Ummm... the way I read it, the OP did not say they were 70 feet from each other when they got separated... he said they got separated while they were at a depth of 70 feet.
+1
too deep to resurface?
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Ummm... the way I read it, the OP did not say they were 70 feet from each other when they got separated... he said they got separated while they were at a depth of 70 feet.
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So, do you think costs should be an important question to consider if you have a missing diver situation?
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No way, never come up from 70 feet to look for your buddy. I mean once you are past 30 or 40 feet, everyone is on their own. See you back on the boat or at the beach..
That would be a valid approach if it's been discussed, agreed to, and everyone involved is prepared to dive solo. However, under the described circumstances, it's not good advice. If you've agreed to come up, then that's your separation plan ... follow your plan. Otherwise you're only adding stressors and complications into an already bad situation ... and increasing the potential for becoming the guest of honor in an "Incidents and Accidents" thread ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
That you can make a direct safe ascent at any point during the dive means you can get to the surface and still be alive. It does not mean that is a first option. It may be a last option. It also has nothing to do with keeping track of your buddy. If you are say on a ledge at 95 ft with a mild top side current and a light chop,
yes you can make a safe ascent and if you have an SMB which you shoot enroute have a pretty good chance of being picked up and having a warm supper.
It has nothing to do with finding a lost buddy. If you both make ascents starting even a few minutes apart and going up at different rates you will be lucky to be any where near each other. If the other diver is entrapped or has a cramp or other issue at depth or just turns and is coming back to you after realizing you are separated, you are now far away and going further.
Its a lousy dive plan outside of shallow water and calm calm conditions (this includes where you are both drifting at the same rate). Better plan depends on the site and its geometry and depth and other conditions.
If the viz is low, one diver should probably be running a line. That is what we do.
yes you can make a safe ascent and if you have an SMB which you shoot enroute have a pretty good chance of being picked up and having a warm supper.
It has nothing to do with finding a lost buddy. If you both make ascents starting even a few minutes apart and going up at different rates you will be lucky to be any where near each other. If the other diver is entrapped or has a cramp or other issue at depth or just turns and is coming back to you after realizing you are separated, you are now far away and going further.
Its a lousy dive plan outside of shallow water and calm calm conditions (this includes where you are both drifting at the same rate). Better plan depends on the site and its geometry and depth and other conditions.
If the viz is low, one diver should probably be running a line. That is what we do.
Herb-alaska
Contributor
That is not to deep to surface, however most likely the dive is over as soon as you surface becasue there is not sufficient air remaining to start a new dive. It is deep enough that you do not want to be doing bounces. You could have been on the surface very conservatively in 3 minutes. One to look around and 2 for a nice Slow ascent while you are looking for his bubbles. The safety stop is optional and is only a safety measure that 70 feet does not demand unless you have been down for a bit of time. But I still would consider the dive over when i surface from 70 feet unless i have over 1/2 a tank remaining. If your protocol calls for a surface after separation then you need to do that otherwise you run the risk of surfacing after you finish the dive to see or hear the EMS en route. The protocol with most of my dive buddies is if you are separated then I will see you after the dive. Most of our dives are same ocean buddies anyway.
Herb
Herb
Crush
Contributor
I sympathize with the OP.
When I was getting my BOW cert it was drilled into our heads to do a three minute safety stop at 20 ft. So much so that, in my mind, this became a mandatory stop - the optional nature of the safety stop in rec diving wasn't in my mind. One day I commented to my car-pool mate (an experienced diver) that I thought that, in the event of separation from my buddy, doing a 3-minute safety stop during ascent would potentially place my buddy in peril if s/he was in trouble at depth as it would take at least four minutes for me to determine that they weren't at the surface and may be in trouble. His response was that in the case of separation you don't do a safety stop while ascending. That made perfect sense to me - I had an "aha!" moment. Bottom line: if I hadn't asked someone then I may have done the wrong thing. The error was not in the instruction that I received, but in the thoughts that I formed during training.
