Lost Diver at Mill Pond Rescued

[DA Aquamaster]

It was covered in class, just having a real life scenario was a wee bit different than something that was staged, where you were expecting SOMETHING to go wrong, with an instructor watching you, in a training cave with good viz, knowing the drill could be ended at any time if you exceeded your comfort level. Maybe I'm the only one who would react differently and everyone else would be like "Oh I got this, I did a valve drill at Ginnie Springs once".

Probably.

I can't speak to what everyone is predisposed to do, but I know when I've had a reg failure, the first priority and action was to get on the line, then work the reg/valve problem. But perhaps that's because I'm generally a "why?" kind of person who puts more focus on conceptualizing why something covered in training is important, rather than just running through drills, procedures and processes. Knowing the why ensures you prioritize things properly when the **** really does hit the fan and/or when you encounter multiple issues with potentially conflicting priorities.

 

[rjack321]

Probably.

I can't speak to what everyone is predisposed to do, but I know when I've had a reg failure, the first priority and action was to get on the line, then work the reg/valve problem. But perhaps that's because I'm generally a "why?" kind of person who puts more focus on conceptualizing why something covered in training is important, rather than just running through drills, procedures and processes. Knowing the why ensures you prioritize things properly when the **** really does hit the fan and/or when you encounter multiple issues with potentially conflicting priorities.

You are truly amazing and God's gift to cave diving.

Is that the validation you are looking for? Feel good about yourself now?

 

[ajduplessis]

I'm hoping a few details come out in this incident. I am in no way trying to put the rescued diver down in any way, but just more curious. It was said that it was a navigational error.

I think in this case navigation error = Oh sh!t, who is putting in line??? Line, what line?

 

[DA Aquamaster]

You are truly amazing and God's gift to cave diving.

Is that the validation you are looking for? Feel good about yourself now?

I consider myself to be a pretty average diver, but I'm very comfortable with what I do in the water.

You should be getting old enough yourself to know that middle age does not offer many advantages - but being comfortable in your own skin is one of them, as is not really caring much what others think about you, and finally, having a very good idea of your own abilities and limitations.

There was no hidden agenda in my post, I was just stating the facts. Some people are analytical, others just are not, and that obviously leads to different responses in a crunch. It's just something for a diver to consider in terms how they'll choose to train and plan in the future.

 

[rjack321]

DA,
You have never posted a dive report, picture, video or ANYTHING either here or any other board I know of. You just snipe in here with your chest all puffed up about your personal perfection and belittle some of the younger N FL divers for posting real world exploration examples of "situations".

Lame.

 

[LiteHedded]

I consider myself to be a pretty average diver, but I'm very comfortable with what I do in the water.

You should be getting old enough yourself to know that middle age does not offer many advantages - but being comfortable in your own skin is one of them, as is not really caring much what others think about you, and finally, having a very good idea of your own abilities and limitations.

There was no hidden agenda in my post, I was just stating the facts. Some people are analytical, others just are not, and that obviously leads to different responses in a crunch. It's just something for a diver to consider in terms how they'll choose to train and plan in the future.

I'm sure you're lovely. we're all very impressed with your kitty sink dives and your commercial diving experience.

 

[ucfdiver]

DA,
You have never posted a dive report, picture, video or ANYTHING either here or any other board I know of. You just snipe in here with your chest all puffed up about your personal perfection and belittle some of the younger N FL divers for posting real world exploration examples of "situations".

Lame.

The likely fact is that every cave diver has made some mistakes, but many don't post them to maintain their online reputation. I posted my story hoping some would learn from it, knowing one or two would play quarterback from their cozy chairs. I have a degree from an Engineering and Computer Science college and work as an Analyst, so I'd like to think I have some analytical skills, but others are free to disagree or imply otherwise as you saw with Larry's post.

 

[LiteHedded]

Nah James. You don't understand the why of anything you did in the classes.
You clearly dont have the real world experience of a "DA Aquamaster" either.

 

[TSandM]

My goodness, you guys are snarky!

I liked Larry's comment:

But perhaps that's because I'm generally a "why?" kind of person who puts more focus on conceptualizing why something covered in training is important, rather than just running through drills, procedures and processes. Knowing the why ensures you prioritize things properly when the **** really does hit the fan and/or when you encounter multiple issues with potentially conflicting priorities.

I think all of my training emphasized understanding the "why". I know Danny threw scenarios at us where there were definitely conflicting priorities (and to this day, I disagree with him on a couple of his solutions ). Things in the real world are not as clean as they are in class simulations, and it really IS important to understand where the protocols you are taught came from, and what assumptions underlie them. I have seen a couple of patients badly hurt when residents utilized protocols that weren't appropriate in the situation, because they did not understand the prerequisites for using that protocol.

I don't think Larry was saying he was God's gift to cave diving. I think he was saying we should ALL be thinking divers.

 

[billgraham]

My cave instructor didn't do a whole lot of talking above the water, everything happened underwater. I think that forced us to think about what was going on and what we were going to do to solve whatever problem he threw at us because right away, you were forced to communicate. It's a pretty big shock the first time you try to communicate something other than "are you ok?" and no one understands what you're getting at.