Being left on the dive site: How to avoid and how to survive...

[ScubaWithTurk]

Having been drifting around for 90 mins in Musandam once, it was the DSMB that got that got someone on the boat attention, not a whistle or airhorn.

With engines running and other noise on a boat a whistle is about as good as an ashtray on a motorbike, nobody will hear it.

I don't think people understand how "primitive" the diving is here. Not to mention very specific laws regarding radio transmissions.

I carry a normal 3 ' SMB as my primary and an emergency SMB that is yellow that is closer to 7'. I also tell the captain my dive plan as far as bottom time, when to expect to see me SMB and when to expect to see me surface.

 

[TrimixToo]

IMO, the biggest problem was not being completely familiar with the currents in the area and making decisions based on that.

 

[Searcaigh]

I don't think people understand how "primitive" the diving is here. Not to mention very specific laws regarding radio transmissions.

I don't think people understand how primitive diving is outside of the US / Europe especially in areas where rules and regulations can change at the drop of a hat without warning, and how they are enforced by people who don't understand them e.g. The no camera rule that was issued a few weeks ago in Fujairah.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

I don't think people understand how primitive diving is outside of the US / Europe especially in areas where rules and regulations can change at the drop of a hat without warning, and how they are enforced by people who don't understand them e.g. The no camera rule that was issued a few weeks ago in Fujairah.

This is off topic but the no camera rule has always been in place according to my contacts and EDA, just means you can't go out and create documentaries without permission. I know many who have had their cameras out since that was publicized on social media. But yes, I agree with you buddy.

 

[Khrissi]

Planning. As I see it. His plan was flawed. Take my hat off fr his survival determination ( military training ) but certainly bad choice to swim alone. Dive boat contact lost. Not a good result. Glad he survived. K

 

[Centrals]

There is NO excuse to have left someone behind.
I have been diving more or less exclusively in SE Asia over 20yrs and I had never ever came across any operator that would allow a solo diver to dive un-guided.

 

[Khrissi]

Passed my Padi OW, bought marker buoy off eBay straight away, 20 bucks, why wouldn't you ? In tree works, big or small job, hazards and planning are the same. Still a lethal environment ( said from his comfy armchair ! ) k

 

[Attreui]

This (although MUCH less bad) happened to me on my very first out of OW class dive. The mental stages you go through are weird. I was in Belize where I got my OW. I finished my class and the next day wanted to go out again. Got assigned an instabuddy who was there on vacation, talked for a bit and went in. When we went in the weather was sunny and calm, beautiful. So 40 mins later, happened to look up and saw flashing, well storms happen in the Caribbean. Dive was ending I signaled that we were going up he said ok, and we started up. About half way, he turns around and bolts back down, no warning. It had gotten so dark, I couldn't see anything below me at all, and was getting low on air (hey it was my first dive, my consumption sucked), so I continued up, I figured that I would get in the boat and try and find out what happened. When I surfaced, I thought I had come up into hell. It was pitch black, the rain and wind was howling and the waves were so tall I couldn't see anything. There was no way the boat was going to find me, and being that new diver with rental gear didn't have the sausage. I remember literally laying back into my BC looking up at the rain hitting my mask and thinking well, this is how it ends lol. It was very weird to be out there alone in that condition. I spent about 35 mins just floating there watching the rain and riding up and down the swells. I have absolutely no idea how the boat found me. It was so hard to see I didn't even see it coming until it was next to me. That captain was incredible, and he said he just thought he saw something and got lucky. When I got on to the boat the DM was in the process of screaming at the other guy (who apparently got lucky and came up closer to them) for leaving his buddy and told him he was unwelcome on their boat again. I guess the guy thought he saw something and went to look. It's a scary thing you go through mentally. I had to force myself to go out again the next day so I could get over it, otherwise I could have seen myself not wanting to dive again.

 

[pepperbelly]

This (although MUCH less bad) happened to me on my very first out of OW class dive. The mental stages you go through are weird. I was in Belize where I got my OW. I finished my class and the next day wanted to go out again. Got assigned an instabuddy who was there on vacation, talked for a bit and went in. When we went in the weather was sunny and calm, beautiful. So 40 mins later, happened to look up and saw flashing, well storms happen in the Caribbean. Dive was ending I signaled that we were going up he said ok, and we started up. About half way, he turns around and bolts back down, no warning. It had gotten so dark, I couldn't see anything below me at all, and was getting low on air (hey it was my first dive, my consumption sucked), so I continued up, I figured that I would get in the boat and try and find out what happened. When I surfaced, I thought I had come up into hell. It was pitch black, the rain and wind was howling and the waves were so tall I couldn't see anything. There was no way the boat was going to find me, and being that new diver with rental gear didn't have the sausage. I remember literally laying back into my BC looking up at the rain hitting my mask and thinking well, this is how it ends lol. It was very weird to be out there alone in that condition. I spent about 35 mins just floating there watching the rain and riding up and down the swells. I have absolutely no idea how the boat found me. It was so hard to see I didn't even see it coming until it was next to me. That captain was incredible, and he said he just thought he saw something and got lucky. When I got on to the boat the DM was in the process of screaming at the other guy (who apparently got lucky and came up closer to them) for leaving his buddy and told him he was unwelcome on their boat again. I guess the guy thought he saw something and went to look. It's a scary thing you go through mentally. I had to force myself to go out again the next day so I could get over it, otherwise I could have seen myself not wanting to dive again.

This is a good reason for carrying a flashlight even during a daylight dive.
I also use mine to look under ledges.

 

[Storker]

This is a good reason for carrying a flashlight even during a daylight dive.
I also use mine to look under ledges.

There's something to say about the "DIR" gear config. My backup light is rigged GUE-style, clipped to my right shoulder D-ring and with a couple of rubber rings holding it close to my right shoulder strap. It's there no matter what, even when I'm rinsing down my gear. If I happen to forget my primary light, my secondary will be available. Whether I've forgotten my primary and I want a light to look behind a ledge, whether I want to lend it out to a clubmate who forgot to bring a light or whether I need it for emergency signalling, it'll be there.