No SMB, no good

[sibermike7]

** This is not as exciting as some recent posts, but I told myself during the dive, "Mike, ol boy, you're going to have to post a thread and tell everybody what an idiot you are!"



All I could think about was, "will this be a 'stupid thing I did,' or 'he died because ...' thread. "


I have had about 40 dives here in Estonia, mostly wrecks. The majority of the times we are tethered to a buoy that is attached to the wreck. A lot of times we dive in the Baltic Sea just outside the harbor in Tallinn, and this was one of those times. Current here is never great, but is noticeable.

Standard procedure: splash, follow line to wreck, dive wreck, follow line up, do safety stop, return to boat and leave. My buddy, Mait, had purchased a SMB about 3 months ago so he shoots it just about every dive to practice.

We decided to dive the wreck Bungsberg. She sits in about 130' of water but the deck runs from 85-100'. I have been on this particular wreck 3 times, this was going to be my fourth. Mait and I had decided to try to get a look at the prop (the deepest point on the wreck). We had agreed to go there immediately upon decent. The buoy line is attached to the stern but a bit forward on the port side.

We had had compressor (gas mixing) problems so we were going with air. I had a brand new HP 12 liter (liquid volume) steel tank that I had only roughly adjusted for the weighting difference.

Additionally, my regs were in the shop for repairs, so I had to get a rental set from the LDS.

As we were gearing up the DM for the trip added a diver to our team making a three-some. I led the decent (I was a little overweight, but not grossly so I decided to just live with it. I just felt "heavy"). I hadn't gotten far when I noticed that the third guy, Mart, had stopped descending. As it turned out Mait was having trouble with his descent. He had told me before we splashed that he was going to try and drop a kilo or 2 of lead to accommodate his new drysuit under garments. Since he was not coming down immediately, I just hung out around 20' figuring he would be getting some more lead to "tune in" the weight he needed. [I found out later that he wasn't having a problem with his lead, his exhaust valve wasn't allowing him to vent his suit.] He finally got his suit vented and when I saw him begin descending, continued mine.

As I was slowing my decent I noticed that I was using more air than I should have to slow down but I was able to get enough control to keep from bumping the wreck. Mart came down and then Mait. They immediately started out over the wreck! Vis is about 2-3 meters (6-9 feet) tops. It's dark. (Weather topside wasn't great, rainy, overcast, and some fog was coming in.)

I was thinking, "Come on guys! We are supposed to stick to our plan and drop to the prop!" Because there were 3 of us and spread a little bit, I couldn't even see Mait, just a vague outline. I didn't realize that he was still having valve problems. I thought that he was "checking out the wreck" We were at the 100' mark. Finally they came to me and Mart signaled me to follow him. I thought, "Great! Let's get on with the program!" I was the middle man.

We finned about 15 seconds (vis had dropped even further due to other divers kicking up silt) when I turned to check on Mait. Looked left. No Mait. Right. No Mait. Up. No Mait. Forward. NOBODY! I can see absolutely nothing. I had tried to follow a compass bearing but my compass was going wacky (probably due to the steel ship?). I had no clue where I was.

I decided to return to the more familiar parts of the ship and as I was returning I begin to "notice" that I need an effort to draw air from the reg. it wasn't severe, but it was noticeable. I swam around the wreck area the I reached but vis was so bad that I couldn't even identify any familiar features. I still couldn't find Mait and I was thinking, "Great. I'll return to the boat w/o any buddies and if something happens to them, I'll be the one at fault ..." I wasn't panicked, but I was a little worried about my buddies. Admittedly, I was giving the reg a workout trying to get more air and then I started feeling a little groggy/drunk (narc). That was when I decided to calm down and just call the dive.

I looked at my dive time and realized that it was almost time to start my ascent anyway though I could have stayed and still be in the NDL. But, just great, I couldn't find the buoy line either!

So I started up without any visual references and it hit me, "There is rain and fog topside. You have no idea how far the current is taking you away from the boat, nor do you know how far you can be seen w/o a SMB in the current conditions, idiot!"

So now I had to make some decisions. What is more important, full safety stops, or not getting lost at sea!? What a lousy situation to be in to have to think like that!

Here is what I opted to do. Cut my 15 meter (45') deep stop to 2 minutes, cut my 3m/15' to 2 minutes, and "pop up for a visual, get bearings, then submerge to 15' and start swimming to the boat (if I can even see it). If I couldn't see it, I figured I would just submerge and finish my 15' safety stop. (Don't need DCS on top of being lost.) [I wasn't too worried about DCS since I hadn't exceeded my NDLs, just wanted the extra margin of safety.]

