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Let's face it, we all get rolled in the surf at one time or another. It's a scary, scary experience. You don't know up from down, you exhaust yourself trying to stay from being turtled, not to mention all the sand you wind up getting in your gear. The worst part about being rolled is a) not being able to breathe and b) not being able to maintain positive buoyancy. Sounds like you had both.
It happens to all of us, some of us are luckier than others (you were lucky, Mike). The ocean is so, so powerful. It makes you feel really small and insignificant and weak.
You had a few things going for you that day. You had a buddy who was close enough to help, you're strong and you had a bungied backup.
I agree -- being rolled is disoriented and scary (and potentially quite dangerous). But the WORST part is disassembling and servicing every moving part in your gear, since sand gets in everything and it all leaks afterwards . . .
I agree -- being rolled is disoriented and scary (and potentially quite dangerous). But the WORST part is disassembling and servicing every moving part in your gear, since sand gets in everything and it all leaks afterwards . . .
I agree -- being rolled is disoriented and scary (and potentially quite dangerous). But the WORST part is disassembling and servicing every moving part in your gear, since sand gets in everything and it all leaks afterwards . . .
You are right, it's very scary and quite dangerous. I now remember that as I entered the surf zone, I remember that wave.
I was able to side through two large waves before the third one came crashing on top of me.
It appeared out of nowhere, and it had a ton of energy. My buddy was right next to me, when it grabbed me and thrust me backward.
All I can remember is knowing, I'm going back with this wave, hold on to your jets. I cannot recall if the reg was in my mouth or not, too disorientated to remember, I think it was not, because the mask allowed me to look up at the surface but I was not breathing, I was holding my breath.
I was covered in white bubbles and sunlight was gleaming, I remember thinking, I need to get up and I need to do it quickly.
I was on my back like a turtle and with fins clentched in my left fist, I reached over to my inflator hose and simulataneously hit the inflate while I rolled to my side.
As the air inflated the 30 lb wing, it gave me the lift to roll on my side to my feet and immediately stand up.
As I pierced the surface and gasped for air, I grabbed my bungie back up and slammed it into my mouth as I nodded to my buddy that I was okay.
Now with heart pumping and andreneline rushing through my veins, I did a figure four and slapped on my Jets faster than I have done in the past.
All this while dodgeing more crashing waves, I kicked hard to pull away from the surf zone.
It was a lot of effort on my part to do this and at age 39 it really taxed my body. I was happy that I keep in shape and work out best I can.
Lynn the fact that your body goes into survival mode is incredible, I have been literally pummelled in waves much larger than this while surfing in my youth, but never with gear.
Your gear can be your foe if you don't use your reg or wing.
Was I lucky that day? Yes, I was very lucky but I had advantages working for me.
I had a vigilant buddy right next to me, I also had watched over Doc's Wongs video at Monastery many times and kept to his words about entry/exit and I executed them to the best of my ability.
End result was positive, I came out without a scratch or bruise, my gear did take damage, broken mingauge on pony bottle, and some superficial scratches here and there on gear. (Even had my rubber ring come off my Sitech quick disconnect cuff) How is that even possible?
I was exhausted and when I did crawl out, I couldn't remove my fins and asked my buddy to assist. I was drained of all my energy and covered in sand, wonder what the seals would have said, had they seen me?
Lynn, you are right, my gear needed a lot of attention to remove all the sand, but I always power blast all my equipment after every dive, I'm a neat freak.
The other good news Lynn is that I enrolled in Rescue class for January 2010, I want to be able to know protocol to assist a diver in need like me, had things gone to worse, I'm thankful, I didn't need rescuing that day.
MG
Here is video of Break Water entry on a bad day...
Thanks for the video. The first thing is to not attempt to dive in conditions such as you see in the video. Another...don't wear your fins for the entry. Thread you arms through your fin straps, or use a fin holder on your BCD. I don't teach this method of entry, and would not suggest it to the beginning diver.
Wow, those are quite the conditions to try to get a class in the water. I think I'd skip diving that day.
My main concern with the DMs "doing an excellent job getting people past the surf" is that they may be imparting on newer divers the idea that these conditions are totally routine, and should be braved in order to dive. IMO that's simply not the case.
Wow, those are quite the conditions to try to get a class in the water. I think I'd skip diving that day.
My main concern with the DMs "doing an excellent job getting people past the surf" is that they may be imparting on newer divers the idea that these conditions are totally routine, and should be braved in order to dive. IMO that's simply not the case.
