Do you always follow your training?

[TSandM]

A year or so ago, I went to do a cave dive with a couple of friends. It was my first post-class dive with a stage bottle. The friends are people much more experienced than I, and I was feeling very much the "newby" in comparison. I was probably a little nervous.

At any rate, I ended up descending on the stage bottle with it turned off. A few feet underwater, I "ran out of gas", and my response was to bolt for the surface. I don't think it was more than 2 seconds (I hadn't even reached the surface) when my rational brain said, "You idiot, you just have your gas turned off," and I reached over and turned it on, and went on with the dive. Nobody else even noticed the entire event.

I had failed my training in that a) I had not insisted that we all go through a gear check before getting in the water (insert head hanging in shame icon here); b) I had not done my OWN gear check thoroughly; c) I was not descending with my team, so when I was out of gas, I had no options but the surface; d) I allowed the knee-jerk response of heading for the great gas tank in the sky to dominate the rational response of, "It's the very beginning of the dive, I have 240 cubic feet of gas on me, how the heck can I be out of gas?"

In actuality, had the response been rational, it would not have been a bad one -- from six feet underwater at the very beginning of a dive, the surface IS probably the best option if there is a question about gas supply. But it wasn't rational, and that's what was scary.

What did I learn from it? I learned, once again, that I can go way too passive when I perceive myself as subordinate to the people around me. I also learned that my reflex responses aren't nearly as well suppressed as I thought they were. I also learned, to my pleasure, that even though I got the adrenaline-drenched bolt response, I was able to inhibit it and solve the problem, actually pretty quickly.

Would changes in my training have helped? No. I have been VERY thoroughly trained to do dive plans and gear checks, and as Bob knows, I'm usually a PITA about it. I have also gone through training where my gas was shut off unexpectedly, and I coped with those situations quite well. But in training, you are always expecting the unexpected, and it's really different when something whops you upside the head when you don't have a clue it's coming. (In fact, that may have been one of the most valuable lessons from the whole experience.)

 

[Jax]

1. Have you ever reacted to an underwater situation in a way that was not in accordance with your training?

Oh, yeah.

2. Can you describe the situation, and explain why you reacted in the way you did?

I was doing mask drills, and for some reason my mask wouldn't seal. After the 3rd reseat, I somehow snorted water - the kind that goes way up in your sinuses and stings like a thousand fire-ants. I immediately did a quick kick to surface, and caught myself. "What the **** are you doing? You KNOW how to handle this and you're reacting like an idiot." I removed my mask again as I descended to where I was, and proceeded to control my breathing and settle. Then I calmly replaced my mask, this time putting it below my chin first, and scraping hair back. I didn't even try to clear it when it was in place, but felt around to find if there was something under the skirt. This time, when I cleared, it remained clear.
STOP - BREATHE - THINK - BREATHE - ACT

3. Do you, in hindsight, feel that your response was appropriate?



4. What did you learn from it?

That I can handle and talk down the stupid reactive nonsense that instinct causes, and that is because I practice (drill, baby, drill).

5. Do you feel that your training could have prepared you better to handle it? And if so, how?

Not sure. I read so much on the forums that my nature put me into the drill mode. I'm not sure I took away from OW or AOW that one should practice the drills. It was reading the forums about refresher courses after my OIF stint that really brought it to bear.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

1. Have you ever reacted to an underwater situation in a way that was not in accordance with your training?

Yes

2. Can you describe the situation, and explain why you reacted in the way you did?

Dive number 13 (really it was) between OW and AOW was tagging along on an OW class when the instructor elected to take buddy pairs on a swim down to the 50ft platfrom while I was waiting with the DM. He had instructed her to stay with me and just swim around the area at that depth as I was at 900 psi and when I hit 600 or so to ascend and head to shore. When I reached 700 I showed her my gauge and she motioned for me to follow her. We started down the line to the 50ft platform! I'm thinking WTF but she is the DM and must have a good reason for this. By the time we reached the platform I was at 500 and when I showed my gauge to the instructor his eyes got wide, actually wider cause we were not supposed to be there, and began an immediate ascent up following the bottom contour. Passed the 25 ft and I was at 350 or so. Hit 20 feet and the reg locked up. No air gauge still read 300 psi. My eyes went wide and as I was signalling OOA her was shoving his octo towards me. I took two deep breaths as I was trained to in order to calm down and we ascended to about 3- 4 feet and he motioned for me to give him his reg back and stand up. I did so and he went back down to relieve the DM of the students. There was not a mousefart worth of air left in the tank and found another reason to not put blind faith in gauges.

