CharleyT
Guest
Warning: This is a long, long post. My dive buddy and I were recently certified: 08/08/2004. She has been unable to dive more since our six training dives, I have added six more (total of 12). Our first outing was planned as a tiring, but fun day at Clear Springs Scuba Park in Terrell Texas, but it turned into anything but
.
Using the NAUI tables, I planned 4 dives.
1) Max 50 for 40 minutes. Itinerary:
a. Shore entrance at 0900.
b. Underwater navigation (UWN) to aircraft (A/C).
c. Mask remove and replace.
d. Regulator locate via sweep and blast clear.
e. Regulator locate via reach and purge clear.
f. Swim through A/C (buddies first time in there).
g. Find the deep channel E of the A/C and play in the cold.
h. Play around UW.
i. 15, 3-minute safety-stop.
j. Call it a dive.
Issue #1: I NEVER eat breakfast. I always drink some type of protein drink. We stop and I-Hop and I have eggs, bacon, toast, hash browns. Needless to say, I have light heartburn for the rest of the day.
It took us longer than I thought it would to get our little site set up (we brought a tent to change in, as well as a place for me to nap (chuckle) while she sat outside and read a book during out SIT. We didnt get into the water until 9:23, but that didnt bother us at all.
Issue #2: I forgot to turn on my Computer. It must be turned on before descending. Although I still use the tables to plan our dives, and log dives, I like to have the computer so I get used to it (it is a 1996 Dacor Omni, so doesnt tell me everything). So now Im using my watch chronograph (my backup timer). Sharon just bought a new dive watch and is using the bezel for dive time.
The dive went off without a hitch. Sharon and I did great at skills and had a good swim. We went to 44, got cold (I love gloves!) and had a 35 minute dive.
Issue #3: As I was deploying my DSMB for our 15 3-minute safety-stop (we always do one), Sharon was writing dive information on her arm slate. Next thing you know, were both at the surface with no safety stop.
Surface swam to our shore entrance area and walked out.
2) Max 40 for 40 minutes. Itinerary:
a. Giant Stride off Dock
b. UWN to A/C.
c. Dive through A/C.
d. UWN to platform #1 (I really need to work on my UWN, Sharon always leads as she does it well, so I asked her to let me practice).
e. Work on buoyancy on the platform. I just got my Triple-L Orion BP/W combo and wanted to give it a workout.
f. UWN to A/C.
g. UWN to Dock at 15 for our 3-minute safety-stop.
h. Call it a dive.
During our two-hour SIT, we met a new Diver (C). He was looking for someone to dive with. As he couldnt find anyone else to dive with, we invited him with us. He was PADI certified some time ago, but said it had been a while since he had been down and that he wanted to do some nice mellow stuff (nothing over 30). Although this changed our plans some, we said sure, as he is a nice guy.
Issue #4: Although we had at least 40 minutes together, we didnt spend enough time going over signals. We did the basics, but Sharon and I read each other UW so well, we seem to know whats going on with each other. We should have spent more time explaining to C what our hand signals mean.
Dive items a. and b. above went well (another Sharon UWN). We spoke on the surface about doing skills. Went to the A/C, kneeled on top, and C joined us in doing them. Dove the A/C and then went around it in circles.
Issue #5: I split up Sharon and myself, putting C in the middle. Although we had no problems UW, IMNSHO this was wrong. I should have stayed with her, and had C follow us. This put too much task loading on her.
Issue #6: Although C asked us to stay at 30 max, we dipped down to 34. We should have watched our depth better.
We had a good time (C had a little trouble with buoyancy but we never lost visibility to badly). Our safety-stop went well; the three of us hung onto each other and then called it a dive. Finished the dive at 37 minutes with a max of 34.
Issue #7: We had a two and ½ hour SIT scheduled. Sharon and I had been sitting across from each other for 10 or 15 minutes chatting, eating lunch and doing our log books. C came over to do his. C asked Sharon what was wrong with her eyes. I look at her closely and both of her eye sockets are starting to turn red (like shes busted the blood vessels near the surface around her eyes). Call over a Rescue Diver I know and ask him to take a look. He feels its mask squeeze and tell her shes done for the day. She calls it a day and I agree that were done.
Issue #8: Feeling sorry for C; and Sharon not wanting me to go home because of her, I decide to go on a dive with just C and me. I should have followed my gut feeling and called it a day.
Issue #9: Yet another lone diver L shows up with his young family. C invites him to join us. He was SSI certified at some point, and appears to have few dives under his belt. Now it appears as though I, with 14 total dives, am the most trained person on the team.
