patrick.net

It's a bit interesting to me as a scuba diver with a lot of experience. I have some personal rules which mean I will likely survive an unexpected equipment problem (this has happened to me).

When scuba diving, you can dive within "no decompression (time) limits". This means if you surface within the time, you will not need to stop on the way up and "decompress" (actually degas N2) for any period of time.

I dive within no decompression limits because no matter what happens to me, I can safely head up to the surface and skip the decompression. If you needed to decompress (degas) and did not stop because of an emergency, you could get the "bends" decompression sickness, and could die or have a stroke, etc.

I dive to a maximum of about 85 feet or so; I can swim up holding my breath from that depth probably. I free dove once to 60 feet which is a 120 foot round trip.

I can ditch my weights from a weight belt quickly; they're not in pockets on my buoyancy vest.

I was offered to go diving in the caves and springs in Florida; I won't dive anywhere where I cannot swim up to be at the surface.

I will not swim into a shipwreck hatch or go deep inside a wreck; on the few wrecks I have dove, we swam around a place with a large opening on one side, large windows all around, etc. We would not get lost or stuck inside there.

I once dove under a frozen lake in a hole in the ice with a commercial diving type facemask helmet; I could not have removed this myself if I wanted to.
I will never dive again with such equipment. Fortunately, under the ice I was connected to the surface with hoses and ropes, I would never get lost.

I was thinking about the submersible and the contrast is pretty big; what if something went wrong, could the submersible even ditch its weights and float up to the surface?

clambo says

scuba diver with a lot of experience.

I got my PADI cert when I was in the Azores in the 1990s. I did not get a chance to see shipwrecks, though. I take my hat off to you for that 60-foot free dive. I could do a free ascent (slow exhale) from that depth, but my ears could not take starting at the surface and sinking 60 feet without tanks.

NuttBoxer says

Except that as was already pointed out, the listening tech they used is old as fuck, and not secret at all...

We don't know what the tech was other than the Navy heard an implosion.

We don't know the capabilities of a Virginia class sub or whatever they had deployed in that area like sonar buoys, an undersea microphone field, autonomous submersibles, etc.

So we don't know what the capabilities are, as all of that is likely classified.

.

Not supposed to hold your breath while swimming up! Or any time under water really. Must always blow bubbles.

It amazes me how many people on this forum do zero research and just spout opinion. Only time you'll ever see me quote NPR, but it's that fucking mainstream...

"The listening system the Navy used to register the noise is believed to be the Sound Surveillance System or SOSUS, according to information shared with NPR by a senior Navy official. SOSUS, an underwater cable system that has been in place for decades, is capable of detecting underwater anomalies that might indicate the presence of foreign submarines."

https://www.npr.org/2023/06/23/1183976726/titan-titanic-sub-implosion-navy

And if you want MORE information on this highly secret tech opinion can't identify:
https://irp.fas.org/program/collect/sosus.htm

NuttBoxer says

It amazes me how many people on this forum do zero research and just spout opinion. Only time you'll ever see me quote NPR, but it's that fucking mainstream...

"The listening system the Navy used to register the noise is believed to be the Sound Surveillance System or SOSUS, according to information shared with NPR by a senior Navy official. SOSUS, an underwater cable system that has been in place for decades, is capable of detecting underwater anomalies that might indicate the presence of foreign submarines."

https://www.npr.org/2023/06/23/1183976726/titan-titanic-sub-implosion-navy

And if you want MORE information on this highly secret tech opinion can't identify:
https://irp.fas.org/program/collect/sosus.htm

Except you don't really know they used that old crusty SOSUS and not something new and secret. THEY want you to believe it was SOSUS, but was it really? =))

Tenpoundbass says

What I thought stunk about the whole story. .
1) there's a support vehicle on top of the water..
2) The sub is tethered to the support Ship
3)We never heard one single word from or about the support ship.
4)I thought that at anytime in danger, the support ship could have reeled it back in.

Or to say the least it's sonar depth finder should have had an idea where it was or where it went.

I suspect the submersible went from everything being fine to completely obliterated in a fraction of a second. When carbon fiber fails it basically shatters. You're not going to have a period of seconds or minutes where water is flooding in. I would think the surface boat would have immediately know that the thing was gone.

NuttBoxer says

It amazes me how many people on this forum do zero research and just spout opinion. Only time you'll ever see me quote NPR, but it's that fucking mainstream...

.
.
.

https://www.npr.org/2023/06/23/1183976726/titan-titanic-sub-implosion-navy

And if you want MORE information on this highly secret tech opinion can't identify:
https://irp.fas.org/program/collect/sosus.htm

I trust you're being sarcastic, because if it was "highly secret", we would have never heard ANYTHING from the Navy, much less have it reported on "the news".

https://babylonbee.com/news/oceangate-offers-20-off-coupon-for-next-tour

richwicks says

I trust you're being sarcastic, because if it was "highly secret", we would have never heard ANYTHING from the Navy, much less have it reported on "the news".

I didn't say anything about it being highly secret. That's inference, and has no support from what I know. No sarcasm, this is the simplest and most likely explanation.

SunnyvaleCA says

I suspect the submersible went from everything being fine to completely obliterated in a fraction of a second.

I would suspect there was some creaking and weird noises. But I imagine that after a couple dives behind them and nothing serious coming out of the creaking, banging and popping noises. They probably learned to ignore them.

RWSGFY,
If I have to make a free ascent because of equipment failure, I won't be breathing so I will be holding my breath even if I expel air on the way up.

Oceangate Titan: analysis of an insultingly predictable failure (video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaOVYkWgpcM

Carbon fiber, which has never been used in deep sea exploration vehicles, is joined with Titanium, which is held together by a 2" wide bead of glue, and nothing else. What could possibly go wrong?