(15 APR 04) Have you ever been close to meeting your maker while diving

[aviddiver(him)]

fgray1: re: post #1, #12, #32

Unless I missed it, you haven't offered your "maker" experience yet? :06:

 

[Rick Inman]

Yes, I'm a solo diver. I carry four regulators if you include my power inflator, I dive H-Valves, and I do not dive deep if I'm solo.

Four regulators. Would that be 2 on the H valve, one on the BCD inflator and one on... what, a pony? Or 3 on the H valve? And, why??

 

[keytofreedom]

I just got back from my first "real" dive experience. Before I left for this liveaboard, I was two dives short of my AOW cert. In my opinion, the title of "Advanced" is much too easily attained! I couldn't even remember how to attach a reg to the tank! I had new equipment, which I had never before had in the water.

The first day we had four dives to do. Each of the first three presented a new equipment problem, none that couldn't be fixed, but each kept me from having the time to get my weight right. Then came the night dive. An instructor from our dive shop, who is considered to be the "host" of the trip, was my buddy. He jumped in the water and instructed me to meet him at the bow. Mind you, the surface chop was what I considered strong and the current was, too. I was already somewhat tired from the previous dives, so when I jumped in and began to try to make my way to the bow of the boat, I found myself becoming exhausted. Due to my inexperience, I didn't know I was carrying too much weight. Needless to say by the time I reached the bow, I was exhausted, so I grabbed the anchor line. I told my buddy/instructor I was whipped, so he assumed the tag line would be a better place for me as I wouldn't get so beat up by the boat's heaving. I was told to grab the tag line and PUT MY SNORKLE IN MY MOUTH! I couldn't keep my head above water because of the weight issue. All I could do was scream and inhale water until I finally had the sense to switch to my regulator. I still could not keep my head above water and my reg was squeaking like crazy, which only served to scare me more. By that time, I was totally panicked, screaming and begging somebody to help me. My instructor had his camera in his hand - I believe it had become entangled in something - and he was unable to help me. Finally the DM dove from the front of the boat, sans equipment, and aided in my rescue. Another diver, who was an officer, told me I was in shock by the time they got me back in the boat. It seemed like an eternity to me and I was convinced I was going to die. You hear about things happening to other people, but when it's you, it's surreal and horrifying. I don't imagine anything you learn in Rescue Diver could prepare you to save someone as panicked as me.

I'm glad to say that incident didn't keep me from getting back in the water, thanks to the encouragement of another diver who is studying for instructor. Instructor's need the heart of a teacher; they need to be selfless in the water; they need patience. There are too many instructors who are in it for the trips.

I don't really know what the lesson here is, except for the obvious: Don't dive without trying and learning your equipment. Get your weight right. Any more?

 

[fgray1]

fgray1: re: post #1, #12, #32

Unless I missed it, you haven't offered your "maker" experience yet? :06:

Do a search you'll find it, I would tell you but you seam hostile with your comment.
Fred

 

[The Fresh Prince]

Do a search you'll find it, I would tell you but you seam hostile with your comment.
Fred

why not just link it, instead....
Had a scare today

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.scubaboard.com/t52734.html
__________________

 

[Scubakevdm]

Me diving with my maker, well one of them.

 

[aviddiver(him)]

How did you get "hostile" out of my post?

Rechecked the thread and no, no details in this thread about the event.

So I took your advice and learned how to search since I'm new to this board. I found it. Took me an hour+; side tracked reading all the responses.

In the mean time another ScubaBoard contributor posted the event here in it's entirity. Thank you to them.

 

[fgray1]

How did you get "hostile" out of my post?

Rechecked the thread and no, no details in this thread about the event.

So I took your advice and learned how to search since I'm new to this board. I found it. Took me an hour+; side tracked reading all the responses.

In the mean time another ScubaBoard contributor posted the event here in it's entirity. Thank you to them.

Baiting might have been better. As I read between the lines you seemed to be implying that I had no right to ask about others that had close calls because I hadn't posted mine. The reasoning behind the question was to let people know we all make mistakes and to maybe share what went wrong and save someone else from the experience. If you weren't implying that then I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. If you want to know something, next time ask me straight out. I'll be glad to answer you.
Fred

 

[japan-diver]

I don't really know what the lesson here is, except for the obvious: Don't dive without trying and learning your equipment. Get your weight right. Any more?

Don't dive with that instructor again!!!

 

[MikeFerrara]

I just got back from my first "real" dive experience. Before I left for this liveaboard, I was two dives short of my AOW cert. In my opinion, the title of "Advanced" is much too easily attained! I couldn't even remember how to attach a reg to the tank! I had new equipment, which I had never before had in the water.

The first day we had four dives to do. Each of the first three presented a new equipment problem, none that couldn't be fixed, but each kept me from having the time to get my weight right. Then came the night dive. An instructor from our dive shop, who is considered to be the "host" of the trip, was my buddy. He jumped in the water and instructed me to meet him at the bow. Mind you, the surface chop was what I considered strong and the current was, too. I was already somewhat tired from the previous dives, so when I jumped in and began to try to make my way to the bow of the boat, I found myself becoming exhausted. Due to my inexperience, I didn't know I was carrying too much weight. Needless to say by the time I reached the bow, I was exhausted, so I grabbed the anchor line. I told my buddy/instructor I was whipped, so he assumed the tag line would be a better place for me as I wouldn't get so beat up by the boat's heaving. I was told to grab the tag line and PUT MY SNORKLE IN MY MOUTH! I couldn't keep my head above water because of the weight issue. All I could do was scream and inhale water until I finally had the sense to switch to my regulator. I still could not keep my head above water and my reg was squeaking like crazy, which only served to scare me more. By that time, I was totally panicked, screaming and begging somebody to help me. My instructor had his camera in his hand - I believe it had become entangled in something - and he was unable to help me. Finally the DM dove from the front of the boat, sans equipment, and aided in my rescue. Another diver, who was an officer, told me I was in shock by the time they got me back in the boat. It seemed like an eternity to me and I was convinced I was going to die. You hear about things happening to other people, but when it's you, it's surreal and horrifying. I don't imagine anything you learn in Rescue Diver could prepare you to save someone as panicked as me.

I'm glad to say that incident didn't keep me from getting back in the water, thanks to the encouragement of another diver who is studying for instructor. Instructor's need the heart of a teacher; they need to be selfless in the water; they need patience. There are too many instructors who are in it for the trips.

I don't really know what the lesson here is, except for the obvious: Don't dive without trying and learning your equipment. Get your weight right. Any more?

There are lots of lesson here but for starters don't dive with an instructor who will sacrifice you for a camera!