3. Do you, in hindsight, feel that your response was appropriate?

NO! Once the DM deviated from the plan I should have thumbed the dive and ascended with or without her.

4. What did you learn from it?

Do not trust anyone other than myself. Never assume a professional is professional. Had I known more about this person in general and some of the behaviors they were known for I would have refused to dive with her. Stick to the dive plan. Do not modify plans without all persons fully understanding what is happening. I tell my students the same things and test them to see if they will blindly follow me without question. If they do during these tests we have a problem. One that will be addressed before I give them a card with my name as the instructor on it.

5. Do you feel that your training could have prepared you better to handle it? And if so, how?

At the time no. We went over dive planning and the importance of sticking to the plan. Now I see that more time could have been spent reinforcing it by using stark examples of what can happen when you don't. I never really felt during my training that this was a truly dangerous activity and could hurt or kill me if I screwed up. I try not to make that mistake with the people I train.

We also could have done more repetitions of rescue skills - fact is we did none, especially self rescue, and spent more time on scenarios where those would have been necessary. The class also could have spent more time building muscle memory to react to those items.

 

[Davemohio]

The more I dive, the more important I find practicing basic dive emergencies drills/skills.

I have gotten somewhat sloppy and lazy and comfortable. Not a good thing.

Last year I started doing a few and WILL do alot more this year.

If I had made a New Year's resolution, that would have been it.

DSM.

 

[Bratface]

My answer is no. I continue to practice skills underwater and run worst-case-scenarios over in my mind. My worse nightmare would be the overweight guy having a heart attack underwater and having to haul him up on the dive boat. I am trained in Advanced Cardiac Life Support but know how challenging that scene would be.
I did grab my buddy's BC and thrust my octo towards him when his inflator hose burst at depth. We made a safe ascent and swam to the boat.

 

[TracyN]

1. Have you ever reacted to an underwater situation in a way that was not in accordance with your training
Yes


2. Can you describe the situation, and explain why you reacted in the way you did?

I was in an OW cavern practicing my reel skills. After tying off I went to turn around and my mask became dislodged and filled with water. The shock of the cold water caused me to gasp and I inhaled some water. This immediately caused me to start coughing which caused a laryngospasm and shut my breathing down. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't catch a breath. Although I was trained not to panic when you can't breathe and you inhale water with every breath panic does set in. My buddy thought I was out of air so he offered me his octo which I hit out of his hand in my panic. Next I pulled my mask off and spit my reg out. Then in a moment of clarity I realized my error and put everything back on. By this time my second buddy came over and got me off my back and got me kneeling on the cavern floor. Once I was upright I was able to collect myself and slow my breathing down which ended the laryngospasm. The whole episode lasted about 45 seconds but it seemed like an eternity and I thought I was going to drown in an OW cavern out of all places.

3. Do you, in hindsight, feel that your response was appropriate?

My response was far from appropriate and I did everything I was not supposed to short of bolting to the surface which most likely would have followed had things continued.

4. What did you learn from it?

Even though I'm normally a level headed person and can handle almost any stressful situation I learned that I was not immune from panic. I also learned the value of diving with a buddy. Because of this moment I will never dive solo. I also learned how to handle a laryngospasm should one ever occur again.

5. Do you feel that your training could have prepared you better to handle it? And if so, how?

I don't think anything in my training could have prepared me to handle this situation. OOA situations are one thing but not being able to breathe any available gas is another. Maybe a small section of class could be devoted to explaining what a laryngospasm is, what causes it, and what to do should it occur.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

1. Have you ever reacted to an underwater situation in a way that was not in accordance with your training
Yes


2. Can you describe the situation, and explain why you reacted in the way you did?

I was in an OW cavern practicing my reel skills. After tying off I went to turn around and my mask became dislodged and filled with water. The shock of the cold water caused me to gasp and I inhaled some water. This immediately caused me to start coughing which caused a laryngospasm and shut my breathing down. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't catch a breath. Although I was trained not to panic when you can't breathe and you inhale water with every breath panic does set in. My buddy thought I was out of air so he offered me his octo which I hit out of his hand in my panic. Next I pulled my mask off and spit my reg out. Then in a moment of clarity I realized my error and put everything back on. By this time my second buddy came over and got me off my back and got me kneeling on the cavern floor. Once I was upright I was able to collect myself and slow my breathing down which ended the laryngospasm. The whole episode lasted about 45 seconds but it seemed like an eternity and I thought I was going to drown in an OW cavern out of all places.

