FreeFloat
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I think it wasn't so much "permittted" to dive Nitrox, as "made to" dive it.dive4funOften:
Yikes.
(15 APR 04) Have you ever been close to meeting your maker while diving
- Thread starter fgray1
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Yikes.
OP
I Started this thread because of what happened to me last weekend.
Although I don't want anyone to get hurt or die I have to say,
What I've learned from my experience and all of yours so far has taught me alot. It makes you see things in a differant light. I lock this stuff away in my brain for future use when I'm diving. We're all responsable for the decisions we make. By reading what you've done might save my life before it is even in jeopardy. Thanks.
Keep them coming.
Fred
Although I don't want anyone to get hurt or die I have to say,
What I've learned from my experience and all of yours so far has taught me alot. It makes you see things in a differant light. I lock this stuff away in my brain for future use when I'm diving. We're all responsable for the decisions we make. By reading what you've done might save my life before it is even in jeopardy. Thanks.
Keep them coming.
Fred
Baitedstorm, are you AOW? I have dived the locations you mention in your post. They are definatly advanced dives. The Hole in the Wall is a dive where you can hit 140+. The Rankin often has a ripping current on it. We always dive both with a pony just in case, and more recently, we do decompression dives on both. I know the operator you 'didn not' mention. He has a habit of running Resort Nitrox classes on the boat on the way out to the dive sites. I don't agree with the PADI Resort Nitrox thing, but that's for another post. That being said, he is a good operator. Divers need to make sure they understand the dive before getting in the water, or even on the boat. If a DM doesn't give a piece of info, one must ask for it. I understand you only had about 20+ dives, which means you were probably more than a little out of your element on that boat for those dives. I'm happy you are still with us, and you now know what to ask before you take the plunge.baitedstorm:
I suffered an acute barotrauma in my ear just like you in the Caymans last October. You experienced vertigo from the water temp differential between the two ears. Once the cold water that enters the eustachian tube warms, the vertigo goes away. I know the pain well. My ENT doc told me I wouldn't dive again also. Must be a liability thing. I gave mine two months and then did some shallow dives, descending slow and equalizing every couple of feet. The hearing loss may come back over time. Mine did.
You learned the big lesson of "Don't let anyone talk you into doing something you're not comfortable with." I bet you won't make a repeat.
I'll come up your way and be a proper buddy with you on some cool dives in that area if you ever need one. Just send me a PM.
Thanks for your reply. I figured anyone familar with this dive op would know right away who I was speaking of, and even though I know some will disagree, I didnt mention their name them becuase I felt I was the one responsible for the days event and the last thing I wanted to do is bash them. As always, bad news travels fast in this industry and I got alot of feedback from different people local to me. Some said I was insane not to report this to PADI, and I was torn over what to do. I was scared I might not dive again, I was mad at my dive buddie, and ultimately I was enraged with myself for not standing up for what I believed in. I didn't want those feelings to effect my descion making ability so I left everything alone.
I am aow, and just about finished with my rescue class. (got stung by a jellyfish the last day of class so I'm waiting to make up the last 3 parts)I start Dive Master classes next month and my plans are to instruct.
I know that as scarey as everything was that day, it ultimately will end up saving my life or someone else's one day. I refuse to allow anyone to talk me into anything I'm not comfortable with now and I think I've really grown as a diver from this. In fact, I just got back from Western Australia a few weeks ago, and even after all the money and time I put into that trip, because of that expiernce I was able to walk away from a less favorable dive that I other wise might not have. (btw, I did get plenty of other dives in before leaving and they were AMAZING!!! loads of white tip reefies and wobbegong/carpet sharks)
I'm not bitter with the dive op,and I think your right about asking more question. When I saw all the divers with pony bottles something should have clicked in my head.
Lessons for life, I believe, are the most valuable and I definetly learned a good one.
I am aow, and just about finished with my rescue class. (got stung by a jellyfish the last day of class so I'm waiting to make up the last 3 parts)I start Dive Master classes next month and my plans are to instruct.
I know that as scarey as everything was that day, it ultimately will end up saving my life or someone else's one day. I refuse to allow anyone to talk me into anything I'm not comfortable with now and I think I've really grown as a diver from this. In fact, I just got back from Western Australia a few weeks ago, and even after all the money and time I put into that trip, because of that expiernce I was able to walk away from a less favorable dive that I other wise might not have. (btw, I did get plenty of other dives in before leaving and they were AMAZING!!! loads of white tip reefies and wobbegong/carpet sharks)
I'm not bitter with the dive op,and I think your right about asking more question. When I saw all the divers with pony bottles something should have clicked in my head.
