True story.......................

[DivingGal]

ID - One big hug, and a huge "Thank goodness" that your incident ended the way it did.

Presence of mind and awareness of what is going on are skills we must all practise.

Thanks for passing along your "report", I'm always eager to learn from the experience of others (not that I want to go through the same experience)

 

[Heads Up]

Was on my rescue course two weekends ago - as an added skill, my buddy and I had to share air at 30m. I made the mistake of dropping my reg instead of keeping it in my hand (lesson number one) - I signalled 'out of air' and grabbed my buddy's octo. As I grabbed it, it started freeflowing - by this time I really needed to breathe so I jammed it in my mouth instead of 'sipping' from it(lesson two) and took a deep gulp. All I ended up with was a lung full of SW. Up until that point, I had learned all about the theory of panicking under water and the dangers of a panicked diver either grabbing your reg from your mouth or bolting for the surface, and like many I thought - never! Believe me, at that point with a lung full of water, all I could see through the swirl of bubbles was my buddy's reg in his mouth and all I could think was how much I wanted to grab it. Like you I remembered the magic words "Stop, Breath, Think and Act" - I recovered my own reg, forgetting all about my own octo (lesson three) and forced it into my mouth. I was wretching and coughing my lungs out but all I could remember was my open water instructors words that if you have air, you will live.

Cut a long story short, I managed to cough my way through it and get rid of all the water but it was a terrifying experience and one (in a way) I am glad I experienced because now I have learned some extermely valuable lessons and also believe the theory we all learn in the classroom.

 

[scubadweeb]

ID-
Just read this thread! So glad you're okay! (We'll get a group of Texans together and fix that critter fer knockin' your reg out of your mouth)!

SERIOUSLY though, it's so informative to read the "close call" experiences along with the "Wow" experiences. Trying to keep calm can be a feat in itself however, your confirmation (along with the others on this thread) will help keep that on the front of many minds. I had my first emergency while diving in May and learned by not allowing me to panic, I was able to resolve my problem and continue.

Thanks for the lesson!

 

[Mario S Caner]

Hey there buddy, glad to see that you are O.K.

It's also great that you are forward thinking enough to turn this incident into a lesson for others. Thank you!


Sea you in the Deep Blue!

 

[Iguana Don]

Don't know if it is taught now or not, but it should be.

This I learned in my O/W class while learning to snorkle.

You maintain airway control by putting your tongue in the hole (not tight)of your reg and breathing around it. If your reg gets knocked out you or if for some reason water starts to come in or it begins to freeflow you can maintain control of what goes in your airway with your tongue. Same thing applies to snorkeling, so you don't get a mouth full of water when that big wave splashes over your head. It takes some practice but works great (if you use it)

ID

 

[keralucu]

Hey ID - I was taught that in my OW class. We were told that it would help cut down the amount of air we sucked. Actually I haven't even tried it yet, but after you've just mentioned it, I will next time. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[Frog]

Don yes i remember being taught this in my OW water class too. However i was taught that it was for a regulator that was breathing wet, for example one that was upside down. I have asked around among the Instructors i know from PADI to GUE trained divers and they say the same thing. None of them recommend breathing with your tongue partially blocking the mouthpiece. Any one else have any input on this?

 

[Hocky]

Glad you made it!!

The panic monster is a hard one to keep at bay, well done!

Last month I had the same thing happen to me at 30m. A relatively new diver came down on top of me and tore my reg out. I managed to get my reg back in but I was drifting (unknowingly) into one of the strongest currents I had ever experienced. It hit me hard, taking me from 30m to 10m and then back to 40m in less than a minute.....after what seemed like an hour (2 mins had passed) I managed to grab hold of a ledge and steady myself.

I was at 40m at this stage and had gone through 100bar in a very short time. I had a problem breathing, I was hyperventilating and just couldn't get enough air from the reg into my lungs. The urge at that time to just shoot to the surface is overwhelming....part of your mind is saying just do it. Luckily I didn't and within however many minutes I managed to get my breathing back to normal(although my heart was pounding) and safely ascend to the surface.

Again, well done on keeping the panic monster at bay, you did good.

Hocky

 

[Iguana Don]

Frog,
Just curious, what could they find wrong. It was taught in O/W. What is their reasoning?

ID

 

[Iguana Don]

Your PADI instructor friends need to take a refresher course.

PADI Open Water Diver Manual, copyright 1994.
Module 2, Exercise 7.

This is not the New O/W Diver Manual, the one that precedes it.