So why do we dive vintage?

[simonbeans]

A while ago we were asked to submitt a short essay on that question. Swimjim did us all proud with his prose. Well yesterday I did a couple of dives in the St. Lawrence with a friend who was learning dry suit technique, and I happened along this "creature" cruising the Islander. As they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words", so for me, not much more to be said. It was unfortunate we both had cameras but no one to shoot us together. It would have been a great THEN AND NOW. [Note: This "creature" looked a whole lot better out of the water than in. Seems she is a well-published photographer/author. Her website is http://www.polinareznikov.com]

[captain]

I see the picture but where in it is she.

[Nemrod]

She or it does have two hoses so quit yer complain'n.

Nem

[simonbeans]

Two hoses, are you kidding? I counted at least 10 if not more. The front of that "Hammerhead" thing looked like the inside of a 200 amp electric panel box. Trust me, those two vacuum hoses with weights were the only thing that made it look like diving gear or maybe the 4 or 5 different tanks strapped to her. Check Polina's video, she looks much better on a horse.
Allan

[Douchebag]

To paraphrase: "How do you go to the bathroom with all that on?"

[Gilldiver]

While I admit that I will “Tech” out every now and then (actually I just call it deep wreck diving):


This is after a 230’ dive in Lake Mead

I can also drop back to simpler times and just have fun




And of course, you can make a few great friends along the way



But I do love the Blue Smurf Gloves

[Nemrod]

Gilldiver, you are scaring me there.

The cold water that is, .

Nem

[JES]

Gilldiver, you are scaring me there.

The cold water that is, .

Nem

Ditto!

It is a proven fact that Nemrod & I do not like cold water.

[YankDownUnder]

Allan,

I don't dive vintage, I am vintage...it's just the way I learned to dive.

As for the Polina "creature"....wow! I wish I had found one of those in the water 40 years ago. She is a very accomplished young lady. Thanks for the link.

Steve

[ivan's mermaid]

Two hoses, are you kidding? I counted at least 10 if not more. The front of that "Hammerhead" thing looked like the inside of a 200 amp electric panel box. Trust me, those two vacuum hoses with weights were the only thing that made it look like diving gear or maybe the 4 or 5 different tanks strapped to her. Check Polina's video, she looks much better on a horse.
Allan

So I take it that you never got to talk with her? What did she think of your vintage gear?

[Gilldiver]

Gilldiver, you are scaring me there.

The cold water that is, .

Nem

There was a time when it wasn't cold unless the salt water froze to you as you got out - that could make getting out of a Unisuit or a DUI CF200 kind of funny as I do remember 2 guys who had to drive to the local dive shop and hang around for few minutes to let their suits thaw out so they could get the zippers open.

[Gilldiver]

But, on those days people would ask how long I would stay down for - my reply was 36 frames - why would anyone stay in water that cold once they had shot the full roll of film?

[Popeye]

Allen,
Polina is one of the many younger lady's into Rebreather diving/underwater Video/Still photography as a career or a means of expression, and are very serious in their pursuit of their craft. Think of them as your photographic competition,being able go deeper,stay longer and make more images is the name of the game.

In your image she is using a Dive-Rite Optima with redundent back-ups etc,same rig Wes Skiles was using back in July when he died,my guess from low PO2 while surfacing.

[jradomski]

Popeye,
She is NOT using an optima on his pic although on here on website and facebook there are pictures of her doing a tryout dive on an O2Ptima.

The rig she is using is a HammerHead CCR by Juergensen marine (the o2ptima uses the HH electronics from JM). The 4 botttles were Diluent and Oxgygen (3 liter), 1 bailout bottle ( al40) and a drysuit inflation bottle (al 6).. We could have done away with the DS bottle, if we used the offboard bailout (which I do not like doing) or the onboard dil (if there was no Helium in the mix).

The particular rig is one of the original prototype HH CCRs, I had to replace certain parts to better fit her lovely frame...

[captain]

Gilldiver, you are scaring me there.

The cold water that is, .

Nem

Ditto!

It is a proven fact that Nemrod & I do not like cold water.

Count me in too.