What would you do: Molested at 100' by an OOA Diver

[danvolker]

I used to do 100 foot CESA's for practice, back in the late 70's and early 90's...they were easy to do, you don't have to force your mind to consider anything unusual for a freediver....the slow and constant exhale is very easy--your lungs feel like a factory that is making air. The surface shows up before you know it....However...dragging another diver would be problematic....my CESA's all revolved around easy kicking upward, with no effort--neutral buoyancy....if you have a guy bear hugging you and he is negative, or his legs interfere with your legs, then you still have the option of a buoyant ascent from your BC or wing...which would still make this easy....without the BC though, this would be a deal-breaker.

 

[boulderjohn]

In other threads, Beanojones said that when divers go OOA, they always begin an immediate panicked ascent to the surface. Hmmm.

I don't think either is true. I mainly don't think that a panicked diver under water is gong to hold on to something that is not floating. A panicked OOA diver does want to get to the surface, and something that is sinking will not help the cause. That is why you are taught in rescue classes to sink under water if a panicked swimmer grabs you at the surface.

 

[Wookie]

I am neither GUE nor DIR, but my pony second is bungeed around my neck. One the bear hugging diver is breathing calmly, I would begin a nice slow ascent to the surface, although I'd rather give up my pony than my primary, it's all good.

 

[Searcaigh]

I usually have a 30 cu ft pony side slung and would use that.

 

[TSandM]

If someone has trapped my arms to my side, I would probably not be able to get my necklace reg in my mouth. I have tried this; it's not easy, unless you have a VERY short necklace, in which case the reg is constantly in the way.

I have a hard time imagining somebody holding me this way, though, since someone who is in a panic to get to the surface would probably be using their hands to swim, as well. Not to mention that it's pretty hard to hold onto people in dry suits well enough to preclude somebody getting her arm free.

To need to do this, a very large man with long arms would need to run out of gas at 100 feet and find me in a wetsuit and figure out how to hold me so I couldn't move. That combination of factors is sufficiently unlikely that I don't think I'll start practicing 100 foot CESAs any time soon.

 

[rhwestfall]

Interesting that we assume the you will be mugged... I was once FTF with a diver who went into a panic attack at 110'. He chose the surface, not me, despite my efforts to respond.... strangest experience of my life....

 

[elmer fudd]

Being able and confident in your ability to do a 100' CESA really does sound like an excellent skill to have, but I'm a little skeptical about the details in this story or the claim that it's a common occurrence. And even if you had practiced deep CESA's like this, it seems to me that this would still be an extremely dangerous event just based on the circumstances described.

It's one thing to practice an emergency ascent when you're calm, your lungs are full and it's the only thing you have to do. It would be quite another with empty lungs, a mouth full of water and a panicked diver clinging to you.

 

[bbarnett51]

I would knee the diver off and try to get around on his tank so I could control him and he couldn't get me. It's not easy but that would be my play. Once you get on someone's tank you have a lot of control over them. This is taught in SSI stress and rescue. Another reason to have a long hose! It's much easier to get your reg in their mouth from behind when you have a 5' or 7' hose.

I will always do my best to help another diver but I will not put myself at extreme risk of death to do so.

I also keep a knife on my harness in a position that is reachable in case of intanglment. It would be a last resort but Ill be damned if another diver is going to cause me to drown

 

[MaxBottomtime]

If someone has trapped my arms to my side, I would probably not be able to get my necklace reg in my mouth. I have tried this; it's not easy, unless you have a VERY short necklace, in which case the reg is constantly in the way.

I have a hard time imagining somebody holding me this way, though, since someone who is in a panic to get to the surface would probably be using their hands to swim, as well. Not to mention that it's pretty hard to hold onto people in dry suits well enough to preclude somebody getting her arm free.

To need to do this, a very large man with long arms would need to run out of gas at 100 feet and find me in a wetsuit and figure out how to hold me so I couldn't move. That combination of factors is sufficiently unlikely that I don't think I'll start practicing 100 foot CESAs any time soon.

A knee to the crotch strap would take care of the OOA diver right away.

 

[SnorkelLA]

Well, I'm 6' 240lbs and very broad shouldered, and probably stronger than just about anyone on a dive boat. Combine that with the fact that I dive a GUE-esque setup (minus JetFin style fins) and I have 100% confidence that if I was in this situation I could:

1. Wrestle him off me

2. Retrieve my primary through brute force (this would be an absolute last resort that would involve my bungied secondary to magically disappear into thin water)

3. Make a safe ascent with his weight pulling me down

All these factors considered, I'm confident I could fight my way out of this situation and/or retrieve my bungied octo and have both of us make it out safely.