Sirius Diving-Kris Harrison Thumbs Down!

   Sirius Diving owner Kris Harrison was invited to re-breather dive.The charter captain  also dives a MEG (scuba re-breather). The plane fare was at my expense. When he arrived at Midway Airport on Delta Air Lines he said a very large part of his re-breather was stolen out of his check in luggage. At first I couldn't believe why all these bad things are happening to Kris Harrison. Is it most likely Harrison is not telling the truth?  The airport authority  had their doubts about his story also.

    When TSA has someone they suspect of theft, they first check cameras. They can also order polygraph test (yes federal employees can be ordered to take a lie detector test). Harrison came from a very small airport with a distinct number of baggage handler, easy to trace. When I called Delta Airlines, the employee I spoke with could not find a record of Kris Harrison claim. Since I purchased Harrison's ticket, I was able to use the transaction number to track lost or stolen luggage. At this time the person I spoke with had no record..

   . I then prepared enough tanks to allow Harrison to dive open circuit.He filled his own tanks. We then packed and I drove to Michigan. We planned on eight dives for the week.
      For the three days Kris Harrison only dove once. Some excuses why he wasn't diving were spider bite,  swollen throat. hives, asthma. He  said he thinks he has PFO. After 9 nine thousand dives he is just finding out now he has PFO???.  
      The night before the last dive Harrison mentioned he doesn’t want to dive.Now his excuse was gas management. We had many gas options.We had a compressor and T bottles of h2 and 02..He did not take the time to prepare. Harrison still had enough safe tested gas along with travel gas  to dive. Then Kris Harrison  instructor/ trainer said  my fellow divers and I are unsafe. This was a new excuse. Because I once drank the Kris Harrison/Sirius Diving COOL-AID, it weighed heavy on my dive mind.
     I started preparing my dives at about 5:30 am while Kris slept. The fourth day of diving I had more than 266 cubic feet of 19/40 back gas for a 20 minute dive to 165 feet. For deco I had a 3000psi AL 80 of 50nitrox and a full AL40of 02 I was well within thirds on all my gas. Remeber, Kris Harrison did prepare  tanks for multiple dive's. Now all of a sudden Harrison didn’t have enough gas.
   Latter that night I mentioned to Harrison by making excuses, blaming everyone and everything he was acting childish. Kris Harrison /Instructor /Trainser from Sirius Diving then exploded. He verbally tongue lashed me, calling me names. When I left he then chased me to explain excuses and theory.  I  was just trying get away from him.  I went to the room again he followed relentlessly. After trying to ignore some coments, I asked him to leave for a while. No Luck. Then when he threatened to empty my tanks (h2 and 02) I checked out and got a room at a different hotel. It was better to pay for both rooms.
     I know Harrison is now trying to discredit me.  I am afraid of him then and now. I thought he might  physically harm me. He threatened my property.(he was going to empty my tanks). I for sure did not want to be in the same car as him. Due to his threats and relentless pursuit I came very close to having Kris Harrison arrested .
    Kris Harrison / Sirius Diving had a very good sanitized resume. At this point in his life Harrison  has hit ROCK BOTTOM. He has no money. His wife was away. He is living in a tent in Montana.  His Jeep engine blew up.  Claims part of his Megladon re-breather was stolen out of an extremely secure area, spider bite,food poisoining, allergic to fish and PFO. This all in the last month?

   I am putting this on my blog as a sounding board. Kris harrison instructor /trainner abused his position as such. I wish I could recognized mental illness. I am hurt by  Kris Harrison, who did not live up to minimum standards of instructor/trainer , diver, friend, guest. 

        Harrison will seem perfectly fine. Like a clock wound to tight he "breaks".
   
Synopsis: I had trusted and one time looked up to Kris Harrison. I thought he was a friend. It is not important to agree with my opinion of Harrison.. It is not an issue if his re-breather was stolen. Not an issue Kris Harrison calling dives. MOST IMPORTANT Issue: Kris Harrison  vulgar verbal comments and threats. Threats to damage my equipment and property. Insructor/trainers are held to a higher standard. Some one remind Harrison of this. I am sure when all is said and done Harrison will put the blame on me. I am guilty for inviting him,

Moby Dick, Puerta Vallarta December 2014

   In my last few hours of an eight day trip to Nuevo Vallarta near Puerta Vallarta(PV), Mexico.  I did a little diving,  I dove with , Vallarta Undersea.If you ask they can supply you with deco gas. My dive-master(DM) had doubles. We dove by Los Arcos a rock formation north of PV. We got down to 120 feet 40 meters.They say it is a 1500 foot 500 meeter deep canyon.  Using a single tank and managing my gas was something I have not done in a long time.I always knew where my DM was with hs doubles. Cool thing about Vallarta Undersea (VU) is they picked me up for $5 US which is cheaper than a cab. I did have to take a cab home. I did see porpoises on the boat ride to the dive shop. Next dive I was picked up and droped off because the direction north to thee Marieatas Islands.