OTOH, Kenn, knowing how to deal with such conditions is important for diving in our area, because they may find that conditions have changed considerably for the worse since they entered. Those conditions at BW are moderately bad for newbies (probably excessive for an OW class, but not IMO an AOW one), but certainly should be handleable by experienced shore divers. How many of us have dived Monastery, Butterfly House or what have you and had to deal with worse conditions on exit? Hell, I had to deal with something similar XMAS day at Lover's #2. ISTM it's better to learn at BW when there's lots of experienced people watching and available to help, than somewhere more remote.
Experienced divers probably wouldn't bother entering in those conditions because they'd expect the vis to be crappy, not because it was too difficult to do.
Experienced divers probably wouldn't bother entering in those conditions because they'd expect the vis to be crappy, not because it was too difficult to do.
Guy[/QUOTE]
Yes,
You are very right with that quote. I had a feeling that conditions were going to be crap, but we thought that if we could hit the pipe and head out to the Metridiums it would clear up. We never found out because the conditions were so rotten, we got disorientated even with our compasses.
I stand now, a more experienced diver than before, I will not dive in those conditions, just don't care for the rotten low viz, and the pounding of the surf.
I learned the hard way, and I'm glad I placed myself through it Guy. I'm going on three years of diving, and have never been pummeled by a wave with full gear until that day.
It was a valuable lesson that I will soon not forget. I wonder how many other divers out there have gone through something similar, I know Pacificgal is one such survivor of shore diving.
OTOH, Kenn, knowing how to deal with such conditions is important for diving in our area, because they may find that conditions have changed considerably for the worse since they entered.
Guy, that's a good point. But I've found that exits are a bit different than entries (and are typically quite a bit more expedited since you aren't fighting the breakers as much), and I'd have to wonder how many DMs/instructors are telling their students, "You really shouldn't dive in these conditions, but I'm taking you in so you'll know how to handle yourselves if you find them thrust upon you while exiting." Between the two options, I personally think the more valuable lesson is knowing when to call the dive from the parking lot.
One reasonably calm day at BW I was exiting and stopped; turned sideways to take a wave, got hit by the wave, staggered a little, hit a fairly large rock with my foot underwater that I could not see, and down I went. The next wave took my mask right off face. Fortunately someone found it and put it on top of the shower within the hour. A class was headed out as I was running through the surf, after dumping my tank, trying to find my mask. Might well have been someone in their group as they were looking for it. Lesson learned always keep your reg in your mouth. I didn't have mine in and never expected to fall. Not a comfortable feeling being tossed around with a lot of weight on your back.
Entered at McAbee to ankle slappers called the dive 15 minutes later due to severe surge and bad vis. Exited McAbee to over head surf. G/F at the time didn't pay attention or listen to me as I was yelling "wait" and hit shore on her back. The surf was huge. Out of fear for her, I threw my reg in my mouth and followed her in. Got next to her (Now on her stomach) and held her up on the beach as she was being pulled back out. To make sure I wasn't too close she knocked my mask off (I didn't need to see anyway). I was saying, "crawl, crawl" :babycrawl: through my reg, but she didn't get up and do so. As soon as there was a small break, I took my reg out and yelled "crawl" :babycrawl: but she just stayed there. I took her fins off and threw them against the building wall, along with mine. Got hit again by waves and now my long hose is somewhere behind me free flowing and I put my bungeed backup in. People are starting to run down the beach to help, but I told them to stay away. Basically wound up picking her up and getting her up the beach. Got her tank and mine off then went to locate lost gear. Grabbed a couple of fins, but my mask and one of her fins was gone. The surf was to dangerous to be around in a drysuit (Coming from someone who used to surf reef). We headed back to the car and as we were putting gear away I asked where her mask was. She said she set it down next to her. Well another big set had come in and washed all around as she sat recovering next to the old foundation wall. Total loss: 2 nice masks, one Jet Fin and a lot of pride. Plus every second stage, four total, along with my piston first stage, needed to be rebuilt plus my drysuit exhaust valve. Let alone the 4 pounds of sand we stole from the ocean. Not something I ever care to repeat. If we would have waited a few minutes outside the surf zone we probably would have been in safer conditions for exiting but it was ugly. The current that came up was so strong we could barely swim against it as it tried to drag us down towards BW. It kept pushing us into the rocks on the side. When we entered the water there was probably 20 feet of beach exposed. During the exit it was hitting the buildings. Crazy how fast conditions can change.
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