Chewed up and spit out

[Steelyeyes]

I had a similar incident many moons ago. One of my buddies got it worse and two of us had to rescue him, once we found him.

Sometimes it's hard to tell how bad it really is until you're in it, and then as you found out it could be too late. I've been more conservative with surge and waves since, especially now that I'm not 22 years old, 7 feet tall, and bulletproof any longer.

It sounds like you handled yourself very well, learned something important, and lived to tell others.

 

[CT-Rich]

Sounds like some serious rectal puckering, thanks for sharing

 

[Frontpointer1000]

Cameron:
Thanks for the write-up. Some questions:

1. Were you diving solo? It sounds like it. Given the poor vis, in these conditions, I’ve found solo to be BETTER and often SAFER bc I’m not worried about my buddy. Thoughts on solo vs. buddy diving in those conditions?

2. The silt/sand sounds pretty bad at that time. Were you hoping to get beyond and deeper than the surge and get to happier/cleaner water? I assume you were attempting a push through to then have better vis and less debris to foul your regs and scooter.

3. Do you often use your scooter at such shallow depths and in that level of silt? How often does the scooter foul up? (BTW, awesome handling of a stuck on scooter de-fouling with no vis!!!)

4. I’m assuming you were also diving dry and wonder if the silt has affected your valves at all?

 

[txgoose]

That is a dang fine story of sticking with it. I don't know enough to even speculate as to when you should have called it. I admire you for the skill and I admire you for sharing the story. As I see my own skills advancing I can see my thresh hold growing. And your story gives me hope that I will continue to get better if I pay attention and work on skills. The more things we make second nature, the more extraneous things we have computer cycles left over to work on.

And then this past Friday I had to call for an SI. Five feet of vis in a quarry that usually has 25+. Wife asks for a selfie. Need the compass to find next point. I did not manage my tasks well. Unclipping the SPG/compass while clipping in the camera, while watching buoyancy and the jacked up viz........vertigo. I wouldn't say horrible but the worse I have had. Thumb it. It cleared before we surfaced (five feet depth) and I hesitated. Wife slowed her ascent, but then I thought it was silly to not surface. Surfaced. I explained to the wife. Head good. Gear stowed. We completed a great dive.

Anyway, I appreciate you sharing.

 

[Nick Steele]

Sounds crazy!! Glad it wasn’t worse than it was and you are still here to share your knowledge and experiences.

Your example here is probably a close representation of a dive I called 2 dives after open water. Me and a buddy stood on the beach looking at 3-5’ sweels hitting the beach and being new I called it and didn’t want to dive he totally understood although the two of us never dove again.

 

[northernone]

Cameron:
Thanks for the write-up. Some questions:

1. Were you diving solo? It sounds like it. Given the poor vis, in these conditions, I’ve found solo to be BETTER and often SAFER bc I’m not worried about my buddy. Thoughts on solo vs. buddy diving in those conditions?

2. The silt/sand sounds pretty bad at that time. Were you hoping to get beyond and deeper than the surge and get to happier/cleaner water? I assume you were attempting a push through to then have better vis and less debris to foul your regs and scooter.

3. Do you often use your scooter at such shallow depths and in that level of silt? How often does the scooter foul up? (BTW, awesome handling of a stuck on scooter de-fouling with no vis!!!)

4. I’m assuming you were also diving dry and wonder if the silt has affected your valves at all?

1. Solo. You're exactly right. I shuddered at the thought of a second scooter prop in my vicinity. To be close enough to be an effective buddy, their tanks would be a major clubbing hazard in the surge. The last thing I'd want near me is ~400lbs more meat and metal to crash against and tangle in. Once I would be unconscious, I would like a buddy in the dive scenario. But otherwise, I do find solo a less risk filled option in challenging conditions.

2. Exactly right! Could see the nice water from shore, and the other dives once I'm past the surf zone the conditions are lovely.

3. Scooter is a new addition to my diving. The other times I had been ok using it shallow as the sand/sediment jamming the throttle is an annoyance but not unmanageable (I'd like a better design though) as I practiced it extensively because I'm scared of the prop. However, combined with the prop fouling floating weeds (not present the previous dives, perhaps a seasonal thing?) It wasn't the right tool for the job. That's a good clarifying observation. It added to my taskloading. A tight two point stow system would have been better till I was past the surf zone.

4. Wetsuit this time. However for the majority of my blackwater/silt/sand/muck dives in a drysuit I keep my dump valves tightly closed. Add air with one hand positioned for QD on the hose, and add infrequently (when the squeeze gets bad), a stuck inflator has corked a buddy of mine and I've had a partially stuck one that I managed to free before I lost buoyancy control... Bcd is oral inflate only.

Enjoyed the thoughtful questions.


@txgoose, good call on calling it! Vertigo isn't enjoyable. As for the underwater problem solving, it's really satisfying to look back on situations that use to be challenging and are now handled as nearly second nature. The idea if thresholds I like. Thanks for articulating it.

Cameron

 

[Couv]

@northernone Well done on coming back alive & thank you for sharing your experience.

I certainly don't have any advice. But I do have a question. I've never done any scooter diving, so I'm wondering if the scooter would not have been in the picture adding to the complications, would you have just pressed on? The mask and regulator issues would probably have been just annoyances with the use of both hands. Swimming in a washing machine is not fun, but there too I think would have been more manageable without dragging around a bloody minded finger eater.

 

[northernone]

@northernone ... without dragging around a bloody minded finger eater.

Couldn't say it better myself. Don't forgot how nicely they work as a bludgeoning tool too if left free.

I've done worse shore entry spots without the scooter around, it goes much better without the extra task loading.

...but they are greatly enjoyable in nicer conditions.

 

[Stoo]

The hardest thing to learn from diving is when not to dive.

LMAO, I find it's really obvious right after you do the dive that you really shouldn't have.

Or as Iike to put it, "Experience is what you gain, right after you needed it!"

 

[gcarter]

Dealing with the scooter issues would have killed the dive for me. I question the design and safety of a scooter that can jam its trigger that easily in silt.

Good job staying calm, resolving, and getting yourself back safely. I would have called sooner though.