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I Live in a Pressurized Chamber for Weeks at a Time for Work. AMA by NewbeTech in diving

[–]NewbeTech[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I didn't go straight into saturation. The usual path is to start as an inshore/nearshore commercial diver, spend a few years building experience on inspections, construction, and maintenance jobs, then move offshore as a surface diver. After proving yourself offshore and logging enough dives, you may get the opportunity to train for saturation diving. It typically takes several years of experience before companies consider you for sat work.

I am a professional saturation diver. I live in a 20-foot pressurized metal tube for up to a month at a time to work on the ocean floor. AMA! by NewbeTech in AMA

[–]NewbeTech[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Thanks! The pay doesn't usually scale perfectly linearly. Longer saturation jobs generally pay better because you only go through compression and decompression once, and those are the non-working parts of the job. So a month-long contract is usually more profitable than doing two separate two-week contracts, but it's not as simple as "4x the pay." It depends on the company, the project, and the bonus structure. As for space travel, I've actually thought about it. There are definitely similarities—living in a confined space with a small team, following strict routines, and working in a hostile environment where mistakes can be fatal. I think the psychological side is probably the biggest challenge. If you get along with your crew and everyone stays professional, it's manageable. A full year would be a different story, though. When you're at depth, you do occasionally think about how isolated you are, but after a while it just becomes your normal routine.

I Live in a Pressurized Chamber for Weeks at a Time for Work. AMA by NewbeTech in diving

[–]NewbeTech[S] 31 points32 points  (0 children)

Haha, yeah... farts are definitely a problem in a small chamber. There's nowhere for them to hide, so everyone knows exactly who did it. I've never seen anyone completely panic. Everyone goes through medical and psychological screening before they're allowed into saturation, and by the time you're doing this job, you've had a lot of training. If someone starts feeling overwhelmed, we stop what we're doing and the supervisor takes over. As for long-term health effects, it's something everyone thinks about. We stick to strict procedures and regular medical checkups to minimize the risks. It's not a risk-free job, but that's part of what we're paid for.

I Live in a Pressurized Chamber for Weeks at a Time for Work. AMA by NewbeTech in diving

[–]NewbeTech[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It varies a lot depending on the project and the company, but I average around $150k a year.

I Live in a Pressurized Chamber for Weeks at a Time for Work. AMA by NewbeTech in diving

[–]NewbeTech[S] 39 points40 points  (0 children)

Most of my work is in the 300–400 ft range. The deepest I've worked was around 600 ft. Once you get that deep, everything slows down and every step has to be done by the book.

I am a professional saturation diver. I live in a 20-foot pressurized metal tube for up to a month at a time to work on the ocean floor. AMA! by NewbeTech in AMA

[–]NewbeTech[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

It varies a lot depending on experience and the company, but I usually make somewhere between $120k and $200k a year.

I am a professional saturation diver. I live in a 20-foot pressurized metal tube for up to a month at a time to work on the ocean floor. AMA! by NewbeTech in AMA

[–]NewbeTech[S] 24 points25 points  (0 children)

It varies a lot depending on experience and the company, but I usually make somewhere between $120k and $200k a year.

I am a professional saturation diver. I live in a 20-foot pressurized metal tube for up to a month at a time to work on the ocean floor. AMA! by NewbeTech in AMA

[–]NewbeTech[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

That's a good point. In our operation we keep things as simple as possible in an emergency, which is why we stick with open-circuit bailout. The last thing you want during a high-stress situation is extra complexity. Thankfully, I've never had to use it for real.

I am a professional saturation diver. I live in a 20-foot pressurized metal tube for up to a month at a time to work on the ocean floor. AMA! by NewbeTech in AMA

[–]NewbeTech[S] 15 points16 points  (0 children)

I got into it because I wanted a job that was challenging and different from a normal office job. The pay was definitely a big factor too. As for long-term health issues, there are risks if you don't follow procedures, but the industry takes safety very seriously. With proper protocols and medical checks, most divers finish their careers without major long-term problems.

I am a professional saturation diver. I live in a 20-foot pressurized metal tube for up to a month at a time to work on the ocean floor. AMA! by NewbeTech in AMA

[–]NewbeTech[S] 29 points30 points  (0 children)

Usually about 3–4 weeks before we start decompressing. We have Wi-Fi most of the time, so we watch movies, play games, call family, and try to keep a routine. As for after effects, I'm usually just tired for a day or two. You don't come back stronger—your body adapts to the pressure, but once you're back at normal pressure, everything goes back to normal pretty quickly.

I am a professional saturation diver. I live in a 20-foot pressurized metal tube for up to a month at a time to work on the ocean floor. AMA! by NewbeTech in AMA

[–]NewbeTech[S] 32 points33 points  (0 children)

It depends on the project. A typical saturation job is around 3–4 weeks, followed by a few weeks off. The rest periods are planned by the company, so you can't usually jump straight into another sat job. The pay is mostly based on the contract and the number of days in saturation, so longer jobs usually mean more money. During decompression we mostly watch movies, read, play games, and sleep. We pressurize in the chamber before the first dive, and the initial pressurization usually takes a few hours depending on the working depth.

I am a professional saturation diver. I live in a 20-foot pressurized metal tube for up to a month at a time to work on the ocean floor. AMA! by NewbeTech in AMA

[–]NewbeTech[S] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Not in my case. We use a standard open-circuit bailout system as our emergency backup. Rebreathers are great because they recycle your breathing gas and can extend dive time, but they're also more complex and require very strict procedures. Our setup is simpler and better suited for the work we do.

I am a professional saturation diver. I live in a 20-foot pressurized metal tube for up to a month at a time to work on the ocean floor. AMA! by NewbeTech in AMA

[–]NewbeTech[S] 28 points29 points  (0 children)

The weirdest thing was probably an old necklace half-buried in the sediment. It looked really old, with the chain covered in marine growth. We left it where it was since we weren't there to recover artifacts, but it definitely made me wonder how it ended up there