2 more upper keys dive fatalities, 8/6/2011

[Hatul]

I wonder how long they had been divers and why on earth wouldn't you know how much air you have left? I watch my gauges alot sometimes more than I should but I like to know how deep I am and how much air I have. On a recent trip to Flordia with several new divers I found myself checking a few of the newer divers gauges, and when we got back on the boat one guy told me he really appreciated that. It a fun sport, but it does have its dangers.

It's for this reason that I don't like the idea of clipping off the SPG on a D ring with a snap bolt DIR style. It's just too easy for the rec diver to become distracted and forget to check the tank pressure. You can borrow lots of good ideas from tech diving, but this is a bad one. I don't know if this was a factor here, but my statement still stands.

Adam

 

[TSandM]

It's just too easy for the rec diver to become distracted and forget to check the tank pressure.

If they are distracted and not thinking about checking pressure, they aren't going to do it anywhere else, either . . . except perhaps if they have a transmitter and the pressure on the same gauge they're using to check their depth, assuming they are CHECKING their depth.

At some point, people really DO have to take a little responsibility for actually diving, rather than floating around underwater.

 

[Splitlip]

If they are distracted and not thinking about checking pressure, they aren't going to do it anywhere else, either . . . except perhaps if they have a transmitter and the pressure on the same gauge they're using to check their depth, assuming they are CHECKING their depth.

And that's a fact. You beat me to it.

Also, how many (non tech) divers do we see with their consoles whipping in the breeze?

 

[Blue Sparkle]

It's for this reason that I don't like the idea of clipping off the SPG on a D ring with a snap bolt DIR style. It's just too easy for the rec diver to become distracted and forget to check the tank pressure.

I didn't dive with a console/un-clipped for very long, so I can't accurately directly compare, but I find that the "unclip-/look/re-clip" of my bolt-snapped SPG almost encourages me to remember to do it. Maybe it's because there is a little bit more to it and so I practice a lot to ingrain it into my motor memory?

 

[USVet96]

Also, how many (non tech) divers do we see with their consoles whipping in the breeze?

I agree. And when this happens what I have seen too many times unfortunately, is divers "securing" the console so that it doesn't flop about; totally not realizing that this single action now HINDERS them being able to easily check the gauge.

I was on a dive where this happened and I noticed the diver not really checking the gauge. I was monitoring MINE and monitoring THEM almost the whole dive. They checked theirs maybe 3 times (over 45 minutes) and it was at such a BAD angle that I doubt they got an accurate reading (not kidding). The last time I checked mine, and saw it was at the psi needed to begin our ascent, I literally went over to them and told them it was time to go up. They didn't even look at their gauge and just began ascending.

I think too many times when divers go under, they literally leave the monitoring to their buddy. And they just swim around until their buddy says its time to go up, having no idea of their gas, their consumption, their safety needs, etc., instead of monitoring their OWN gas and realizing immediately when there is a problem.

This happens ALOT during OW classes where new divers "rely" on their instructor for everything, including to monitor THEIR OWN gas.

Just my opinion

 

[USVet96]

I didn't dive with a console/un-clipped for very long, so I can't accurately directly compare, but I find that the "unclip-/look/re-clip" of my bolt-snapped SPG almost encourages me to remember to do it. Maybe it's because there is a little bit more to it and so I practice a lot to ingrain it into my motor memory?

I have a backup SPG that I used to have clipped below but I often found that I was really only "glancing" at it and not really "reading" it (it was OK because it was a backup and I had my air integrated on my wrist that I used as a primary). But still I didn't like it. So now I have it on a retractor that I have to literally "pull away" to read then release it back in place. This MAKES ME read the gauge more than just look at it and I like the reassurance.

 

[boulderjohn]

Although I have always been one to check my gas supply with adequate frequency, I found that the time my cave instructor casually mentioned that missing the turn pressure one time meant automatically failing the course had a lasting effect on my sense of urgency.

 

[Hatul]

Although I have always been one to check my gas supply with adequate frequency, I found that the time my cave instructor casually mentioned that missing the turn pressure one time meant automatically failing the course had a lasting effect on my sense of urgency.

That's my point. You can't expect a casual recreational diver to have the same degree of discipline as required of a cave diver. Putting the tank pressure near or next to the depth gauge would imply either a console or wrist wireless AI, and both options are shunned by the tech divers for different reasons. Nevertheless I think they're more appropriate for the recreational diver because both force you to look at the tank pressure when you glance at the depth. Of course as Lynne points out this won't help someone who just does not look at the gauges.

Adam

 

[driftwood]

A good friend runs a shop in Austin, he told me that 95% of all drowned divers still have their weights. It seems to me that more class time needs to be spent on when the least acceptable solution becomes the best solution to a problem. As I recall, my training on ditching weights lasted far less than one minute.

That was a long time ago and I hope the classes have changed since then.

 

[TSandM]

One thing that has come out of this thread, is that I think I'm going to talk to Peter about running some theoretical scenarios for our OW students, to get them to think through some issues and come up with concepts like orally inflating and dropping weights. We know they can physically DO those things when they are told to do them, but I'm not sure we are certain they will think of them when the ideas might be needed.