Diver out of air? Not really? Cozumel.

[Down2bizDiver]

Here is the link to a short video I shot showing a diver in distress during a 120' deep dive in Cozumel.

First he needs his BCD adjusted. Then he needs more weight. Then, apparently, he thinks he is low or out of air even though his reg free flows when he takes it out of his mouth (0:22 mark) and air flows when he purges his hanging reg (1:56 mark). I did not observe him try his own octo alternate air and cannot say whether he did or did not try it before sharing air with the DM. Although you cannot see his face clearly in the video, I could see it and in my opinion he looked very frightened and panicked, not calm and cool.

DM provides octo and the two share air for the most of the rest of the dive, 15 - 20 minutes. I was surprised DM did not end the dive.

After the dive the distressed diver told me he bought his gear used from a scubaboard posting. I'm under the impression this was the first time he had used the equipment. His extremely long hoses (extra length wrapped around his neck) suggests the seller was a cave diver. He didn't speak to what happened with the sharing of air and I didn't press him on it ... in the end everything turned out OK and I didn't think it my place to interrogate him about the incident.

YouTube - Things Go Wrong SCUBA Diving at 100 Feet

 

[Krazytomdiver]

As a dive guide, I do not know where to begin!!! Except he's done on my boat and I would be reporting the DM(?) to what ever crackerjackbox organization certified him. I have had seasoned couples 'share air' during a dive as long as I know the situation before hand but never buddy breath with one OOA. I'm surprised that all the divers did not have a sharp sticks on this dive.
Welcome to COZMO diving!!!

"living life without a hard bottom"
KT

 

[rivers]

Tragic...

 

[Cave Diver]

 

[Ayisha]

I have had seasoned couples 'share air' during a dive as long as I know the situation before hand but never buddy breath with one OOA.

I have unfortunately seen divers share air with a DM for an extended period of time in a few places when the guest diver runs LOG/OOG long before anyone else. I was shocked the first couple of times that I saw it, because I thought the dive must be over if they're sharing air, but nope, it continued until several people were low on air. I figured they did this because unless the boat is drifting along following the divers, the dive might be over for everyone if the DM goes back to the boat. Divers can be very demanding about getting the most and deepest bottom time they can, and DM's work too much in favour of the tip over safety sometimes.

Regarding the statement I quoted above, I didn't see any buddy breathing, only sharing air.

 

[boulderjohn]

Are you sure he signaled OOA?

Some Cozumel operators will share air with divers who are going through their air faster than the others in the group. In such a situation, the first diver in the group to hit a target PSI--nowhere near OOA--will share air with the DM for a while. When the second diver hits that target PSI, the first diver gives back the donated regulator and goes back to his or her own regulator as they begin the ascent process. At no time in this process is anyone close to OOA.

 

[SoccerJeni]

Wow! So many scary things here. Wth! I can't believe he just gave the octo to the OOA diver and just went ahead with the dive, barely looking back, sometimes holding on the hose. And the OOA diver? Doesn't he want to know that there's enough air in the DM's tank for both of them? What the heck! Insane!

 

[boulderjohn]

BTW, the reason I suspect the case is the long hose alternate the DM is using. When I have seen this done (sharing air with the DM in the middle of the dive so that an air hog will not shorten the dive for others), the DM's all used long hoses and used it for this purpose routinely.

 

[boulderjohn]

Wow! So many scary things here. Wth! I can't believe he just gave the octo to the OOA diver and just went ahead with the dive, barely looking back, sometimes holding on the hose. And the OOA diver? Doesn't he want to know that there's enough air in the DM's tank for both of them? What the heck! Insane!

Do you think the scenario I posted is insane as well? If not, are you sure that is not what you are looking at?

 

[SoccerJeni]

BTW, the reason I suspect the case is the long hose alternate the DM is using. When I have seen this done (sharing air with the DM in the middle of the dive so that an air hog will not shorten the dive for others), the DM's all used long hoses and used it for this purpose routinely.

Still it is crazy to me. What if the DM doesn't notice that the guy on his Octo got stuck on a piece of coral, and he keeps going and yanks the reg out of his mouth. He's no where close to that guy and he certainly isn't looking back at him enough. If he pulls that reg out of his mouth, I'm assuming you'd have some panic. It doesn't seem responsible.