How often do you abort dives and why?
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I've aborted a handful of dives, most of which were due to unexpectedly bad visibility where my buddy and I decide it's just not worth it.
Aside from that, I've decided not to dive numerous times when I get to the site due to the weather conditions. I've also decided to skip the second dive on a charter and swim out to the island we were anchored off of and drink a beer while exploring. The fact that it was a gorgeous spring day and it was a rather boring shallow site helped to make my decision easier. Water temps in the 40's are pretty good at keeping beer chilled
Aside from that, I've decided not to dive numerous times when I get to the site due to the weather conditions. I've also decided to skip the second dive on a charter and swim out to the island we were anchored off of and drink a beer while exploring. The fact that it was a gorgeous spring day and it was a rather boring shallow site helped to make my decision easier. Water temps in the 40's are pretty good at keeping beer chilled
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Only ever aborted one dive, it was a night dive, wind was howling and sea was angry. It was foolish to get in but we had organized tanks, arranged to get off early from work so didn't want to waste the time, money and effort. Made it past the breaking waves, descended to about 15 m viz was zero and was like diving in a washing machine, struggled for about 20mins until logic kicked in so I called it. Getting out was no easier. Like I said a foolish endeavor from the get go.
- Messages
- 17,268
- Reaction score
- 9,471
- Location
- Somewhere between here and there
- # of dives
- 2500 - 4999
I have however chosen not to dive before because I felt out of sorts...
Nomad-Diver
Contributor
I've binned a handful due to ears. I've not commenced a few more as I didn't feel comfortable and saw no point pushing it
Not that your 3 incidents need "confirmation" by anyone other than yourself, but good for you for calling the dive rather than pushing on when you didn't feel comfortable. Simple issues can easily snowball... If your head is not right to begin with when an "simple" incident occurs underwater, the chances of it biting you (and / or others), multiply !
Don't think of it as 10% It is only 3 prudent aborts. Knowing yourself and acting on it when you're not comfortable, is a very valuable asset
I decided to bin my last dive due to being unable to equalise. I was a bit annoyed as it had been a faff getting there and we were only planning the one that day.
It happens now and again. Do not worry about it. The cliche is that "it is better to be on the boat wishing you were in the water than in the water wishing you were on the boat".
Bad vis does not count as aborting, that is just taking account of conditions and cutting short, or not.
It happens now and again. Do not worry about it. The cliche is that "it is better to be on the boat wishing you were in the water than in the water wishing you were on the boat".
Bad vis does not count as aborting, that is just taking account of conditions and cutting short, or not.
The last think any buddy, Instructor, or DM wants, is a diver who presses on and then has a real crisis requiring a rescue.
So the positive is that you are aware of issues that are making you uncomfortable and are reacting before they become critical. As is repeated often;
"It is far better to be out of the water wishing you where still in, than in the water wishing you where out!"
With new divers we train, we often put them in on controlled sites as buddy pairs, without instructors or DM's. It is not unusual for them to cut a dive short / abort, which we take as a good sign, because they have understood the importance of thinking for themselves and are happy to end a dive if they are uncomfortable or concerned.
With experience, the percentage of aborted dives will drop.
There are some potential issues that may be affecting you.
1. Dive with 'new' buddies every dive.
It is stressful diving with a new buddy, if you don't know them, this can effect your confidence in their ability, and add stress to you, making you more apprehensive, and more inclined to abort a dive.
2. Lack of confidence in your skills.
The only solution for this is a/ practice, b/ more diving. With experience you will become more comfortable in the water and more comfortable performing the basic skills like Mask Clearing , AS etc.
3. Layoffs between dive trips.
Even an experienced diver is more stressed on a first dive after a break in diving. If you are diving infrequently (only when on holiday), then each time you are a 'new' diver and are having to build up your comfort level.
If you have the opportunity, join a club or group of divers, you can build a relationship with a number of buddies, practice you basic skills and gain water confidence. On 'practice dives' add in a skill at the start or end of a dive as an exercise to build confidence and skill.
Gareth
So the positive is that you are aware of issues that are making you uncomfortable and are reacting before they become critical. As is repeated often;
"It is far better to be out of the water wishing you where still in, than in the water wishing you where out!"
With new divers we train, we often put them in on controlled sites as buddy pairs, without instructors or DM's. It is not unusual for them to cut a dive short / abort, which we take as a good sign, because they have understood the importance of thinking for themselves and are happy to end a dive if they are uncomfortable or concerned.
With experience, the percentage of aborted dives will drop.
There are some potential issues that may be affecting you.
1. Dive with 'new' buddies every dive.
It is stressful diving with a new buddy, if you don't know them, this can effect your confidence in their ability, and add stress to you, making you more apprehensive, and more inclined to abort a dive.
2. Lack of confidence in your skills.
The only solution for this is a/ practice, b/ more diving. With experience you will become more comfortable in the water and more comfortable performing the basic skills like Mask Clearing , AS etc.