When I was getting my BOW cert it was drilled into our heads to do a three minute safety stop at 20 ft. So much so that, in my mind, this became a mandatory stop - the optional nature of the safety stop in rec diving wasn't in my mind. One day I commented to my car-pool mate (an experienced diver) that I thought that, in the event of separation from my buddy, doing a 3-minute safety stop during ascent would potentially place my buddy in peril if s/he was in trouble at depth as it would take at least four minutes for me to determine that they weren't at the surface and may be in trouble. His response was that in the case of separation you don't do a safety stop while ascending. That made perfect sense to me - I had an "aha!" moment. Bottom line: if I hadn't asked someone then I may have done the wrong thing. The error was not in the instruction that I received, but in the thoughts that I formed during training.
If you made the agreement you need to stick to it. HOWEVER I wouldn't omit any required stops or go up fast, although I might omit/abbreviate the safety stop if I were genuinely worried. If you and/or your buddy really shouldn't be alone, but it's already happened nonetheless, better to be alone at 15' not 70' => so start up as soon as you've had a fair look around you to make sure surfacing is really necessary for reuniting.
If your buddy is very green or just a jittery person, he might get unreasonably much stressed unreasonabaly quickly, then do something unfortunate. At the least he might get all bent out of shape now, then bore the hell out of you about in the future.
Next time you will probably make a somewhat different agreement. Or you might make the very same agreement if you buddy is an anxious type, or someone who just is best not left alone for whatever reasons. Whatever you agree, think it through BEFORE saying "OK", then stick to it as best you can.
If your buddy is very green or just a jittery person, he might get unreasonably much stressed unreasonabaly quickly, then do something unfortunate. At the least he might get all bent out of shape now, then bore the hell out of you about in the future.
Next time you will probably make a somewhat different agreement. Or you might make the very same agreement if you buddy is an anxious type, or someone who just is best not left alone for whatever reasons. Whatever you agree, think it through BEFORE saying "OK", then stick to it as best you can.
Basking Ridge Diver
Contributor
[QUOTE\]We were both checking out critters on a large wall and eventually due to New England's lovely viz, became separated at roughly 70 ft. (he turned a corner and was gone, even though I looked for him, shined my lights, etc...).[/QUOTE]
The only walls I know of are in Rockport and Glouster - having a wall to do your ascent should give you a visual as to how fast you are ascending - you were not in open water with a large current.
So if you were my buddy and we had a plan I would expect you to stick to it. If your my friend you get a pass on the first time and we can talk about it. If your not quite my friend yet - I would talk with you about what it means to have a plan and not follow it.
I am assuming one of you was dragging a flag - the plan could be as simple as I will go to your flag and drop down till I find you - he on the other hand should have turned around and looked for you.
Equal parts on each side - he should have turned around and looked for you and you should not be so involved in what you were doing to be distracted with where your buddy went in my opinion.
The only walls I know of are in Rockport and Glouster - having a wall to do your ascent should give you a visual as to how fast you are ascending - you were not in open water with a large current.
So if you were my buddy and we had a plan I would expect you to stick to it. If your my friend you get a pass on the first time and we can talk about it. If your not quite my friend yet - I would talk with you about what it means to have a plan and not follow it.
I am assuming one of you was dragging a flag - the plan could be as simple as I will go to your flag and drop down till I find you - he on the other hand should have turned around and looked for you.
Equal parts on each side - he should have turned around and looked for you and you should not be so involved in what you were doing to be distracted with where your buddy went in my opinion.
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DeepSeaExplorer
Contributor
It's not always practical to go directly to the surface in anything less than an emergency, due to strong currents or sea conditions. A alternative plan is to meet at the touch-down point, and wait a reasonable time before ascending. There's a much better chance that you'll find your buddy and a free ascent won't be necessary.
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