OOA during valve drill... on purpose... sort of...

[*Floater*]

I took a cave course with my girlfriend recently and it was her first time using doubles (AL 80's). She had done partial valve drills on them during the previous 2 days, but I think it was the first time she did the full drill. It was just the two of us (we remained in the water after the others had gotten out) at about 4m depth.

As discussed on surfaced I signaled to her to watch me as I did a full valve drill i.e. turn right post off, breathe down primary, switch to backup, clip off primary, turn right post back on, close isolator, open isolator, turn left post off and unclip primary, breathe down backup, switch to primary, turn left post back on... This is how I was taught to do it (including a buddy watching with ready longhose). After I did it and she returned my okay signal I signaled her to do it while I watched.

As she was doing it I noticed that she didn't turn her right post back on, but I decided not to say anything... The result was predictable. She went on with the drill until she had breathed down her backup and switched to primary but couldn't get anything from it because the right post was still closed. She grabbed her backup again but realized that she had just finished closing off her left post. With both her tanks closed off she looked up at me in mild shock and started to signal OOA but my longhose was right there in her mouth before she even finished. Of course we were only at 4m depth in open water, but rapid ascents can be killers...

I decided to let her switch to the empty primary so that she would better remember to turn it back on next time, but maybe I was an a-hole... Anyway, we practiced some reel work and kicks after and then called the dive because were over the approximate planned time already.

Just curious whether people here would let their buddies proceed with the valve drill if they noticed the same mistake?

Also, for what it's worth, my gf adjusted very well to the doubles, though she did have a tough time carrying them back to the truck from the cenote entrances, and during the last few days I did it for her. Also, she's thinking of switching to a smaller backplate. Overall we saw some great caves.

 

[Snowbear]

Some buddies are notorious for pulling an OOG drill on their buddy when they notice said buddy didn't turn their left post back on during the valve drill

 

[Jason B]

You were right there with your long hose ready for her, I see no harm.
Congrats on the cave class.

 

[dsteding]

My AOW instructor, Grateful Diver, takes somewhat of a "let's see how this works out" approach to things. On most of our dives he and the other observer would hang back while my buddy worked together. We are in a controlled environment, but he wanted us to work things out, and if there was a mistake we could learn from he'd let us make it. He was there to intervene if things got unsafe.

I bet your GF never does that again, it was a controlled environment, you were right there with a functional source of air, so I think it was not a bad thing to do. We learn by doing, and from our mistakes, and so much about diving safely is developing good muscle memory and routines that I think this was a good opportunity to do both.

 

[SparticleBrane]

I believe that not telling her was the best way to go. In cases like this, experience is the best teacher. As other people have said she'll probably never make that mistake again.

 

[Meng_Tze]

As discussed on surfaced I signaled to her to watch me as I did a full valve drill i.e. turn right post off, breathe down primary, switch to backup, clip off primary, turn right post back on, close isolator, open isolator, turn left post off and unclip primary, breathe down backup, switch to primary, turn left post back on... This is how I was taught to do it (including a buddy watching with ready longhose).

see she would have known if the drill had a 'purge' phase after opening right post again.....and before starting to turn down the left post. After opening left post purge backup to make sure it also works.

But overall, yes..... let your buddy learn through 'extreme learning experience'.... real life 'no gas' has far deeper reaching effects.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Just curious whether people here would let their buddies proceed with the valve drill if they noticed the same mistake?

In order to "let them" you have to notice that they are doing it. LOL

When I was working on becomming an IANTD instructor and my wife was going through her IANTD technical diver course, we went to do a "practice" dive at a local quarry. We pretty much needed to work on the same skills only I had to do the "presentation quality" thing.

My wife was doing valve drills and I decided to save time and do mine at the same time...instead of standing by and watching her. At that point it hadn't really sunk in that I should. LOL

Anyway, she shut off all her valves and realized she had nothing to breath about the time that I was on my backup with my primary shut down. She picked up my long hose, got nothing and signalled OOA. I gave her the reg from my mouth (short hose on a necklace) and lost my mask in doing so.

Once she had air, she caught my mask while I reached back and turned my long hose back on (still no mask). You have to picture this now...she is on my little short hose and I'm on nothing, without a mask and completing my valve drill. LOL

Once I got on my long hose (turned on and everything) we switched regs so that she was on the long hose. then we got her valves open again and someplace in there, I replaced my mask.

I think if there were an award for the best example of exactly how not to do valve drills, I think we would have a pretty good shot at it.

 

[GreenDiverDown]

During my cavern course I did the same thing.... forgot to open my right post. My instructor noticed but let me proceed. Of course, I was extremely embarrassed when I went back to my long hose. I rolled my eyes in shame as I reached back and turned it on. I got a little pat on the head.

My buddy and I made quite a few mistakes over the next few days. I remember one in particular... forgetting to remove the long hose from under the can during an OOA lights out drill. Its weird how one mistake will start the snow ball rolling. For the life of me I couldn't figure out why we were having such a hard time exiting on the line... it had gone so smoothly on previous attempts. It didn't even dawn on me to wonder why my head was stuck in my buddy's armpit. Our instructor let us struggle clumsily the whole way out. When we finished and he reached down and pulled my long hose out, instantly freeing up that extra three feet. He might as well of hit me on the head with a hammer... it would have had the same effect. Duh... idiot!

At that time I had been using a long hose for five years and had taught many others on its use. Of course I knew the proper way to deploy a long hose and what happens when you don't do it right. But I don't think that I had ever made that mistake before... at least not in a cavern... in the dark... while concentrating on new skills.

Sometimes screwing up is the best way to learn. All the best training in the world is great... but if you don't make mistakes along the way it is likely that you didn't really learn as much as you thought. Sooner or later you WILL screw up... and if you survive, your ability level goes up a notch. But it sure is nice getting some of those screw ups out of the way while in a structured setting... sort of a freebie, if you will.

 

[BabyDuck]

mike, that's a real charlie foxtrot, and you wrote about it so clearly i can see it in my mind! i'm just glad it worked out ok.

floater, i'd have done the same thing. charles, don't let casey read that post.

 

[GreenDiverDown]

Also, for what it's worth, my gf adjusted very well to the doubles, though she did have a tough time carrying them back to the truck from the cenote entrances, and during the last few days I did it for her. Also, she's thinking of switching to a smaller backplate. Overall we saw some great caves.

Did you guys do Temple of Doom? That's a nice little hike.