Rob Bibber
Contributor
Talking to my dad the other day about diving. He dove a lot in the 60's and 70's. He told me a story about one time he and a friend were looking for a wreck at 115 ft. Both were very experienced not just as divers but with the ocean in general since they were both Maine lobstermen who made their lives from the sea. They reached bottom together and started searching the area for signs of the wreck. Without warning, dad's buddy started kicking for the surface. My dad saw that he was ascending much faster than his bubbles so he swam up hard and caught his friend by the ankle. Dad got right up in his friend's face and shook his head NO making it clear that he would not let him go up that fast. Together they calmly ascended.
Back on the boat, when dad's friend took his mask off he had blood coming from nose and ears.
I'm guessing this was a case of gas narcosis maybe? and maybe the friend had problems equalizing pressure?
Apparently he suffered no serious effects after, but if dad had let him go up at that rate he probably wouldn't have survived.
They never did find that wreck.
Back on the boat, when dad's friend took his mask off he had blood coming from nose and ears.
I'm guessing this was a case of gas narcosis maybe? and maybe the friend had problems equalizing pressure?
Apparently he suffered no serious effects after, but if dad had let him go up at that rate he probably wouldn't have survived.
They never did find that wreck.
