136ft in no time

[NC Wreck Diver]

I'll try to address all of the comments:

I entered at La Jolla shores but I believe I entered too far North. I decended around the yellow buoy (entered near the life-guard tower).

The whole time I was descending there was seafloor below me. I realize not keeping my eye on the depth guage was stupid (normally I'm very good about this) but based on descriptions I have read about the canyon, it sounded to me as though I should come to an obvious "underwater cliff" at about 65 ft so. I was looking for the cliff and I didn't realize how steep the floor was. I guess I had cliff "landmark" in mind and wasn't as thorough with checking my depth as I ought to have been.

My computer does have a depth alarm, but it's not very loud and with a hood on I almost never hear it (it's sherwood wisdom2 console clipped onto a retractor reel at the bottom of my BC).

I don't ever truly equalize. It's kind of hard to explain but I can basically "feel" the air inside of my ear and I have control over it...I can move air through my ear without having to actually do anything (e.g. no jaw wiggling, nose pinching etc.)

As far as using alum80 for a deep dive, keep in mind that that was an accident. I had intended for this to be a 65ft dive, not a 136ft dive. This is not a mistake I will make again, and should I at some point PLAN to go deeper than 100ft I will absolutely invest in a bigger pony and a bigger main cylinder. Also, I checked my psi frequently while at depth (about every 30 seconds given my inexperience at that depth) and decided to ascend with a minimum of 1500psi. I started to realize how quickly the air was going, plus it dawned on me that I was doing something pretty stupid by being there at all, so at 1700psi I headed up.

As far as rethinking solo diving, I appreciate the concern but it ain't gonna happen. I realize I don't have a lot of dives, but they are all in limited vis, surgy conditions, surf etc. and 60 of them are solo.

Your responses are good. If you can't hear your computer, put some thin holes in your hood, where your ears would meet the hood. A paperclip, heated over flame can put some small holes in the neoprene (use gloves for the hot paperclip!).

Glad to hear your ears are that good. But I believe you should have felt some pressure increase.

Personally, I ALWAYS dive with double 85's and the 30 sling bottle (even for a 30 footer - I like a lot of gas), solo or in a group. Plan for the worst, expect the best. Safe diving to you always, especially diving solo with your redundancy rig.

 

[diver_doug]

yeah, you equalize, you just have good ears, and can do it with a little gentle positive pressure on your eustacian tubes. you can still track when this happening and how much if you stay conscious of it. the air to equalize your ears at 136 ft didn't get there by magic, you just weren't staying aware of it.

Yeah, I guess I didn't convey myself perfectly. I definitely do equalize, but it's a very unconcious act...I don't think "okay, I need to equalize", it's just something going on quietly in the background, so to speak.

Thanks for checking your gauges often. That's really saved your butt. Checking depth and then checking air frequently will help you to negotiate these mistakes. It is my opinion that complacency is the biggest enemy we have underwater and I have heard too many divers pontificate how they don't need to check their gauges often.

When I realized how deep I was, my inner monologue was something like: "Holy s#*t, 136ft, how did that happen? Well, that's only 6ft beyond rec limits. I should be feeling pretty narc'd right now but I don't really feel anything, maybe I could go deeper. Wait, when you're narc'd you're stupid but you don't know you're stupid, I better hold onto this console, not go any deeper, and check my air every 30 seconds or so and leave here pretty quick."

 

[The Chairman]

Lamont gave a pretty good description of Narcosis: you rarely feel it. The two biggest indicators of intoxication are slurred speech and losing balance. You rarely talk underwater and we are supported by the water, so we can't fall down. No way for us to realize that we are under the influence.

 

[redacted]

, I better hold onto this console...."

That might be part of the problem. It is much easier to closely monitor important information if it is sitting on your wrist where it is easier to see.

 

[ianr33]

That might be part of the problem. It is much easier to closely monitor important information if it is sitting on your wrist where it is easier to see.

X 1,000,000

Put your computer on your wrist. Dive with your hands forwards. Real easy to constantly check your depth.

To the OP: You got lucky this time. Learn from this and don't do it again!

 

[dumpsterDiver]

It is hard for me to believe that the diver was this clueless. Wonder if he got narced at 80-90 and just totally spaced out on the remainder of the descent?

 

[gcbryan]

It is hard for me to believe that the diver was this clueless. Wonder if he got narced at 80-90 and just totally spaced out on the remainder of the descent?

It doesn't require being clueless...just unfamiliar with the area. A steep slope would get you deep in seconds.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

It doesn't require being clueless...just unfamiliar with the area. A steep slope would get you deep in seconds.

I'm 99% certain that I've been in the area visited by the OP -- most likely west of the Secret Garden. The slope ain't that steep. There's a gently sloping sandy bottom from 30 fsw to approx. 115 fsw. Then there's a small 6-7 ft. drop-off to more sand, which continues to slope downward. There aren't any steep walls that drop off into an abyss, like at Scripps Canyon. This is very close to where the father-son incident in October 2008 occurred.

There's a small chance that he was on the Way North Wall or North Wall, sites that are north- and south-facing walls of a westward-pointing peninsula. I don't know the direction in which the OP was swimming, so I can't be sure of his location.

I think we can all agree that narcosis played a part in this incident -- at least once the OP descended into the 80-100 fsw range.

To those who are recommending that the OP put his computer on his wrist...
His Sherwood Wisdom is a hosed, air-integrated computer. It can't be mounted on his wrist.

 

[fisheater]

I used to dive with a Sherwood Wisdom, too. I tied a snap bolt to it and kept it clipped to my right chest D-ring, so all I had to do was look down and see it (sideways, but still readable).

When I went with a BP/W, I got a wrist-mounted computer.

I suggest that all divers have their depth and time info (at least) when they can see it with minimal effort.

 

[lamont]

To those who are recommending that the OP put his computer on his wrist...
His Sherwood Wisdom is a hosed, air-integrated computer. It can't be mounted on his wrist.

yes, the point is to ebay the console and buy a wrist-mount.