What to do when you lose your way?

[tracydr]

Thank you Dennis! The fact that I didn't take a reading on my compass was a major mistake and I won't make that one again! I can't believe how FAST I was lost how fast there was just nothing, not even a fish, near me. I felt like I knew how disorienting underwater can be so I didn't trust my buddy when he said to swim in the direction he pointed, which was "lighter" than the way I thought we should go (I thought the "darker" water would mean the side of the boat in front of me but who knows if that's the case or not).

I wish we just hung out deck-side, there is nothing cool on the side of a barge anway! We did get to see a group of about 7 barracuda a big school of bait fish that we would have missed otherwise and we were ended up safe so it wasn't a total loss.... plus we LEARNED!

---------- Post added October 7th, 2013 at 09:28 AM ----------

Thanks genxweb! I didn't have the items you mentioned and I think I did the safety stop fine, I did have the computer to help with that and I was only at 39 ft. at my deepest to begin with. I still didn't want to try out the free ascent on my first ocean dive but that's what it was! I do want to try the line you mentioned in the future if I'm in that scenario again. I'm not sure I'll dive with this buddy again though, I'm not sure if I can shake off the PTSD attached to him!

You really didn't do too badly given this was one of your first dives. Things to practice in the future are compass navigation- in poor vis current can spin you around and without a compass you have no idea which direction you are swimming. Learn to take compass headings on every dive as it will help to bring you back to your entrance point like a pro.
Learn to shoot an SMB to take the place of an anchor like for a "blue water" ascent. This would have been the perfect time for you to deploy and SMB so that you would have a reference line to ascend and so that the Captain would know that you were coming up in a different spot.
Learn and understand more about DCS. Underwater is not the time to be worrying about whether you can blow a safety stop for a lost buddy protocol or some other reason that you may need to get to the surface. Most of what you really need to know is actually in fine print on the PADI RDP (table) or in the eRDP instruction manual. Yes, I know, nobody learns tables anymore but they have them at the dive shops and on Amazon. Actually, the eRDP is a handy little dive planner for a new diver.
I really like the book by Mark Powell Deco for Divers for a much more in-depth look at deco and DCS.
Most of this stuff can be practiced in a local quarry. You can practice the SMB in a deep swimming pool and parts of compass navigation can even be practiced on land, especially at night, in a large park or field.

 

[nimoh]

This is the type of experience that will make you a better diver. You did the smart thing limiting your dive to 40' given your current experience, so you were never in any real danger of DCS. If you couldn't hold your safety stop in open water, no big deal, just skip it and focus on a safe ascent rate. At some point, you will be able to hold that safety stop quite easily, and then you might ready for some deeper diving.

I would not recommend however using a reel without proper training due to the fact using one at your experience level can introduce a significant entanglement hazard. I would recommend that you do this dive again and pay attention to things about the wreck such as where is the upline, and how do I get back to it? If dropping over the side, is it the port side or starboard? Which way is the current going? I think you will find that it will get better every time.

 

[Bob DBF]

I'd hold off on running line for a bit, get good control of buoyancy, learn to use a compass, invest in various cutting devices, and practice in benign conditions first. Last thing you need is a novice diver tangled on a wreck. I wasn't a novice when I started and experience helps when things go wrong, and they will go wrong.

A safety stop is not required and should be skipped if you or your buddy are in any danger and would be safer on the surface, however it sounds like the only danger you were in was may be having to make a long surface swim. After a few long swims you will find the compass is a lot better than "I know it's this way".

Everything turned out OK, the buddy system was kept intact, and you learned about diving outside of class. Sounds like a fine dive to me.




Bob
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A man's got to know his limitations.
Harry Callahan

 

[Akimbo]

Good Grief! What are they teaching new divers? You were in 50' of water not 200. Pop to the surface without a safety stop, swim back to the anchor line, continue the dive, buy a compass, and call it a good learning experience. Oh, and find a new dive instructor.

Considering that safety stops didn't even exist for the vast majority of Scuba diving history, you are entirely safe to skip it for a short surface interval and descend again. Double your safety stop on the final dive if it makes you feel better. FYI, the US Navy Air Decompression tables allowed 60 minutes at 60' and a 60'/minute ascent rate without decompression for most of my diving career. Newer tables have a little lower, but not zero hit rate. Hits above 60' were very rare on the old tables.

