Dumb Things I've Done

[SlvrDragon50]

Not too sure about a dumb thing but...I was running late for a long drive with buddies to cave country from NC. I got my friend's house and he asked me if I had just called him. I said no but please check the message. It was my wife asking if I needed the travel suitcase I left in the kitchen. Oh crap! That bag has the lights, camera, charger as well as clothes in it. So I told her that I would meet her half way in order to save time. When we met she had a puzzled / pissed look on her face. I asked what was wrong and she opened the case and pointed to the condoms laying on top. I had never told her about condom caths. for drysuits. I had a lot of explaining to do.

Just happened to me. Except I was 3 hours from home. Forgot all my clothes and my 2 spare lights. Had all my dive gear though! Luckily, it was only one night.

 

[islanddream]

Did a backroll off the boat and didn't have my reg in my mouth. Thought the boat captain was going to mess himself! Gave him the OK sign, put reg in mouth, and thanked God for all the non-diving aquatic activities I did growing up!

 

[Avonthediver]

Yep this brand new diver I used to know eighteen years ago on his first ever dive hit the water without his air on and tape covering his tank valve. He learned real Damn quick how to save himself and do in water repair!

 

[Scuba Lawrence]

Tony Chaney wrote: forgot to turn on my isolater valve on until we were half way thru the dive...when I did turn it on the gas equalized and i had to abort the dive.

As a diver new to doubles, why was this a cause to abort?

 

[TONY CHANEY]

Tony Chaney wrote: forgot to turn on my isolater valve on until we were half way thru the dive...when I did turn it on the gas equalized and i had to abort the dive.

As a diver new to doubles, why was this a cause to abort?

Very good question and thanks for asking in that it might save someone's backside one day. So let's look at the full situation. Per my first post pertaining to this..."I was worried that a tank would roll open during the drive to the quarry (prior to having steel plugs) so I turned the isolator to isolate the tanks. So there we were at about 85 feet into the dive and I notice that my guage has not went down too much. SPG on the left tank as well as the drysuit and backup reg. Rt had primary and LPI. Primary reg. started breathing hard so I switched to my backup reg. So now I remember shuting my isolator. I SHOULD HAVE LEFT IT THAT WAY! So I open the isolator and hear that long equalizing sound and watched the guage drop to about 400 psi. I had a deco tank and was not in too much trouble. Time to say goodbye to fellow divers and went to the surface for a good long surface swim to the exit. I have never shut it off since and still check it prior to every dive.
This was my second dive that day...and now we know that the first dive was conducted using only the right tank. The SPG did decrease with the use of backup reg (drills and just swapping regs. plus the drysuit). Well since my pri. reg. was on the right post and the SPG on the Left post, as I was diving I was breathing the right tank down and nothing from the left. So my SPG showed something like 1000 psi (please forgive the math in that I can't remember the exact numbers) which is a lot of gas considering I had double 120's. When I discovered the problem and turned on the isolater I watched, it horror I might add, as my SPG dropped to less than 400 psi or somewhere there about. No a good feeling considering that you are on your second dive, approaching deco, 85' down and without the needed driving pressure for the Poseidon regs. No worries. Signal buddies that I am going up and end the dive OK to dive another day.
I hope that this helps.

 

[gcarter]

Very good question and thanks for asking in that it might save someone's backside one day. So let's look at the full situation. Per my first post pertaining to this..."I was worried that a tank would roll open during the drive to the quarry (prior to having steel plugs) so I turned the isolator to isolate the tanks. So there we were at about 85 feet into the dive and I notice that my guage has not went down too much. SPG on the left tank as well as the drysuit and backup reg. Rt had primary and LPI. Primary reg. started breathing hard so I switched to my backup reg. So now I remember shuting my isolator. I SHOULD HAVE LEFT IT THAT WAY! So I open the isolator and hear that long equalizing sound and watched the guage drop to about 400 psi. I had a deco tank and was not in too much trouble. Time to say goodbye to fellow divers and went to the surface for a good long surface swim to the exit. I have never shut it off since and still check it prior to every dive.
This was my second dive that day...and now we know that the first dive was conducted using only the right tank. The SPG did decrease with the use of backup reg (drills and just swapping regs. plus the drysuit). Well since my pri. reg. was on the right post and the SPG on the Left post, as I was diving I was breathing the right tank down and nothing from the left. So my SPG showed something like 1000 psi (please forgive the math in that I can't remember the exact numbers) which is a lot of gas considering I had double 120's. When I discovered the problem and turned on the isolater I watched, it horror I might add, as my SPG dropped to less than 400 psi or somewhere there about. No a good feeling considering that you are on your second dive, approaching deco, 85' down and without the needed driving pressure for the Poseidon regs. No worries. Signal buddies that I am going up and end the dive OK to dive another day.
I hope that this helps.

Not well explained. For clarity: you had the same amount of gas before and after. Unless you are saying that you aborted because you became aware of your true gas situation ( saying that you "SHOULD HAVE LEFT IT THAT WAY!" suggests otherwise), you have not explained how the mere act of equalizing with no change in gas volume was cause to abort.

 

[oreocookie]

The shop I teach for does an extra boat dive after OW courses (which are shore based). I had just finished dive 4 with my 2nd (and last) group of students and really needed to pee (I was in a drysuit). The boat had already arrived to pick us up, so one of the DMTs offered to swap my tank while I dashed off to the bathroom. Went for the dive, then when taking my gear apart back on shore realised that there was masking tape over the valve. The shop I had gotten fills at the night before puts a bit of masking tape over the valve outlet on full tanks instead of putting the rubber caps back on and I guess the DMT didn't notice. Apparently you can breath just fine with masking tape between your valve and reg and tap-covered o-rings still seal. I don't let other people set up my gear anymore, and if I do, I don't take it for granted that it's done right.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

Not well explained. For clarity: you had the same amount of gas before and after. Unless you are saying that you aborted because you became aware of your true gas situation ( saying that you "SHOULD HAVE LEFT IT THAT WAY!" suggests otherwise), you have not explained how the mere act of equalizing with no change in gas volume was cause to abort.

As I read his post, the low PSI of the tanks (400) caused concerns with his regs being able to deliver enough air. Not sure what design the Poseidons he's talking about are.

 

[gcarter]

As I read his post, the low PSI of the tanks (400) caused concerns with his regs being able to deliver enough air. Not sure what design the Poseidons he's talking about are.

Which is why I asked him for clarity. Is he making a case for a reaction specific to his particular gear (mildly interesting) or a general case based on the situation described (potential teachable moment)?

Unless / until he clarifies, I have no idea what his intent is. I can guess, but that leaves the post in the interesting anecdote category for me.

 

[TONY CHANEY]

Not well explained. For clarity: you had the same amount of gas before and after. Unless you are saying that you aborted because you became aware of your true gas situation ( saying that you "SHOULD HAVE LEFT IT THAT WAY!" suggests otherwise), you have not explained how the mere act of equalizing with no change in gas volume was cause to abort.

Humm..it is about both volume and pressure. Both are taken into consideration but pressure drives the gear and not volume! If I take a single 120 tank down to 400 psi then using the conversion factor then I have about 18 cuft of gas. Now would you really like to be at 85' facing a deco obligation with 18 cuft of gas available? Not me. I usually dive thirds. A very simple answer I hope you understand.

---------- Post added December 23rd, 2013 at 12:33 AM ----------

As I read his post, the low PSI of the tanks (400) caused concerns with his regs being able to deliver enough air. Not sure what design the Poseidons he's talking about are.

Odin Jetstream.