Issue #10: Once again, we fail to brief hand signals as well as we could have.
Issue #11: New diver does not want to do skills as part of the dive. He seemed uncomfortable with my asking him to. C agrees that we should do them again, but I say that L told me no.
3) Max 50 for 40 minutes. Itinerary:
a. Giant Stride off Dock
b. Surface swim to A/C.
c. Controlled descent to A/C
d. Dive through A/C.
e. Go to the trench area.
f. Play around there.
g. Go to the E wall area.
h. Swim generally back towards the W shoreline playing.
i. 3-minute safety-stop.
j. Call it a dive.
Surface swim to the A/C. Dropped down the buoy line and hung out there a moment. Using the slate, I asked if L had ever been in the A/C, he had not. So we did a quick swim though it.
Issue #12: I constantly look behind me for the other two divers. At times, I invert myself looking to make sure they are OK. I am task overloading myself, and greatly increasing my air consumption without realizing it.
We hit the trench, and C drops down to 46 if I remember correctly. I hit 44.
Issue #13: At 21 minutes into the dive, I am starting to get dizzy and lightheaded. This is something new for me, and I dont like it. I stop the other two divers. Ask how they are feeling, they are fine. Tell them I am not feeling well, and begin calling the dive.
We did a 3-minute stop at 15 and I am not getting any worse, nor better. Stomach is rolling, head is spinning.
We surface away from the dock and begin a surface swim to it. Dive is called with 24 minutes on the books.
Contacted same diver as before with Sharons issue and told him my symptoms. He told me to slowly begin re-hydration with water, and to sit down and relax. If I got worse, then wed worry about a major issue, but he and I both felt it was all the head turning, and headstands I did, that got to me.
Issue 14: It appears my two diver partners are weak on their tables. I dont know PADIs or SSIs. Im lying back in a chair trying to stop the world from spinning out of control, and they both want me to help them fill out their logs. I ignore them.
They ended up doing another dive together and Sharon and I came back to Dallas.
Sharon and I have spoken over the phone a few times since then; making sure each other is OK. Shes a good dive partner and I feel I let us both down this weekend. We learned a lot on this day of diving. Were both fine, but our eyes were opened by the whole experience. We are not going out Monday (tomorrow) so her eyes can heal. Well be back out there Saturday the 11th with some new insight into this wonderful sport. Were both ready to get wet again, but have agreed that we are not experienced enough to lead other divers into the lake yet.
I hope this long rambling message helps someone else keep from having the same issues we had.
Charley
Using the NAUI tables, I planned 4 dives.
1) Max 50 for 40 minutes. Itinerary:
a. Shore entrance at 0900.
b. Underwater navigation (UWN) to aircraft (A/C).
c. Mask remove and replace.
d. Regulator locate via sweep and blast clear.
e. Regulator locate via reach and purge clear.
f. Swim through A/C (buddies first time in there).
g. Find the deep channel E of the A/C and play in the cold.
h. Play around UW.
i. 15, 3-minute safety-stop.
j. Call it a dive.
Issue #1: I NEVER eat breakfast. I always drink some type of protein drink. We stop and I-Hop and I have eggs, bacon, toast, hash browns. Needless to say, I have light heartburn for the rest of the day.
It took us longer than I thought it would to get our little site set up (we brought a tent to change in, as well as a place for me to nap (chuckle) while she sat outside and read a book during out SIT. We didnt get into the water until 9:23, but that didnt bother us at all.
Issue #2: I forgot to turn on my Computer. It must be turned on before descending. Although I still use the tables to plan our dives, and log dives, I like to have the computer so I get used to it (it is a 1996 Dacor Omni, so doesnt tell me everything). So now Im using my watch chronograph (my backup timer). Sharon just bought a new dive watch and is using the bezel for dive time.
The dive went off without a hitch. Sharon and I did great at skills and had a good swim. We went to 44, got cold (I love gloves!) and had a 35 minute dive.
Issue #3: As I was deploying my DSMB for our 15 3-minute safety-stop (we always do one), Sharon was writing dive information on her arm slate. Next thing you know, were both at the surface with no safety stop.
Surface swam to our shore entrance area and walked out.
2) Max 40 for 40 minutes. Itinerary:
a. Giant Stride off Dock
b. UWN to A/C.
c. Dive through A/C.
d. UWN to platform #1 (I really need to work on my UWN, Sharon always leads as she does it well, so I asked her to let me practice).
e. Work on buoyancy on the platform. I just got my Triple-L Orion BP/W combo and wanted to give it a workout.
f. UWN to A/C.
g. UWN to Dock at 15 for our 3-minute safety-stop.
h. Call it a dive.
