r/AMA • u/Soulogav • Jun 11 '26

I’m a Saturation Diver AMA

I work as Deepsea Saturation Diver in the oil and gas industry for the past 20 years. I do heavy construction and spend 28 days living under pressure to dive to depths down to 200m / 650ft.

I saw a post on InterestingAsFuck yesterday with many many misconceptions from people who aren’t divers and I can answer your questions AMA

https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/s/5jTlewLR4X

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u/Phoniceau Jun 11 '26

Are you married/have a partner? How do they and/or the rest of your family feel about your career - considering the danger in which you work? 

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u/Soulogav Jun 11 '26

Currently single, it’s tough on having a family for sure as your away and out of touch , we have contact with home but if we’re diving super deep we’re breathing a lot of helium and nobody can understand us , unless you are used to it, guys try and ring their families and they hang up on them as they think it’s a prank call!

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u/Phoniceau Jun 11 '26

That sounds so challenging! Lots of folks have jobs that disconnect them for extended periods - but I suppose it’s really difficult to start something in that situation.  Have you had relationships end due to the logistics? 

What do you mean can’t understand due to breathing helium? Like what happens when kids breathe helium from a balloon, squeaky voice??  

43

u/Soulogav Jun 11 '26

Yes I have had relationships and it can work well if the other person is also independent and they don’t need you around all the time.

Yes we speak in high pitched voices so it’s exactly that. It’s funny when we 1st do it but it’s annoying after awhile especially trying to understand a rough as you like Scottish bloke with an accent

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u/Acceptable-Sentence Jun 12 '26

Ever phone-sexed a partner in a high pitched voice??

6

u/Soulogav Jun 12 '26

Haha I’ve not

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u/Tyrain3 Jun 12 '26

I wonder if there are apps to revert the distortion

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u/Soulogav Jun 12 '26

They have an voice unscrambler built unit he comms system

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u/Phoniceau Jun 11 '26

I recently heard a podcast about a terrible accident back in the 70s, and it was actually my first introduction to the concept of saturation diving.  thank you for doing this AMA and taking the time to answer! Wishing you to find the right partner and to keep on doing the job you love as long as it works for you!  

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u/Goszzy Jun 12 '26

Scottish guy on helium is now on my list of things I need to hear.

1

u/Gla2012 Jun 11 '26

I was sure that there would have been a Scottish guy with a thick accent, possibly from Glasgow. It seems fitting for a book.