First time with equipment problems

[pediatron]

Thanks again for the replies. My main reason for posting this experience was to help those who have never had anything even minor "go wrong" to be thinking about it. I really wasn't. My BC was working and holding air before I jumped in (I always check this and add air prior to that leap), but in retrospect, I think it was very loose and probably the connection slipped during my jump off the pier. I actually am properly weighted in my 5mm full suit and hood with about 16-18 pounds. I was prepared to drop my weights, but I suppose it just seemed so silly. I mean the pier was right there. If there had been someone standing on it, what I really wanted to do was hand the weights up. I did shout to my husband when I had a problem, but just didn't expect how tired I would get on the swim around the pier with no bouyancy (on the other hand I had been up about 30 hours and sat outside for several hours waiting for Den Laman to open prior to this required check-out dive). Anyway, I have learned a lot from this experience and from rescue diver. Rescue was the first time in my dive education where we actually practiced dropping weights. It was discussed previously, but it is amazing how much more comfortable one is with a skill they actually practiced.

Thanks again for all the comments and constructive criticism.

[ArcticDiver]

pediatron you have my utmost respect. You have a problem that raises your pulse rate a bit. You solve the problem. You try to help others and relieve a bit of your own tension by posting about it on SB . Some folks are helpful. But other folks beat up on you. Yet you end up with a very polite, no, gracious, post thanking those who were positive while ignoring the shrewish.

Kudos to you.

[ketchumid]

I appreciate the post and the responses by the dive masters- That's why I love this forum, especially when it comes to learning.

I too had a uncomfortable experience on a dive where my computer started to freak out on my decent,(digital air pressure read out just kept changing randomly with no rime or reason)

I paused and tried to see if it was just a momentary thing and stabilize. (this was about at 30 feet and 1:30 into the dive) Not ever seeing anything strange with my computer before with 25+ dives on it I decided to surface and not chance it-it However my fellow divers (3 close friends that I was diving with all week) swam on ahead with the dive plan not seeing me behind. We were headed to about 90 feet. We were diving together without being officially teamed up in twos. (I know bad mistake)

Of course everything was alright but I felt very anxious about the rest of the group not knowing where I was and within a couple of minutes they were looking for me.

I made several mistakes in not going through the all the prechecks with my dive buddies and having an iron clad plan for separation, I lived and learned.

FYI- the computer was fine once back on the boat and never had the same experience with it again. And from this experience we all learned a good lesson and it has made us better dive buddies-

When diving with a group- make it very clear who is with who-

Hope this helped someone as well-

[haha49]

i would of just sank to the bottom and walked back in made that mistake once forgot to conect the bc hose and when i jumped in right to the bottom tested my reg befor i did it and then just walked back in.. was in fresh water and i was useing the same amount as my salt water dives i figured i could just take weight out and see how it works out to blance it out.. i thought it was funny..

[highlandfarmwv]

I also did a arapid ascent in Grand Cayman--air hose wasn;t connected to BCD. And to beat it all, it was between tank and BC. I didn't think of orally inflating either; (I did orally inflate in the boat, that's how i didn't notice the airhose wasn't connected) I was just stunned that the jacket wouldn't inflate. I hit the reef at 60', just feet before the dropoff.

At Hatteras, NC you are told to let all the air out and sink, also. The captain gets angry if you come up and make the big O". The point is to get to the 15' line before you are carried away in the open ocean by the surface current.

[sunnyboy]

I am beginning to really dislike "significant other" dive "buddy teams". (sorry for the p.c. nonsense, but they are not always "husbands and wives") ;-)

Anyway, it seems as if one is always carrying the other, either because one likes being carried, or because one loves "being in charge". Either way, you see this all the time - one is assembling the gear for both, planning the dive, leading the dive, ordering about, etc.

The fact is - once you are certified, YOU and YOU ALONE are responsible for your gear, your dive, and your life.

