Freeflow at night dive

[CT-Rich]

When you get in a jam the first priority is to get topside safely. Ascent rates taught 30 years ago were more than twice as fast as those taught today, with no safety stop. There is a built in margin of error and as long as you remain in control of the situation, you are good. You need to stay calm and control your ascent, but not being able to see your computer on an air share is less important than controlling the air in your dry suit. The same is true for the safety stop. It sounds like you did okay. Once you are sharing air the pressure is off and you can choose the safest route to the surface. As long as you have air, you have time.

 

[Bob DBF]

1) How it was possible me to not realize it was "just" free flow my main regulator? I just keep breathing as I normally do.
2) Does limited visibility, full darkness and cold water amplify effects of nitrogen narcosis really so much?
3) Ascending; how it is possible to watch your depth from computer at night when one of your hand is occupied holding your buddy and the another used to release air from your dry suit? I can not see my depth from computer without using my light (light was at my right hand I was using it to keep holding my buddy)
4) Should you use computer with light (integrated light permanently on) with night dives? If you do not have light on your computer you always need two hands to see numbers from the screen!

1). If you haven't experienced something go wrong, or that particular thing go wrong, it will take longer to sort out. Or may be its just me. My rule is to get shallower, or on the surface, for any problem I can't define immediately, in order to extend my time to sort it out, and be closer to safety on the surface.

2). It does, I'm inclined to downplay the narcosis angle on this, but people have different thresholds.

3). I would have chosen to stick with my tank as long as possible before going on to my buddy's gas. Then put my arm through my buddy's rig so I could see my wrist computer on the other side, if I felt it necessary to be attached to my buddy.

4). I have a backlight on my computer. Also I follow my buddy's lead, if I start to ascend faster than him I vent.


You deat with the problem and got back to the surface safely. Talk to your buddy about anything you might want to change or practice, then get back to diving.


Bob

 

[horsediver1]

I too don't think you necessarily were narced. Others have touched on it but you appeared to have had a large dose of Adrenalin boost. The factors started multiplying as the dive went on. 1- Restricted vis from the light, 2- At a depth of 80 feet, 3- the free flow began. With adrenalin hearing is first to go, eyesight becomes tunnel vision even aggravating restricted vis, from the night dive. and clear concise thinking can become complicated, all at different levels for different people. This is why certain skills are practiced to the point of becoming auto response from muscle memory. Just keep diving and enjoying the more you do it the more enjoyable it is.