Well, it finally happened to me, my boneheadedness caught up with me.
Saturday some friends and I were diving in a local quarry. I was wearing my doubles for some practice with them, plus I needed to use up the 36% O2 mix so I could get them refilled with air for an upcoming deep dive at the end of the month.
The entry into the quarry was a nice easy giant stride. Vis was about 20ft or more, really nice for quarry diving. Max depth was 30ft so no issues there.
Exiting was another issue. I chose to exit at the boat dock using the ladder that extended into the water. Unfortunately, my ill-fitting dry suit caused me problems with reaching the bottom rung with my foot and I fell off the ladder and back into the water on my first attempt. Of course the heavy load of the steel doubles didn't help either.
My buddy who was already on the dock told me to hold on after my first attempt and he would help me up the ladder and onto the dock.
Well, like I said, I'm a Bonehead. I repositioned my foot on the ladder and muscled my way onto and up the ladder. Tada, I'm ready to step off the ladder onto the dock. My weight shifted unexpectedly and over I went, face first.
I reached out with my right hand and tried to break my fall. I managed to bend all the fingers on the right hand back and my little completely back. I felt a bit of pain but nothing huge and could still move it, so I figured no big deal, just a sprain.
My buddy helped me up and I got the doubles off on a nearby bench. After taking the glove off I could still move my finger but it was starting grow. It wasn't to painful, but did hurt enough to make thumb the second dive of the day.
Yesterday I went to the Dr and had pictures taken since my finger was still swollen after icing and it was sensitive to touch in a couple of placed, mostly below the second knuckle. X-ray's showed a very ugly break lengthwise below the second knuckle.
Result? My long planned deep dive at the end of this month is now off.
Lesson learned? When your buddy offers help, take it. If your buddy looks like they need some help, offer it. I'll find out tomorrow after I see the bone doc how long I'll be drydocked.
Don't be a Bonehead like me.
Brian
Saturday some friends and I were diving in a local quarry. I was wearing my doubles for some practice with them, plus I needed to use up the 36% O2 mix so I could get them refilled with air for an upcoming deep dive at the end of the month.
The entry into the quarry was a nice easy giant stride. Vis was about 20ft or more, really nice for quarry diving. Max depth was 30ft so no issues there.
Exiting was another issue. I chose to exit at the boat dock using the ladder that extended into the water. Unfortunately, my ill-fitting dry suit caused me problems with reaching the bottom rung with my foot and I fell off the ladder and back into the water on my first attempt. Of course the heavy load of the steel doubles didn't help either.
My buddy who was already on the dock told me to hold on after my first attempt and he would help me up the ladder and onto the dock.
Well, like I said, I'm a Bonehead. I repositioned my foot on the ladder and muscled my way onto and up the ladder. Tada, I'm ready to step off the ladder onto the dock. My weight shifted unexpectedly and over I went, face first.
I reached out with my right hand and tried to break my fall. I managed to bend all the fingers on the right hand back and my little completely back. I felt a bit of pain but nothing huge and could still move it, so I figured no big deal, just a sprain.
My buddy helped me up and I got the doubles off on a nearby bench. After taking the glove off I could still move my finger but it was starting grow. It wasn't to painful, but did hurt enough to make thumb the second dive of the day.
Yesterday I went to the Dr and had pictures taken since my finger was still swollen after icing and it was sensitive to touch in a couple of placed, mostly below the second knuckle. X-ray's showed a very ugly break lengthwise below the second knuckle.
Result? My long planned deep dive at the end of this month is now off.
Lesson learned? When your buddy offers help, take it. If your buddy looks like they need some help, offer it. I'll find out tomorrow after I see the bone doc how long I'll be drydocked.
Don't be a Bonehead like me.
Brian
