Have You Had an Unexpected Ascent?

[Stone]

Not because your buddy saw a shark.
Not neccessarily all the way to the surface.

Why did it happen?

What did you do to recover?

 

[Dee]

Not yet!

 

[jbm]

Actually yes............when the tether let go on a hot air balloon.

But that's another story.

jbm

 

[art.chick]

Inflator hose malfunctioned & got stuck on.

Tank got light at end of dive (in OW class) & I sailed up once we got to about 25'.

Accidentally hit the power inflator instead of the dump button.

I'm still alive. I expended lots of energy trying to descend again, used up air like crazy. Got tired. Was exhausted by the time I resolved to make the swim to shore on the surface. Felt dumb & panicky. Husband started sneaking extra weights into my BC. It only made things tougher. Now I am very compassionate to OW students who are sailing up out of control. It is a helpless feeling, and to have someone criticize you for it later does not help.

 

[Welshman]

Not yet and am hoping never!

 

[Zept]

I was diving with too much weight (new wetsuit), so I had more air in my BC than usual. We ran into a reef and got shallow, and then whoosh, off I went. Fortunately we were only in 3-4m (10-12ft) of water at the time and my instinctive reaction was to breathe out as hard as possible. Freaked me out, though.

Zept

 

[Walter]

I always expect to ascend at the end of a dive.

 

[SDAnderson]

Unexpected? Never.
Unwanted? Always.

No, I've never had to endure an emergency ascent - controlled or otherwise. Over the years I've been on dives that were called early (by myself or others and for a variety of reasons - usually cold), but I don't think that's what you're asking about.

Steven

 

[jbd]

only though. It was at Plum Run quarry during my advanced open water class. The entire group ended up on the surface unexpectedly. I was following the group and saw them going up although I could tell they were trying not to. A few seconds later I was ascending also without wanting to. What I noticed at the time I started ascending was that the water temp suddenly went up and there seemed to be a lifting action going on. We all had emptied all the air from our BC's in a futile attempt to stay at depth. We started a surface swim to another location and I noticed the water temp drop after only going 30 feet. IMHO there must have been some sort of upwelling current.

 

[ScubaBaby]

I've been lucky so far - but it doesnt mean it wont so you always have to be prepared! :mean: