My near-miss in the Galapagos

[Bubbletrubble]

Which brings up a point that is kind of off-topic, but it occurred to me at some point so I thought I'd mention it...My own gear has integrated weight pouches, whereas the rental gear involved one of those old-fashioned weight belts with lead blocks. It occurred to me that if I was wearing my own gear, my concern about ditching my weights would have been less, because I use those soft weights (made out of, I think, little lead beads in a packet?) and they are in two separate pouches, which I imagine would be less dangerous, and easier to dodge (or at least survive getting bonked in the head by) than one of those long weight belts with hard lead blocks that might crash into someone's head and even get wrapped around their neck. So if I'd had my own gear, I probably would have immediately ditched my weights.

But that's all academic, since I didn't have my gear. Anyway, just food for thought.

LeeAnne,

It's downright considerate of you to think of those beneath you in an emergency situation. Next time, however, if you're in a similar situation, let 'er rip. Ditch that weight without hesitation! I practice the golden rule when it comes to diving. If I were doing a safety stop and someone above me was in a life-or-death emergency situation at the surface, I would welcome whatever weight belt they wanted to throw down at me. At least they'd be alive...and I might have a bruise or two, but I'd be OK with that. I suspect you'd feel the same way if you were that person underneath the struggling diver at the surface.

Just thinking out loud here (again), but you were negatively buoyant at the surface with an empty AL80, a 5mm wetsuit, and wearing a BCD that likely had a couple of pounds of inherent positive buoyancy. Yup, that's over-weighted. I'm baffled as to how doing a weight check (without your BCD+tank, like the DM had you do) could ever result in over-weighting anyone. If anything, it will under-weight you, right? Probably caused by them giving you the wrong weight belt like you said.

Quick story about near misses. One of the larger dive charter operators (also an instructor) in Palm Beach County many years ago (still in business) quickly assembled his gear (doubles) on his boat one afternoon and rolled off the side on a solo dive. When nearing the bottom (75') he realized to his horror that he had forgotten to affix his wing (bouyancy) to his rig and was now virtually anchored to the bottom.

Now that's what I call a dirt dart!

Enjoy the wine, everyone. :happyjazz:

 

[Scott L]

"Now that's what I call a dirt dart!"


I have it filed under Wile E Coyote - Canyon Floor/Cloud of Dust in my twisted mind...

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I have it filed under Wile E Coyote - Canyon Floor/Cloud of Dust in my twisted mind...

Yeah. Can you imagine the letters "A-C-M-E" plastered on the tanks?

 

[Leejnd]

Lee, any time you post something here, it's going to get discussed to death -- that's what bulletin boards are FOR

Oh, I know...I did expect some lively conversation, and at least some degree of dart-throwing. I guess I just got a little weary of so MANY reminders of my mistakes and suggestions that I hadn't learned my lessons, even though I (repeatedly) stated that I had. But no worries - it's all to be expected. Just like my getting my feathers a bit ruffled over it is to be expected. I'm a normal person with a normal ego, so enough dart-throwing and I start to feel a little prickly myself, ya know?

Your ego will heal, but you may well have kept some much more novice diver from ending up on a rough surface with a nonfunctional BC some day.

I'd certainly like to think so! At the very least, I might warn away some divers from a dive op that is currently operating unsafely.

 

[Leejnd]

LeeAnne,

It's downright considerate of you to think of those beneath you in an emergency situation. Next time, however, if you're in a similar situation, let 'er rip. Ditch that weight without hesitation!

That's what my husband keeps telling me!

The fact that I hesitated and thought about the divers below me at all is kind of an interesting study on the impact of these forums, and how we gather info and learn. I had JUST read several posts about this, in which people theorized that another diver in trouble hadn't ditched weights due to concerns about the divers below him. I had never even had that thought before. So suddenly I find myself in a situation in which I am considering ditching my weights, and that was the first thing that crossed my mind! Interesting, huh?

 

[Abaco24]

I wouldn't have made it to #3, since you can afford to dive around the world, screw the $170 and head to the cabana next time.

Actually I would have stopped after the 1st dive.

 

[drdaddy]

Thanks for not being critical. But I just gotta ask you...if you were going to be on a trip that included the Galapagos Islands - arguably one of the top dive destinations on the planet - and you knew you had two free days in which you COULD get in a few dives -- wouldn't you? Can you imagine the flak I'd take from all my dive friends if I went to the freaking Galapagos Islands and didn't dive?

Also, please remember that this was a packaged, guided group tour. Up until the last two days, we were led by the noses everywhere we went. All activities planned, all meals and travel and accommodations and tours included. That is NOT the way I normally travel - I tend to be a very independent traveler, and generally like to make all my own arrangements and be in control of my own destiny. This is the first one of these packaged tours I've ever gone on. But we were invited to participate with some friends of ours, and it was going to places we wanted to see, so we went along. Frankly I was glad to get away from all the scheduled activities on those last two days and do something on our OWN.

Hindsight being 20/20 and all that, yeah maybe we should have brought our gear, or not even tried to squeeze in the diving...and of course checked the gear better, and bailed on the second day, etc etc etc. But I'm sorry, I just don't know a single person who is as passionate about diving as I am who could find themselves in the Galapagos and not try to squeeze in some diving, somehow.

I appreciate everyone's efforts to find the flaw in my behavior that led to this. But I think that questioning whether I should even have tried to go diving to begin with is going a little overboard. I have many talents, but prognostication is not among them.



That's the thing - diving wasn't the focus of this trip. It was tacked on at the end. Further, with all the travel, transfers, and destination-hopping - we stayed at no fewer than six different hotels, as well as a small-ship for 4 days - I'm not so sure it would have been a good idea to try to bring our gear anyway. So is the lesson that, if diving isn't the focus of your trip, don't go diving? That's rather limiting. Or perhaps the lesson is just to NEVER EVER EVER rent equipment. Now that one I'll buy!

I'm just thinking, "What if I just happened to end up at some incredible dive place?" I would rent gear. And I would use my credit card. But, I hope that if a wreck came along (with junk for dive gear) to take me out, I would have the wisdom to "just say no". I would then dispute the charges on the credit card. However, regardless of the financial outcome, you have helped me and others to think this through - and we'd be more likely to walk away from the situation.

I do wonder, now (since we all want to go), how does one find a great (and safe) dive operator in the Galapagos?

 

[Abaco24]

Darwin and his theory would be the best dive outfit and hope you don't end up in the annual "Darwin Awards"

 

[Scott L]

I'm just thinking, "What if I just happened to end up at some incredible dive place?" I would rent gear. And I would use my credit card. But, I hope that if a wreck came along (with junk for dive gear) to take me out, I would have the wisdom to "just say no". I would then dispute the charges on the credit card. However, regardless of the financial outcome, you have helped me and others to think this through - and we'd be more likely to walk away from the situation.

I do wonder, now (since we all want to go), how does one find a great (and safe) dive operator in the Galapagos?

For starters I would post thread inquiries right here on SB in the appropriate forums paying close attention to divers and not those with conflicts of interest. How bout Googling and making several phone calls as well. As discuused earlier live-aboards appear to be the way to go down there....

 

[D_B]

LeeAnne .... you certainly have a good attitude about flak given you here , you can readily tell that you have learned much from this, I have, and so can many others that come along later and read this thread

All your research into the dives, the area, the operators, all that work that you did would have seemed to be enough to know in advance what to expect .. the fact that it was not is .. not your fault, and not very encouraging ether