Question How to behave after uncontrolled ascent

[Herliyo]

I was diving with a rented equipment, and at around 20 meters after 10-11 mins of diving my BCD started inflating uncontrollable (I checked everything before the dive, it was ok). I tried to get attention of our guide, but he didn’t understand. I closed the tank halfway to the surface (I know I should’ve detached the inflator hose, but everything was to fast and I only thought about closing the tank). So I ascended to the surface in 25-30 seconds, my guide ascended and told me to go back on a boat, so I did. My teeth and ears hurt like s**t. On the boat deckman just gave me a painkiller, said that it’s “a bad luck” and changed the BCD and since that time no one gave me any attention, they only asked me if I’m going for our second dive, which I said no to. When we went back to harbour, I was asked for full payment ( for rental and dives), I argued a bit and payed only for the dive.
So, can anyone help to understand was it normal behaviour of the diving centre or what else could be done. I know that ascending from 20 meters after 10 minutes of diving isn’t lethal, but I was kinda a bit frustrated about the whole situation and the lack of attention I received.

 

[Vicko]

Personaly, and this is not medical advice, when that happend to one of the people I was guiding I would put them on the boat on pure o2, make sure they sip some isotonic and monitor.
If at any point they show symptoms of DCS I would advise them to call DAN or I can contact the doctor and arrange the chamber for them.
On that note, if the BCD was indeed at fault I would refund you, and if it was your fault in any way my boss would blame me and still refund you.

 

[scubaozy]

They should have apologised for the crappy equipment, discuss with you once again signs and symptoms of DCS/DCI and ask you to be alert and inform them should you develop anything next several hours. Pain killer is not that good idea because it may mask the symptoms.

 

[Wibble]

Couple of things.

That's a pretty awful thing to happen. The BCD inflator can fail where an O-ring goes or some debris/sand/salt gets caught when you inflate. The immediate reaction should be to hold the hose up and deflate, then disconnect the hose. It's so easy to be able to type that without any pressure on me!

The second thing is their equipment failed and they should have some responsibility for that. Almost sounds like they wanted to get the evidence away! It's difficult to argue, but they could have offered some form of compensation, maybe dive the next day.

The good news is you survived; you learned; you're a better diver because of it.

 

[Fishdip]

You are handling it better then me. I would have refused to pay and would post the heck out of it to every single site plus google. Sounds like this crew has a lack of care for the safety of anyone diving.

 

[mcohen1021]

I agree with whats been said. Refund due to crappy rental equipment.

And I may be wrong, but I would have felt better to disconnect the power inflator and drop back to 15' for 3 minutes.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Step 1, be properly weighted so that runaway ascents are more manageable.

 

[loosenit2]

Step 1, be properly weighted so that runaway ascents are more manageable.

lets take a second a peel that onion back. Please describe what you would consider properly weighted to account for a runaway power inflator on your BCD?

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

You handled it better than I would have.

Based totally on their lackadaisical and defensive response after you surfaced, I would have paid them nothing and gotten names and contact info for any witnesses in case any symptoms popped up later.... I may have even insisted on sequestering the BC for further inspection.... and the rental reg for an IP check.

If they had shown concern and acted professionally then I would have reacted COMPLETELY differently knowing that sometimes **** happens with equipment and also that I have some level of responsibility to get that hose disconnected to stop the runaway inflator... another good reason to keep a good and easily accessible dive knife available.

If they had acted appropriately and at the least expressed apology and concern then I would have been as reasonable as possible..... But still would have insisted on O2, assuming that they had it onboard. If no 02 onboard I'd check to see if any tech divers onboard may have a 100% option for me...

PS.... Based on the pain in your ears and teeth it sounds like you may have had a bit of a reverse squeeze on the ascent...

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

lets take a second a peel that onion back. Please describe what you would consider properly weighted to account for a runaway power inflator on your BCD?

just enough weight to hold you at your shallowest stop with cylinder(s) near near empty (500 psi) with empty BCD/wing and for you to ascend in a controlled manner due to possible neoprene expansion (relevant to thick wetsuits and neoprene dry suits).

The reason I bring this up is if you are already overweighted, then you have extra gas in your BCD (and possibly dry suit). We all know that gas expands. So that excess gas will make you even more buoyant. It is bad enough that you have a jammed power inflator. You were already taught (an assumption here) to deal with that by disconnecting the low pressure hose from your inflator.

TL;DR: the point is to reduce the amount of additional buoyancy force you experience when you start to ascend.