Frightful Experience

[jmps]

Over the years I have had several that have caused a near suit filling from the rear.

The most recent one I can think of was about 15 years ago. We rolled on a vehicle in the water off a local boat ramp. I get there at the same time we are canceled by the Fire Units on scene.

Being there I decide to dive anyway. They tell me not to worry as they have checked the vehicle and it’s clear. I’m getting two hours OT anyway so why not dive.

I suit up and hit the water along the left side of the vehicle. I bee line it to the drivers door and HOLY POO BATMAN. There is the female driver sitting there looking right at me. Crapski, I wasn’t expecting that one.

How do you check a vehicle and miss the driver sitting in the driver’s seat in crystal clear water that is only about 8’ deep?

Gary D.

Was there trapped air and she was still alive or was she dead?

 

[Heffey]

As a 16 year old in 1976, in a NAUI course when I realized I was going to have to perform mouth to mouth with a 240lb, 40 year old man. Very scary!!!

What did I learn? Let’s just say I lined up across from the college girls on the next exercise.

Jeffrey

 

[Firebrand]

I was diving in poor vis (18 inches) and rough conditions (getting hit by surge on the bottom at 20 fsw). My insta-buddy was toating the dive flag, but he kept getting tangled up in it. I had to untangle the guy two times underwater, and deicded to call the dive. He agreed, and, upon reaching the surface, I said we should head back for shore. He agreed, but when I turned to swim back to shore, I watched him go back down. I'm not one to bail on a buddy, but I didn't want him to tangle me in his line too, so I kept heading to shore, figuring he'd be right back up and behind me. He was five minutes behind me, and I kept watching his flag making sure it was moving in a steady fashion against the current. When he came to shore a few minutes after me, I had to untangle him a third time before he could remove his BC. I wasn't scared for me, but I sure was for him!

 

[Allison Finch]

I was night diving for flounder at Fort Pickens near Pensacola, Florida. As I was diving, I heard the engines of a fishing boat coming REALLY near me. I knew that shrimpers were dragging nets in the area. I did not know which way to swim to avoid the drag. I had to stay put and SWEAT!! After the sound retreated, I started swimming towards shore. I swam about 15 feet and hit the silt line where the drag had gone.

DANG, that was hairy! I doubt I could have used a knife to cut free.

 

[Gary D.]

Was there trapped air and she was still alive or was she dead?

SHe had been there most of the night and had expired shortly after impact with the water.

Breathable air being trapped within a vehicle is about as rare as winning the lottery and getting struck by lightning at the same time.

Gary D.

 

[cuddlefish]

I was watching a diver ascend from a drift dive. He was about three feet from the surface. A boat passed by and missed the diver by a couple of feet. I don't think the diver ever fully realized how close to decapitation he came that day. I didn't have time to do anything...just had time to think, "Oh God this is going to be bad, real bad"...and then it was over and everything was ok.

 

[jepuskar]

Sounds like Cozumel Cuddle...

 

[Ian T]

an outboard engine fell off a boat and almost hit my buddy...about 3 ft away, he never even saw it...
I was about 15ft behind him, taking pictures but unfortunately (since nothing happened) didn't get a shot of his face as he realized...
On the surface the boatowner asked us if we could recover it for him...

 

[DORSETBOY]

When I STUPIDLY agreed to do a dive in the med with other instructors and dms to 60+metres on air and each with a single tank (no redundancy). Realised after this that being an instructor does not make me indestructible and that if I wanted to dive to such depths again it would be with the correct training and equipment.