Bad breathing gas on liveaboard trip

[Scared Silly]

Nobody ever said that there was CO contamination. Or even any suggestion that there was a likely possibility of such.

You missed the point, it does not really matter whether it was CO or not, crap occurred. That is there was a significant interruption in the trip. And at this point the dive op has not done much to to make things right.

 

[Gone for diving]

.

 

[JohnnyQuest]

Pretty unnerving. While CO has no taste or smell, I think they ultimately did the right thing by aborting the trip. I hope you get a refund. The links below describe the only confirmed Scuba fatality from CO that I recall. I was on this boat a few month before the fatalities, and we all came up from a dive with headaches, balance issues, and generally feeling "off." But none of us died! On a subsequent trip (different boat - I'd never repeat the Baani trip!), we had air that tasted exactly like the OP described. I had them drain all the tanks and refill them. The smell was gone, but it still freaked me out (since I was almost killed on the Baani). That ship (not the Baani) was a steel ship painted blue. It was in Indonesia. It was subsequently sold to one of the big liveaboard franchises. If that sounds like the ship the OP was on, please PM me. I agree that it should be made public, but I'm afraid of a lawsuit after the recent articles of suits against people who bought used gear...(as crazy absurd as that is)

The Baani Adventures Lethal Air Compressor: Undercurrent 07/2008

www.undercurrent.org

A Second Look at Dive Boat Engine Exhaust: Undercurrent 09/2008

www.undercurrent.org

Baani Explores-The Boat from Hell...

Diving was great....when we dove...but the boat was beyond bad...

www.scubadiving.com

 

[drk5036]

These threads scare me, because I'm worried about what I would do in such a situation. I feel like so many people here are adament that they'd "never breath gas that smells off" and "they would be livid" and would "cause a sh*tshow" (these aren't actual quotes but basically paraphrases) and my response is...

I'm jealous of your resolve. I'm not sure I would do the same.

My first thought would be, "it's all in my head". If my buddy also said something seemed wrong, but the DM's kept going, I would probably say..."it's all in OUR heads." By the time other people mentioned it, I think I'd have the resolve of doing something about it, but before then I'm just not sure I would.

I guess it could be a sign of weak character. "I'm a sheep." Or maybe it's my general disposition to confrontation. Would I be willing to "non-confrontationally" walk myself off a cliff? Maybe it seems like that, I'm not sure.

So what's the goal of this post? I'm not exactly sure, but maybe it's that if you're in this situation and you ARE someone who doesn't take crap from anyone and are hardheaded, please stand up. Because there are other people who probably also agree with you but lack the fortitude to actually do anything about it. Be a shepherd for us sheep

 

[DrWilliam]

These threads scare me, because I'm worried about what I would do in such a situation. I feel like so many people here are adament that they'd "never breath gas that smells off" and "they would be livid" and would "cause a sh*tshow" (these aren't actual quotes but basically paraphrases) and my response is...

I'm jealous of your resolve. I'm not sure I would do the same.

My first thought would be, "it's all in my head". If my buddy also said something seemed wrong, but the DM's kept going, I would probably say..."it's all in OUR heads." By the time other people mentioned it, I think I'd have the resolve of doing something about it, but before then I'm just not sure I would.

I guess it could be a sign of weak character. "I'm a sheep." Or maybe it's my general disposition to confrontation. Would I be willing to "non-confrontationally" walk myself off a cliff? Maybe it seems like that, I'm not sure.

So what's the goal of this post? I'm not exactly sure, but maybe it's that if you're in this situation and you ARE someone who doesn't take crap from anyone and are hardheaded, please stand up. Because there are other people who probably also agree with you but lack the fortitude to actually do anything about it. Be a shepherd for us sheep

A VERY VERY close description as to what actually went on (and also the thoughts that occurred in my own head).

