pinstripe1
Guest
I spent last week at the Coco View in Roatan (full trip report to follow if I can think of anything that has not been said many times before.) Beautiful location, excellent resort, great diving.
I did have a small mishap while I was there, though, and would be interested in your comments:
Though the sky was blue and the sun was fierce, there was a stiff breeze blowing all week. This had the positive effect of eliminating stinging critters on land and in the water, but it also kicked up waves. The sea was fairly choppy.
One morning I was doing a giant stride off the stern. As usual, I looked down to make sure nobody was underneath me, and held one hand over my regulator and mask as I stepped out. At that instant a large wave crashed into and over the back of the boat. I now think I was smashed against the ladder on the back, though at the time I believed I had been sucked under the stern.
In any case, all of a sudden I was being pushed and twisted with irresistible force against something hard and sharp. At first I thought I was being sucked into the propeller one of my greatest fears. Get out of here, get out of here.
Then I realize the only thing between my teeth is a rubber mouthpiece. No second stage. No air. OK, reach for octo. Its not there. Still no air. Look up. Under water. Just a few feet. Kick for the surface. Head above water. Breathe. Ahh. Pushed down by next wave. This wont work. Cant find inflator hose. Head under water again. Put snorkel in mouth. Breathe. Ahh.
By this time I am on the side of the boat. Everyone on board has been alerted by the 15-foot geyser coming off my tank. I kick for the ladder at the stern and reach it.
As soon as my hand grasps the first rung, my brain, which has been working at top speed up to this point, decides to take a break. I am dazed. Cant get my fins off. Try to climb the ladder with fins on. That doesnt work. Ladder is bouncing six feet up and down. I end up turned around somehow, sitting on a rung.
I dont remember getting back on board but am told I was hauled up. Sitting on a bench with lots of people talking at me all at once. I cant understand a word.
My arm doesnt hurt, but doesnt feel quite right, either. I look at it. There is a slit in my wet suit on the inside of my upper arm. I peer through and dont see skin. I see the messy stuff that skin is intended to cover.
Wet suit off. My buddy wraps a towel around the arm and tapes it in place. The boat returns to the dock. One of the physicians on board (there were two, a surgeon and an anesthesiologist. Also a nurse.) tries to scare up sutures and a local anesthetic. The folks at Dockside Dive Center radio around and locate everything we need, though some of it is at Fantasy Island. So we take a skiff across the channel to Fantasy and the doc from the boat sews me up in the chambers medical room. First time Ive ever had a procedure done while the doc is wearing a wet suit. Probably the first time for him, too.
So, can I get back under water? Sure, if you can keep the dressing dry. An old plastic bag and a foot or two of duct tape later Im all set.
The final result: really impressive deep purple bruises from my armpit to an inch or two below my elbow. A few scratches. A few stitches. A lost regulator the first stage got ripped off the tank, taking my second stage, octopus, gauges, power inflate hose and retractor with it. It is lying somewhere in 150 or 200 feet of water below a wall. Damaged BC.
But only one missed dive.
Some thoughts:
1) Always look for the bigger picture before covering face and jumping.
2) Continue going over basic skills. I am satisfied with my reactions to not having air, and attribute essentially correct reflexes to sporadic practice. Make this less sporadic.
3) I am disturbed that I went into shock on the ladder. The situation was not over yet. Im not sure how to guard against this.
4) Always try to have adequate medical personnel as buddies on the boat.
Any other thoughts?
Thanks,
-- Michael
I did have a small mishap while I was there, though, and would be interested in your comments:
Though the sky was blue and the sun was fierce, there was a stiff breeze blowing all week. This had the positive effect of eliminating stinging critters on land and in the water, but it also kicked up waves. The sea was fairly choppy.
One morning I was doing a giant stride off the stern. As usual, I looked down to make sure nobody was underneath me, and held one hand over my regulator and mask as I stepped out. At that instant a large wave crashed into and over the back of the boat. I now think I was smashed against the ladder on the back, though at the time I believed I had been sucked under the stern.
In any case, all of a sudden I was being pushed and twisted with irresistible force against something hard and sharp. At first I thought I was being sucked into the propeller one of my greatest fears. Get out of here, get out of here.
Then I realize the only thing between my teeth is a rubber mouthpiece. No second stage. No air. OK, reach for octo. Its not there. Still no air. Look up. Under water. Just a few feet. Kick for the surface. Head above water. Breathe. Ahh. Pushed down by next wave. This wont work. Cant find inflator hose. Head under water again. Put snorkel in mouth. Breathe. Ahh.
By this time I am on the side of the boat. Everyone on board has been alerted by the 15-foot geyser coming off my tank. I kick for the ladder at the stern and reach it.
As soon as my hand grasps the first rung, my brain, which has been working at top speed up to this point, decides to take a break. I am dazed. Cant get my fins off. Try to climb the ladder with fins on. That doesnt work. Ladder is bouncing six feet up and down. I end up turned around somehow, sitting on a rung.
I dont remember getting back on board but am told I was hauled up. Sitting on a bench with lots of people talking at me all at once. I cant understand a word.
My arm doesnt hurt, but doesnt feel quite right, either. I look at it. There is a slit in my wet suit on the inside of my upper arm. I peer through and dont see skin. I see the messy stuff that skin is intended to cover.
Wet suit off. My buddy wraps a towel around the arm and tapes it in place. The boat returns to the dock. One of the physicians on board (there were two, a surgeon and an anesthesiologist. Also a nurse.) tries to scare up sutures and a local anesthetic. The folks at Dockside Dive Center radio around and locate everything we need, though some of it is at Fantasy Island. So we take a skiff across the channel to Fantasy and the doc from the boat sews me up in the chambers medical room. First time Ive ever had a procedure done while the doc is wearing a wet suit. Probably the first time for him, too.
So, can I get back under water? Sure, if you can keep the dressing dry. An old plastic bag and a foot or two of duct tape later Im all set.
The final result: really impressive deep purple bruises from my armpit to an inch or two below my elbow. A few scratches. A few stitches. A lost regulator the first stage got ripped off the tank, taking my second stage, octopus, gauges, power inflate hose and retractor with it. It is lying somewhere in 150 or 200 feet of water below a wall. Damaged BC.
But only one missed dive.
Some thoughts:
1) Always look for the bigger picture before covering face and jumping.
2) Continue going over basic skills. I am satisfied with my reactions to not having air, and attribute essentially correct reflexes to sporadic practice. Make this less sporadic.
3) I am disturbed that I went into shock on the ladder. The situation was not over yet. Im not sure how to guard against this.
4) Always try to have adequate medical personnel as buddies on the boat.
Any other thoughts?
Thanks,
-- Michael
Was anything left of your regulator on the tank? I'm guessing it was a yoke (just because they're so common) - was the yoke left on the valve, or was the entire regulator first stage missing?
