That initial "oh god" moment.

[Yellowdog]

I had an uh oh moment on my first open water dive before I was certified. I was in Cozumel with my daughter and we were getting the open water certification with a referral. We were drift diving with the dive master and one other diver in about 50' or less over the reef. The first part of the dive was awesome and everything seemed normal but when I checked my spg after about 35 minutes I noticed it was moving every time I took a breath, from about 1900 to 1400. If it was moving before I had not noticed it as I had checked my gauge several times. In any case, I was not too worried at first but in a few minutes the pressure was going from 1000 to 500. I signaled the dive master I was low on air and needed to ascend. He shot his bouy and we stopped at 15' where I watched the gauge go from 500 to 0 on every breath. I did not want to alarm my daughter but I had one eye on the surface and the other on her octo. If the breathing got hard, which it never did, I was going to either drop my weights and go straight for the surface or grab her octo. After I surfaced, and stopped breathing from the regulator my gauge read 1000psi. Afterwards the divemaster said I could have had moisture in tank or debris in the first stage of my rental gear. I was never really scared but did spend several minutes wondering if I was going to need to share air or drop my weights.

 

[RJP]

I had an uh oh moment on my first open water dive before I was certified. I was in Cozumel with my daughter and we were getting the open water certification with a referral. We were drift diving with the dive master and one other diver in about 50' or less over the reef. The first part of the dive was awesome and everything seemed normal but when I checked my spg after about 35 minutes I noticed it was moving every time I took a breath, from about 1900 to 1400. If it was moving before I had not noticed it as I had checked my gauge several times. In any case, I was not too worried at first but in a few minutes the pressure was going from 1000 to 500. I signaled the dive master I was low on air and needed to ascend. He shot his bouy and we stopped at 15' where I watched the gauge go from 500 to 0 on every breath. I did not want to alarm my daughter but I had one eye on the surface and the other on her octo. If the breathing got hard, which it never did, I was going to either drop my weights and go straight for the surface or grab her octo. After I surfaced, and stopped breathing from the regulator my gauge read 1000psi. Afterwards the divemaster said I could have had moisture in tank or debris in the first stage of my rental gear. I was never really scared but did spend several minutes wondering if I was going to need to share air or drop my weights.

Sounds more like your tank valve wasn't fully open.

 

[swimrundive]

My "oh god" moment was this past weekend at the Keys on 2 dives.

It wasn't enough all the damn jellyfish decided to plague the open water but thankfully at the dive sites they were not as plenty full at depth.

Dive 5 - Giant stride and descend with my dive buddy after the ok. All we saw were coral formations and nothing much but the reef at Pennekamp was nice. On the way out the boat is about 400m away so we fin it out for fun. At that distance the jellyfish were abundant and I can distinctly remember them ramming me on my legs, sides, and most importantly, face. My buddy managed to fare that one out better than I did without a jelly sting to the face nor an accidental elbow to my head by the pretty Divemaster (it was an accident though Lol).

Dive 6 - This one had some serious current. We dive in and check out the surrounding areas. I led this one and decided to try compass navigation. It didn't work out so well because the current was not apparent at first down below as I learned firsthand. I come up to locate the boat and see it off in the distance I'd say 600 because it looked like a VW beetle. I get my bearings but forgot to mark down the heading and after we come up the second time the boat is directly in front of us but the same distance.

My buddy now is low on air so we surface swim again to the boat. I believe we covered those 600m on the second time finning our asses off in about 10 minutes with bc inflation and drafting each other.

I have to say I definetly underestimated navigation and need to pick that up in a course.

 

[crabbyfiddler]

Heh...new diver...Cozumel...free descent on Paso de Cedral crossing a ridiculous current in a new wet suit and ill fitting rental gear. Oy. I kicked and huffed and didn't seem to make any progress until the DM swam back up to me, pulled the front of my wetsuit open to let some water in and clamped my hand down in his. That was the dive I did my tumbleweed impression on... It was RIPPING!

 

[dallaskincaid]

I had one a few years ago, crewing on a local dive boat. After all the divers were back on the boat, I went in to unhook us from the wreck. On the way down, I thought it was odd that I heard the boat's engines start up... and then stop. Typically the captain puts the line on a tuna ball, throws it off, powers up, backs the boat off the ball, and circles the area until I get back up. You can usually hear the engines the whole time you're in.

Got to the bottom. Still no engines.
Unhooked the chain. Still no engines.
Dragged the chain out to the sand. Still no engines.
Came back up the line. No engines.
Did a safety stop. No engines.
Surfaced. NO BOAT!

Wind had kicked up during the day and there was a good surface current running. Choppy and sloppy.

I look in every direction... and what do I see? Nothing. In any direction. Not a thing. Not our boat. Not any other boats. We were miles offshore, so no land in sight. Me... and a tuna ball... and nothing else. For nearly 45 minutes.

The "oh God" moment was really only when I had surfaced and looked around. To be honest, I didn't think much about not hearing the engines other than at first when I heard them start and then stop. It was after I came up that I started piecing things together.

When I surfaced and didn't see the boat, I almost immediately determined what I thought happened... and I was right. When the captain backed the boat off the ball, a gear line hanging off a stern cleat (that someone forgot to pull up) fouled the props. He had to shut the engines down, and put a diver in the water to clear them. That guy had to get his drysuit back on, get in his gear, get in the water, and start cutting... and cutting... and cutting. If you've ever tried to clear props fouled with 20 feet of line... under a boat... that's being tossed around the open ocean... you know that ain't easy.

