Bahamas Close Call Video

[Scott T C]

I came across this on YouTube and I tell you I can't be more upset with companies that take inexperienced divers out and just give them "free reign" over the dive site.

The diver who filmed this saved the lives of two divers...one who was only 12 years old and at 140'+!!!

These two in this video would have either panicked and drowned OR did an emergency assent from 140'+ rupturing their lungs and/or causing bends/death.

Reasons like this are why I want to obtain every level of certification I can to better myself to keep myself safe (#1 priority) and others safe (#2 Priority) of the dive.

[video=youtube_share;zfqZZeDp1Hk]http://youtu.be/zfqZZeDp1Hk[/video]

 

[yodelhawk]

Wow! What else can youd say?

 

[Scott T C]

Even when I was on my honeymoon in Mexico and went out to Cozumel for the day to dive, they took several divers whom just started diving (resort "certified") and we hit a depth of 84' (I went the deepest except one of the Dive Masters who went slightly lower).

What the hell were a bunch of fresh of the boat divers doing at depths of 70+??? They shouldn't in my opinion have been below 40-50'!

This one heavy set guy chewed through his air and was at 500 PSI at that depth and when we got back onboard, the instructors acted like everything went "great, spectacular"....they were proud of there "students"....

All they focus on is the money...they don't want to scare away the "green-backs" by the limitations and liabilities involved.

 

[DandyDon]

Rule 1: Your card means you are responsible for yourself and buddy, so follow your training - and dive plan. They ignored it all huh? Narcosis had to be involved.

No newbies should not be on dives that can go deep, but when you leave the US, you leave the US.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

I came across this on YouTube and I tell you I can't be more upset with companies that take inexperienced divers out and just give them "free reign" over the dive site.

The diver who filmed this saved the lives of two divers...one who was only 12 years old and at 140'+!!!

These two in this video would have either panicked and drowned OR did an emergency assent from 140'+ rupturing their lungs and/or causing bends/death.

The fault lies with the divers, not the op. Certified divers are responsible for their own safety. The video clearly indicates that the dive briefing included a reminder that divers were to remain within the limits of their training and experience.

Reasons like this are why I want to obtain every level of certification I can to better myself to keep myself safe (#1 priority) and others safe (#2 Priority) of the dive.

C-cards do not make you a better diver. Experience does. I would rather dive with someone who has nothing more than OW certification and a ton of dives than a no experience OWSI out of a zero-to-hero course.

 

[koozemani]

Wow! I wonder if it ever sank in how lucky they were. If anyone catches me taking one of my sons on a dive like that, feel free to kick my a$$ and then demand that I kick my own a$$.

 

[freewillie]

Wow, I wonder if they are even aware of how close they were to a very bad outcome?

My dive buddy is my 13 yo daughter. The first dive with her after certification she starts to give me the low air sign. She signaled 700 psi, but the dive was over as we were back at the boat and had made our safety stop. Technically she had ended her dive with an appropriate amount of air, but I was impressed she was keeping track of her pressure and remaining air.

Our second trip together we did our first dive on a submerged old weather station. The bottom was 65 feet, not a difficult dive but she wasnt able go all the way down. We stopped at 45 ft and swam around the tower. Didn't see much but didn't want to push the depth. We still had two other dives coming so felt that was fine for first dive. She really maintained her depth very well.

Age is not necessarily the issue for your dive buddy, awareness of your situation is the issue. I've been on boat dives in Caribbean where everyone is diving in a group. I'm sure those two felt that as long as they stayed with the group they would be fine. I'm also sure they weren't aware of their air supply, they probably figured someone would keep an eye on them. It's a good thing the OP did have good situational awareness or they very well could be dead. Cause of death would be drowning. I'm not sure you can put stupidity as the cause of death.

 

[diversteve]

threads merged..

 

[Zeagle Eagle]

I think this video is so important, that it should be "bumped" every couple of months to the top of the pile. I wonder if the two "kid divers" ever found out how close to death they really were?

 

[Scott T C]

The fault lies with the divers, not the op. Certified divers are responsible for their own safety. The video clearly indicates that the dive briefing included a reminder that divers were to remain within the limits of their training and experience.

Yes, they are technically responsible for their own actions. HOWEVER, as they went out with a "guide", or Dive Master/Instructor of some form in a location that they were not familiar with AND as part of a PAID package; the leads are responsible for ALL their divers and to in force the rules/regulations to make sure everyone is safe and comes back home alive.

C-cards do not make you a better diver. Experience does. I would rather dive with someone who has nothing more than OW certification and a ton of dives than a no experience OWSI out of a zero-to-hero course.

No, C-Cards don't "make you a better diver" in certain specifics, but would you trust someone to preform life saving work on you that was a trained CERTIFIED EMT/Medic/RN/PA/Dr./Etc. or a bystander?

Would you rather dive with someone who has multiple levels of certification and understands the dangers, repercussions, gear, tactics, methods, etc. to a higher level -OR- dive with someone whom just has an OW certification? Also, just because they have an OW C-Card with 1,000 dives does NOT qualify them, nor does it technically allow them to do things that more advanced divers can preform (they can still do it, at their one risk of course). There is the flip side to that as well, you could have someone who went straight up the ladder of "success" and got all their C-Cards whom has very little "EARNED" knowledge who could be equally dangerous. However, if someone has been properly trained in more advanced methods, I would feel more at ease diving with them as the SHOULD know more about what they can and can't do, etc.

Just my opinion on that.