    My wife Judy and I also visited the PV Botanical Gardens,. Great hiking great dinner a must see. Then latter in the week we visited PV Zoo. The zoo was my high point of trip It is a must see. You can feed many animals by hand. You can hold a three month old lion, (for small donation). The

giraffe you pet his nose. The monkeys you hand them food. Very cool old fashion zoo. Also cmae upon Whales the last day of diving. I took pictures with my phone.

Diepolder November 2014

November 2014 Cave Diving Florida

   I took a short four day dive trip with the target area of High Springs, FL. I stayed at the Cadillac Motel which has nice ground level large room with big refrigerator and a nice flat screen. 

   I started diving the eye of Ginny Springs Friday 11/14. The day I arrived for shakedown dive. Next day dove with Austrian Dave and instructor Scott Byars in Madison Blue State Park in Lee, FL 32059. We dove a stage. I had a little trouble due to gauge on stage was pointing down. But in all it was a good dive.

   Next dive was Diepolder three in Spring Hill, FL. A great challenging decompression dive my third at Diepolder Three. 253 feet total of 76 minutes. Next Diepolder Two. Requirement for Two is 3 dives at Three. This was a trimix decompression dive. My mix was 13/52. I also had 50% and 100% deco gas.

   Monday I dove Indian Springs.  This dive I carried a stage because we were at 140 feet for a short time then we were in a room that was about 80 foot deep. We breathed off an 80 cubic foot stage with a 30 % mix then back to back gas with trimix of 26/32. Indian has some of the largest rooms that in a traveling cave or a cave that is not just a big sink. A great cave. A guide is needed like Diep older.

   The last day Tuesday was 2 dives. Little River and Cow Springs. Little River the flow was kick ass. It was hard work the whole dive. Being spit on the way out was dangerous due to the change in depth. We dove it on 32% mix. I did bring Go Pro. The first part of video is ok but rest is spotty.

   Last dive was cow. Cow is another spectacular cave. Very tight on the way in, with tight zigs and zags at the beginning. Then it has an uphill ski rope to pull for about 100yards so as not to destroy the sand base I like to pull... I hit a restriction that I wasn't comfortable with and that was our turning point. 

   On the way out the last restriction to the surface or deco area, I got stuck. Scott tried a little pulling. Instead I backed up and took a solid d ring of belt. Entrance is slightly triangular. Let me in one way but my right side was too large to escape. I backed out took off the D ring and got rite out. Valuable lesson in reaction and being calm. 

   I could see panic and force causing someone to get stuck and not being able to remove gear. This would lead to a disaster. If need be I could have removed my gear and floated it ahead of me. I will practice this, so I will become comfortable in this manovouer. Better to practice it when not needed.

Great Lakes Wreck Diving 2014

  I am having an awesome diving summer. I have been diving in Presque Isle and Alpena Michigan twice. I have been to Paradise, MI at the UP three times. I have been to Port Austin, MI and Grand Marais, MI and Harrisville, MI. I have been wreck diving Lake Superior Whitefish Bay three times this summer, Lake Huron’s Thunder Bay Area and Lake Huron’s Thumb. Honorable Shipwreck mentions are the H.P. Bridge near Harrisville, MI and the A.A. Parker near Grand Marnie, MI in U.P. I have Captain Jitka to thank. I also met a couple of the best wreck divers PERIOD.  Eric and James. I am on my seventh T bottle of H2 (helium) getting ready to head back to the Thumb. With all the helium use I see a re-breather in my future. I have gone as deep as 240 feet. My last six of seven dives were over 200 feet. What a great experience. I traded boat work for the experience. I came out way ahead.

     Wreck diving the Great Lakes is one of the more difficult and rewarding diving activities. I have only heard deep wreck diving in the ocean to be possibly more difficult.

   On the Great Lakes we have to support each other through the whole dive. Quarters are tight and we must be prepared. Seeing wrecks that are fully in tack with mast up from 1860ies WOW!

   

Trimix Diver and Advanced Cave with Staging IANTD

I completed my trimix training with Scott Byars in Spring Hill, FL. I dove in a cave to a depth of 270 feet. I am certified to dive to a depth of 330 feet.

   The previous certification of normoxic trimix allowed me to dive to 200 feet. There are many wrecks basically untouched at between 180 and 240 feet. 

    I also completed my Advance Cave with Staging. This was a skill course that took me three trips to Florida, and about 12 dives to complete. This advances my ability to control extra tanks and helped me get my equipment set to the point of familiarity. The two classes complement each other because of the handling of multiple tanks (stages)

   Like most classes you sometimes think you can finish them in a specific time. Trimix is 4 dives and lots of math.  I completed in the minimum. Staging is up to the instructor. I am glad I had to work for staging. It without a doubt helped me in the skills I need to develop to become an elite diver.

Diepolder T Mix Down 240 feet

1. 
   

   Michael J Apke

   December 8
   

   I was student passenger the last 3 days with a 2 hour ride each way doing dive planning with T mix. My instructor does not dive a computer. My VR computer was spot on 3 days in a row to his decompression schedule. Most importantly I understand dive planning CNS and how to get there. It reminded me of cramming for a test and the good feeling when you know in your mind you can do the math. Best I did my training in some special places. Eagles Nest and Diepolder. Thanks Scott Byars from Explorations Unlimited.