Heard a story from a diver on the Pensacola job last month that stuck with me

He was describing a salvage lift where they had to recover a 12-ton piece of machinery from 150 feet. He said the key was taking an extra 20 minutes on deck to double-check every shackle and sling, even though the weather was turning. It made me realize how easy it is to rush the surface prep when you're focused on the dive time. Anyone else have a small, simple check they always do that's saved their butt?

2 comments

2 Comments

linda_mason821mo ago

Oh man, that's so true. For me it's always the o-ring on my comms mask. I'll give it that extra wipe and a second look before I go in, even if the boat is rolling. Did it once in a hurry and got a slow leak at 90 feet, had to cut the dive short. Felt like such an idiot lol. That extra 30 seconds topside saves a whole lot of hassle down below.

abby_martin281mo ago

Wait, you're wiping the o-ring before the dive? I always heard you should just check it for cracks or grit but not actually wipe it down. That can push tiny debris into the seal and make it worse. Maybe just a visual check and a quick puff test is better?