
Here is her site:
http://northernatlanticdive.com/
Any climbers interested in a dive or a course should PM me and I'll get you the 'family' discount (Which might only be worth a cup of dunkin donuts coffee lol).
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