dumpsterDiver
Banned
- Messages
- 9,003
- Reaction score
- 4,652
- # of dives
- 2500 - 4999
One day in a popular spring in Florida, I was practicing my ditch and don of scuba gear from a depth of around 60-65 feet or so. There were a lot of students around with instructors etc. The sides of the spring were pretty much straight vertical, with some natural little ledges and overhangs, but pretty much vertical.
Anyway, as I recall, I had just removed my tank and dropped it to the bottom and was preparing to begin my slow ascent when I look over at this large fellow scuba diving. He was beginning to rise up, was somewhat separated from his group and he was looking forward, staring blankly right at me and hammering on his inflator.
It was clear to me that he was not aware of what was going on and was pressing the up button when he most likely intended to press the down button on the BC. In just a few moments, he was starting a fast ascent, but he just kept looking straight ahead and holding the inflator. Bubbles were starting to vent from the OP valve, and I could hear the inflator blowing.
He was VERY close to the wall and as I swam the few feet over to him, I looked up and could see that he was going to absolutely split the back of his head open in a few seconds since his current trajectory was on a collision course with a small overhang. I shot over to him super fast, grabbed his BC with both hands, laid on my back, straddled his ample waist with my legs and kicked like hell pulling him horizontally as he had both of us shooting up pretty fast.
I pulled him away from the edge of the rock wall in a few moments, and decided that I might as well ride him to surface and hope that he doesn’t embolize. I maintained my horizontal, face up position and rode him to the surface as I tried to present the most surface area and drag. The whole time he just kept staring forward and never released the inflate button! He never seemed to make eye contact with me or even ”see” me.
It was pretty amazing! I released him when we got to the surface.. I knew he was not going anywhere with the BC so full and he seemed to snap out of it and was kinda bewildered, but no bloody froth
A frightened instructor/DM? showed up within about 45 seconds and he looked more scared than the student!
Anyway, as I recall, I had just removed my tank and dropped it to the bottom and was preparing to begin my slow ascent when I look over at this large fellow scuba diving. He was beginning to rise up, was somewhat separated from his group and he was looking forward, staring blankly right at me and hammering on his inflator.
It was clear to me that he was not aware of what was going on and was pressing the up button when he most likely intended to press the down button on the BC. In just a few moments, he was starting a fast ascent, but he just kept looking straight ahead and holding the inflator. Bubbles were starting to vent from the OP valve, and I could hear the inflator blowing.
He was VERY close to the wall and as I swam the few feet over to him, I looked up and could see that he was going to absolutely split the back of his head open in a few seconds since his current trajectory was on a collision course with a small overhang. I shot over to him super fast, grabbed his BC with both hands, laid on my back, straddled his ample waist with my legs and kicked like hell pulling him horizontally as he had both of us shooting up pretty fast.
I pulled him away from the edge of the rock wall in a few moments, and decided that I might as well ride him to surface and hope that he doesn’t embolize. I maintained my horizontal, face up position and rode him to the surface as I tried to present the most surface area and drag. The whole time he just kept staring forward and never released the inflate button! He never seemed to make eye contact with me or even ”see” me.
It was pretty amazing! I released him when we got to the surface.. I knew he was not going anywhere with the BC so full and he seemed to snap out of it and was kinda bewildered, but no bloody froth
A frightened instructor/DM? showed up within about 45 seconds and he looked more scared than the student!