Close call - spot the errors leading up to it

[Storker]

While surfing the 'net I stumbled over this little YouTube video and I thought it could be a nice reminder about how a fairly shallow and benign reef bimble can turn into a scary and potentially dangerous situation. Before discussing the case, let's watch the video. Note that this isn't my video, I just found it out there on the 'net.

[video=youtube;XujePQIafRM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XujePQIafRM[/video]

I have a nice list about things I'd do differently - heck, let's be honest. Things the diver did that IMO was stupid from a safety perspective. I've spoilered the list, so that people can look at the video and think without my opinion coloring their perception.

Spoiler

• The group didn't seem to have dedicated buddy pairs
• The diver failed to monitor his gas consumption, since:
• The diver had poor situational awareness, letting the camera take up too much mental bandwidth
• Neither the diver nor the group took responsibility for staying together, no-one kept track of the others
• The group apparently failed to notice that one of them was missing
• The diver hadn't secured his gear properly (nearly lost a fin on the surface)
• The diver had joined a drift dive without carrying a signaling device (minimum a dSMB, preferably also a mirror and a whistle)

This video, to me, shows clearly why one never should just dive in a group without a proper buddy; that every dive should be conducted in proper teams of two or three where the team takes responsibility for each other and every team member shares responsibility for keeping the team together. Unless, of course, the diver chooses deliberately to dive solo (although solo just isn't for me).

 

[Patoux01]

Split fins.

 

[Steve_C]

1. Don't harrass the turtle.

2. Watch your air consumption.

3. Have a signaling device that is visual.

4. Going up current? Not clear why this happened. Looks like a group drift dive on a reef in the Caribbean. That usually is down current.

 

[uncfnp]

What Steve said plus...

Not noticing when the regulator first started to breathe differently. Listening, I'd say he had at least 4 noticably different breaths then another four as he ran out. That should have given him plenty of time to reach his group.

Did he orally inflate on the surface? Did he use that extra breath you get as you ascent? Where was his SMB?

 

[Storker]

Split fins.

Badum-tish.


Funny thing is that the first thing that went through my mind was "watch your gas!", with "where was your buddy?!!!" as a very, very close second. None of the replies so far have mentioned the latter point. He noticed that the reg started to breath more differently, but wasn't able to establish contact with any of the other divers. They had the gas he needed, he just couldn't reach them.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

First glaring error? Blaming it on the turtle. It's not a dangerous turtle ... it's down there minding its own business when a bunch of people decide to harass it. It's the divers that are dangerous.

Biggest error I see is lack of awareness ... not just on the part of the diver, but also the rest of the group. I'm assuming there was a dive guide? Apparently even the guide lacked sufficient awareness to conduct this dive safely.

Lack of following the basic protocols ... like watching your gauge.

Dive buddy? Apparently not. Quite likely none of them had any idea where their buddy was, if they even had one.

Another fundamental mistake ... carrying a camera. Clearly this diver lacks the mental bandwidth to be able to do that while paying attention to the simple things needed to maintain life underwater. Should leave the camera on the boat till he develops adequate skill to follow his basic training.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Aqua-Andy]

They are all wearing jacket style BC's. This dive was doomed right from the start!

 

[Storker]

They are all wearing jacket style BC's. This dive was doomed right from the start!

Badum-tish.

 

[Skeptic14]

I'd say general awareness too. I check my air more frequently the lower it gets... also buddy awareness was pretty bad. And perhaps not a safety issue but touching the turtle... what's so hard about observing without harassing.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I thought the rules in the Basic Scuba forum prohibited any negative comments about the diver? I find the comments left by board members "interesting".

Everyone should know that they should watch their air supply. The video might reinforce that idea to some extent, but the value of the video lies in that it shows exactly what NOT to do when it gets hard to breathe.

The guy was just a few feet from another diver.. not more than 4-6 feet and the visibility was probably 75 ft - yet according to board members this is not close enough for good buddy diving or was precluding "contact"?

The guy could have easily swam 5 (or less) feet to the diver to his right and tried to get air. Instead, he flails around and tries to signal by banging a camera.. probably a go pro? "He couldn't reach them"? LOL.. The response to the situation where it became hard to breathe was the huge error. You don't signal crap, you need to physically secure some air.

He should have secured air from the person a few feet from him or tapped the inflator and immediately started a relaxed and controlled ascent. Why talk about camera and turtles and buddy system? the buddy was an arm reach away and was stationary and not kicking! The discussion should be about what to do when it gets hard to breathe at a depth of 50 feet.

We had a big thread a few weeks ago where people argued over and over that when the air is so low that you sense a restriction, then your air supply is pretty much gone. This video provides more verification that this guy had a bunch of time and a bunch of air left to ascend on his own, if he remained calm, relaxed, slowed his panicked breathing and just started for the surface.

Shouldn't the lesson be.. when it gets hard to inhale - go UP (or get on somebody's octo)?