And all the while the current and wind are pushing that 52ft boat further and further away.

Me... and a tuna ball... and nothing else.

For nearly 45 minutes.

Truthfully, I'm not very worried past the initial "WTF" moment. I'm on a line, with a float on one end and 75lbs of chain on the other. I'm right over a known wreck location. The boat knows I'm in the water... and where I am. I'm thinking that, worst case, if the boat can't get back they will call another boat or the Coasties.

And I keep thinking that. For 45 minutes.

Just me... and my tuna ball... and nothing else.

For 45 minutes.

I can tell you that it is VERY SURREAL to be in the middle of the ocean with ABSOLUTELY NOTHING visible, in any direction, as far as the eye can see. I don't mean like "I'm on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean and I can't see anything... other than this cruise ship." I mean "I am in the middle of the ocean - I am in the ocean - and I can't see anything, in any direction, as far as the eye can see.

Just me... and my tuna ball... and nothing else.

For 45 minutes.

I hope you got a case of beer for that.

 

[Storker]

My next purchase a razor sharp knife...

Uh... you aren't saying you're diving without a knife, are you?

And for cutting rope and similar stuff, serrations are often better than razor sharp. Particularly since it's usually difficult to get more than a half-decent edge on a diving knife.


--
Sent from my Android phone
Typos are a feature, not a bug

 

[rockystock1]

Just a great story rjp


Rocky

---------- Post added October 22nd, 2014 at 08:51 AM ----------

Storker.. I've recently got serius about diving, doing my ow-aow and getting kit together.. judging by roturners story I might buy both


Rocky

 

[vincent54]

Uh... you aren't saying you're diving without a knife, are you?

And for cutting rope and similar stuff, serrations are often better than razor sharp. Particularly since it's usually difficult to get more than a half-decent edge on a diving knife.


--
Sent from my Android phone
Typos are a feature, not a bug

Agree with the serrated knife. Over the weekend I backed my buddies boat over a nylon anchor rope and wrapped the prop tight. I had a razor sharp fillet knife that wouldn't do a thing. I spend an hour swimming under and cutting away, nothing. We then tried my friend's little scuba pro knife with a short serrated blade and it ripped through the rope like butter. It took less than a minute to cut through the mess.

And I am not allowed to drive the boat anymore.

 

[Storker]

I've recently got serius about diving, doing my ow-aow and getting kit together.. judging by roturners story I might buy both

I don't really understand what you mean with "both", though.

The standard issue diving knife comes in many sizes, either with a pointed tip or with a blunt, spade-shaped tip. It usually has a smooth edge on one side and a serrated edge on the other, or the inner part of the edge is serrated and the outer part smooth. The type and style of cutting device to choose is an issue almost as contentious as minimum depth for narc, deep air, jacket vs BP/W, snorkel/no snorkel or splitfins. But no matter what type you prefer it's almost impossible to find a material which can be sharpened to and holds a really keen edge while at the same time being sufficiently corrosion-resistant to survive repeated immersions in seawater. Apart from titanium - which IMO is a bad choice because it's a really bad material for getting a keen edge and costs half a fortune - it won't be completely rust-proof anyway, so you'll have to maintain it, rinse off after the day and cover with a thin layer of silicone grease once in a while. Also, knives have a nasty habit of getting lost, so don't buy the most expensive one you find

The DIR guys swear to a small, short-bladed steak-knife type of knife carried on the waistband, while others - like me - prefer a BFK (big effing knife) strapped to the calf. The BFK is often regarded as an outdated macho thing. I see it as a multi-tool for cutting, sawing, digging, prying, stabbing flounders and wolffish, hammering, slicing bread topside and other uses. Left/right, calf/thigh/forearm/waistband, inside/outside carry is also a matter of preferences, I prefer to carry my BFK on the inside of my left calf. In addition I have a small (5cm/2" blade) knife on my waistband, mostly for use as a kill knife after stabbing a fish with my BFK. BTW, carrying two cutting devices may be a very good idea for safety reasons, remember that "two is one and one is none".

As far as I understand, some places don't allow knives (never been to such places myself, though), so shears or a trilobite would be the only alternative for a cutting device there. However, a cutting device or two of some kind or another is an essential piece of safety gear, so if you're serious about your diving you'd better get at least one ASAP (IMNSHO, of course...)

 

[CamG]

If you are OW or Overhead without a cutting device you are insane!
All you need is a small line cutter at least.
Where you can always reach it either hand.

My first OG / WTH was in OW dark narc situation from over stressed swimming.
It shook me up for a week while I digested the situation, owned the blame making the correct adjustments to my diving.
The next two were in caves early in my cave diving.
If you ever have had a Co2 headache you can not wait to end the dive and get to O2!
Argh Little River I will remember that lesson very well!

The single most pivotal moment in my diving took place at Peacock.
I am not going to reveal details but the failure was mine and 700' the wrong direction.
We corrected, recalculated 1/3rds and worked it out till we reached our stage bottles.
There was 300' of that exit that I made my piece with God, and settled myself and breathing.
If I made it out I would never again make the same mistake!
It was the worst dive but the greatest!
I now am very conservative and will pull the plug on a dive if it gets the slightest off plan.

When you have a front seat to someone getting bent, or possibly OOA in a overhead you learn 2nd chances are a gift!
Some people call it luck I think not.
When you read accident details or fatalities reports you quickly learn the difference between near miss and death is thin at best.

Ive had other things happen but they were minor.
COMPLACENT behavior will always catch up with you!
DO NOT BE THAT DIVER!

CamG