Got Narced at Gilboa - and I thought that I would 'share' (Another Long post)

[Windknot]

And thought that I was almost out of air. Did a very "Realistic" OOA ascent with my buddy on his standard length primary hose.

That is NOT something I ever want to do agian.

He nodded and harumphed at the appropriate times when I was explaining the workings of my kit during the pre dive. I was particular about describing my primary hose routing and if he needed to grab my reg to just go ahead and do so.

Little did I know that I would be sucking off his primary regulator not an hour later.

Felt kind of silly at the 15'/20/somewhere around there...safety stop.....grabbed my spg to stare at it in amazement and low and behold....I still had 650 psi!!!!!!!!!!

I sheepishly took my own primary back and showed my spg to my buddy. The man has the patience of a saint...he kind of just nodded and then smiled when we got on the surface.

I was rattled pretty bad, but I/we went over what happened, bad and good....the OOA sharing wasn't the greatest, but after I relaxed on the way up it went very well for a couple of "beginning" divers. AND I was ready to get back in as soon as our SI was over.

Lessons Learned

Practice your air sharing with your buddy, do it every time, you fight how you train. I/we proved that works.

Negative aspects:

I got narced (first time) and was very disoriented to my own equipment.

Had to listen to fellow divers repeatedly say...."how can you THINK you are out of air??!!!!

OOA drill was sloppy

Positive aspects:

I got Narced, learned a valuable lesson.

OOA drill was sloppy, but it worked.

Buddy is ordering a long hose. "NOW I understand....that makes sense." quote after the dive. Another convert in the works.

I was rattled, but was ready to get back in the water as soon as possible.

TRULY POSITIVE ASPECT:

I freaked, my buddy didn't, and he saved my ass. Thanks Alex. I owe you one.


WIND OUT

 

[jbd]

Interesting. How deep were you? I'm wondering if your mind told you that you were OOA since you may hve been at or near a predetermined end the dive reading on the spg.

Glad all worked out well in the end.

 

[MikeFerrara]

I'm glad it turned out ok. This used to be a common occurance at Gilboa. Many people have been to these depths (137 max) but this aint the Caribbean, It's cold. Year befor last EMS responded 9 times. I witnessed two of them. Each was much like yours, however some faught off the buddy with the air and some involved a free flowing reg. At least 9 resulted in injuries. The safety record seems to be improving. Mike has made a sincere effort to keep people, without the experience and equipment, shallow.

 

[caverkevin]

And some people think I am nuts for diving trimix there.

 

[Windknot]

I witnessed at least 5 different episodes of freeflows in just two days.

One from our group on dive #2....he was at around 85'. He tried to breathe it on the way up, but the air got so cold that he couldn't breathe it anymore....ended up a near disaster...his buddy (another AOW student) had a good deal of previous diving experience and saved his proverbial arse, but it wasn't pretty on the surface or the surface interval.


Gotta concur on Mike. That's gotta be one of the hardest working men I have ever had the pleasure to meet.....not to mention that he gladly filled my lp 98's the "correct" way the first time without any prodding from me.

 

[MikeFerrara]

caverkevin,
I don't think using trimix at Gilboa is nuts.

Windknot,
I can't help but think that some of the instructors taking AOW students deep at Gilboa are over their own heads. I don't take students deep here unless I think their regs are suited for those temps. If I think their reg is'nt any good I insist they use one of mine. In theory any reg can freez but we have never had a problem. I could write a book about some of the crap I have seen at Gilboa. Trust me, If you saw 5 free flows in one weekend, people are doing things they shouldn't. Our group has not had 5 free flows in 5 years and that includes many ice dives. the free flows we have had have been at the surface and usually result from someone bumping the purge valve on a cold day.

 

[IndyScott]

Most people would say" I never get narked". You have to learn your safe limits with out taking extreme risk.. The more you dive the more you will learn and your ability should increase. Dive safe

Scott

 

[scuba_junkie]

Just another experience that gave you two a chance to gain a little more knowledge about the sport and how to deal with those 'unexpected' little situations.

 

[Rooster1]

Windknot
how deep?
how cold?

 

[mndolphin]

glad to her everyone is ok.
thanks for sharing, it helps to remind us all to practice even if we thik we know how/ will never use it!