Skin diving around divers on a safety stop

[D_B]

Without wanting to take this out of context, but it deserves a comment due to the number of inexperienced readers on SB.
This will leave some readers with the impression that you can't get a barotrauma from 15', whereas there are documented cases of barotraumas in as little as 6'.
Quite a few in swimming pools and some where a diver had a barotrauma just because a wave passed overhead!

Yep I had to read that part twice to catch the surface supplied air part .. and that is not what was going on here, an inexperienced diver, swam down and breathed compressed air
I would think that .. holding breath to dive down, not having a reg in your mouth and being new ... might pose even more risk of holding your breath on the way back up
... I think I would have mention that to the diver

 

[waynel]

String. First of all, I wouldn't hesitate to give up my octo if another diver signaled me. I won't wait until resuce diver to think about offering it. I'll do it now.

Ever take lifeguard lessons. If so, what were you told to do when you swim up to someone drowning and they grab you and pull you under? Guess basic OW is different the world over. We were taught not to let anyone grab at you. What if the octo doesn't work, what's the next thing that person does? You have to stay in control of your own SCUBA. Push away, assess, then offer. When it comes to safety, your safety should always come first. If not, congratulations, you'll be remembered.

 

[psychocabbage]

You know it boils down to this, is there any evidence that anyone anywhere has ever had a hit from this kind of activity? NO! So dive in and have some freakin fun! As long as you exhale on the way up and you haven't done a deco dive what is the big deal? Really does anyone just ever have fun? It is a safety stop, not a required deco stop! Again show me some stats showing this to be dangerous! Lets all go diving and have some fun!

If you don't want to be a part of this kind of play wave the person off and they will return to the surface non the worse for wear If your working on a rig and someone does this to you report them to the safety officer! :11:

I agree with this over all.. I have not been on this board but a couple of days but already see a trend where there are too many uptight people on here.

You people are the reason others dont want to do this.

During your training you are taught that scuba has risks. Real risks. Fine. Once you understand them, go have fun within the boundaries of risk you have set up for yourself.

As for the OP.. I dont think that it matters much either way. If it were a friend of mine fine. If it were someone I didnt know at all and had not spoken with, he wouldnt of made it to my air..


I was taught that my knife was to be used if someone tried to grab my air. Great use of said tool.

 

[caseybird]

I was taught that my knife was to be used if someone tried to grab my air. Great use of said tool.

By whom?

 

[fdog]

I agree with this over all.. I have not been on this board but a couple of days but already see a trend where there are too many uptight people on here.

You people are the reason others dont want to do this.

During your training you are taught that scuba has risks. Real risks. Fine. Once you understand them, go have fun within the boundaries of risk you have set up for yourself.

As for the OP.. I dont think that it matters much either way. If it were a friend of mine fine. If it were someone I didnt know at all and had not spoken with, he wouldnt of made it to my air..


I was taught that my knife was to be used if someone tried to grab my air. Great use of said tool.

I'm sorry that you feel that there's too many uptight people here.

I believe that you will find that the majority of experienced divers here are not trying to squelch anyone having a good time, and instead, are trying to be helpful by passing along experience and information.

As you said:

<snip> ...you are taught that scuba has risks. Real risks. Fine. Once you understand them, go have fun within the boundaries of risk you have set up for yourself.<snip>

In this thread you have some folks trying to help, by explaining a risk that is "hidden" and not taught by a basic scuba class. Regardless of Papa Bear's enticing laissez-faire posture, as he so eloquently makes clear, he isn't aware of the real cases of divers who were bent by this practice. And that isn't even touching on the real risks of a "blow and go" from lobar compartmentalization.

Welcome to the board - you will find a wealth of knowledge here from folks that are truly trying to make better, safer divers.


All the best, James

 

[gypsyjim]

I was taught that my knife was to be used if someone tried to grab my air. Great use of said tool.

Can you say "extreme" reaction? Refuse, certainly, violence? Uncalled for unless much further provocation followed!

