dive scenario - need feedback

[suddha]

Yesterday I did a dive and a scenario arose that I'd like feedback on. Please be honest and constructive.

Some background: I'd had six dives under my belt since getting certified in May, including some cold water diving to a max of 85 feet. Yesterday I did a shore dive in cold water (41 degrees) on a shallow wreck. I had a 6.5mm farmer john/jacket combo and was not cold at all. Used an AL80 air tank, started at 2900 psi. My buddy was someone I met at the site. He was vastly more experienced than me, had dived this wreck before and was wearing a drysuit and had a tank of Nitrox and a pony bottle.

The dive: it was a shore dive into some surf and a half-mile surface swim to the marker buoy. We descended to the wreck, swam around a bit and all went fine. Reached a max dept of 69 ft. I reached 600 psi relatively early (13 minutes) and informed my buddy, who seemed surprised. He had about 1100psi left at that point. We swam a bit more, getting shallower, but still on the wreck, til we popped up to the surface briefly. He said we should descend to do a proper safety stop and that once we get down, he'd give me his primary reg and he'd breathe off of his secondary. He started down and I noticed I was very low on air. At this point, I wasn't sure what the best decision was. But I followed my buddy since he was already u/w. I got to him just as I was completely out of air. I could feel the change in my breathing. Scary. He handed me his reg and I swam behind him for a while, breathing fine. We swam at about 15 feet for 3-4 minutes. Then we popped to the surface. He told me to surface swim into shore while he swam below me. I guess he wanted more u/w time. Got to shore alright after an exhausting surface swim.

Was the extra time u/w breathing off of my buddy's reg a good idea, seeing as I was out of air? Was only 15 feet and it was a good safety stop/swim. But to me it felt scary having zero air and breathing off of his tank. Also, the way we swam into shore didn't seem right, with him below me. What if he had a problem and I couldn't see?

I want to learn from this experience. Please provide feedback. Why I am such an air hog is a separate matter....

Thanks in advance.

 

[SparticleBrane]

I suggest this is moved to the accidents/incidents forum...because you almost had one.

6 dives under your belt since you're certified and you're already hitting 85ft? Might want to think about slowing down and getting some more experience before you head to deeper waters.

Are you sure that 600psi is enough left in your tank at 70ft?
Might want to read this for more info.


Personally I don't believe I would have dropped back down, but that's just me.

 

[Darnold9999]

Good example of why you need to take responsibility for yourself when diving. It is too easy - particulalry as a beginner - to rely on others. At 13 min into the dive, 70 feet with 600psi it is time to head for the surface (in fact it is past time) and plan on skipping or abbreviating the safety stop. If your buddy doesn't want to, then time to wave goodbye and go.

It all came out well, but the lesson to be learned is to make your own decisions.

 

[DBailey]

First, here is what I thought you (and buddy) did wrong:

1. It appears a safety stop wasn't discussed during the dive plan.
2. It appears that the ascent pressure (or rock bottom) was not discussed or calculated during the dive plan.
3. It appears that you didn't monitor and communicate you remaining air to your buddy during the dive. You shouldn't surprise your buddy when you have 600 psi left. Surprise him much earlier than that (half way through the gas I planned on using at depth would be the latest I would "surprise" someone).
4. While I like to do a safety stop on every dive (except extremely shallow ones), it doesn't appear that you had to do one. Since you were already at the surface, low on air, apprently safe, and not "needing" a safety stop, I wouldn't have recommended going back down for the safety stop.

Regarding the air hog issue:

A. Dive more.
B. Are you properly weight?
C. Dive more.
D. Work on the above, then come back.

 

[battles2a5]

Plan your dive and dive your plan. Make sure you discuss turn pressures and ascent procedures w/ your buddy before you start the dive. It doesn't sound like your buddy was all that more experienced than you were if he allowed a newly certified diver continue on a deeper dive with 600psi left and then tried to get him back uw w/ an empty tank. When planning your dive, you need to plan for enough air to perform your safetly stop, surface swim, and get out of the water w/ 500psi to spare (for recreational, non-overhead diving anyway).

And make sure you get that tank vis'd. Sucking one down like that is bad news and can allow contaminants to enter the tank. Have your LDS check it out, and it you rented it, at least let them know it happened.

Chalk this one up to experience, Murphy usually lets you get away with a few of these

 

[suddha]

Thanks for the responses thus far. That link to the Rock Bottom/Gas Mgmt page is particularly helpful.

I agree with all points so far -- I am trying too much too soon, we didn't have a good dive plan and I didn't communicate my air situation until too late.

My first dives were with a close friend who is extremely cautious, very experienced and safe. I felt very comfortable with him. This time, I was not very comfortable diving with a stranger and felt perhaps a bit intimidated by him, and so went along with actions against my own better judgment (I too thought I should have stayed on the surface and swam back to shore without the safety stop).

Thanks again for the feedback. Keep it coming.

 

[SparticleBrane]

As a general rule I would recommend diving with people who have close to the same amount of experience as you. That way you don't have one person depending on another in a 'strong and weak' scenario. Learn and grow together, rather than playing tag-along.

 

[Ken abucs]

As a general rule I would recommend diving with people who have close to the same amount of experience as you. That way you don't have one person depending on another in a 'strong and weak' scenario. Learn and grow together, rather than playing tag-along.

On the other side, an experienced mentor or two can definitely help accelerate your learning curve. Try to find a local dive club, this is a good place to find someone with experience to share, and the temperment to teach.

Also, seek out additional training. Advanced Open Water would be your next logical step.

 

[SparticleBrane]

This is true, but I do feel that it can create a situation where one diver is overly dependent on another. As long as you can avoid that, go for it. Mentors are great!

 

[scratchmyback]

I was wondering, did you breathe off your tank during that half mile surface swim? That is a long surface swim. Even if you didn't, I can't imagine arriving at the wreck not being somewhat out of breath and anxious. Not that we're discussing your air consumption in this thread and I don't want to hijack it - but that might have contributed to your being low on air as well. If this was your first dive to this depth, you wouldn't have the necessary background info to know what your air consumption is like at that depth, either.

Based on your profile, I would not have gone back down to do the safety stop breathing off someone else's tank. You've learned some valuable information here and that's all a part of becoming a good diver. You're asking all the right questions. Good for you for posting this so you and others can learn too.