Averting a Do or Die Potential One-Way Scenario. . .

[Kevrumbo]

Sometimes you have to yield to that gut feeling, to just stay surfaced and "let it go". . . In order to avert hubris -no matter how skilled or experienced or in-control you believe you might be.

I dropped and lost a disconnected QC6 gas source on surface recovery today -a configured UTD Z-system single tank sidemount AL100/13L tank with 50bar remaining gas pressure that was fumbled upon attempting to hand it up to a diveboat crew member, in 90msw open ocean waters, on the Oil Rigs off Southern California homewaters (currently 10°C and a murky 6m to 9m visibilty at 30msw).

The scary thing about it was for just an instant -and almost in an immediate impulsive reaction- I was about to dump/vent Wing Inflation to descend back down and try to catch up to the sinking cylinder, just as it began to accelerate down -but an inner subconscious voice of intuition intervened ("No! Let it go!").

Objectively and in hindsight, it would have been a "Do or Die" attempt to try and recover that cylinder -and with that tank being the sole source of Buoyancy Wing & Drysuit Inflation. But obviously and even more vital -chasing that tank down on descent with only 50bar of Air remaining in it was the only source of breathing gas left as well. . . A one-way, spiraling cascade of adversity, with a potential no-escape trap of tragic consequences.

(If I lost sight of that tank on the way down after it; or failed to reconnect that QC6 upon catching-up with it; or catching-up with it and successfully reconnecting BUT on the sea floor at 90msw and 50bar remaining??!! Any of the above scenarios, and I would not be here right now posting about it. . .)

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

Man, I am so glad you listened to that little voice.... I enjoy reading your posts. What a lesson for me, and of course I’m singing “ let it go, let it go”. What a dangerous split second decision

 

[johndiver999]

I think it is a good reminder and sorry for the accident.

A diver should probably constantly remind themselves that any of the expensive"toys" they take into the water, whether it be a camera or video system (or anything), is expendable and not worth getting killed over.

This is something spear-fisherman who can have a situation degrade from challenging to unmanageable in a second, must be constantly reminding themselves - "I'm not going to die for this fish" - or trying to salvage this expensive speargun, scooter or camera.

Pride, anger and an overriding desire to avoidance embarrassment can be dangerous.

Don't take something into the ocean that you are not willing to lose.

 

[Schwob]

Sorry for your loss...
in that sense sounds soooo much better than sorry for loosing you. Good / right split second "move". Thanks for posting.

 

[aquacat8]

Sometimes King Neptune must have his tribute... better that than you!

 

[Littlerayray]

Who knows maybe it will get recovered on the next dive

 

[Kevrumbo]

The easiest solution to handling big sidemount tanks like that, and lessons learned for getting back on the Diveboat: bolt snap clip the tanks to a line, and have the Crew Member haul it all back in and up after you get back onboard the Boat.

Again, the scary thing was being one impulsive reaction away from being trapped and spiraling down into adversity in the "Incident Pit".

 

[HalcyonDaze]

Who knows maybe it will get recovered on the next dive

Given the stated bottom depth of 90 meters/300 ft, that seems unlikely unless someone's planning a deep tech dive there.

My first underwater digital camera, or the remnants thereof, has presumably been at the base of Platform Eureka (~600 ft down) for over a decade now. I had somewhat foolishly clipped the lanyard off to the same D-ring as the game bag I was using to either to hold rockfish or my squid baits (we were settling in on the 60-ft crossbeam and using handlines to get fish at 90-100). At some point I must have removed the catch bag and the lanyard slipped out of the clip; the camera was a pocket-sized Nikon in a very compact housing that was negatively buoyant.

I did not attempt to chase after it as I did not know I had lost it at the time. The realization hit on our surface interval when a blue whale came up less than 50 ft from the mooring we were on, at which point I asked the boat crew if anyone knew where my camera was. Ouch.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Given the stated bottom depth of 90 meters/300 ft, that seems unlikely unless someone's planning a deep tech dive there.

My first underwater digital camera, or the remnants thereof, has presumably been at the base of Platform Eureka (~600 ft down) for over a decade now. I had somewhat foolishly clipped the lanyard off to the same D-ring as the game bag I was using to either to hold rockfish or my squid baits (we were settling in on the 60-ft crossbeam and using handlines to get fish at 90-100). At some point I must have removed the catch bag and the lanyard slipped out of the clip; the camera was a pocket-sized Nikon in a very compact housing that was negatively buoyant.

I did not attempt to chase after it as I did not know I had lost it at the time. The realization hit on our surface interval when a blue whale came up less than 50 ft from the mooring we were on, at which point I asked the boat crew if anyone knew where my camera was. Ouch.

My tank was lost at the ELLY/ELLEN Twin connected platforms, in the vicinity of the last Oil Rig Diving Accident (Accident on Southern Cal Oil Rigs Dive). Maybe as an ROV exercise it could be found, but really not worth the expenditure of LA County Sheriff Dive Team Resources as it would be in a body recovery.

 

[Littlerayray]

Given the stated bottom depth of 90 meters/300 ft, that seems unlikely unless someone's planning a deep tech dive there.

My first underwater digital camera, or the remnants thereof, has presumably been at the base of Platform Eureka (~600 ft down) for over a decade now. I had somewhat foolishly clipped the lanyard off to the same D-ring as the game bag I was using to either to hold rockfish or my squid baits (we were settling in on the 60-ft crossbeam and using handlines to get fish at 90-100). At some point I must have removed the catch bag and the lanyard slipped out of the clip; the camera was a pocket-sized Nikon in a very compact housing that was negatively buoyant.

I did not attempt to chase after it as I did not know I had lost it at the time. The realization hit on our surface interval when a blue whale came up less than 50 ft from the mooring we were on, at which point I asked the boat crew if anyone knew where my camera was. Ouch.

I misread it I thought it said 60 feet not meters my bad