Swimming with sharks helps veterans feel whole again
Retired Army Spc. Scott Winkler had many scary encounters while serving in Iraq, but they were nothing compared with his recent experience at the world’s largest aquarium: swimming alongside a massive whale shark.
The fact that Winkler, 35, of Augusta, Georgia, is a paraplegic made the once-in-a-lifetime experience even more challenging.
“It’s like you’re in space,” Winkler said. “It’s like you’re an able body again. It makes you feel so free.”
Winkler was paralyzed five years ago during an accident while unloading ammunition in Tikrit, Iraq.
He is one of more than two dozen disabled veterans who have participated in the Fish Wish program at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta during the past two months.
A separate swim and dive program is open to the public, but the waiting list is nearly full until the end of the year.
The experience isn’t cheap. A half-hour dive costs $290. The veterans swam for free.
Therapeutic recreational specialist Susan Oglesby helps train safety divers at the aquarium to assist swimmers with disabilities. She explained there are very few limitations in the tank.
“The water is the great equalizer. Once you get in, you’re floating, you’re weightless, and everybody becomes equal,” Oglesby said.
Winkler was outfitted in a wet suit and snorkeling gear. He rolled his wheelchair down a long ramp to a dock floating in the 6.3 million-gallon tank of salt water.
After sliding out of the chair, he took a deep breath and pushed himself into the water.
“It is so amazing, he said. “It’s like you don’t have a disability, because you’re just floating around with everybody else. … The fish are just swimming by. It’s a total other world.”
In addition to four 23-foot-long whale sharks, Winkler gazed on a manta ray, hammerhead sharks, goliath grouper and sawfish.
He used his arms to move his body around the football-field-size tank.
Swimming next to him were two safety divers and Orlando Perez, another young veteran from Augusta.
“It’s beautiful down there!” Perez exclaimed. “It’s peaceful, and you just forget that you’re in a wheelchair. You’re one with the fish.”
Perez, 33, a retired Army private first class, suffered a spinal cord injury during basic training 13 years ago. Like Winkler, he is confined to a wheelchair.
Perez likened the swim experience to floating on air.
“I never thought being disabled would bring me to do something so amazing,” he said. “I think it’s about overcoming the disability and not letting the disability overcome you.”
Both Perez and Winkler admitted they were nervous when they first entered in the water. They settled down after being brushed by one of the passing whale sharks.
Winkler had a big grin on his face as he talked about the benefits of taking part in the program.
“Mentally, you’re actually taking a stress break from life itself,” he said. “Physically, it’s great rehabilitation. Emotionally, your spirit is lifted, and you’re able to enjoy yourself for once.”
Suunto D6 and D9 – Dangerous At Any Depth
MARCH 7 2009:
Big Blue Tech have now refused to sell the D6, not only does it have problems listed below but a new problem emerged where the computer strap buckle comes apart at any time. This has happened on several ocasions causing the diver to dash for the bottom to save his expensive computer.
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Helsinki, Finland — Suunto has announced an important safety notice regarding its D9 and D6 diving instruments. This global decision involves D9 and D6 instruments that have been delivered to distributors and retailers, as well as product that has been sold to consumers.
Quality and safety are paramount concerns for Suunto. Our testing program for the D9 and D6 product by Suunto employees and independent divers all over the world has been extensive.
Despite this, Suunto Oy has identified a software bug in the D9 and D6 instruments. The software bug may cause the D9 and D6 to incorrectly track dive time on rare occasions, potentially causing a risk to the diver.
The products affected are: D9 serial numbers 62102582 and below D6 serial numbers 62103693 and below
The software bug may activate when the D9 and D6 automatically recalibrate to keep the correct time, or the user manually updates the seconds in set mode. Suunto approximates that there is 0.6% (a six-tenths of one percent) chance that the software bug may appear during a dive. When the dive time is incorrect, every fourth second is not registered in the dive time and surface interval time, i.e., dive time goes 25% slower than actual time and tissue loadings are recorded at 25% less than actual loadings. As a trained diver you understand that this could affect your decompression requirements and that the length of a dive is one of the key factors in determining those requirements.
Even though the D9 and D6 will function correctly approximately 99.4% of the time during a dive, Suunto wants to eliminate the very small possibility of recording the dive time incorrectly. Therefore, Suunto is requesting that all D9 and D6 shall be returned for a software update that eliminates this issue. To date, there have been no known injuries related to this issue.
Action that you should take: – Suunto strongly recommends that you should not use the D9 or D6 for diving without backup instrumentation before the unit has been updated with the latest software. Please bring your D9 and/or D6 to your nearest local authorized Suunto retailer for the software updated as soon as possible.
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Please contact your local authorized Suunto retailer — for contact information please visit our web site. You will then be advised on how to bring your D9 and/or D6 to the retailer for a software update. Once the retailer receives your D9 and /or D6 they will then forward your unit to the Suunto Service Center for the software update. You will be advised by the retailer the approximate turn around time that the process will take.
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If that is not possible or if you require any further details, contact the Suunto Help Desk at SuuntoD9-D6@nordictelecenter.fi To contact Suunto by phone, call toll free 1 800 543 9124 in the USA and Canada, or +358 284 1160 (international call rates are applicable) from all other countries.
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On receiving your D9 and/ or D6 back, you will notice that there will be a small white dot on the rear. This identifies that the unit has been updated. As a complimentary service Suunto will at the same time replace your battery and perform a pressure test free of charge. Suunto apologizes for any inconvenience and we thank you for your co-operation.
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Summary of the results of tests/analyses and conclusions: SUMMARY OF TEST RESULTS AQUA LUNG
ESPAÑA, S.L has stated that the Suunto D9 y D6 dive computers could pose a computing problem which
could result in incorrect dive time measurement CONCLUSIONS: This incorrect dive time measurement
could pose a risk of asphyxia or drowning to the diver
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Suunto D9 and D6 Model Wristop Dive Computers
Units: About 3,900
Manufacturer: Suunto Oy, of Finland
Hazard: These dive computers could incorrectly track dive time, which could cause incorrect calculation of decompression requirements. This could lead to decompression sickness.
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Suunto strongly recommends that D9 or D6 should not be used for diving before the unit has been updated with the latest software. If the product is used before updating the software, backup instrumentation must also be used.
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