3. Do you, in hindsight, feel that your response was appropriate?

My response was far from appropriate and I did everything I was not supposed to short of bolting to the surface which most likely would have followed had things continued.

4. What did you learn from it?

Even though I'm normally a level headed person and can handle almost any stressful situation I learned that I was not immune from panic. I also learned the value of diving with a buddy. Because of this moment I will never dive solo. I also learned how to handle a laryngospasm should one ever occur again.

5. Do you feel that your training could have prepared you better to handle it? And if so, how?

I don't think anything in my training could have prepared me to handle this situation. OOA situations are one thing but not being able to breathe any available gas is another. Maybe a small section of class could be devoted to explaining what a laryngospasm is, what causes it, and what to do should it occur.

Gawd, I had something like that happen to me back by the Park Bench in Ginnie ... during my initial cave training. Although I think I reacted pretty well to it, realizing that the best way to get my breathing back was to drop to the floor and make myself relax ... the first thing that went through my mind was "I might die here" ... and the second was "my instructor's gonna tell me I'm too stupid to dive in a cave."

Fortunately, neither actually came to pass ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Rhodesaz]

This may not be what you want in an answer, but I'll try.

My wife (my buddy) and I were on a live aboard in Belize. We were sitting on the bench putting our gear on getting ready for another dive. When out of no where my wife started to scream "WTF?" It turns out her valve in the inflator hose stuck in the open position and started to squeeze her. She immediatly ripped open her cumber bun (so she could breath) while I reached over and turned off her air. The boat crew responded immediatly but without the tools needed and a replacement valve there was nothing that we could do for the rest of the trip. (We borrowed another BCD from the crew and the trip was saved)

My point in this story was we were never taught what to do in this situation. (Luckily it happened on the boat) After getting home, taking the BCD to my LDS and asking many many questions, I believe I know what to do. I would release the inflator hose from the BCD and thumb the dive. Mouth air as needed.

Before you ask, I always rinse my gear (actually soak it for 8 to 12 hours) at the end of every trip.
I always inspect our gear at least a week or two before we leave on a trip. This type of equipment failure is just unforseen.

I believe I (we) did everything that we new what to do, but this emergency (stuck open inflator valve) just is not talked about or taught. At least not at my LDS! I'm not sure it should be discussed or taught in the OW.

I believe that with more reading (including this forum everyday), more interest and more general BS'ing with more divers will I learn how to react to those "once in a life time emergency" and learn what to do.

Today, I'm always asking myself "What if ..." ?

 

[TMHeimer]

1. Yes. Once that I can think of. Even after taking the Deep course I was down about 110-120' and couldn't locate the anchor line to ascend. I knew what reserve I should have for the ascent, but stayed maybe a minute longer to locate the line--I knew I had my pony with me. Well, at the safety stop I actually did use the pony a little, so as not to completely empty the tank. Lesson--ascend without the line!!!! (which I had done a time or two before anyway).

Other than that, I have had no emergencies, or anything close to a real emergency, knock wood. So, I really don't know at what level of stress my panic level would kick in. I have always felt that even the most seasoned diver will eventually panic if faced with one more breath. But you certainly don't want to get into such a situation simply to learn from it and gain a new perspective. I just try to be as safe as possible and go from there.

 

[Davemohio]

A few years ago I was diving a relatively deep wreck in NC. I am overly careful about equalizing so I decend somewhat slower than most. My "insta-buddies" bailed. Bye bye.

So i drop down to the wreck and it is broken in 2 chunks. I see my buddies have the left the smaller piece and were well along diving the main wreck structure. For NC the viz was not good.

I wanted to see the main wreck but chose to just hang out near the stern area. Where I could always see the anchor line. I doubt I could have caught up with my "buddies". i was unfortunately on my own.

So I am just enjoying my dive, watching my air..and then I "lost" the anchor line. Couldn't see it even though I had just dived a basic square. I am like "uh oh".

I kept watching my air and calmed down. Stayed in the same general area and did not dive further.

I knew I could do a no line ascent if nec. But as a last resort.

A few minutes(?) later I saw bubbles and followed the divers. Towards the line.

Lesson learned and I would say my training defintely helped me.