 

[PfcAJ]

Pretty unnerving. While CO has no taste or smell, I think they ultimately did the right thing by aborting the trip. I hope you get a refund. The links below describe the only confirmed Scuba fatality from CO that I recall. I was on this boat a few month before the fatalities, and we all came up from a dive with headaches, balance issues, and generally feeling "off." But none of us died! On a subsequent trip (different boat - I'd never repeat the Baani trip!), we had air that tasted exactly like the OP described. I had them drain all the tanks and refill them. The smell was gone, but it still freaked me out (since I was almost killed on the Baani). That ship (not the Baani) was a steel ship painted blue. It was in Indonesia. It was subsequently sold to one of the big liveaboard franchises. If that sounds like the ship the OP was on, please PM me. I agree that it should be made public, but I'm afraid of a lawsuit after the recent articles of suits against people who bought used gear...(as crazy absurd as that is)

The Baani Adventures Lethal Air Compressor: Undercurrent 07/2008

www.undercurrent.org

A Second Look at Dive Boat Engine Exhaust: Undercurrent 09/2008

www.undercurrent.org

Baani Explores-The Boat from Hell...

Diving was great....when we dove...but the boat was beyond bad...

www.scubadiving.com

I believe Brendan Napier’s death was due to CO as well. 2011, Cozumel, cave dive.

 

[Pearlman]

These threads scare me, because I'm worried about what I would do in such a situation. I feel like so many people here are adament that they'd "never breath gas that smells off" and "they would be livid" and would "cause a sh*tshow" (these aren't actual quotes but basically paraphrases) and my response is...

I'm jealous of your resolve. I'm not sure I would do the same.

My first thought would be, "it's all in my head". If my buddy also said something seemed wrong, but the DM's kept going, I would probably say..."it's all in OUR heads." By the time other people mentioned it, I think I'd have the resolve of doing something about it, but before then I'm just not sure I would.

I guess it could be a sign of weak character. "I'm a sheep." Or maybe it's my general disposition to confrontation. Would I be willing to "non-confrontationally" walk myself off a cliff? Maybe it seems like that, I'm not sure.

So what's the goal of this post? I'm not exactly sure, but maybe it's that if you're in this situation and you ARE someone who doesn't take crap from anyone and are hardheaded, please stand up. Because there are other people who probably also agree with you but lack the fortitude to actually do anything about it. Be a shepherd for us sheep

I believe this topic is covered in the books of Gareth Lock on diving safety and accidents. He also has a website - Human Factors in Diving
It’s on my reading list to buy when I finish the other books….

 

[nadwidny]

These threads scare me, because I'm worried about what I would do in such a situation. I feel like so many people here are adament that they'd "never breath gas that smells off" and "they would be livid" and would "cause a sh*tshow" (these aren't actual quotes but basically paraphrases) and my response is...

An odour in breathing air is an automatic fail according to Canadian standards Z180 and Z275 and should not be used. Reason is pretty much 100% of the time if there is an odour there is something hinky going on. The compressor and filtration systems need to be attended to immediately and all fills with an odour need to be dumped.

 

[tursiops]

These threads scare me, because I'm worried about what I would do in such a situation. I feel like so many people here are adament that they'd "never breath gas that smells off" and "they would be livid" and would "cause a sh*tshow" (these aren't actual quotes but basically paraphrases) and my response is...

I'm jealous of your resolve. I'm not sure I would do the same.

My first thought would be, "it's all in my head". If my buddy also said something seemed wrong, but the DM's kept going, I would probably say..."it's all in OUR heads." By the time other people mentioned it, I think I'd have the resolve of doing something about it, but before then I'm just not sure I would.

I guess it could be a sign of weak character. "I'm a sheep." Or maybe it's my general disposition to confrontation. Would I be willing to "non-confrontationally" walk myself off a cliff? Maybe it seems like that, I'm not sure.

So what's the goal of this post? I'm not exactly sure, but maybe it's that if you're in this situation and you ARE someone who doesn't take crap from anyone and are hardheaded, please stand up. Because there are other people who probably also agree with you but lack the fortitude to actually do anything about it. Be a shepherd for us sheep

Here is a short video about the "first follower" theory.
Yes, it is critical for someone to step forward and say, "This gas is bad. We will not use it." But it is when the next person joins in that change can happen. Be the next person.

 

[Centrals]

If the foul smell is due to oil contamination then changing the filter etc etc would not do.
The internal of the tank have to be WASHED thoroughly.

CO and CO2 are odourless.