Almost Stranded

[Bubbledup]

On our first day aboard a live-aboard in Indonesia, after our checkout dive, we were going to do a dive in a strong current. Five of us were on the dinghy, about a mile from the live-aboard. It was late afternoon and was not planned as a night dive. However, someone had an equipment problem as we were boarding the dinghy, so that held us up for about 20 minutes. Then it was a ten-minute ride to the dive site. I was the first one off the dinghy into the water. I was immediately taken by the current, but I managed to grab a piece of dead coral and hang on so I could see the dinghy. Time passed, maybe 20 minutes. (It turned out that the person with the equip problem had more problems, so nobody left the dinghy). it was starting to get dark. No one else entered the water, and the current was so strong that I didn't think I could swim back to the dinghy, and I was getting tired of hanging on. So I released my hold on the coral -- figured the current would take the other divers (when they entered the water) to the same place it was taking me -- and so I was swept along for about another 20 minutes. Now it was dark, and I didn't see another soul nor a light, so I surfaced. On the surface I could see the live-aboard, now far, far away. The dinghy didn't have lights, so I couldn't see it. There I was, bobbing around on the surface of the dark, bleak open ocean. Fortunately, I had a light and a whistle, both of which I used without restraint. I don't know how much time passed before the dinghy found me (maybe another 20 minutes), but it seemed like years. I've spent a lot of time during my career waiting to be picked up from dives, but never in a situation where (1) I was totally alone in the dark, and (2) I wasn't sure that I would ever be found. But I was found, and here I am -- ready to go again.

 

[Charlie99]

Did you have a light?

 

[Midget]

Sounds very scary. What area of Indonesia?

 

[cheeko8080]

He said he had a light and whistle. I hope he also had at least one backup too though.

 

[farsidefan1]

Dang, ok, I just don't want to think about it. Reminds me why I have a couple of lights and that friggin loud air horn on my air2. use the lights on the bottom of your smb and it lights up like a Christmas tree.

 

[Doc Harry]

Anytime I am on a live aboard or diving in current, I carry a large yellow SMB, light, strobe, signal mirror, whistle, air horn, and beacon. I'm thinking about also carrying a quart of fresh water.

Paranoid? You betcha.

 

[divengolf]

Anytime I am on a live aboard or diving in current, I carry a large yellow SMB, light, strobe, signal mirror, whistle, air horn, and beacon. I'm thinking about also carrying a quart of fresh water.

Paranoid? You betcha.

I carry all of the above on EVERY dive, no matter how simple is seems to be.

Plus a Personal Locator Beacon, Fast Find 210, just in case the S**T really hits the fan.

Had to use my sausage as a location device for the first time in a long time a couple weeks ago near Bimini. Came up just behind the boat and was immediately swept away in a strong surface current. The boat had extreme difficulty getting the anchor cleared and secured. My buddy and I both floated for about an hour, but they never lost sight of our sausages (the 6 ft DAN ones), but I occasionally did lose sight of the boat due to heavy seas. It got kinda lonely out there. Buddy and I could not get together due to current, but we stayed within shouting distance.

 

[Bubbledup]

On our first day aboard a live-aboard in Indonesia, after our checkout dive, we were going to do a dive in a strong current. Five of us were on the dinghy, about a mile from the live-aboard. It was late afternoon and was not planned as a night dive. However, someone had an equipment problem as we were boarding the dinghy, so that held us up for about 20 minutes. Then it was a ten-minute ride to the dive site. I was the first one off the dinghy into the water. I was immediately taken by the current, but I managed to grab a piece of dead coral and hang on so I could see the dinghy. Time passed, maybe 20 minutes; it was starting to get dark. No one else entered the water, and the current was so strong that I didn't think I could swim back to the dinghy. So I released my hold on the coral -- figured the current would take the other divers (when they entered the water) to the same place it was taking me -- and so I was swept along for about another 20 minutes. Now it was dark, and I didn't see another soul nor a light, so I surfaced. On the surface I could see the live-aboard, now far, far away. The dinghy didn't have lights, so I couldn't see it. There I was, bobbing around on the surface of the dark, bleak open ocean. Fortunately, I had a light and a whistle, both of which I used without restraint. I don't know how much time passed before the dinghy found me (maybe another 20 minutes), but it seemed like years. I've spent a lot of time during my career waiting to be picked up from dives, but never in a situation where (1) I was totally alone in the dark, and (2) I wasn't sure that I would ever be found. But I was found, and here I am -- ready to go again.

Yes, I did have a light -- fortunately.

 

[Bubbledup]

Sounds very scary. What area of Indonesia?

Between Sulawesi and Bali. I could see the outlines of a couple of small, uninhabited islands, but they were some distance away.

 

[BoltSnap]

On our first day aboard a live-aboard in Indonesia, after our checkout dive, we were going to do a dive in a strong current. Five of us were on the dinghy, about a mile from the live-aboard. It was late afternoon and was not planned as a night dive. However, someone had an equipment problem as we were boarding the dinghy, so that held us up for about 20 minutes. Then it was a ten-minute ride to the dive site. I was the first one off the dinghy into the water. I was immediately taken by the current, but I managed to grab a piece of dead coral and hang on so I could see the dinghy. Time passed, maybe 20 minutes. (It turned out that the person with the equip problem had more problems, so nobody left the dinghy). it was starting to get dark. No one else entered the water, and the current was so strong that I didn't think I could swim back to the dinghy, and I was getting tired of hanging on. So I released my hold on the coral -- figured the current would take the other divers (when they entered the water) to the same place it was taking me -- and so I was swept along for about another 20 minutes. Now it was dark, and I didn't see another soul nor a light, so I surfaced. On the surface I could see the live-aboard, now far, far away. The dinghy didn't have lights, so I couldn't see it. There I was, bobbing around on the surface of the dark, bleak open ocean. Fortunately, I had a light and a whistle, both of which I used without restraint. I don't know how much time passed before the dinghy found me (maybe another 20 minutes), but it seemed like years. I've spent a lot of time during my career waiting to be picked up from dives, but never in a situation where (1) I was totally alone in the dark, and (2) I wasn't sure that I would ever be found. But I was found, and here I am -- ready to go again.

I am glad that it turned out OK. I had something similar happen to me in Fiji.

Any lessons learned from your prospective?