Well, now, there's the rub, isn't it.baitedstorm:
Too late.
But... sharing the experience here might save someone from a similar experience, and so is a good thing.
Rick
(15 APR 04) Have you ever been close to meeting your maker while diving
- Thread starter fgray1
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Too late.
But... sharing the experience here might save someone from a similar experience, and so is a good thing.
Rick
"Have you ever been close to meeting your maker while diving "
My parents don't dive, so the chances of seeing them underwater are very slim.
My parents don't dive, so the chances of seeing them underwater are very slim.
pickens_46929
Contributor
baitedstorm:
Good post. Lots of lessons to be learned here.
RULE #1 -- NEVER BE TOO MACHO OR WHATEVER TO CALL OFF A DIVE
Either before it starts or underwater. Never, ever be afraid to call it.
RULE #2 -- Uncomfortable? See RULE #1 above.
Jaci
Guest
Fortunately, I haven't had quite as hairy an experience as some have here. I do have a couple of lessons to share though. I'm an AOW but with only 20 dives this year and use more gas than I'd like to admit. I monitor SAC rates after each dive and have a pretty good feel for how much is being used.
My last dive was fairly shallow, 60', working on some skills that involved working against the current. I called an end to the skill set at about 800#/3000# bottle as it seemed I was using a lot of gas (later found out I averaged almost 1.0 cfm/atm versus a typical rate of between 0.6 and 0.75). My buddy gave me the float reel that he modified and after trying to keep up with him while he retrieved the gear I noticed I only had 500# (40%Nitrox), I gave him I've got to go up signal. He continued to retrieve some gear and I ascended. The d...n reel wouldn't wind and was stuck, I kept trying to get it to work but without any luck. By the time I hit my safety stop, I had 250# of air, hadn't been under for more than 30 min, and decided not to stop and surface. unfortunately, I'm drifting with 50' of twine beginning to tangle around my fins and hoping that the boat sees I'm up before I have to start dumping weights and cutting gear. I was happy to have the 250# of air left as the seas were 5-6' and I didn't want to try and manually blow air into the BC in those conditions.
My lessons learned........ know your buddies equipment, make your own decisions to ascend, with or without the buddy, DON'T FLOAT WITH FREE LINE, use bigger tanks with more air when you are diving in current or anticipate much less time at depth. I'm also planning on diving with a reserve tank of 19 cf whenever I go below 60'.
My last dive was fairly shallow, 60', working on some skills that involved working against the current. I called an end to the skill set at about 800#/3000# bottle as it seemed I was using a lot of gas (later found out I averaged almost 1.0 cfm/atm versus a typical rate of between 0.6 and 0.75). My buddy gave me the float reel that he modified and after trying to keep up with him while he retrieved the gear I noticed I only had 500# (40%Nitrox), I gave him I've got to go up signal. He continued to retrieve some gear and I ascended. The d...n reel wouldn't wind and was stuck, I kept trying to get it to work but without any luck. By the time I hit my safety stop, I had 250# of air, hadn't been under for more than 30 min, and decided not to stop and surface. unfortunately, I'm drifting with 50' of twine beginning to tangle around my fins and hoping that the boat sees I'm up before I have to start dumping weights and cutting gear. I was happy to have the 250# of air left as the seas were 5-6' and I didn't want to try and manually blow air into the BC in those conditions.
My lessons learned........ know your buddies equipment, make your own decisions to ascend, with or without the buddy, DON'T FLOAT WITH FREE LINE, use bigger tanks with more air when you are diving in current or anticipate much less time at depth. I'm also planning on diving with a reserve tank of 19 cf whenever I go below 60'.
cmalinowski
Contributor
Uh, don't mean to be picky, but he has 9.5 fingersbaitedstorm:
Glad you're OK.
The closest I have ever been to meeting my maker underwater, was the Christ of Abyss statue down in Pennecamp. 
Note to self: remember to warn all of your student divers to NOT hug that statue! (fire coral)
Back in the old days, we ended most every dive with an OOA (or close to it). I plan so that I will never be OOA AND OOB (Out of Buddy) at the same time.
Note to self: remember to warn all of your student divers to NOT hug that statue! (fire coral)
Back in the old days, we ended most every dive with an OOA (or close to it). I plan so that I will never be OOA AND OOB (Out of Buddy) at the same time.
:laughing: your right about that.... hehehehehehe! my bad!cmalinowski:Uh, don't mean to be picky, but he has 9.5 fingers
Glad you're OK.
The diving was never that big of a problem - it was the surfing the North Shore of Oahu in the big winter surf that almost killed me three times. Fast learning curve though.
NetDoc:The closest I have ever been to meeting my maker underwater, was the Christ of Abyss statue down in Pennecamp.
Note to self: remember to warn all of your student divers to NOT hug that statue! (fire coral)
Back in the old days, we ended most every dive with an OOA (or close to it). I plan so that I will never be OOA AND OOB (Out of Buddy) at the same time.
too late
LuvsItWet
Registered
If you haven't yet, check out my post on the next page (3) "Near Death Experience"
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=86594
I leave in 6 days, going back to do it right this time!
Mark
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=86594
I leave in 6 days, going back to do it right this time!
Mark
Similar threads