Lessons for life, I believe, are the most valuable and I definetly learned a good one.
brssmnky
Contributor
Hmmm, would that be my mother or father? Well, doesn't matter, neither of them dive. 
baitedstorm:
I'm glad to know you're still with us. It is this classic type of prying on a diver's intimidation, that upsets the hell out of me. In another thread someone stated that no one should be allowed to dive without certification, with the obvious exception of students, with which I disagree. But, I believe that no one should be allowed to dive Nitrox without certification.
I'm glad the scars you have from this dive are physically minor, but I can imagine what kind of emotional scars you have.
Semper Safe,
Rick
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All the OW courses should have a big section on how to "not succumb to peer pressure"
The harder people push to make you do something that you don't think is right, the more you should be convinced to not do it.
The DM and other divers in Cozumel kept pushing be to dive with a torn BC inflator hose, and use duct tape. It might have worked, but what's the point? Death (as well as some injuries) are permanent.
Terry
The harder people push to make you do something that you don't think is right, the more you should be convinced to not do it.
The DM and other divers in Cozumel kept pushing be to dive with a torn BC inflator hose, and use duct tape. It might have worked, but what's the point? Death (as well as some injuries) are permanent.
Terry
FreeFloat:
UWSojourner
Contributor
I see my Maker's signature every time I dive.
Luckily, I haven't been close to seeing that Signature on my "exit visa".
Stay safe.
Luckily, I haven't been close to seeing that Signature on my "exit visa".
Stay safe.
September of 2003. Went to the Spiegel Grove with a group of friends from my LDS, including my instructor, who unbeknownst to me, was taking a group of AOW students doing their deep dive. So we agreed that this dive would be a good one to do towards my DM certification, and would count as part of my internship. The plan was simple, tour the wreck up current and drift back to our moring line and a 3 - 5 min safety stop at 15'. We would make it a multi-level dive, with the deepest point being 100'.
Error #1
I accepted the responsibility of leading a group of divers to a site which, despite of having dived the same wreck 6 times prior, it's an unpredictable dive and subject to changing conditions, including some strong currents.
I had just purchased a Sea Vision 2000 and a new neoprene mask strap with adjusting buckles, and was dying to try it. I already own a Sea Vision Ultra, but was looking forward to the bigger lenses and the slightly lower volume.
Error #2
To try new equipment on a deep dive, under stressful conditions.
Due to scheduling problems, I had gone to a different LDS to get my nitrox fill, and this place does PP fills, not the banked, pre-mixed I'm used to. I asked for 32% and the final mix ended up being 33.7%. The Dive Op offered a 32% bottle, but I didn't see the need to pay extra for something I already had. Considering that I always plan my dives to 1.4 PPO2, I figured, well MOD at 1.4 with 34% is approximately 108, so as long as I didn't descend below 100, I'd be fine. My other tank had 36%, so it was not an option.
Error #3
By not using a tank from the operator with 32% EANx I added another stressor to the dive.
We tied to a moring ball that led to a section of the wreck close to the stern. I thought, "great, I've not seen the stern of this wreck yet." As the "DM" I jumped in first, grabed the current line and made my way to the tag line, following it to the moring line and waiting at the ball for the group to meet me there. After that, I would descend to 40 feet keeping an eye on the group; my instructor was at the rear of the group.
The current on this wreck usually runs from stern to bow, so there would not be much exploring given our plan.
All was fine until we reached the range of 80 - 100 fsw, then all hell broke loose. My mask was flooding uncontrollably, and I couldn't keep it clear. Everytime I inhaled, I felt the water wanting to trickle up my nose. To make matters worse, some of the students had difficulties equalizing, so my instructor attended to those who had problems, leaving my group to end up being bigger than originally planned.
I was not a happy camper. I found myself almost overbreathing my reg, and having to, as verbally as possible, shout to myself to SBTBA (stop, breathe, think, breathe, act). The night before I had read on RSD's "Lessons for Life" column about a diver who drowned on his first SW dive to a deep wreck, and of the DM who trying to save him, ended up dead also. The diver's body was never found. I was hearing voices saying "you're going to die" "your body will never be found" and on and on, but never saw the bright light. Guess that was good.
