Diver Panic Story

[Dizzi Lizzi]

Great job BuiltLikeaBulldog! The term "cascade" sure has a different connotation since i started diving. It seems you did not actually panic but did certainly had anxiety down under, and then when you were "safe" all that adrenaline had to exit somehow. I'm new but have learned that a dive is classified "easy" after the dive, not before. Learned this the hard way. I realized if I classified a dive as easy when dry I tend to not be as attentive because in my head I have the "what could go wrong" scenario in the wrong context. What I will take from your example is the calm quiet think it out approach down below, and BobDBF's advice.

Next time you have the experience to decide to quit earlier, drop the belt, and relax on the surface a while before deciding your next move.

I'm sure I would be huffing and puffing from nerves. Thanks and hope your shoulder is better soon

 

[Lorenzoid]

That is an inspirational story of how a diver managed to stave off true panic. I would like to think I would keep my cool as much as you did.

You might want to update your profile so that people who neglect to read the first line of your post understand that you are well past "0-24" dives and certified "less than one year."

Hey guys, after diving for 4 years and a ton of logged dives . . .

 

[urbaneve71]

i had a panic attack when i was on the edge of a boat wreck and my fin fell off -- it was one of my first dives. i made the mistake of shooting up to the top. learned my lesson really quick

 

[2airishuman]

It was a perfect storm of incidents that just happened on a very very easy dive. But it did remind me, no matter how easy the dive and how confident you are, you're still underwater and anything can happen.

I think you handled it OK. I have a few observations.

I do not think that a dive in 2' viz and 52 degree water is a "very very easy dive" even though I make quite a few such dives myself. I imagine that the added lead, the bulky neoprene, the loss of dexterity, the extreme discomfort when without a mask, and the difficulty seeing your feet, all contributed to the situation.

Fin straps can be the start of a cascade of failures. It's happened to many people besides you. I have some Cressi fins with bungee straps now, that I consider superior to rubber straps and spring straps alike. Spring straps have the property of not showing warning signs of impending failure.

I use a Mako rubber weight belt, and recommend it. Won't come off unintentionally, doesn't have to be retightened for suit compression. I also recommend their "pinch weights" although they're expensive enough that I still use regular weights for dives in 7mm. One less thing to go wrong

 

[TMHeimer]

Thanks for the story and good job thinking things through. Spring straps are great no matter what. Almost all of my dives are in conditions you describe. You're advice that anything can happen no matter what is great. I try to look at each "benign" solo dive as a brand new day. I've been in a few uncomfortable situations, mainly due to cramping (before I started taking potassium pills--no real cramps in years now) and unexpected currents. Fortunately, I've not yet had anything "pile on" to see how close I may have been to panic. Also wrapped up a 4 year "career" as a working DM--again, no real problems for any of the students (no one really panicking, etc.) or myself. So this does bother me at times in that just over 600 dives I've never been really tested. Knock wood. If nothing ever happens, I'm fine with that. But I know stuff can.

 

[Iralub]

52 degrees F and 2 foot visibility is an easy dive?

 

[Storker]

52 degrees F and 2 foot visibility is an easy dive?

52F (11C) is fairly normal in some parts of the world, and people who dive regularly under such conditions don't think twice about that. Even fairly straight out of OWD class.

2' viz, however, is rather awkward IMO, and I wouldn't recommend a n00b to dive in that kind of pea soup. And if it didn't clear up at depth I'd call such a dive if not for anything else than that there's nothing to see. I prefer that viz at depth is at least some 2-4m (6-12'). But if the OP has dived for four years and has "a ton of dives" under similar conditions, s/he shouldn't have much of an issue with it. IME the biggest "risk" is losing your buddy during the descent and having to surface to find them again.

 

[Storker]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Since this thread is more suitably placed in Near Misses and Lessons Learned, I've moved it to that forum

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[USdiver1]

So you are visiting an unfamiliar area with cold water and low viz, using rented equipment, and solo diving....What could possibly go wrong?

I'm glad that your training and experience kicked in and you were able to logically deal with each and every obstacle that you encountered (e.g. 52 degree water in your face from a flooded mask will cause many divers to panic). I do question your judgment though at even attempting a solo dive in unfamiliar surroundings with unfamiliar gear.

 

[BuiltLikeABulldog]

Thanks for the replies (and the post move) guys! To all of you questioning my judgement, that is exactly what the point of this post was. I dove this spot 5 times so far since being out here, I have enough dive under my belt (which I do need to update in my profile, I normally don't pay my attention to profiles on forums.
Anyway, I went into the dive with the mentality of, this is a shore dive with a max depth of 30-40 feet. It's a gradual descent and an easy route of go straight until the end of the pier and 120 degrees from there into the kelp. Exit out of the kelp by the natural trail in the forest, turn back 120 degrees and end the dive.
I think all of us can look at ourselves and think about 100 dive that we've made where we said "easy in , easy out" but the point of me sharing this, is to show that it should never ben easy in, easy out. Every dive needs to have the same attention paid to it because of the natural dangers of being underwater and Murphy's law.
I have 4 years in which is a fraction of some of you, so I still consider myself a noob. But I learned an important lesson that day and I'm glad it was a healthy reminder and not something serious.