OW Penetration

[bubba105]

Since the Wreck Penetration thread took a round about direction & this, I feel, shouldn't be buried there, I started a new thread.

I was diving in La Paz, Mexico in 2003 with a group of friends. At the time I probably had 125 dives under my belt. It was a 50-60 foot dive and in the briefing there was no mention of a swim-thru. In the rock formation there was a hole, big enough for 2 or 3 divers to go into. The DM started in and thinking that the DM knew what he was doing, we followed, single file. As it turned out the swim through narrowed so it was single file, by necessity, all the way. The swim-thru went up about 10-15 feet and then down, both sides being probably 50 feet. I was 2nd behind the DM with my wife (better known as "The Bride") behind me & 3 other divers behind her. As we got toward the top of the swim-thru the surge came in the exit side causing us to get bounced around pretty good. The girl in front of me decided this was not for her & starts to turn around to go back. It's completely dark except for my 4 AA battery light. We're getting jammed up a little so I grabbed her bottle, turned her around & yelled through my reg that there was no room & she had to go forward. She wasn't in full out panic but it was getting there. After she realized that I was a lot stronger than her & she wasn't going back, we got turned in the right direction. I used my hand on the ceiling to try to hold her in the middle of the opening against the surge, while trying to keep my light, in the same hand, in front of her, to keep her as calm as possible, while holding her bottle with the other, directing her forward. The bride realized what was going on & shined her AA light in front of us. When we got out of the hole, she calmed down, we did an air check & ended the dive without further incident.

How absurdly stupid of me to trust that DM with my life. Never again. It's my life & I will decide when & where I go. In cases like this and only in cases like this, the bride does what I say:11: .

I always had the bride in front of me so I could keep an eye on her. I'm a Lt. with FDNY, at that time 21 years & I've been around the block a bunch of times. Zero visibility is where I make my living. Making instant decisions is something I do on a daily basis. Until the bride's light came over my shoulder I was in anguish, not knowing how she was doing but I knew we needed to go forward, to get this girl out of the hole so the others could follow.

We've done a bunch of diving since then but there is no penetration involved. I'm in it for the pretty fishes. Even in Cozumel, we go around the coral head & meet the group on the other side of the swim-thru. Been to some wrecks & when others start to penetrate, I look to the bride. She looks at me, crosses her eyes, shakes her head "NO" & we move on.

Safe diving
Richie

 

[Walter]

Good post dive assessment of the situation. I agree those type of penetrations are not swim throughs and you are right to avoid them.

 

[Steve50]

There's a DM that needs plenty of insurance!

 

[Teamcasa]

I agree, good assessment. For me, a swim through is a overhead where I can clearly see an exit and where I know it is large enough for me and my lovely bride can swim side by side the entire way. Even then, if we have decided to enter, we wait unitl all other divers are out of the way before entering.

In addition, there has to be some compelling reason to swim through otherwise why run the risk.

 

[DiverBizz]

Just a question for bubba105, even though the DM never mentions a swim thru in the briefing do you know if he had any divers with him that he had guided before? Just wondering if the poor judgment of the DM was because he assumed the divers knew the plan. Was there any mention in the brochures? You are lucky there was not a major incident.

 

[Garrobo]

If I can't see the other side I don't go in or through unless the DM has explained exactly what's up before jumping in.

 

[jon m]

no kinda DM there...
in Playa our DM stopped at the entrance to a swim through (one where you could clearly see the exit, about 30') and asked every diver (hand signals-pointing to the opening and signalling o-k?) if everyone was good to go.
i would not go anywhere (without training) that i could not clearly see the way out. but i'm just a newb...

 

[fisherdvm]

I can't recall the name of a long swim through in Cozumel. I felt the same way with other divers and their dangling regs and spgs that they might get caught and panic. It was one where you entered deep and exited shallower. I see divers stacked up in the tube and waited till the last one entered, and every one cleared before entering. The last thing I wanted was to be stuck after a panicking diver.... Fortunately, all of us were experienced and went through without problems. A few smart ones waited outside and passed on the swim through.

 

[DeputyDan]

I agree with most of the above posters - no swim through that I can't see the exit before starting or I am with a group that has done the dive and I can trust what they say about it.

 

[bubba105]

Just a question for bubba105, even though the DM never mentions a swim thru in the briefing do you know if he had any divers with him that he had guided before? Just wondering if the poor judgment of the DM was because he assumed the divers knew the plan. Was there any mention in the brochures? You are lucky there was not a major incident.

The whole group were friends on the trip together. Never saw a brochure. Had the DM said topside that we would be going into a tunnel, with surge, he'd have gone without me. Pretty fishes, nothing daring. Been there, done that. Still doing it as a matter of fact.

I don't like the swim-thrus in Cozumel because everyone seems to be apprehensive at the entrance. They go right behind the person in front of them. If anything catastrophic happened in there, like a big time freeflow, there is nowhere to go. If you go, wait a while between divers to give people room to move in case of a bad situation. Plus, what is there really to see? Sand & coral with tank marks. I've seen turtles & eagle rays many times while the others tested their luck.