lavachickie
Contributor
I've enjoyed other people's narc stories, so I thought I'd share my own.
Had an odd feeling this weekend at around 85 fsw in 46 degree water at Redondo in the Puget Sound. I've done this dive many times before, without said feeling. (Day before we'd been down to a similar depth at another site without issue.) That morning, I'd been a little stressed as I'd pulled something in my right shoulder the day before, and was frustrated greatly by it, and gearing up had been kinda painful at points. By the time we hit the water I was pain free and relaxed, though. Or so I thought.
I was diving with a new buddy who is great, although he does go a bit faster than I usually would sometimes, but not so much that it required exertion.
We meander around and make it down to the carousel horse. We poke around a bit and suddenly, I'm not happy. Not. At. All. I feel... closed in... and my head feels heavy. I try to take a few slower, deeper breaths, and I notice a sort of a throbbing whoosh in my ears; my own heartbeat. Not getting any happier. Feeling anxious. Notice I feel anxious, which makes me more anxious. I give myself a count of ten and it's not getting any better, so I find my bud and signal that I'm feeling off, I'm going to go up a bit.
Came up to about 65 and it started to fade, and we went on our way to complete a 45 minute dive, heading north-east until we picked up the line of goodies leading to the Beetle.
I'm assuming this was a narc.
The only other one I'm aware of was diving a pinnacle in the Channel Islands a few months ago. We jetted down to 115 on a morning dive before breakfast. Captain had said to get down fast as there was a current. Didn't feel much on the way down. Pinnacle top was about 60 fsw, and we hit the sandy bottom and turned a corner to head toward an arch before working our way up the big pinnacle. We turn the corner and run smack into the stiff current. Kicking with all I've got, I'm making slow headway. I realize that despite this, I'm REALLY happy. And this is a great dive and all, but I mean I'm REALLY happy. Smiling so big the reg is going to fall out of my mouth happy. Oh, hey, wait... my mind says. Fat girl exerting herself on a deep dive before breakfast on a steel 80? This shouldn't make you so happy. Go up! I peeled away from my buds and started to meander my way up the structure to check out the locals. Most of the others did the same in the moments that followed.
Two very different situations (cold water, bad vis, some physical stress vs not-so-cold water with great vis and no real physical problems of note), two very different narcs.
Had an odd feeling this weekend at around 85 fsw in 46 degree water at Redondo in the Puget Sound. I've done this dive many times before, without said feeling. (Day before we'd been down to a similar depth at another site without issue.) That morning, I'd been a little stressed as I'd pulled something in my right shoulder the day before, and was frustrated greatly by it, and gearing up had been kinda painful at points. By the time we hit the water I was pain free and relaxed, though. Or so I thought.
I was diving with a new buddy who is great, although he does go a bit faster than I usually would sometimes, but not so much that it required exertion.
We meander around and make it down to the carousel horse. We poke around a bit and suddenly, I'm not happy. Not. At. All. I feel... closed in... and my head feels heavy. I try to take a few slower, deeper breaths, and I notice a sort of a throbbing whoosh in my ears; my own heartbeat. Not getting any happier. Feeling anxious. Notice I feel anxious, which makes me more anxious. I give myself a count of ten and it's not getting any better, so I find my bud and signal that I'm feeling off, I'm going to go up a bit.
Came up to about 65 and it started to fade, and we went on our way to complete a 45 minute dive, heading north-east until we picked up the line of goodies leading to the Beetle.
I'm assuming this was a narc.
The only other one I'm aware of was diving a pinnacle in the Channel Islands a few months ago. We jetted down to 115 on a morning dive before breakfast. Captain had said to get down fast as there was a current. Didn't feel much on the way down. Pinnacle top was about 60 fsw, and we hit the sandy bottom and turned a corner to head toward an arch before working our way up the big pinnacle. We turn the corner and run smack into the stiff current. Kicking with all I've got, I'm making slow headway. I realize that despite this, I'm REALLY happy. And this is a great dive and all, but I mean I'm REALLY happy. Smiling so big the reg is going to fall out of my mouth happy. Oh, hey, wait... my mind says. Fat girl exerting herself on a deep dive before breakfast on a steel 80? This shouldn't make you so happy. Go up! I peeled away from my buds and started to meander my way up the structure to check out the locals. Most of the others did the same in the moments that followed.
Two very different situations (cold water, bad vis, some physical stress vs not-so-cold water with great vis and no real physical problems of note), two very different narcs.