3. Layoffs between dive trips.
Even an experienced diver is more stressed on a first dive after a break in diving. If you are diving infrequently (only when on holiday), then each time you are a 'new' diver and are having to build up your comfort level.
If you have the opportunity, join a club or group of divers, you can build a relationship with a number of buddies, practice you basic skills and gain water confidence. On 'practice dives' add in a skill at the start or end of a dive as an exercise to build confidence and skill.
Gareth
archer1960
Contributor
One aborted before it really got started due to equipment problems, a couple cut short because of bad vis, one I cut short because the group had surfaced a couple of times and I couldn't equalize on the 3rd descent. This is out of 53 logged dives.
I would like to emphasise what @dumpsterDiver said about your actions during the events that caused the abort.
If you have any "crisis", your actions should be
1) Stop. Stop your activity to allow you to address the situation
2) Breathe - nice slow relaxed breaths to help you stay calm
3) Think - give yourself a few seconds to think through what is happening and how you can address it. Virtually all issues can be worked out given calm thought.
4) Act - only after the above do you take any action. You should be relatively calm and methodical in your action because you aren't stressed.
The only "urgent" issue (apart from medical problems) is lack of gas - in that case your plan is exit the water as soon as possible (and safe to do so), air sharing with your buddy if possible.
I do suspect you have "gone in rather deep" with your choice of early dives. My early dives were nice and relaxing shore dives which gave me a chance to get used to being a diver and a buddy as opposed to diving on a course with an instructor.
I have aborted a dive (think it was about number 10) due to poor vis (lost my buddy after dropping 3 m - couldn't see his fins despite being about 18 inches below them).
Looking at your reasons, I would say that:
Dive 1 - practise mask clearing so it becomes second nature. A relatively simple lift the edge to partially flood, flush the water round and then clear would have been the best course.
Dive 2 - you should have waited longer before diving after all your hassles getting your gear sorted. A 5 minute rest might have made a big difference.
Dive 3 - you were sick so no issues calling the dive (note that you can blow chunks through a regulator if need be - I might suggest a very good rinse afterwards though).
If you have any "crisis", your actions should be
1) Stop. Stop your activity to allow you to address the situation
2) Breathe - nice slow relaxed breaths to help you stay calm
3) Think - give yourself a few seconds to think through what is happening and how you can address it. Virtually all issues can be worked out given calm thought.
4) Act - only after the above do you take any action. You should be relatively calm and methodical in your action because you aren't stressed.
The only "urgent" issue (apart from medical problems) is lack of gas - in that case your plan is exit the water as soon as possible (and safe to do so), air sharing with your buddy if possible.
I do suspect you have "gone in rather deep" with your choice of early dives. My early dives were nice and relaxing shore dives which gave me a chance to get used to being a diver and a buddy as opposed to diving on a course with an instructor.
I have aborted a dive (think it was about number 10) due to poor vis (lost my buddy after dropping 3 m - couldn't see his fins despite being about 18 inches below them).
Looking at your reasons, I would say that:
Dive 1 - practise mask clearing so it becomes second nature. A relatively simple lift the edge to partially flood, flush the water round and then clear would have been the best course.
Dive 2 - you should have waited longer before diving after all your hassles getting your gear sorted. A 5 minute rest might have made a big difference.
Dive 3 - you were sick so no issues calling the dive (note that you can blow chunks through a regulator if need be - I might suggest a very good rinse afterwards though).
As a pretty new diver myself the first thing that stands out to me is a somewhat accelerated dive difficulty in just a few dives... dry suit, cenote.
Dive #9 and you are doing a trust me dive in a cenote where you are so far into an overhead when you had your issue you couldn't swim to the cavern entrance but had to surface in an air pocket. Did you know the way to exit had you lost your guide/buddy?
Is there some external pressure for the quick progression?
My non-expert opinion is it might be a good idea to slow down. A fogged mask isn't really an "issue" but if you are anxious, uncomfortable, etc than it probably feels like one.
If your mask fogged up on a 30-40ft shore dive in 80 degree water would you have reacted differently?
Everybody has different levels of comfort when learning and applying new skills and we've just got to be aware of them and progress based upon them and not let external pressure push us prematurely beyond those levels.
Dive #9 and you are doing a trust me dive in a cenote where you are so far into an overhead when you had your issue you couldn't swim to the cavern entrance but had to surface in an air pocket. Did you know the way to exit had you lost your guide/buddy?
Is there some external pressure for the quick progression?
My non-expert opinion is it might be a good idea to slow down. A fogged mask isn't really an "issue" but if you are anxious, uncomfortable, etc than it probably feels like one.
If your mask fogged up on a 30-40ft shore dive in 80 degree water would you have reacted differently?
Everybody has different levels of comfort when learning and applying new skills and we've just got to be aware of them and progress based upon them and not let external pressure push us prematurely beyond those levels.
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