call the dive for missing comp?

[TMHeimer]

I got myself a $28 watch that I wear in addition to the computer. After a dive I wait a day then stop the watch to conserve the battery.....I've heard that once you replace the battery there is a better chance the watch leaks at depth.

 

[wrybosome]

EAN will limit you out before the n2 saturation becomes a problem.

eh? Not sure what you mean there.

 

[TSandM]

This is one of those situations where the easy answer is, "Don't dive." It's the risk-minimization answer. It's what new divers should decide.

If you know your typical gas consumption at 65 feet, you have a rough timer. If you know the dive won't come anywhere near your NDLs before you run out of gas, you have a plan. The one thing that isn't clear to me is what kind of dive this was -- if it's a square profile dive, I'd want something to indicate depth on ascent. A bag with a knotted line would do. A buddy with a working gauge would be much better.

If it's a shore dive where you know the contour, I have no issues with the dive at all. There is a local site where I have done a dive without a gauge (although, admittedly, with a buddy who HAD a working gauge). But at any give spot in that site, I can pretty much tell you a) how deep we are and b) how long it took to get there.

If you use Nitrox, there are a LOT of dives that you simply aren't going to be able to push any limits on, using smaller tanks.

Would I recommend this as a usual practice? Absolutely not. Would I condemn an experienced diver for doing a risk assessment and concluding the dive was safe? No. (This includes the second dive, too, with the caveat that the ascent profile has to be controlled in some fashion.)

 

[Ana]

The only thing I would've done different under your circumstances, is the safety stop.

I'm usually suspicious of estimating vertical distances. So following the anchor line, I would have try to find mid water column (between 40 and 30 depending on my error) and make a stop there... look for fish, study the fibers of the line, whatever.
Then follow up to what I would guess is the 15-20ft and do the counting along with some more fish watching.

With that said, there isn't a moment when I don't have a watch in my wrist, underwater or topside. Other than that.... as a general rule I either have "all" my gear or none of it.

When I have to use someone else's gear (private or rented) is when something is missing, this usually happens on trips where I didn't think I could dive and suddenly an opportunity arises... and I won't miss a dive (on a place I may never come back to) if I have a source of air, mask, fins and enough thermal protection.

 

[vkalia]

Going by what you described, you did fine.

It is called "using your brain" - well done.

 

[wrybosome]

The one thing that isn't clear to me is what kind of dive this was -- if it's a square profile dive, I'd want something to indicate depth on ascent. A bag with a knotted line would do. A buddy with a working gauge would be much better.

Square profile. On the second dive I was able to use my buddy and another person on the line. On the first my buddy stayed lower on the line and wouldn't move ahead of me (instabuddy, uw communication between us wasn't great but we fixed that during the SI). There were still lot's of cues to depth. When the wreck went invisible we were ~10 feet above it. The thermocline was at 30 feet, based on what the tie in diver said. The change in available light, ear crackling, the jellyfish and plankton, etc.

With the bag/knotted line idea, wouldn't you get your depth estimate thrown off by the angle the line took?

 

[OldNSalty]

More or less what I was asking. I take you would have sat out the dives?

Ironically no. I would have done what you did, I just don't want to encourage others.

 

[belairbrian]

I have a cheap stopwatch clipped on my BCD with a beaner. Cost 9 bucks at Wallys. Says wr 100ft. Since we usually aren't tht deep haven't tested it to limit.

when I started diving (pre computer days) we watched our bubbles to gauge our ascent rate. Don't beat the bubbles.

In the OPs case I would have made first dive and used time in time out as a basis for computing 2nd dive. It would be more conservative than actual.

Now the other question would be did anyone have the proper RDPs with them?

 

[wrybosome]

I have a cheap stopwatch clipped on my BCD with a beaner. Cost 9 bucks at Wallys. [snip]

Now the other question would be did anyone have the proper RDPs with them?

Got a cheap watch last night, it'll live in my gear box.

I have the air and noaa ean tables taped in my logbook. They were onboard with me.

 

[Ana]

Ironically no. I would have done what you did, I just don't want to encourage others.

Don't want to encourage others to engage their brain?

It isn't reasonable to blindly say no at the first hint of an issue. For whatever reason you arrive to the water's edge with gear that is less than perfect. But is not the same to have a borrowed mask that leaks, than an empty cylinder.
For some people a leaky mask is enough reason to call a dive. Well good for them, but that shouldn't be encouraged; learning to deal with a leaky mask and still enjoy the dive is what should be encouraged. The OP figured out a way to overcome an issue, not only he enjoyed his dives, he pretty much guaranteed himself to always have a time tracking device handy. THIS is how a diver gains experience and confidence, not making a 100 brainless dives.

Experienced divers should encourage newbies to learn, to think, to spot hidden potential issues and find their solution.

Instead, the typical reaction from experienced divers is: "don't dare doing this or that is too too dangerous, call it off until you have kazillion dives"