Ocean Gladiator (cowboy)

[Gazza]

Hi all.

I'm in the process of reading Mark Ellyatt's book Ocean gladiator and just want to share some quotes from this shocking Autobiography.

"the Nitrogen content of the air I breathe is acting on my central nervous system like a powerful morphine. It slows my thoughts to virtual standstill."

" My deep air mantra is nitrogen narcosis is for christmas, oxygen toxicity is for life"

"my breathing rate falls to 5-6 breaths per minute, my body behaving like a fine swiss watch mechanism, totally functional while completely at rest. Dropping down quickly, I take a long blink, exhale fully and enter a state of utter calm. My left index finger is poised to hit the inflator button of my buoyancy jacket when needed. I have trained my finger to respond automatically if necessary, should unconciousness strike":eek::eek::eek:

" Unforunately modern technical divers use helium often to excess as it increases percieved ability, much the same way as steroid (ab)use helps bodybuilders. Helium really only adds a modicum of sobriety, it does not improve buoyancy skills. Helium does not give you an ability you didn't possess before the dive. This statement will raise the blood pressure of armchair tech diving gurus everywhere"

I am shocked, to say the least.....
I cannot believe the amount of dangerous confidence that oozes from the pages of this book.

Stay safe. enjoy life.
Dive DIR.
Gazza:D

[diverinblack]

What can we say about this... :(

[Graham Mills]

having met Mark i find him an accomplished diver i find it sad that you need to run him down having not met him :(

[diverinblack]

"...i find it sad that you need to run him down having not met him :("
Ok. I grant you that, but he is the one who wrote this:
http://www.inspired-training.com/DIR%20-%20Whats%20its%20not.htm

[Gazza]

I am not running anybody down. I started reading this book with an open mind, and a clear knowledge of technical diving.
I've done my fair share of deep air diving, but have never glorified it.
I'm sure Mr Ellyatt is an accomplished diver, but to make such profound statements about how "cool" deep air is, is cowboy and just wrong.
Mark contradicts himself in many ways, talking about how dive instructors are a bunch of pot smoking coke snorting druggies. And in the same breath talks about the "legal" drug called deep air.
Lets face it, most technical diver understand the insiduice affects of narcosis and use trimix to be able to perform "clearly" and safely at depth.... Thats why it's technical. We've planned for a dive, its depth, the gas consumption, and the decompression. We strive to dive safely and perform well within our team. And we surface smiling!
I do believe that a warm water topical dive to 40m does not need mix, but to brag about 420foot dives on single 12 is the rambling of a lunatic.
Sorry to say, but I cannot, and will not feel any remorse for my previous statement as I truely believe that diving should be safe and fun...

I regard myself, not as a tech, "or whatever you wanna call it" diver. I am a sole diver, I respect my enviroment, the depth the time and the ocean most of all.
I'm not a gladiator in an arena...
Just a mere visitor...
And like all visitors I will show a little respect for my host...
Sorry if I've offended anybody:(

[Graham Mills]

i have seen that but i still brought Halcyon kit and it's an opinion on his own website we all have them, this however is a global forum it looks unprofessional to run people down, lets raise the bar not lower it!!

Graham

no offence taken

[Gazza]

You know Graham it's got nothing to do with equipment, I don't own one peice of Halycon gear, but I do have a brain, and an opinion, and this website is where I hope to voice my conscerns to the Global community!

[jluttichau]

'
I am shocked, to say the least.....

Sounds like a fun book, where can i get one? :)

Cheers

[Gazza]

http://www.inspired-training.com/ocean%20gladiator.htm (http://http//www.inspired-training.com/ocean%20gladiator.htm)

[Dan Partelly]

You know Graham it's got nothing to do with equipment, I don't own one peice of Halycon gear, but I do have a brain, and an opinion, and this website is where I hope to voice my conscerns to the Global community!

The funny part was that you sounded offende by what that guy wrote. Its just a book =). And prolly not even reflecting the real way he dives. Maybe he wrote it only to make 1$ / copy sold and make some divers go mad when they read it so he can have some fun.

[Gazza]

Not offended just shocked....
Maybe it is a joke? Maybe it's the truth...
Good luck to him!

[Ingemar Lundgren]

Ohh i thought the deep air cult was long dead but apparently not. In the beginning of my diving career i got hold of a copy of Brett Gilliam's "Deep Air". I was very impressed with him. It nearly ended in my death. It is sad that books like this are still printed. From what i read here this seems to be a "blueprint of destruction".

Watching a documentary on Discovery Channel about Everest got me thinking. There are some climbers doing everest without oxygen and some that insist on using oxygen. Apparently only about 5% of climbers have done it without. It strikes me as dumb to try to climb everest without oxygen. Just as it strikes me as dumb to dive to 150m on air. Why not try 150m on Argox or pure Oxygen? Use the right tool for the job... This type of behavior seems to exist in other high risk sports as well. This is just my personal opinion and no pun intended. Everyone is free to shoot themself in the head but writing books promoting it is something i do not agree with.