When I popped up, I was able to see the boat, so I dropped to 15' and returned to the boat. (I stayed at 15' for 5 minutes.)

Eventually found out that Mait had surfaced right away after Mart had told me to follow him. He fixed his valve and then dropped down where he met Mart and they finished the dive wondering where I had gotten off to!

Lessons learned:
1. Carry a SMB that you have practiced using.
2. Don't dive that deep with rental gear!
3. Get your gear "tuned in" before going in OW.
4. Don't three-some in low or no vis.
5. Stick to the dive plan or find out why your buddy isn't. Don't assume he forgot the plan, he might be having problems.

 

[Deefstes]

Interesting story, thanks for that and I'm glad all turned out OK. I don't want to comment on any of the procedures followed or decisions made as I'm the last one qualified to do so. I'm curious though and would like to learn. Would it be common procedure for the remainder of the threesome to finish the dive when one diver is missing (from their perspective)? I would imagine that as a buddy pair, neither would continue the dive if the other one is missing but in the case of a threesome like this I wouldn't know.

 

[dive_gorilla]

What a story. Deefstes, I think you're right. Missing diver or separation procedures should be reviewed and adhered to on any dive. They may vary from recreational to technical diving, but they need to be followed. But there is one more thing. If you're having equipment problems, call the dive. No sense risking an accident.

Sibermike, I think you should remind your buddies of this. But it's a really interesting story. Thank you for sharing it with us. I'm glad nobody was hurt or lost.

 

[D_B]

Stuff here for everyone to learn from
... Do you have, and take with you, a SMB now?

I found a way to attach mine to my BC with 2 loops of bungee that keeps it in a fairly streamlined fashion so that I'll always have it with me

 

[sibermike7]

The problem was compounded by the loss of visibility. I had gotten to 103' on the boat and on air, you do not have a large margin of safety. I totally agree with "call the dive" if there is a significant equipment problem. Mait should have called the dive. I didn't have an SMB on this dive because I was waiting for my new one to arrive (ordered 2 weeks or so ago) and I figured, "No biggie, Mait has his." Dumb move. I will not go on another dive here without it.

As far as losing your buddy procedures, we all followed most of them. Our instructions are go to the buoy/anchor line and wait if possible, if not return to the surface. Mart returned to the anchor line when he realized we had become separated where he met Mait, who had just returned from the surface. Since Mait had just come back from the surface, they figured that I was still on the wreck. They knew that I had wanted to get a photo of the prop and so they went there to see if we would re-connect. I for my part had not been able to locate the anchor line and so began to work my way to the surface.

Oh, I might add. We have a LOT of tech divers and solo divers who come on these dives, so you get "used to" seeing solo divers out on the wrecks. This may have added to a lack of concern with some of the divers about being separated.

It is hard to describe the cold fear that grips your gut when you lose visibility, your regulator is struggling and you're narc'd! :shocked2:

We are going to do some shallow water time to work the bugs out of our weight issues before the next series of dives coming up in about 10 days. I wasn't grossly overweight just enough to surprise me with how much air I had to add to my BC to slow descent. I was diving with my BARE 7mm neoprene drysuit plus undergarments and carrying 11kgs of lead (24lbs.)

 

[sibermike7]

I don't want to comment on any of the procedures followed or decisions made as I'm the last one qualified to do so.

Go for it!

 

[sibermike7]

What a story. Deefstes, I think you're right. Missing diver or separation procedures should be reviewed and adhered to on any dive. They may vary from recreational to technical diving, but they need to be followed. But there is one more thing. If you're having equipment problems, call the dive. No sense risking an accident.

Sibermike, I think you should remind your buddies of this. But it's a really interesting story. Thank you for sharing it with us. I'm glad nobody was hurt or lost.

Thanks. I agree. We all need reminders from time to time. I have been diving 26 years and had let myself get lax. Bad move! I knew and know better. That is why I decided to take my penance and post this thread so all the world would know what an idiot I was!

 

[Deefstes]

Go for it!

LOL, I'm serious, I'm really not in the position to comment. I have only been diving for almost 2 years now and I only have like 45 dives under my belt.