Luckily, I got a hold of myself, and finished the worst display of dive leading I've seen and never wish to repeat. The remainder was uneventful, but it did scare the bejiebers out of me!! Oh I almost forgot, there were lots of other divers on the wreck (it's a very popular wreck), and all decided to come up at the same time, and to make matters worse, up our moring line. The current was strong, and we were all flags on a post during our safety stop.
Lessons learned (or re-learned),
1. Don't dive outside of your comfort level. I have done plenty of deep dives; I have also led several other dives. This was my first deep dive while leading a group of divers, and I was suddenly faced with a responsibility I had not considered. My idea of the dive is that it was going to be a recreational dive, not a "working" dive.
2. Never take new equipment on a deep dive. Now I only dive new equipment after I've gone off the beach two or three times with it.
3. Dive with the gas you're comfortable, either by bringing it with you or getting it of the dive operator.
Rick.
Error #1
I accepted the responsibility of leading a group of divers to a site which, despite of having dived the same wreck 6 times prior, it's an unpredictable dive and subject to changing conditions, including some strong currents.
I had just purchased a Sea Vision 2000 and a new neoprene mask strap with adjusting buckles, and was dying to try it. I already own a Sea Vision Ultra, but was looking forward to the bigger lenses and the slightly lower volume.
Error #2
To try new equipment on a deep dive, under stressful conditions.
Due to scheduling problems, I had gone to a different LDS to get my nitrox fill, and this place does PP fills, not the banked, pre-mixed I'm used to. I asked for 32% and the final mix ended up being 33.7%. The Dive Op offered a 32% bottle, but I didn't see the need to pay extra for something I already had. Considering that I always plan my dives to 1.4 PPO2, I figured, well MOD at 1.4 with 34% is approximately 108, so as long as I didn't descend below 100, I'd be fine. My other tank had 36%, so it was not an option.
Error #3
By not using a tank from the operator with 32% EANx I added another stressor to the dive.
We tied to a moring ball that led to a section of the wreck close to the stern. I thought, "great, I've not seen the stern of this wreck yet." As the "DM" I jumped in first, grabed the current line and made my way to the tag line, following it to the moring line and waiting at the ball for the group to meet me there. After that, I would descend to 40 feet keeping an eye on the group; my instructor was at the rear of the group.
The current on this wreck usually runs from stern to bow, so there would not be much exploring given our plan.
All was fine until we reached the range of 80 - 100 fsw, then all hell broke loose. My mask was flooding uncontrollably, and I couldn't keep it clear. Everytime I inhaled, I felt the water wanting to trickle up my nose. To make matters worse, some of the students had difficulties equalizing, so my instructor attended to those who had problems, leaving my group to end up being bigger than originally planned.
I was not a happy camper. I found myself almost overbreathing my reg, and having to, as verbally as possible, shout to myself to SBTBA (stop, breathe, think, breathe, act). The night before I had read on RSD's "Lessons for Life" column about a diver who drowned on his first SW dive to a deep wreck, and of the DM who trying to save him, ended up dead also. The diver's body was never found. I was hearing voices saying "you're going to die" "your body will never be found" and on and on, but never saw the bright light. Guess that was good.
Luckily, I got a hold of myself, and finished the worst display of dive leading I've seen and never wish to repeat. The remainder was uneventful, but it did scare the bejiebers out of me!! Oh I almost forgot, there were lots of other divers on the wreck (it's a very popular wreck), and all decided to come up at the same time, and to make matters worse, up our moring line. The current was strong, and we were all flags on a post during our safety stop.
Lessons learned (or re-learned),
1. Don't dive outside of your comfort level. I have done plenty of deep dives; I have also led several other dives. This was my first deep dive while leading a group of divers, and I was suddenly faced with a responsibility I had not considered. My idea of the dive is that it was going to be a recreational dive, not a "working" dive.
2. Never take new equipment on a deep dive. Now I only dive new equipment after I've gone off the beach two or three times with it.
3. Dive with the gas you're comfortable, either by bringing it with you or getting it of the dive operator.
Rick.
mempilot:
I do too, and I will almost bet I know who was the group of divers on the boat that day. They can be quite intimidating to a more experienced diver, let alone one with a little over 20 dives under their weightbelt.
Point of different focus though, this particular dive operator now features a DM with 9 1/2 fingers. He got 1/2 his left pinky finger bit off by a puffer fish. Only he didnt' know he'd lost the finger until he pulled off the glove.
Apparently he was trying to incite the fish to "blow himself up," and ended up pissing off the fish, who then attacked him and left him with fingers numbering 9 1/2.
Sad....
Rick
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