Seven miles beneath the waves

[naomi24]

In a specially designed craft, James Cameron recently completed a descent to the sea bed in the deepest part of the ocean. This was the second such expedition to be undertaken, and Richard Branson is now planning a third.

As a recreational scuba diver, I find the undersea world beautiful and, indeed, fascinating, and I'm all for exploration of the unknown, but I simply couldn’t do what these people do. I’d be terrified! It would be far too much water above my head for comfort.

Would you do it?

[jomifl]

I had colleague who assured me that she would never go to France via the tunnel as she couldn't bear the thought of all that water above her. She didn't mind the train trip from Cardiff to London though, or using tube trains when she got to London.

[joggerjayne]

I'd never take the ferry now.

[sandyRoe]

Full fathom five thy father lies
Of his bones are coral made
Those are pearls that were his eyes...

I don't like being near water. If God had intended us to swim he would have given us fins.

[anneasquith]

would i do it. noooooooooooo. sandy where have you been, were you busy over the easter period ?

[joggerjayne]

"If God had intended us to swim ..."

... he would have given us hearts that slow down if we put our faces in cold water.

Oh, hang on ... he did !

So ...

[Old_Geezer]

Maybe I'm looking at it all wrong, but go down seven miles and your craft has to withstand pressure equivalent to 1000 atmospheric pressures. Never mind about swimming or drowning, if it isn't all it's cracked up to be, then you're crushed. Go up into space and it only has to stand the removal of 1 atmospheric pressure. I don't know, that sounds like it ought to be easier to do somehow. That said, I understand the human body wouldn't fare well if chucked into space without a spacesuit despite it only being a single atmospheric pressure removal.

I'd really like to think I have the ability to try either, but I'm not good with confined spaces, I've never gone potholing for instance, and suspect I'd be very uncomfortable in either situation. But who knows what one is capable of until one tries ?