The reason I asked about the buddy procedure was that I figured, if your buddy gets lost you thumb the dive, not just for your own safety but also for your buddy's safety. Or let me put it this way, if I was part of a diving threesome and one of the other two divers got seperated from us, I would not be able to complete the dive not knowing where the other diver is and whether he is OK. I'd be worry sick.

So if Mait had been to the surface and didn't see you there, then go to the prop which was the second place he expected to find you, and not find you there, I would think that he would kick into search and rescue mode rather than just continuing the dive, trusting that you'll be alright.

But look, I'm not pointing fingers or trying to find fault in your and your diving partners' procedures. I honestly just want to learn from how experienced divers think about these things.

 

[TSandM]

This is a good example of the incident pit -- Luckily, it didn't end in anyone getting hurt, so we have the luxury of looking at the sequence of events to see what we can learn from them (and thank you, Mike, for putting this up for us to do that).

The problems began with a buddy separation on descent. The OP had information that made him think he knew what the problem was, so he waited for his teammate at 20 feet on the anchor line. I don't think that's heinous, although if the other diver had had some kind of serious problem, it would have been better to have the whole team on the surface with him to help deal with it. (What if he had been having chest pain or shortness of breath?)

When the team regrouped, there was no communication about what the problem had been, so you weren't in a place to monitor your buddy for possible further issues with the valve. A quick point to the drysuit dump and a "not so good" sign would have prepared you for possible issues later.

When you reached the wreck, there was no communication from your buddies about why they were not following the plan. You don't state this, but I know in the same situation, this would have put me a couple of kicks behind them as they started off. I would have signaled the team and asked, "Question, that way?", pointing to the prop area. At least you might then have gotten some info about the bad valve.

Problems were then compounded by silting. This is where I have enormous sympathy -- I HATE silt clouds, especially since there is no reason at all for them to be raised when cruising the deck of an open wreck. (In very tight spaces inside, it may be unavoidable, but not in open water!) I know, from Puget Sound experience, that heavy silt can really reduce visibility to zero, where even our high intensity lights can't be seen. (Did you guys have lights, BTW?) But when you see the viz dropping, it's time to close ranks and get in tight, to where, if it goes to zero, you can go into touch contact. Still, even with correct procedures, it's quite possible to lose teammates in such conditions.

Having found yourself alone, you tried to execute the plan to return to the upline and regroup -- this is where I get a bit puzzled. I've missed uplines on a number of occasions, but they were always where the anchor or buoy was in natural substrate that looked the same as all the substrate around it. On a ship, you have landmarks and a very defined space to search. If you were unable to distinguish bow from stern, perhaps you guys shouldn't have wandered so far from the upline?

The last step is a diver, alone in poor viz, unable to navigate, and without a surface marker. But the chain that got you there is a long one, and might have been broken at any number of points along the way. This is a typical story -- it isn't one disastrous thing that causes accidents, but a spiral into the incident pit.

I think the biggest lesson here is that good communication would have gone a long way to prevent things.

 

[sibermike7]

LOL, I'm serious, I'm really not in the position to comment. I have only been diving for almost 2 years now and I only have like 45 dives under my belt.

How you input comments is often extremely important. I am always learning and can take comments from divers newer than you! When I started diving, I wasn't taught safety stops. We just stayed within the NDL and ascended no faster than you slowest bubble. I can remember the first time a diver I was buddied up with was discussing with me the dive plan. He mentioned a safety stop at 15 feet and I thought, "What's a safety stop?"

So even a new diver can teach!
But it is important to not come across as a know-it-all. The best way to get a comment across is frame it in a question which puts a more experienced diver almost in the position of teacher while at the same time giving them time to pause and think through something. I hope I'm making sense! I am saying all that to say, don't be afraid of comments, but do be careful how you make them.

The reason I asked about the buddy procedure was that I figured, if your buddy gets lost you thumb the dive, not just for your own safety but also for your buddy's safety. If I was part of a diving threesome and one of the other two divers got seperated from us, I would not be able to complete the dive...So if Mait had been to the surface and didn't see you there, then go to the prop which was the second place he expected to find you, and not find you there, I would think that he would kick into search and rescue mode rather than just continuing the dive ...

I failed to add some details that might make this clearer. We are in COLD water (it was 37F). The dives last about 20 mins. or less before starting ascent. This is not a whole lot of time to do all the things you mentioned and still "continue the dive". After Mait had done all the things you mentioned they started their ascent. (Just as if they "thumbed the dive")

not trying to find fault in your and your diving partners' procedures.

That IS why I posted though, so go ahead!