Your buddy did not "abandon" you as so many put it here - that is a faulty assumption that somehow "your buddy" is responsible for your life. NO, you are responsible for your life. You must get in the habit of checking your gear over before each dive. If hubby (or S.O.) interferes, slap his hand. Get used to being in charge of your own situation.

Also - if you take rescue, do yourself a tremendous favor and do NOT take it with hubby. Take it alone so you can appreciate the whole "self rescue" component of the rescue course. You'll be so much better (and happier) if you do.

-S

[Rick Murchison]

I am beginning to really dislike "significant other" dive "buddy teams".

Hmmm... a classic ad hominem fallacy... it ain't necessarily so.
My very favorite dive buddy is the Lovely Young Kat, my bride of 26 years (next week). I can absolutely depend on her to check her gear - even if I help some with assembly, adjustment, etc - and to help me with mine if I need it. Her skills underwater are enviable; she never stirs up any silt or crashes into the reef or runs low on gas or goes deeper than the plan or wanders off out of sight, or shoots to the surface, and I try to be as conscientious as she is.
I know some "buddies" who are the ones you're likely to "really dislike" whose only real tie is their diving, and I share your concern for them. But your prejudice is misplaced; a "Significant Other" relationship is an unreliable indicator of bad behavior - any buddy team can be a bad one. Concentrating your assumptions on the "SO's" can cause you to miss dangers elsewhere.
Rick

[Ber Rabbit]

You've learned something else very valuable as well, the value of a good nights rest before diving. When you aren't rested or you're aggravated about something that happened on the surface (not getting your room) it has a negative effect on your ability to deal with problems. Missing a day of diving is much better than having an accident caused by you pushing to overcome the problems of the day. Going into this sport when you're stressed is a recipe for disaster plus it diminishes the fun quotient as you learned from this experience. I'm sure that dive wasn't as much fun as the ones you had after you were rested It's Bonaire, it's shore diving and it's on YOUR time.
Ber

[GSDMan]

Pediatron, I have to add my thanks to the pile. I've learned a lot more from this thread than I expected to at the beginning. I learned that my instructor was right when he said "A buddy on the boat = Solo Diver in the water" and I would say a buddy on the pier is a close second. I learned it's not a good idea to add unknowns on top of unknowns (as in not being very familiar with the water you were in, a BC failure, and uncertain weighting). For me, with dives in the mid teens. I learned it's not such a bad thing, after all, to start out under weighted. I learned that even "shrewish" posts can contain useful information (sorry, I couldn't resist). And finally, I learned it doesn't take much encouragement at all for Mr. Murphy to come a call'n. A little sleep deprivation + some stress from a time crunch + the distraction of the room snafu. I sure am glad that DM was in a position to see you needed help AND was paying attention. And thanks for telling your story so we could all maybe learn something.

Jim

P.S. I think I'm rambling cuz I'm sleep deprived, late for work, and still angry over something stupid that happened last night. Oh, Mr Murphy, are you free?

[sunnyboy]

Hmmm... a classic ad hominem fallacy... it ain't necessarily so.
My very favorite dive buddy is the Lovely Young Kat, my bride of 26 years (next week). I can absolutely depend on her to check her gear - even if I help some with assembly, adjustment, etc - and to help me with mine if I need it. Her skills underwater are enviable; she never stirs up any silt or crashes into the reef or runs low on gas or goes deeper than the plan or wanders off out of sight, or shoots to the surface, and I try to be as conscientious as she is.
I know some "buddies" who are the ones you're likely to "really dislike" whose only real tie is their diving, and I share your concern for them. But your prejudice is misplaced; a "Significant Other" relationship is an unreliable indicator of bad behavior - any buddy team can be a bad one. Concentrating your assumptions on the "SO's" can cause you to miss dangers elsewhere.
Rick

Yea, well there's always exceptions. Always.

I forgot to include "parents and children".

The point is, family relationships have a greater tendency to bring additional baggage to the dive site that can really hinder good dive prep and planning. It's not guaranteed, but more likely than between a couple of dive friends.

-S