During our two-hour SIT, we met a new Diver (C). He was looking for someone to dive with. As he couldnt find anyone else to dive with, we invited him with us. He was PADI certified some time ago, but said it had been a while since he had been down and that he wanted to do some nice mellow stuff (nothing over 30). Although this changed our plans some, we said sure, as he is a nice guy.
Issue #4: Although we had at least 40 minutes together, we didnt spend enough time going over signals. We did the basics, but Sharon and I read each other UW so well, we seem to know whats going on with each other. We should have spent more time explaining to C what our hand signals mean.
Dive items a. and b. above went well (another Sharon UWN). We spoke on the surface about doing skills. Went to the A/C, kneeled on top, and C joined us in doing them. Dove the A/C and then went around it in circles.
Issue #5: I split up Sharon and myself, putting C in the middle. Although we had no problems UW, IMNSHO this was wrong. I should have stayed with her, and had C follow us. This put too much task loading on her.
Issue #6: Although C asked us to stay at 30 max, we dipped down to 34. We should have watched our depth better.
We had a good time (C had a little trouble with buoyancy but we never lost visibility to badly). Our safety-stop went well; the three of us hung onto each other and then called it a dive. Finished the dive at 37 minutes with a max of 34.
Issue #7: We had a two and ½ hour SIT scheduled. Sharon and I had been sitting across from each other for 10 or 15 minutes chatting, eating lunch and doing our log books. C came over to do his. C asked Sharon what was wrong with her eyes. I look at her closely and both of her eye sockets are starting to turn red (like shes busted the blood vessels near the surface around her eyes). Call over a Rescue Diver I know and ask him to take a look. He feels its mask squeeze and tell her shes done for the day. She calls it a day and I agree that were done.
Issue #8: Feeling sorry for C; and Sharon not wanting me to go home because of her, I decide to go on a dive with just C and me. I should have followed my gut feeling and called it a day.
Issue #9: Yet another lone diver L shows up with his young family. C invites him to join us. He was SSI certified at some point, and appears to have few dives under his belt. Now it appears as though I, with 14 total dives, am the most trained person on the team.
Issue #10: Once again, we fail to brief hand signals as well as we could have.
Issue #11: New diver does not want to do skills as part of the dive. He seemed uncomfortable with my asking him to. C agrees that we should do them again, but I say that L told me no.
3) Max 50 for 40 minutes. Itinerary:
a. Giant Stride off Dock
b. Surface swim to A/C.
c. Controlled descent to A/C
d. Dive through A/C.
e. Go to the trench area.
f. Play around there.
g. Go to the E wall area.
h. Swim generally back towards the W shoreline playing.
i. 3-minute safety-stop.
j. Call it a dive.
Surface swim to the A/C. Dropped down the buoy line and hung out there a moment. Using the slate, I asked if L had ever been in the A/C, he had not. So we did a quick swim though it.
Issue #12: I constantly look behind me for the other two divers. At times, I invert myself looking to make sure they are OK. I am task overloading myself, and greatly increasing my air consumption without realizing it.
We hit the trench, and C drops down to 46 if I remember correctly. I hit 44.
Issue #13: At 21 minutes into the dive, I am starting to get dizzy and lightheaded. This is something new for me, and I dont like it. I stop the other two divers. Ask how they are feeling, they are fine. Tell them I am not feeling well, and begin calling the dive.
We did a 3-minute stop at 15 and I am not getting any worse, nor better. Stomach is rolling, head is spinning.
We surface away from the dock and begin a surface swim to it. Dive is called with 24 minutes on the books.
Contacted same diver as before with Sharons issue and told him my symptoms. He told me to slowly begin re-hydration with water, and to sit down and relax. If I got worse, then wed worry about a major issue, but he and I both felt it was all the head turning, and headstands I did, that got to me.
Issue 14: It appears my two diver partners are weak on their tables. I dont know PADIs or SSIs. Im lying back in a chair trying to stop the world from spinning out of control, and they both want me to help them fill out their logs. I ignore them.
They ended up doing another dive together and Sharon and I came back to Dallas.
Sharon and I have spoken over the phone a few times since then; making sure each other is OK. Shes a good dive partner and I feel I let us both down this weekend. We learned a lot on this day of diving. Were both fine, but our eyes were opened by the whole experience. We are not going out Monday (tomorrow) so her eyes can heal. Well be back out there Saturday the 11th with some new insight into this wonderful sport. Were both ready to get wet again, but have agreed that we are not experienced enough to lead other divers into the lake yet.
I hope this long rambling message helps someone else keep from having the same issues we had.
Charley