Diving without problems - Is it possible?

[bogrady]

I'm a newbie to this sport and totally hooked. This board has been an immense help to me in learning how to do it right and in preparing me for what might go wrong. There seems to be a lot of posts describing some pretty hairy underwater emergency situations. I’m thankful that you all take the time and effort to post them, and even more so the time and effort to honestly critique and analyze the event. So far none of the horror stories have scared me of continuing to dive - but I'd like to ask this question -

Is there anyone out there that has simply enjoyed years and years of trouble free, enjoyable diving? I'm not talking about the odd O ring failure (had that happen to my buddy/son on our 12th dive), but I'm talking about those life threaten - do or die - one bad decision and I'm toast kind of problems.

I can live with the occasional minor emergency, but I'd like to think that it is possible to log 50+ dives every year for the next few decades without a required near death experience.

 

[ChrisA]

I can live with the occasional minor emergency, but I'd like to think that it is possible to log 50+ dives every year for the next few decades without a required near death experience.

So far 200 dives with none but minor problems.

The think is that sometimes minor problems can kill you. I'm thinking of the woman in HI drowned due to her BC leaking air. This was a triveal problem. (1) She had air in her tank so being underwater should not have been fatal. (2) She could have removed all of her gear and become a "snorkler". (3) she could have ditched her weights.

So when you ask if people have had problems. I might say "no just little minor things" like a dump valve stuck open or my usual "stupid trick" submerging with snorkle in moulth when I though it was a reg. (And no you cannot clear a snorkle by blowig when you are 5 feet underwater.) One I had a 1st stage fail (mouth part sepoatd from main body part) but I had an octo handy so it was not issue. Are those just anoyances or a near death experience? It's really a matter of perception

 

[Damselfish]

no near death experiences yet, or anything close.

 

[Hickdive]

Ssshhhhh! No! Are you mad?

Murphy is out there, taking notes, and if anyone is crazy enough to admit to years of trouble free diving he'll be thinking, 'Aha, an oxygen fire for you sonny next weekend, underwater!'

Therefore every stinking dive I've ever done has been a complete shambles from the moment the alarmclock failed to wake me in time to when I finally staggered back into bed that night, lucky to be alive. Isn't that right Mr Murphy?

 

[Damselfish]

:lol:

 

[usmc4x4]

While I do have a "close call" post on the board I can say that I know several dive buddies that are close call free. I can tell you that the seriousness of an emergency is completely dependant upon you. If you remain calm and use the tools at your disposal you will be fine. If you are worried that you may not be prepared for even a minor issue I highly suggest that you get your AOW and then take the Rescue Diver course. Rescue will truly open your eyes and will go miles to make you feel more comfortable while diving. I personally found the Self Rescue sections to be extremely helpful....Just my .02

 

[TSandM]

Well, I've got three years worth of your 50 dives (in one year, but nevertheless) and I've had several minor malfunctions (a freeflow, a couple of fittings coming loose, a couple of tank slips) but nothing that was ever frightening. A lot depends on your attitude and your training as to whether any given thing is a big deal or not. When you mix people with machinery, you're inevitably going to have some issues from time to time.

 

[H2Andy]

i only have something like 220 dives, so by no means an experienced diver, but i've had few problems other than self-inflicted idiocy (going into a cave without cave training and getting stuck; being careless when repositioning a regulator and swallowing water which then gave me a coughing fit and i couldn't breathe).

there's been a couple of things, though, that were kind of "undeserved:"

--i had a run-away inflator button trying to fill my wing out of control. it was a Halcyon inflator, and i didn't know that they did that sort of thing at one point.
solution: disconnect inflator hose. results: worked!

-- i had a problem with my dump valve on a different BC and could not vent at
about 80 feet. i tried everything, including my rear dump valve -- and broke the string. i yanked at the elbow thing, tried and tried to vent ... no good.... so...
luckily, i was in a cavern, so was able to use the sides to slow myself down as i went up. it got harder and harder to stop myself, but i eventually made it to the entrance, about 40 feet down, and i could barely keep myself from floating away.
i took a deep breath and started shouting the "F" word as i let go for the surface.
no embolism for me (knock wood)

well, turns out that there was nothing wrong with the BC. tried it up top, the inflator/deflator worked fine. there was nothing wrong with it. nothing.

can't explain that piece of mental artistry, though i suspect narcosis and much-too-focused thinking played large roles

 

[usmc4x4]

I'm a newbie to this sport and totally hooked. This board has been an immense help to me in learning how to do it right and in preparing me for what might go wrong. There seems to be a lot of posts describing some pretty hairy underwater emergency situations. I’m thankful that you all take the time and effort to post them, and even more so the time and effort to honestly critique and analyze the event. So far none of the horror stories have scared me of continuing to dive - but I'd like to ask this question -

Is there anyone out there that has simply enjoyed years and years of trouble free, enjoyable diving? I'm not talking about the odd O ring failure (had that happen to my buddy/son on our 12th dive), but I'm talking about those life threaten - do or die - one bad decision and I'm toast kind of problems.

I can live with the occasional minor emergency, but I'd like to think that it is possible to log 50+ dives every year for the next few decades without a required near death experience.

I just noticed your in Austin, are you diving Lake Travis?

 

[roakey]

Is there anyone out there that has simply enjoyed years and years of trouble free, enjoyable diving? I'm not talking about the odd O ring failure (had that happen to my buddy/son on our 12th dive), but I'm talking about those life threaten - do or die - one bad decision and I'm toast kind of problems.

Certified in 73 and never had a serious problem. And that includes seven years of cave diving.

Roak