Tag: commercial diving
bumps, bruises, & the bends
Working dives are hard. There’s no way around it. Most often, the tasks we carry out are not with surgical precision – they are with a crowbar. Working divers are they themselves tools of the trade. Much like an ROV that is sent on a dive equipped to carry out a task, the diver is…
Read Morediving with ‘style’
In more recent time, especially now that my R&D shop is up and running, I’ve been paying closer attention to the equipment refinements that make the job of working underwater all the more efficient. In some cases, I’ve had to develop things from scratch, in others, its a matter of making minor changes to existing…
Read Morediving is a pain in the neck
Literally. Two weeks ago I woke up in the morning with that crick in your neck that prevents you from turning your head side to side without a radiating pain. Generally, as most have experienced, a few days rest and its back to business as usual. In my case, my ‘few days rest’ turned into…
Read Morethe six pound swing
Today was my first day in quite awhile to do a long 5+ hour underwater exposure. While the much needed winter break was appreciated to catch up on all things topside, the sporadic day of diving here and there did anything but quench my appetite for the life aquatic – nor did it do much to keep my…
Read Morecut throat and cash
The long list of things that truly fascinate me about being a working diver never seems to stop growing, and this is even after some 15+ years at the game. Most importantly to me is being able to find an appreciable ‘art’ in heavy and potentially dangerous tasks. Yesterdays project was a good reminder of…
Read Moresaved by the snail’s pace
Well, a fresh new project kicked off yesterday, and is proving to be a much needed refresher in underwater welding. While I’ve had a few small welding projects here and there over the last several months, this project is putting it all to the test. In the water at 0730, then burning rod after rod…
Read Moreon and in an aquatic state
Late yesterday afternoon, the phone rang and the ‘hello’ was forgone. I was met only with a ‘you’re leaving at midnight’… This wasn’t the first time, and certainly won’t be the last, as this life aquatic as an underwater vagabond has a way of keeping the flow (excuse the pun) of work in a multitude of…
Read Morecaught in the act…by satellite!!!
As our world gets smaller and smaller in many ways given the massive wave of (inter)connectivity technology has afforded us (for better or worse), I have often prided myself on having found some peace, solitude, and solemnity on an almost daily basis with my underwater exploits. Apparently those days are nearing an end! A friend…
Read More‘bottom feeding’
Every now and again, I feel like I’m in a rut that I appropriately refer to as ‘bottom feeding’. I face the same societal and economic stressors as the rest of our land dwelling population, and these days much of that stress comes from finances. Professional ventures often reach these crossroads where you are either…
Read Morethe chronic physical hazards of the life aquatic
Just 45 days into 2012, and I’m at hour 82 spent underwater for the year – and its not getting any easier. I’ve discussed the myriad of physical problems faced with diving here previously. Given that we’re still in the thick of winter (though be it a mild one), the environmental factors alone can wreak…
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