200ft dive, but avoids the Chamber

[jviehe]

From DANs site:

Dear DAN,

I just want to drop you a line and ask that you recognize the fantastic staff and support that DAN offers.

I have been certified for a little over six years and am in my late 30s. I consider myself a fairly conservative diver. I am certified through PADI with Rescue Diver status and will be entering the Divemaster program soon. I have logged about 70 ocean dives to date.

Normally, my wife and I dive together. However, on a recent trip I was “tempted” by a vastly more experienced diver to make the proverbial “deep dive.” The dive was to a cavern swim-through that empties onto a wall. I was going to what was termed the 200-foot “touch and go” (at which time I could earn my T-shirt that reads: “At 200 feet no one can hear you scream.”)

Sounds simple enough, except a couple of factors came into play.
1) The day of the dive, the boat broke down and we needed to postpone the dive – I was flying home the next day after six days of diving;
2) The current was abnormally strong to get to the cavern system;
3) The “bulletproof” dive buddy who talked me into the dive.

We crawled along the sea floor to avoid the current, did the swim-through and emptied out at the wall at about 130 feet. Yea! I signaled to my buddy “2-0-0 thumbs-down,” and off we went.

The other divers continued through some more caverns at around 120 feet as we descended. 150 feet had been my deepest dive to date, so I was a little anxious and nervous, yet excited. After two thermoclines, we hit 200 feet – and the party started.

More - http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/news/article.asp?newsid=833

 

[Web Monkey]

From DANs site:
More - http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/news/article.asp?newsid=833

Surviving a 220' cave dive on a non-deco computer with a bad (missing/plan-violating) buddy on what was probably a single tank (OOA on a bounce dive doesn't sound like doubles) . . .

That's not an accident or incident. It's a miracle.

 

[ScubaMilo]

One very lucky guy.
Very easily could have gone another direction.
Glad to see he's still alive.
Milo

 

[jeckyll]

Wow.

...... How not to go diving 101

 

[Cacia]

close call.... did he stop at all?

never went on O2 at the scene?

I wonder why not...just curious.
I bet the wife was glad she missed that one.

I guess I read it too fast...why no chamber if you were symptomatic?

I must be missing something...what did DAN do exactly...tell you to drink water?

Joints began to tighten, and muscle spasms flared as I tried to relax and prepare for the flight home.

What symptoms were they waiting for, now? Wish you could offer how the hyperbaric medicine specialist decided you did not need the chamber...I would be very interested in that.

Did you get any treatment at all?

Maybe making you feel stupid would have been a valuable part of the treatment plan. When I do stupid things....I generally am reassured if someone tells me "hey stupid! that is dangerous and you could die!"

 

[Jcsgt]

Good Lord! This is precisely why our insurance rates are so high.

I wonder if he were diving air or a mix? Just curious.

 

[do it easy]

Joel expressed his concerns over the case and told me what to expect over the next few days. He was right: I felt like I had been hit by a truck. However, I am still here and ready to plan my next trip.

This sounds "bent" to me, although I think this is the type I hit, rather than the type II hit.

I'm curious about his buddy's profile- 220' and his buddy was out of sight? 275'?-300'?

I wonder how long he was actually at depth for? 10 minutes max?

 

[Cacia]

yea, I am not thinking this was such great treatment you recieved, no offense. Unless, I am missing some important information.

I would like to hear some docs opinions.

 

[caveseeker7]

That guy should have been weeded out by nature.

... did he stop at all?

Yep, for the superman poses.

never went on O2 at the scene?

Why do you have to be so difficult?
Those medical O2 tanks have different valves ... just because he blows deco on a 200 ft dive ... besides, on a well planned trip like that, words like oxygen confuse participants and organizers alike.

I bet the wife was glad she missed that one.

I bet she now realizes her mother was on to something with her warnings ...

I guess I read it too fast...why no chamber if you were symptomatic?
I must be missing something...what did DAN do exactly...tell you to drink water?
What symptoms were they waiting for, now?

Am not sure what suprises me more, that "Joints began to tighten, and muscle spasms flared" aren't considered symptoms of DCS, or that DAN actually publishes that diagnosis on their website. :11:
Am curious about those answers, too.

I wonder if he were diving air or a mix?

You're kidding, right?
But seriously, PADI certified through Rescue and 70 ocean dives doesn't sound like trimix certified.
Complete lack of dive and deco planning doesn't sound like any technical dive training or experience.
May that be deco procedures or mix of any kind.
Locked computer doesn't sound like a mix capable computer, those usually give you a best guess.
Not that I would put it past that guy to dive gases he doesn't understand. Probably carried some AbsolutelyReducingGarstlyOnset(of)Narcosois gas with him to fend off any Kryptonite, but mix ... :no

I really hope someone at PADI reads that letter and takes him off the DM list. :shakehead

 

[rjack321]

Where the hell is Darwin when you need him?