My first dive incident (long)

[downunderjenn]

The other posters have made clear that aborting the dive was a good idea and referenced a dive operation that tried to get a diver in the water that did not want to be in the water. Try to stop problems at the surface before they become underwater problems. A diver uncomfortable at the surface will be worse underwater.

Look for overly talkative behavior, unusually quiet behavior, unfamiliarity with equipment, awkwardness and unease, and listen to complaints and concerns. Abort a dive if a diver is uncomfortable, and if they do not want to abort either be very cautious or choose another buddy and alert the DM.

Before they dive, your buddies should practice assembling gear until they know it. You should rent gear and try it out at the surface and in a pool. Ask the LDS questions about the gear you rent. Test the regs at the shop. Know how to manually inflate your BCD.

You all need to practice. Every dive situation will be different! Open Water that is clear and warm has other challenges. There are currents, coral (I really really don't like divers that have bad buoyancy and crash into coral-practice please, plus the coral can bite back!) Salt water also has very different buoyancy tendancies, and drift diving is different from diving in a location and returning to the boat. Do you also know boat diving procedures, exits (backwards roll and giant stride)? Are you planning night dives? Are you familiar with night diving procedures, primary and backup lights, tank lights/glow sticks. Night diving in clear water can feel the same as low vis diving.

Please practice hovering, dive buddy procedures, sharing air, removing gear, clearing masks, removing masks, removing and replacing regulators, recovering lost regulators, swimming w/o your mask but breathing off the reg, setting up gear, and do it all in the pool!

Low vis is usually not no vis. It means adjusting to how you see things. There will be clearer spots and fuzzier spots. Also, there are thermoclines! It can get colder deeper quickly!

As said before, your friends sounded out of shape. They should be able to do a surface swim of 60 yds. They will have to fin underwater and should not be breathless from exertion. They may need to exercise some, or practice finning in a pool and swimming laps.

good luck, dive safely, and keep up your knowledge and training

 

[atxer]

I also thought you did a great job in helping out your friends. You responded quickly to a situation that could have gotten alot worse.
As far as the $1.70 per pound and $113.00 total bill. I think your 2 partners were extremly over weighted.
The rescue diver thing. I think is always good to learn how to respond to a diver that is in a panic. I sometimes think i should be tought along with your AOW. Responding to a diver that is in a panic and not knowing what to do can not only kill them but you also. My advice take the class. You will do fine.
The last thing I want to say is when I put someone in the water I put a reg in their mouth and don't expect it to come out of their mouth intill they are in front of me on the boat. You really don't burn to much gas on the surface. Dive with the reg all the time. This way you don't have to worry about getting water in your mouth and you know if you go benith the water even for a second you have air.
Good luck. Mark it up to experience and continue to learn. Experience is what makes you a good diver not a bunch of certs.

 

[pammyk]

There was no fog, it was a bright sunny day. The only "fog" was the murky water. Just to clarify that part. I've got the sunburn to prove it. Oh, and altitude is the nature of the beast here in Colorado. This is a low one. I'm trained on altitude procedures. Actually, both Diver A and I are. It was discussed in the "plan".

I'm actually looking forward to going back. This dive site is used by the local LDS as a training site. The only negative is the murk. There's no current, and it's not that deep. I felt very comfortable with the dive right up until the first moment of the problem. Unfortunately, a team operates on the level of the weakest link, and that's where things went south.

Somehow I don't think my friends are going back there anytime soon though. I think finding some more experienced people to dive with is definitely the way to go.

Hi Robert...I am a new diver and if my opinion counts...I think you did everything right. I would feel comfortable diving with you if that makes you feel any better. I just got my owc the end of june and got my advanced in july. I've done a total of 16 dives with only one negative experience ( heavy surf and current) and I aborted the dive early which I did not feel bad about at all. I was just not experienced enough to do it, that's all. I still would only feel comfortable at this time diving with an experienced person. I would never do a dive just with my dive buddy alone. I need a dive master with me or my friend who has dove 1000 times with me. I am just not experienced enough yet even though I do have my advanced certification. Bravo to you...I think you did everything right and your friends should be grateful to you. What's $115 bucks anyway when your life's at stake? That's rediculous!

Pam

 

[mech]

Robert,
Sounds like you were up to the task.
I also noticed that you treated the couple with respect and didn't take away any of their dignity.
Good for you.

 

[pt40fathoms]

You did good.

Hard situation having to deal with 2 divers in or near panic mode, your actions were correct.

Consider seriously the Rescue Diver course. It will not only help you with other divers, but will make you more aware of your self and surroundings. You've already shown you can keep a cool head when things start to go bad.

 

[michaelp68]

Robert, if you're ever in New England at all, I'd dive with you in a second.

Kudos for handling your crisis.

And I'm glad to read that things are 'good' with your friends.

Michael

 

[ScubaFreak]

Gotta hand it to you Robert, If you handled those two panicked divers the way you say you did I'll teach u your rescue course for free, you earned it. Well done - pat urself on the back

You were right to call the dive and you were right to stop your friend to go back in for the weight belts - that would have been a disaster.

In my opinion theres two types of people...

Theres people who can dive, and there's divers. You definitly seem to be in the latter.

Good job.

SF

 

[Wijbrandus]

Thanks for all the support, everyone. It means a lot.

While this certainly hasn't been anywhere near the level of stories others have told, this experience was pretty high on the list for me. Fortunately, it all turned out well and everyone seems "ok" with it.

I wonder if I'd been able to keep my cool if it had been my wife panicking, instead of my friend's... Everyone reacts differently as the circumstances change.

 

[waterkitty]

IMHO, you did the best you could in that situation. As many have been saying here, no one's life is worth 113 dollars. Diver A hadn't even descended and almost started to panic...it was your good judgment to tell him not to go after those belts. Your friends (well Diver B, for sure) need to look into dive gear that fits well and perhaps some refresher courses in the pool to get comfortable in the water. I think you handled it well.
Good luck in all future dives and don't give up hope.

 

[Bretagne]

About the difficulty to breath problem:
Personnally, I have a tendancy to swallow air when I swim through a snorkel. I know the problem and I always try to swim on the back or very slowly if I have to swim before a dive, otherwise I have a constriction feeling which gives difficulty to breath. I do not swallow with a regulator, because underwater I go a lot more slowly.
This "swallowing air" effect is reduced when I have trained for some times on swimming to snorkel. But nevertheless, it has caused me to call a dive (even pool ones) from time to time.