Experienced Divers: What are the most common "oh, crap!" situations?

[Litefoot]

Hello. Thanks for letting me ask a basic question. I'm a brand new recently-certified OW diver. I know that buoyancy control may be the most important skill at this point. But my biggest fear is having a panic attack when something goes wrong. In your experience, what is the most likely problem I will face? Right now, in my limited experience, losing my mask is my biggest fear because I struggle keeping water out of my nose. Is that the answer? That is, focus my practice on those scenarios that I already know will likely induce panic. What do you say?

Note: I am reading and learning form the "What would you do?" thread that is pinned at the top of the forum.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @Litefoot

You can avoid some problems, gas off, weights not in, inflator hose not connected, by having a routine gear set up, pre dive check, done in the same orderly way each time. The exact order is not as important as making sure everything is always covered.

As an example, I turn on my gas during setup to confirm fill pressure and make sure there are no leaks. I turn my gas back off and purge the system. I turn my gas on just before donning my BC. One of the last things I do is breathe my regulator while watching my SPG to ensure my gas is on. This might be especially important if someone sneaks up on you to check your valve while you are getting ready to jump, not uncommon on charter boats.

It's been a very long time since I jumped with my gas off or no weights in my pockets. There are always other things that might come up underwater. I have had a few problems with dive computers or transmitters over the years, but have never had to end a dive or miss dives as I carry adequate backups.

Best of luck

 

[Wibble]

You can avoid some problems, gas off, weights not in, inflator hose not connected, by having a routine gear set up, pre dive check, done in the same orderly way each time. The exact order is not as important as making sure everything is always covered.

This ^^^

Mine's left to right and I touch things as I do it. Sort of like the spectacles, testicles, wallet & watch of Catholics!

Drysuit dump; wing/BCD inflate; drysuit inflate; read the pressures; breathe from both regulators; check waist buckle; look at the fins.

Repeat just as you're jumping in.

 

[Belzelbub]

In all my dives, I’ve encountered only a handful of incidents. The best thing you can do is be real comfortable in the water. So, whichever skill gave you the most trouble during your OW is what you should focus on. For some it’s mask removal.

Being comfortable in the water will greatly help in reducing panic when something unexpected happens. My daughter got certified at 10 years old. By that point, she’d been swimming in some form for over 9 years. During her checkout dive, another diver kicked her and knocked her reg from her mouth. It immediately went behind her and into free flow. I was real close, but held back to see how she handled it. She did the arm sweep, but didn’t come up with her primary. She then grabbed her alternate, purged and resumed breathing. I then helped her get her primary under control and she switched back. No panic whatsoever from a diver that was on her 3rd dive outside of a pool.

Afterwards, she didn’t really think it was as big of a deal as I or her instructor did. Main thing was that she was real comfortable in the water, so when she encountered something unexpected, she wasn’t panicking, and could work through solutions.

 

[Angelo Farina]

In my (dated) experience as instructor and divemaster, the most common problems for unexperienced divers are:
1) equalization problems
2) jumping in water without some fundamental equipment (no mask, no fins, no weights belt, tank switched off, BCD not connected to the hose, etc.)
3) a fellow diver kicks out your mask, reg, or both
4) over-exertion and loss of breathing control (this can happen on surface or underwater)

 

[lowwall]

look at the fins

I've skipped this step once on a backroll entry. Popped up and politely asked the boat mate for them. As a former water polo player, treading water without fins is second nature so it was a non-event except for the embarrassment.

At some point the OP should try some swimming and treading water in scuba gear without fins and with just one fin. Again it's not a big deal if you are in control of your buoyancy. You can still move, just more slowly.

 

[mcohen1021]

Can't find my mask day 1, then on day 2 my divemaster hid it as a joke

 

[Zef]

Oh crap…..getting to the dive site after a 2 hour (or more) drive and realizing that as you packed the car you forgot to grab your bp/w or bcd that was hanging in the garage.

-Z

 

[Jonn]

Getting separated from your buddy. Not as common with Caribbean, very easy with the low vis and current of PNW. Spend a moment looking at a cool fish and suddenly they’re gone. You can even lose sight of the bottom and the surface and be floating in an infinite void! It’s no problem but was pretty freaky the first time.

 

[TMHeimer]

Oh crap…..getting to the dive site after a 2 hour (or more) drive and realizing that as you packed the car you forgot to grab your bp/w or bcd that was hanging in the garage.

-Z

Or my years old story of fins left in the trailer in the campground and just realizing that when walking to the water geared up. What was I gunna do, walk on the bottom the whole dive?

 

[Guille G]

Climb down, jump in the water and… bubbles. Is it a reg? A hose? A tank? Now you have to climb back up, de-kit, and change that &$@/)$! O-ring/hose/whatever under the jungle heat. Oh crap.