What was your bottom time when you lost track of the wreck?

 

[scubatuba]

Wow thanks so much everyone! I feel 100 times better than I did this morning (I had a some kind of PTSD last night thinking that I almost died... even though I didn't). It feels good to know that it seems like there really was value in what I experienced, trust me I am taking all this advice seriously and will apply it to next time (I'm definitely seeing a "next time" now... more than I was before).

I also feel much less concerned that I have some level of DCS from a poorly executed safety stop (I don't even think I did that poorly but I'm very hard on myself).

Thank you everyone who has given me any advice!

---------- Post added October 7th, 2013 at 11:01 AM ----------

Good Grief! What are they teaching new divers? You were in 50' of water not 200. Pop to the surface without a safety stop, swim back to the anchor line, continue the dive, buy a compass, and call it a good learning experience. Oh, and find a new dive instructor.

Considering that safety stops didn't even exist for the vast majority of Scuba diving history, you are entirely safe to skip it for a short surface interval and descend again. Double your safety stop on the final dive if it makes you feel better. FYI, the US Navy Air Decompression tables allowed 60 minutes at 60' and a 60'/minute ascent rate without decompression for most of my diving career. Newer tables have a little lower, but not zero hit rate. Hits above 60' were very rate on the old tables.

Well this makes me feel better! I know they really emphasize being on the safe side which I think it's always better to be safe than sorry, but I wish I hadn't sat up all night waiting for some signs of the bends - I felt very scared and uncertain about what I did/what I was supposed to do and then what would happen.

 

[jord1990]

Interesting post
I'm not gonna start on what you should've done cause you heard that already and I think giving the circumstances you acted well.
My question would be what to do if you are lost and your buddy thinks he knows where he's going and you don't trust that. I would go to the surface then but what if your buddy refuses because he's full of himself and he thinks he's right

 

[rhwestfall]

edit - typed this like 1+ hours ago, walked away from it to do some things, and there have been many replies, so sorry if repeats.




things to take away from this:

Pre-Dive Briefing - discussion of where the mooring is (attached or near) in regard to the wreck. Orientation of the wreck. Distinguishing features. Unique geography. All of these would aid you in "navagating" successfuly.

Compass bearings before, and once on it.....

observations: Think you got too close, and silted it up? Perhaps better control of bouyancy and awareness (it will come).

Future Considerations: that vis is pretty good for where we dive, but in reduced conditions, perhaps running a line (yes, that is for future skill development)

 

[Akimbo]

… but I wish I hadn't sat up all night waiting for some signs of the bends - I felt very scared and uncertain about what I did/what I was supposed to do and then what would happen.

Call DAN any time you are concerned about a possible diving medical emergency. They are very knowledgeable.

Scuba Diving Medical Safety Advice ? DAN | Divers Alert Network

Was DAN covered in your dive class?

 

[scubatuba]

Interesting post
I'm not gonna start on what you should've done cause you heard that already and I think giving the circumstances you acted well.
My question would be what to do if you are lost and your buddy thinks he knows where he's going and you don't trust that. I would go to the surface then but what if your buddy refuses because he's full of himself and he thinks he's right

It's not even so much that I didn't trust him overall, it's that I KNOW how crazy disorienting it can be underwater just from being in the lake I was certified in when we learned compass Nav - we thought we were stright on and we're completely off... so knowing neither of us had a line of sigght at all, I don't think you can rely on yourself or your buddy to know the "right way" if neither had a compass.... does that make sense, or would you have given it a shot to see if your buddy was right? I was thinking maybe we could have done a 30 kick test to see... but who knows which way we'd end up that way, or in returning in that case!

---------- Post added October 7th, 2013 at 11:23 AM ----------

Call DAN any time you are concerned about a possible diving medical emergency. They are very knowledgeable.

Scuba Diving Medical Safety Advice ? DAN | Divers Alert Network

Was DAN covered in your dive class?

Yes it was covered but I didn't know you could call just to ask, I thought it was more like you called when you needed to go in the chamber!

 

[Akimbo]

scubatuba:

Now that is all out of the way, did you enjoy your first dive? What wreck were you on?