Most dangerous newbie mistakes

[jcscuba]

Greetings,
I was certified approx. 25 years ago - back when I was bullet-proof. During my last check-out dive I had a block and perfed an eardrum. Between the ear probs and the fact that I didn't have any diving friends or family, I never dove again.
Since my nephew is newly certified, I would love to give it another go if cleared by an ENT.
Now that I'm no longer bullet-proof (48yo), I'm more that a little anxious about the safety of the sport especially since my wife may give it a go also! We are both starting to have some memory problems which is scary! Is seems OOA, uncontrolled ascent/decents are big issues. But I'm also worried about panic. Do people actually rip their reg out and bolt for the surface?
What do you all feel are the most dangerous newbie mistakes, and how can one mitigate the chance of same happening? Does anyone have any info on the panic cycle? All comments welcome...

Thanks,
Ben

It's a bummer not being bullet proof anymore as in if we ever were;-) In my experience a blown ear drum usually get the o.k. it scars over and clears up. A dive Dr. can give you that o.k. I'm not sure what you mean about both starting to have memory problems at 48? Could you clarify? For instance is it in the water? I can't remember if I've had breakfast, but I can remember more than people want to know, your memory could be due to absentmindedness or stress. Uncontrolled ascents are a big issue if it happens to you. The chances are remote if you have an instructor that takes the time to teach buoyancy. Descents, where you probably blew your ear drum the first time, is all a matter of properly learning to clear your ears and not rush. I would strongly recommend having been out of the water again that both you and your wife sign up for a semi private lesson. Explain to the instructor you fears and concerns and you will be diving forever! Jim

 

[Ben_Ayers]

Great idea Jim, especially with my past problems with equalizing. I actually ruptured the ear doing the emergency ascent! It had taken forever to get down, and I was probably rushing because buddy and class were waiting. If I can afford 1:1, that shouldn;t be an issue this go round.
The memory deal (CRS), is mostly misplacing things, forgetting names and words etc. Friend of mine saw a purse on HSN she loved. When it was delivered she absolutely loved it, decided on a place to store it, and found the EXACT same purse already there! LOL If your not there yet, keep having birthdays.

Thanks,
Ben

 

[Zoomer]

I have read through all these posts and am puzzled. Why is it "newbies" that I have dove with are more careful than some of the "experienced" divers? It seems to me the title should be changed to "Most dangerous diver mistakes"

Just a thought!!

 

[RJP]

Most dangerous newbie mistakes...

The most dangerous newbie mistake is assuming that there are certain mistakes that you will magically become immune to at some point merely due to the passage of time or some number of dives.

There are no "newbie" mistakes. There are only "scuba" mistakes, some of which newbies make with greater frequency than non-newbies. On the other hand though, the mistakes the newbies make tend to be relatively inconsequental. When I see experienced divers making mistakes, they tend to be spectacular!

 

[Ben_Ayers]

Good points. I guess since I've read so many threads regarding the "dumbing down", shortening, and generally poor training associated with OW certification, I just want to make sure my wife and I live to be experienced.
RJP- I'd would love to hear some of the "spectacular" mistakes you've seen experienced divers make.

Thanks,
Ben

 

[TSandM]

Unfortunately, we get to read about the spectacular mistakes experienced divers make . . . Like the three guys who died on the Spiegel Grove because they didn't run line on a wreck penetration dive, or the fellow who died on Cape Breton the same way, or the young man who died when he tried to do a 200 foot bounce dive on a single Al80 in Tacoma a couple of years ago. Spectacular mistakes often end up in the Accidents subforum.

 

[giefu]

Failure to turn on air before jumping in.

My husband just did that on a recent boat dive. He turned on his air, checked the pressure on his computer, and turned if off while we headed to the dive site. Long story, short, we were told to exit the boat quickly and meet up on the bottom. I was out of the boat first, and then him. He descended about 30 feet because there was enough air pressure in his first stage. Then he realized he had no air, instead of ascending, he spent time trying to reach his valve. I was down with the dive master and couldn't reach him. He then had no choice but to do an emergency swimming ascent. The boat captain helped him get his air on, but now he was stressed so he blew through his remaining air quickly. He ended up on my spare for the ascent.

We learned a lot from that mistake, but before that if someone told me that failing to turn on your air was actually an issue, I would have thought it was silly.

1) always do your saftey checks, no matter rushed you are.
2) always stick with your buddy.
3) when you find yourself out of air, begin a safe ascent immediately, don't screw around and make it worse.

I was a newbie, and I took the dive master's instructions as ABSOLUTE law, and ignored what my previous training said. We would not let this happen again.

 

[nereas]

Turning on my own air is always the very last thing that I do before I put on my BPW.

Then I do not let anyone else, especially boat DMs, touch my tanks.

I had a DM turn it off once, thinking he was turning it on.

The only reason that I caught his mistake is because the very last thing that I do, before the giant stride entry, is to breath on my reg and watch my SPG to see if it maintains 3000 psi.

It did not, and so I told him to turn on my air. He replied that he just did. I answered that that he had obviously turned it the wrong way.

It happens.

 

[Darnold9999]

This is always the last thing I do before jumping in. ALWAYS. I am the most absent minded person on the planet. I have jumped in without fins, swam 200 yards out from shore to discover my weights were at home, no computer. All of these things are surviveable. No air is the one thing I can't live without so no matter how sure I am that I have turned my air on and that there is air in the tank - four breaths out of the primary while watching the guage - then jump in.

 

[beester]

This is always the last thing I do before jumping in. ALWAYS. I am the most absent minded person on the planet. I have jumped in without fins, swam 200 yards out from shore to discover my weights were at home, no computer. All of these things are surviveable. No air is the one thing I can't live without so no matter how sure I am that I have turned my air on and that there is air in the tank - four breaths out of the primary while watching the guage - then jump in.

I have to say it's not always so black and white... I've also had it happen that I jump into the water... take a deep breath...and no air...

Reason why... I always religiously will check my pressure and take some breaths from my regulator. EXCEPT.. during winter times... where breathing out of the water from your regulator will increase the risk of freezing and freeflow.

During Winter I will normaly setup my gear... open the valves and check manometer but won't breath from my regulator until I'm in the water (my 1st stage under water). In these situations you could forget...