Here’s an interesting article about the Royal Navy's Submarine Escape Training Tank (SETT). At SETT, instructors teach sailors how to escape damaged submarines. It is, also, the only facility in the world where civilians can practice free diving (i.e., diving without the aid of scuba tanks). The 30-meter-tall tank is essentially a huge well filled with 150,000 gallons of warm water. Lines along the inside of the well mark off depths in 5-meter increments. Divers pull themselves hand over hand along a line, practicing, in essence, holding their breath and pulling themselves underwater. To learn more about SETT, visit the Royal Navy's website.
This piece is a neat introduction to learning about how people like Tanya Streeter prepare for their free diving efforts. Of course, Streeter would laugh at the folks using this tank: among Streeter’s many records, she holds the world’s “no limits” free diving record, diving to 525 feet! Meanwhile, I barely made it all the way to the other end of the pool on a single breath last weekend.
1. Also, there is a 30 meter diving pool in Beligum as well, it's for scuba diving. I guess your options are limited in Beligium. (http://www.nemo33.com/index_en/gallery.html)
My friends claim there is a sub escape tower in approx 170feet off of Catalina (Channel Islands off Southern California). I believe them as the US Navy loves to dump this stuff in the ocean around here; your tax dollars at work. :) Furthering your tax dollars at work,
I would like to also dive in the NASA Neutral Buoyancy Simulator, this baby is HUGE. I would love to tax my scooter for a ride in this place. (http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/background/facts/nbs.htm)
Posted at 4:20PM on Jun 16th 2005 by Bill Reals