Hit 500 hours of bottom time last week and it hit me different

I was going over my logbook after a job repairing some intake pipes at a water treatment plant near Cleveland. Just adding up hours for recert stuff and realized I crossed 500 hours underwater. That number caught me off guard. First 100 felt like a lifetime. Now 500 just kinda snuck up on me while I was bolting flanges in murky 55 degree water. It made me think about how much your body just adapts to this work over time. Anyone else have a milestone like that sneak up on them? When did it finally sink in that you're not a new guy anymore?

2 comments

2 Comments

jake_torres6822h ago

I was on a valve swap at a treatment plant outside Akron when I realized I'd passed 900 hours, and it just felt like another Tuesday. Your body stops fighting the cold and the pressure somewhere around the 300 hour mark, and the work becomes this weird second nature thing. Keep your logbook handy, it has a way of reminding you how far you've come when you're not paying attention.

the_hayden20h ago

Yeah man, I heard a guy say once that the first 100 hours are just your body throwing a fit about being somewhere it shouldn't be. After that it starts to shut up and let you work. 500 is no joke though. I remember reading somewhere that most commercial divers don't even make it past 200 hours before they tap out or get hurt. So you're already past that point where the water stops being the problem and it's just the job.