 

[Gombessa]

I was taught in OW (PADI) that if I see an OOA diver heading towards me, I should ensure my own air supply prior to handing off the octo (e.g., on a regular setup, just give up the octo, on an air2 setup, *hold back* the primary reg until I get the air2 in my mouth, and then donate).

With my current setup, I encourage my buddies to grab my primary at any instance when they might need it, IF they are not in a position to signal OOA to me first. I've always thought it made better sense this way; my backup is always in the same place and always instantly accessible without hunting around. Why not let diver who NEEDS the air have it without complicating the situation with knives and holdbacks?

 

[Hank49]

If I didn't know the diver, I wouldn't give him/her air.....well it depends on the "her"...heh heh..from 15 feet they're only 3 seconds from the surface anyway. It isn't like they really need the air and they could hurt themselves after taking a big breath and shooting to the surface. You'd hope they wouldn't be that wreckless but you never know.

 

[psychocabbage]

Why not let diver who NEEDS the air have it without complicating the situation with knives and holdbacks?

Because you are assuming this OOA diver is rational.
From my classes I have learned this:
If you run out of air, you are not a very expereinced diver. You have messed up. Sure there are other situations that may arise.. Equipment failure being the primary.. but.. aside from that, I do not see how any "real" diver should expereinece an OOA scenario.

I am an air hog. I suck air in like it is going out of style and that is at my most relaxed. I just move a lot more air. (Personally I blame it on being a BMX bicycle racer and in that sport we have to breathe a lot!)
I watch my air probably more than anyone else on the trip. When I hit 1k I am winding my dive down.. by the time I hit 800 I am already slowly moving up.. I will always finish with about 300-500. This is regardless of shore diving or going off a boat or river diving.. I watch my air because its the only way I can ensure I am going to be around to raise my kids and keep them diving.

Now, to assume that someone out there, that is ignorant enough to run out of air, is going to remain calm while they come for my air.. No way.

During my AOW training we are taught how to signal without any devices (palm to fist hard makes quite a sound under water) and then to wait for other divers in the area to come to you for assistance. If you come at me, I am not giving you my air.. I will go to you.. If you are not rational and under full control of your possible panic mode, Ill let you float first. I have no issues saying that in any given situation I>U.


There are some very real dangers but the #1 rule I was taught is that each and every dive I do is MY DIVE. Not some DM, my buddies,or anyone elses but mine.. My buddy (my wife) knows I use about a 1/3 more air than she does. She could have more bottom time without me but has graciously accepted that when I am done, we are done. Thats part of that responsiblity concept. You need to watch out for you.

 

[Daz]

Because you are assuming this OOA diver is rational.
From my classes I have learned this:
If you run out of air, you are not a very expereinced diver. You have messed up. Sure there are other situations that may arise.. Equipment failure being the primary.. but.. aside from that, I do not see how any "real" diver should expereinece an OOA scenario.

I am an air hog. I suck air in like it is going out of style and that is at my most relaxed. I just move a lot more air. (Personally I blame it on being a BMX bicycle racer and in that sport we have to breathe a lot!)
I watch my air probably more than anyone else on the trip. When I hit 1k I am winding my dive down.. by the time I hit 800 I am already slowly moving up.. I will always finish with about 300-500. This is regardless of shore diving or going off a boat or river diving.. I watch my air because its the only way I can ensure I am going to be around to raise my kids and keep them diving.

Now, to assume that someone out there, that is ignorant enough to run out of air, is going to remain calm while they come for my air.. No way.

During my AOW training we are taught how to signal without any devices (palm to fist hard makes quite a sound under water) and then to wait for other divers in the area to come to you for assistance. If you come at me, I am not giving you my air.. I will go to you.. If you are not rational and under full control of your possible panic mode, Ill let you float first. I have no issues saying that in any given situation I>U.


There are some very real dangers but the #1 rule I was taught is that each and every dive I do is MY DIVE. Not some DM, my buddies,or anyone elses but mine.. My buddy (my wife) knows I use about a 1/3 more air than she does. She could have more bottom time without me but has graciously accepted that when I am done, we are done. Thats part of that responsiblity concept. You need to watch out for you.

You should learn to use more exclamations points in your posts.