MysteryMike
New
This happened a few days ago in the Blue Hole in Belize, the most famous divespot around, with very good visibility (100+ feet) and warm water. Our group, not too experienced, went down to 130 (!) feet to see the small cavern / overhead. We signal ok signs with my buddy every couple of minutes or so. The visibility is great, and everyone were (told to be) causios about possible signs of narcosis at this depth. We start to go up, when a lone bullshark arrives to check on us. We were informed on them, but it's a thrilling sight. I check my buddy and he is ok.
Starting ascend and at around 110-120 feet, my buddy doesn't respond to the ok sign anymore but shakes his head violently. Not understanding whats going on I get closer, supposing narcosis, the violent shaking continues, I see panic in his eyes and he starts to ascend rapidly. As just a recreational diver I don't know what how to react, but the instructor arrives instantly and replaces diver's regulator with his extra one. Together controlled by the instructor they start a rapid ascent. I join the rest of the group and can only hope for the best.
Doing a rapid ascent from this depth is really dangerous. My buddy had deeply inhaled water and was choking (violent shaking). No safety stop was done, but he remained (barely) concious. In the boat he was pale and in shock, given instantly pure oxygen. Divesite is 80 miles from mainland and the closest chamber in San Pedro, both are put in alert. Mediheli is not immediately called since it comes with a price of 8000 USD My buddy is controlled, talked with, and especially asked if any timbling on feet or hands is felt. He appeared in shock but ok. They had come up from at least 110 feet with what the instructor said was ~80% from maximum speed with no safety stops, buddy almost fainting on the way.
This event shocked me for couple of days and still does, especially the feeling of not knowing what to do is something I never want to re-experience. It was the last day of the trip (for me) but I want to do te rescue diver and first aid courses immediately when possible. My buddy was controlled for symptoms for the next 48 hours - quite amazingly he seems to be totally ok.
There are quite a few points here - We were all inexperienced (10-60 dives) in a group of 7 going to deeper than most of the people had ever been. It was an exciting spot in the first place, and then the bullsharks. It turned out that there was an another emergency ascent, not at all so sever, but resulting for both divemasters/instructors ending up to the surface and the group of five including myself left alone - we were ok, did safety stop circled by three bulls and fear what of what was possibly waiting on the surface.
Later my buddy said he inhaled water while turning his head backward and chekcking the shark. The regu may have leaked or slipped. He was chocking and felt he couldn't breath. When chocking he also lost his mask but was able to put it back on. Some level of breathing was possible even with water in the lungs. So was panicing here an overreaction? Easy for us to say. The buddy was inexperienced with about 20 dives. He said the regu had been leaking "little bit" on the way down. Maybe it slightly slipped. How often the operators check their equipment and are leaking regus common? Luckily never had one myself.
I am interested to hear the lessons you readers come up with this incident. I have never witnessed such a close call before. My buddy said he was sure he would not make it. I wasn't sure either, at least I expected CPR or the chamber, but it seems pure oxygen took care of the job. This must have been crucial.
Blue Hole is the #1 attraction here, and everyone had paid a bug buck to get there. It's great business for the dive operators, they wouldnt stop taking us unexperienced people here even probably many of us think they shouldn't. Chamber and mediheli also sound obvious, but this wasn't done in fear of costs. Everyone should make sure what their insurance actually covers when jumping into the water - this time nobody knew. Don't the operators have insurances?
How can you ascend from 110 feet rapidly without any symptons - is 48 hours enough to recognise them? There were two people who ascended from this depth.
Starting ascend and at around 110-120 feet, my buddy doesn't respond to the ok sign anymore but shakes his head violently. Not understanding whats going on I get closer, supposing narcosis, the violent shaking continues, I see panic in his eyes and he starts to ascend rapidly. As just a recreational diver I don't know what how to react, but the instructor arrives instantly and replaces diver's regulator with his extra one. Together controlled by the instructor they start a rapid ascent. I join the rest of the group and can only hope for the best.
Doing a rapid ascent from this depth is really dangerous. My buddy had deeply inhaled water and was choking (violent shaking). No safety stop was done, but he remained (barely) concious. In the boat he was pale and in shock, given instantly pure oxygen. Divesite is 80 miles from mainland and the closest chamber in San Pedro, both are put in alert. Mediheli is not immediately called since it comes with a price of 8000 USD My buddy is controlled, talked with, and especially asked if any timbling on feet or hands is felt. He appeared in shock but ok. They had come up from at least 110 feet with what the instructor said was ~80% from maximum speed with no safety stops, buddy almost fainting on the way.
This event shocked me for couple of days and still does, especially the feeling of not knowing what to do is something I never want to re-experience. It was the last day of the trip (for me) but I want to do te rescue diver and first aid courses immediately when possible. My buddy was controlled for symptoms for the next 48 hours - quite amazingly he seems to be totally ok.
There are quite a few points here - We were all inexperienced (10-60 dives) in a group of 7 going to deeper than most of the people had ever been. It was an exciting spot in the first place, and then the bullsharks. It turned out that there was an another emergency ascent, not at all so sever, but resulting for both divemasters/instructors ending up to the surface and the group of five including myself left alone - we were ok, did safety stop circled by three bulls and fear what of what was possibly waiting on the surface.
Later my buddy said he inhaled water while turning his head backward and chekcking the shark. The regu may have leaked or slipped. He was chocking and felt he couldn't breath. When chocking he also lost his mask but was able to put it back on. Some level of breathing was possible even with water in the lungs. So was panicing here an overreaction? Easy for us to say. The buddy was inexperienced with about 20 dives. He said the regu had been leaking "little bit" on the way down. Maybe it slightly slipped. How often the operators check their equipment and are leaking regus common? Luckily never had one myself.
I am interested to hear the lessons you readers come up with this incident. I have never witnessed such a close call before. My buddy said he was sure he would not make it. I wasn't sure either, at least I expected CPR or the chamber, but it seems pure oxygen took care of the job. This must have been crucial.
Blue Hole is the #1 attraction here, and everyone had paid a bug buck to get there. It's great business for the dive operators, they wouldnt stop taking us unexperienced people here even probably many of us think they shouldn't. Chamber and mediheli also sound obvious, but this wasn't done in fear of costs. Everyone should make sure what their insurance actually covers when jumping into the water - this time nobody knew. Don't the operators have insurances?
How can you ascend from 110 feet rapidly without any symptons - is 48 hours enough to recognise them? There were two people who ascended from this depth.
