Reserve Valves - How Do You Use Them?

[SurfLung]

Can someone tell me what CESA stands for. I can still remember my instructor teaching us how to "blow and go" after running out of air. It was really special to get a tank with a J-valve, because with no pressure gauges you knew running out of air was a sure thing. Thanks Sam for the memories! None of the guys I dive with ever heard the term "blow and go".

Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent = CESA

I just read the book about Sea Lab and Capt. Bond is reported to have done a blow and go free ascent from 300 feet deep. They were proving submarine escape methods and rode an inflated escape vest rapidly to the surface while exhaling strongly the whole time. His partner is said to have ran out of air to exhale but his lungs quickly regained air volume as he continued to ascend. Typical to the era, there's a picture of them having a smoke and relaxing afterwards!

[luis]

Luis
Re: St Tomas
Did you frequent VDS Virgin Island Diving Schools on the peir owned by Marv Ellis?
Marv was a Texan but lived in OC and was certififed as an LA Co UW instructor.

He moved to the VI when it was unknown and open VDI.

During the time you were visiting VI I was teaching part time a local Community College and sent a number of ex-students to him for their first employment in the dive industry..Most returned back to So Cal after a year or so..
SDM

Hi Sam,

It was in 1974 or maybe 75 (I was 17 or 18). I just remember filling at a shop right on the marina, but we didn’t hang around there very long.

My dive buddy’s family had a nice sailboat and they invited me to come along several time. We flew into St Thomas, filled our tanks and went on our way.

I don’t even know the name of the marina where we picked up the sailboat. As far as I recall, the sailboat was always in a different place when I went with them. It was great times, but I don’t remember a lot of the details.