Almost died today--Any captains out there???

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Dear Blueanchor:

Wow. As with anything in life...forget (or run from) anyone that makes you lose your self confidence. You're the only one that matters when it counts...out there or in the boardroom. They won't be with you when there's trouble. There's only you. My son said to me recently, I would rather tell the story that my mom was eaten by a great white than died not knowing who she was from the indignity of alzheimers. Kids put everything into perspective don't they? Don't let anyone stop you. Ever.
 


A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Advice was asked for but that does not mean the OP should be smacked around or called names. This is Basic Scuba and newer divers will want to know how to react should they find themselves in a similar situation....

I quoted the first post again where the OP provided more details of the dive.


Sorry, I should have Reported this last night to be moved to Newbies forum for kinder handling.
Dear Blueanchor:

Wow. As with anything in life...forget (or run from) anyone that makes you lose your self confidence. You're the only one that matters when it counts...out there or in the boardroom. They won't be with you when there's trouble. There's only you.
Is that another vote for confidence training.
My son said to me recently, I would rather tell the story that my mom was eaten by a great white than died not knowing who she was from the indignity of alzheimers. Kids put everything into perspective don't they? Don't let anyone stop you. Ever.
:thumb:

Hoomi! Hire DMs for these shore dives, or get on a newbie boat - please!

A Jon line can come in handy when on the surface with buddy, too.
yhst-14842708781123_2054_20878078
 
Hey, I have been a long time reader of the forum but this is my first post. Blue anchor was my dive buddy yesterday, and is also my girlfriend who I am trying to get into diving. We went out on a charter yesterday, I usually run my own boat, so that she would feel more comfortable and it would be an all around easier experience.
What happened was on dive # 2 she was pointing to her ears and signalling me to go up as soon as we were down on the bottom, so we went up next to the float and the boat was pretty far off. I immediatly got the saftey sausage out and started waving figuring eventually he would see us but he didn't and we road out a nasty lightening storm on the surface. It was whiteout conditions, and on one attempt during a clearing in the weather we got on our backs with saftery sausages in the air and triend to swim towards the boat, but it took off in the opposite direction shortly after our attempt, and we also lost sight of the float. Eventually, the other divers came up and also did not see the boat, and had to ride out some of the storm at 15 feet for an additional 15-20 minutes before they were picked up. We were up on the surface, (The GF got rid of her weight belt and couldnt get down) for the entire storm, at least 45 minutes, mostly out of sight of the boat with crazy lightning overhead.
I guess the captain was trying to avoid the storm also, and went away for a bit and planned on returning after the storm passed to pick us up. I got a couple problems with that. 1) of course what if divers had to come to the surface, especially for a medical emergency. and 2) I was spearfishing with another one of my buddies down there, and during a dive I expect the people on the boat to be overhead waiting for my bags which are pretty expensive and usually have good fish on them.
The whole experience was a pretty good scare. It got pretty rough with almost no surface vis at times and lightning was right overhead. I know afternoon storms come up really fast but when I go out with my buddies this type of thing never happens, and we always keep an eye out on the radar to see what is coming. We would never leave out divers down there. When I go out on a charter I leave that responibility to the captain which I guess I shouldnt. I understand his pressure though to get us down a second time on a 2 tank dive trip but you really got to put saftey first. Crew was great, and if they are reading Im sorry hell is getting raised, and I love your store and operation besides this occasion.
 
Hey, I have been a long time reader of the forum but this is my first post. Blue anchor was my dive buddy yesterday, and is also my girlfriend who I am trying to get into diving. We went out on a charter yesterday, I usually run my own boat, so that she would feel more comfortable and it would be an all around easier experience.
What happened was on dive # 2 she was pointing to her ears and signalling me to go up as soon as we were down on the bottom, so we went up next to the float and the boat was pretty far off. I immediatly got the saftey sausage out and started waving figuring eventually he would see us but he didn't and we road out a nasty lightening storm on the surface. It was whiteout conditions, and on one attempt during a clearing in the weather we got on our backs with saftery sausages in the air and triend to swim towards the boat, but it took off in the opposite direction shortly after our attempt, and we also lost sight of the float. Eventually, the other divers came up and also did not see the boat, and had to ride out some of the storm at 15 feet for an additional 15-20 minutes before they were picked up. We were up on the surface, (The GF got rid of her weight belt and couldnt get down) for the entire storm, at least 45 minutes, mostly out of sight of the boat with crazy lightning overhead.
I guess the captain was trying to avoid the storm also, and went away for a bit and planned on returning after the storm passed to pick us up. I got a couple problems with that. 1) of course what if divers had to come to the surface, especially for a medical emergency. and 2) I was spearfishing with another one of my buddies down there, and during a dive I expect the people on the boat to be overhead waiting for my bags which are pretty expensive and usually have good fish on them.
The whole experience was a pretty good scare. It got pretty rough with almost no surface vis at times and lightning was right overhead. I know afternoon storms come up really fast but when I go out with my buddies this type of thing never happens, and we always keep an eye out on the radar to see what is coming. We would never leave out divers down there. When I go out on a charter I leave that responibility to the captain which I guess I shouldnt. I understand his pressure though to get us down a second time on a 2 tank dive trip but you really got to put saftey first. Crew was great, and if they are reading Im sorry hell is getting raised, and I love your store and operation besides this occasion.

Interesting, I'd like to hear the captains take as well but it sounds like a pretty bad day. Hopefully this one bad incident won't deter your girlfriend from getting back in the water. I hope she realizes this is a pretty isolated incident.
 
Blueanchor, what you got from the dive was experience. Experience is taking the test before learning the lesson.
You managed to pass the test now learn the lession.
 
Not sure I like the idea of being tethered to another diver in heavy seas.
I guess it depends on how much you want to stay together drifting on the surface? A 10" line dives lots of room.

Thanks Waterwarrior. A few suggestions if I may...
Don't take your GF on Big Dog boats until she's more comfortable. If you don't have newbie boats there, go to Key Largo.

Leave your Speargun in the trunk and dive with your buddy.

Suggest she post in New Divers forum.​
I do hope she learns to love scuba at a gentler rate.
 
Hey, I have been a long time reader of the forum but this is my first post. Blue anchor was my dive buddy yesterday, and is also my girlfriend who I am trying to get into diving. We went out on a charter yesterday, I usually run my own boat, so that she would feel more comfortable and it would be an all around easier experience.
<snip>
When I go out on a charter I leave that responibility to the captain which I guess I shouldnt. I understand his pressure though to get us down a second time on a 2 tank dive trip but you really got to put saftey first. Crew was great, and if they are reading Im sorry hell is getting raised, and I love your store and operation besides this occasion.

Thanks for posting this and welcome to ScubaBoard, the both of you.

Locations make a huge difference in situations like yours. Out here in SoCal, most of our boat diving is well within sight of a shoreline and we very rarely get any fast approaching thunder storms but we do have currents that can come on pretty fast.

I think you guys have both learned something and a few have also learned from your experience. Thanks for that.

I hope this experience does not put you or your girlfriend off diving and who knows, maybe you will dive with a few of the members who have posted here as well.

Dive safe, have fun and please, both of you please continue to post on ScubaBoard, we are all better off for it.
 
I guess it depends on how much you want to stay together drifting on the surface? A 10" line dives lots of room.

Also gives an entanglement risk and I don't love the idea of getting slammed in the head w/ someone elses tank I can't get out of the way of when a big wave hits.
 
Not sure I like the idea of being tethered to another diver in heavy seas.

Why not? You can always unclip if they do something really stupid.
 
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