Jill Has A Very Bad Cave Dive

[Jill Heinerth]

A very bad day during a scientific cave dive at Otter Springs, in Gilchrist County, Florida. Lessons learned from a dive I would not want to repeat are too long for a forum post...
Link here: Rebreather Pro: Lessons From A Bad Cave Dive Part 1

Jill Heinerth

 

[TSandM]

Thanks, Jill, for putting this up. I am (I think!) looking forward to the further lessons.

An hour out of a cave, feathering a valve . . . wow.

 

[Ayisha]

Hi Jill, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. Most people even with close to your experience and training probably would not have had the nerves to successfully get through that. Glad you made it!

I am so looking forward to seeing you at the Shipwrecks Symposium again in a couple of months. You were awesome last year! I am sure we will get some more lessons learned there, too...

 

[Jill Heinerth]

Jill Heinerth continues her lessons learned from a very bad cave diving incident.

 

[Jill Heinerth]

Training versus Experience

Lessons learned from the worst cave dive of my life, continued.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

Sorry you had the experience, but I'm enjoying reading about it. Thanks for the postings.
I am going to disagree with you on one thing you've said, however...

"The adrenaline fight/flight response is useful for fighting off a burglar, but it has no place inside a cave during a crisis."

Just as your training helped you stay calm and in control during your misadventure, proper training helps you stay calm and in control during a confrontation. And that will vastly improve your chances of survival. I'm not talking about a 2-day "Self-defense" course, any more than OW training is sufficient for cave diving. As with diving, the more training you have, the better your chances of a good outcome.

As TSandM can no doubt attest, the ER is a volatile environment, and combative patients are not in the least uncommon. Most are unarmed, but I've taken knives, clubs and guns off people who were either intoxicated, psychotic, or both, as well as having been attacked with a knife by a mugger. At the time of the mugging, I had about 7 years or martial arts training. I'm now an Old Fart (tm) with over 40 years training, and I will say that the instinctual (fight or flight) response is really not useful. A calm, controlled and preferably trained response will always be better.

 

[sassyalice]

Lessons From A Bad Cave Dive Part 1


In a nutshell, I was exiting the cave through a small restriction. My buddy ahead of me became horrendously entangled in the guideline and old stray lines nearby. She was stuck, tied-up and the spaghetti ball of line was no longer attached to anything that could get us out of the cave. Instead of yielding to my attempts to back her up, she pushed harder, assuming she was grinding through the restriction. Her kicking stirred up the soupy phlegm of a floor and we were in trouble. No vis. No good line. Stuck and now my second stage is violently free flowing...

Are you not taught not to push yourself deeper into a hole? And that kicking will cause a silt out? What caused the free flow? Did you find out?


Lesson Three: Reels Are Not Just for Jumps
I have a tiny reel in my drysuit pocket that is great for jumps. It is low profile, easy to operate and stows well. But you should choose all your reels for their worst possible use… being in a silt out without a line. I needed to use my Light Monkey reel four times to get the job done. Searching, patching and looking off in side passages for my lost buddy.

When did buddy become lost?

I am curious why do people not take their line out with them, instead of it becoming a hazard for others? And if everyone uses line through there why you were not that day?

My buddy was extremely well trained by an excellent Florida cave instructor, but no amount of training will fully prepare you for the “oh ****” moment.

How long was she cave certified?


Did I lure a newer diver into a bad situation? Was her experience up to her training? Was she seasoned enough in life to have already experienced an “oh ****?” Her recent dives seemed up to the task. Our first two dives of the day were stellar. She’s tough as nails. I’ll have to dig deep and ask myself if I did a proper and full pre-assessment, but I know one thing for sure: she has now had her “oh ****” and will gain years of wisdom from this experience. Its what we do with the lessons that count in the end.

When diving with someone who has less experience do you not try to dive within their means as not to overextend their skills?

Perhaps I could have had her lead the dive?

It is a tough decision. By following, she was able to model after my very careful slow movements through the restrictions, but if she was leading, would she have gone in those spots or turned the dive. As the young apprentice, did she relax some of her normal careful assessment by following a more experienced diver? These are questions we will both have to revisit together.

I thought she was in the lead (see first paragraph)


Follow up links below

Rebreather Pro: Lessons From A Bad Cave Dive Continued
Rebreather Pro

Need these in tight places....

 

[ROMO DIVER]

I would disagree that the "Fight or Flight" response is not useful. The somatic changes can be utilized in a myriad of ways that are beneficial. Increased sensory awareness and adrenaline can be very helpful if controlled and focused. This goes for a mugging or cave dive.

 

[mdb]

I would agree with Romo. The adrenaline rush produces, IMO, focus and helps immediate concentration on the task at hand.

I've studied both Karate and Aikido for many years. I prefer Aikido.

I have had one or two real life street moments when the training proved useful. I think the increased adrenaline was helpful.

The adrenaline rush, does not mean you are not calm. In fact the opposite seems to occur. A strange and very focused
calm occurs. You are living totally in the moment and dealing with what is going on. I experienced this in Vietnam, while diving,
and, as mentioned. on the street here and abroad.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Depends on the circumstances I suppose. I'm pretty inexperienced at cave diving, but the one bad incident I had would've been way worse if I hadn't been able to remain calm and relaxed while dealing with it.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)