Theft Or Tampering Of Dive Gear


Return to cave entrance About Me Articles Cave Conservation Contact Me Files Glossary Latest Dive Story Library Links Music My Gear Pics Planned Site Updates Projects Save-A-Dive Kit Site Map Tips Videos	Theft Or Tampering Of Dive Gear Cave diving possesses one aspect that is truly unique to any other form of technical diving ? We often drop (intentionally) gear at particular points in the dive which will be picked up and used on the way out. In open water diving, the diver carries all his gear during the entire dive because he can never be 100% certain he will return to his exact entry point. If a cave diver doesn?t return to his entry point, then he either made a REAL wrong turn surfacing in another sink hole or is still in there and in need of a body recovery. One exception I?ve heard of is professional underwater photography. The photographer may lay a camera on the ocean floor and use another one. Once he returns, he?ll pick it back up. Cave divers may drop their gear in any number of situations: At the beginning of the dive, the cave diver may drop a 100% O2 bottle for use in deco at the end of the dive. Since we know we will return to this entrance, it is preferable to drop O2 at its contingency operating depth of 20 ft (or 1.6 ATA). This prevents a diver from accidentally switching to the wrong reg and toxing at depth. A cave diver may use a stage bottle to increase his range into the cave. Once he hits his predetermined drop pressure, he?ll turn it off, clip it to the line and stow the reg. He?ll then pick it back up when he returns and breathe the remainder while he exits the cave. It?s possible someone doing cave photography may use up the camera?s film and opt to clip the camera to the line and pick it up when he returns rather than carry it throughout the whole dive. In more concerted efforts, a team may ?stage? full bottles or scooters at various intervals along the line to be used in a near-future dive so they can make a very large push into the cave system. Cave divers will sometimes mark the line with personal line arrows, clothespins, or cookies. These are references for the individual diver that can only be interpreted by the diver who placed it. It?s possible that the marker was left there in preparation for a near-future dive (i.e. setting up a traverse). When a cave survey is in progress, the line will often be marked with temporary survey station markers. When a dive team is gearing up for a dive, it?s not uncommon for them to run stages, fins, cameras, and masks to the water prior to walking down with their doubles. Cave divers always run a primary reel from open water to the main permanent line that?s in the cave. They also place jump/gap reels to connect to other lines. These are paramount in their being able to get back to their entry point. As you can see, there are many situations where you may come upon unattended dive gear. But does unattended mean lost or discarded? Is it ?finder?s keeper?s loser?s weepers?? Is it your lucky day? NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you didn?t place it, you have no right to remove it. Leave it alone. That diver is expecting it to be there when he returns. This is a problem where the culprits have been non-diving swimmers, open water divers, and even cave divers (i.e. removing other people?s line markers). But don?t be mislead, there are consequences if you are caught. The diver may catch you in the act and rightfully break your arm. But if not, there are other things that can happen. I know nothing about the law, but another diver did a little research once and this is what they came up with. Blame them, not me, if it isn?t accurate. These are based on Florida State Statutes. If you take into your possession without permission any dive gear which costs more than $300 but less than $5,000, you can be charged with Grand Theft which is a third degree felony and punishable by imprisonment not to exceed 15 years. (FSS# 812.014 & 775.082) You could also be charged with Culpable Negligence (FSS# 784.05) which reads that whosoever, through culpable negligence, exposes another person to personal injury commits a misdemeanor of the second degree which is punishable by a definite term of imprisonment not exceeding 60 days. (FSS# 775.082) If actual death occurs, you could be charged with Manslaughter (FSS# 782.07) which is the killing of a person by the act, procurement, or culpable negligence of another without lawful justification according to the provisions of Chapter 776, which isn?t excusable homicide or murder. This is a felony in the second degree. If the person steals or tampers with something on purpose KNOWING it will cause the diver harm (i.e. stealing a deco bottle or cutting the line) then that person can be charged with attempted murder. (FSS#782.051) If this action causes the death of the diver, then that person can be charged with murder. (FSS# 782.04) There is also something else to consider. An open water diver or swimmer could decide to breathe off a deco bottle left in the basin for a cave diver for deco. This swimmer or diver takes that O2 bottle below 20 ft, takes a few breaths, toxes, and dies. Alternatively, the guy doesn?t even have to take the bottle below 20 ft. He could die right where the bottle is lying. There was an accident that happened a while back where a cave diver left his ?O2 bottle? at 20 ft for deco. When he returned from the dive, he picked up the bottle to start deco. In minutes he was dead. It turns out that he had filled the bottle with 100% helium and had not marked the bottle properly. The point is, unless you have analyzed the tank?s contents, you never have 100% certainty of what it contains. And the result could be deadly. Bottom line - messing with other people?s dive gear can get you beat up, thrown in jail, involved in a lawsuit, killed, or any combination thereof. So leave it alone!!