Please Vote >>>> Have you ever been Out of Air (OOA).

[RichWilx]

not LOW on air but OUT OF AIR unintentionally

I am very interested to know how many of you have actually been on a dive and gone out of air (OOA).

[chrpai]

Nope, has never happened. I've always been done with profile and in the correct location for exit without violating my rock bottom. I have choosen to break open that reserve for a little extra fun on more then one occasion so it's not unusual for me to be out of the water with 200-300 psi.

[NWGratefulDiver]

I ran OOA once. I'd been diving for about a year, and wondered what it would be like. So I laid on the bottom and breathed until my tank wouldn't deliver any more air ... and then I stood up.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[RichWilx]

... and then I stood up.

haha! Did you log the dive?

[NWGratefulDiver]

haha! Did you log the dive?

It was a real dive ... after the dive was over, I used up my reserves laying on the bottom in the shallows ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[PansSiren]

I've shared this story a few times here now, and it seems appropriate to bring up again (for those who've read it before, sorry for the repost!). I don't really like admitting it, but if it helps at least one other person, well then, cool!

Taken from this thread: Do you always follow your training:

Situation: During AOW, I was trying out a DPV for the first time. I regularly check my air supply, and I let my buddy (also my Instructor) know when I had half my air, 1000 psi, and once or twice more at some point after that - point is, he knew I was low on air. I kept following him until I noticed there was more resistance trying to take a breath. I looked at my SPG and saw the needle in the red... OH ****! [for details, we were probably somewhere around 60 feet)

My reaction: At this point, I wanted air - FAST. I held the DPV off to the side and tried to fin as hard as I could to catch up to him. I took my regulator out of my mouth and SCREAMED his name. This is when I realized I was panicking. Why would I stop using the DPV? It should help me catch my buddy. Why the hell would I remove my regulator and exhaust my precious air supply (and again to purge)? Why would I scream underwater - especially with the sound of his DPV going, there is NO way he could have heard me. I also realized there was no catching him in my immediate future - so I bolted towards the surface, swimming as hard as I could. I realized my next mistake within a few feet and slowed way the hell down. Took deep breaths and SLOWLY let out bubbles as I more slowly made it to the surface (still probably too fast, but at least WAY slower than I was before). After I surfaced, my SPG read below zero.

I stayed at the surface for maybe 3-5 minutes, then started heading to shore (give or take maybe 200 yards) where I saw others from our group standing (not diving with us, just hanging on the beach). After I made it to shore, I could see his head bobbing at around the distance I surfaced at and waved him in.

My mistakes: Not starting the ascent when I wanted to. Disabled the DPV. Removed my regulator. Screamed underwater. Bolted to surface. Chased my buddy for too long. Was too courteous - in the sense that I was trying to let my buddy know I was going to the surface. Left the surface to go to shore (as per buddy separation protocol, I should have waited longer for him at the surface).

What I did right: Let my buddy know I was low on air. Let my buddy know it was time to surface. Regained my composure fairly quickly after panicking and made a successful ascent to the surface.

What I should have done: Gone to the surface when I signaled, "IT'S TIME TO SURFACE".

In hindsight: Yes, I do feel like my responses were all appropriate, albeit maybe a little delayed. But for how the chain of events played out, I think I did alright. I definitely learned a LOT from this, and IF something like this should ever happen again, I would at least hope and think that my reaction will be smoother.

What I learned: You're on your own down there. Don't expect help in an emergency. Do what YOU gotta do to keep YOU alive. Stay very close to all future dive buddies, and more importantly, constantly look at them - a lot can go wrong in just even 15 seconds.

I feel my training was spot on. I knew what to do - I just didn't execute under panicked pressure, which IMO no training can teach you to do. Unfortunately, I think experience (handling emergencies under pressure) prevails here. Luckily I saw things spiraling out of control and resolved it enough for an eventful ending.

I feel like I should say this also: I would dive again with that buddy in a heartbeat!

[DennisS]

I never ran out but I had my eye on the gauge swimming back. surfaced with 100 psi, once.

[shoredivr]

No, I have not.

[TSandM]

Had a freeflow once that emptied my tank. Otherwise, not even close . . . One of the earliest classes I attended after OW was Bob Bailey's gas management class.

[Rhone Man]

I ran OOA once. I'd been diving for about a year, and wondered what it would be like. So I laid on the bottom and breathed until my tank wouldn't deliver any more air ... and then I stood up.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I had a similar, if less flattering experience. I had a dive which, let's just say had some unexpected developments. At the end of it, even though my computer was confident I was safe, I decided to breathe my tank dry at 15 feet before ascending.

When I was younger I was diving with my brother and he genuinely went completely OOA at about 60 feet. We buddy breathed (octos not prevalent in those days) all the way to the surface (neither were safety stops...) with a minimum of fuss.

Neither incident was an amber alert (far less a red alert), but both could probably have been easily avoided with a little less youthful arrogance.

Most dives at home (ie. not travelling) I ascend with between 200 and 300 PSI. One day it may bite me, but on my home turf with my own gear I am pretty well inside my comfort zone.