2nd Important Rule after the Golden Rule: Calm, Don't Panic when you're in the water

[Arizona]

Super King Kong,

In the end a learning experience for both you and the instructor thankfully with no ill effects. PADI teaches the 1 minute look for the buddy and then surfacing as previously mentioned for good reason. It is repeated throughout advanced training. I am surprised your instructor after losing a buddy that long was still down looking for you after 10 minutes alone. If it was that much time that actually passed, a lost diver protocol should have been initiated with people on your dive boat if possible. 10 minutes is a long time and we should assume the worst just in case. I bet the instructor was very embarrassed and looked to pass the blame on you. I feel your instructor is more at fault in this case by the way you explained the events. Although admirable to clean up the underwater environment, your safety is paramount.

Did the instructor discuss what to do if separated?

AZ

 

[superkingkong]

hmm.. yeah, after i knew i was lost, the first thing that came into my mind was the 1min search, else surface. i did read the book, guys

but heck, i looked at my spg, the needle was pointing at 120 or so. since i knew where i came from, by looking at the bottom, i thought of searching for another 10mins or so it was not a big deal.

 

[superkingkong]

Super King Kong,

In the end a learning experience for both you and the instructor thankfully with no ill effects. PADI teaches the 1 minute look for the buddy and then surfacing as previously mentioned for good reason. It is repeated throughout advanced training. I am surprised your instructor after losing a buddy that long was still down looking for you after 10 minutes alone. If it was that much time that actually passed, a lost diver protocol should have been initiated with people on your dive boat if possible. 10 minutes is a long time and we should assume the worst just in case. I bet the instructor was very embarrassed and looked to pass the blame on you. I feel your instructor is more at fault in this case by the way you explained the events. Although admirable to clean up the underwater environment, your safety is paramount.

Did the instructor discuss what to do if separated?

AZ

well, i guess, everyone took things easily.

i still remembered she asked me when we were on the boat, i kept banging my tank, didn't you hear it? even the DM, (which was with the other group) heard me too.

i said no, well, maybe at that time, as a newbie, i was not use to the tank banging sound, or maybe i really didn't hear anything. or maybe the only thing that was on my mind " find someone quick.. find someone quick"

 

[Arizona]

Searching alone even with that much air is not recommended. It is for your safety and your buddy as well. Did your instructor follow protocol and resume the search if she surfaced? Are you sure it was 10 minutes. As a recent Rescue Diver I would have to say going to the surface would have been wise. Your instructor should have done the same and in the end all would have been okay. Imagine if you were alone and something did happen?

It is very impressive that you remained calm and looked at your watch.

 

[TSandM]

On my third OW dive, I got separated from my instructor. We were descending in very poor viz, in some current, and I lost sight of him. I also lost control of my descent, and tumbled to the bottom, where I sat up and took stock of things. I also wasn't panicky -- I had air, and even better, I had a protocol I'd been taught for what to do in that situation. I didn't search for a minute, because in that viz, I wasn't going to find anybody, so I just did a slow ascent and reunited with my instructor there.

It's great that you weren't frightened, but it's not good that you didn't follow protocol (assuming it was taught). The instructor, losing her student, was probably like mine was -- WAY more scared than I was. He had done three or four descents and ascents looking for me, by the time I got to the surface. Any time you get separated from a buddy, a good buddy will be distressed and worried, and will want very much to find out where you are and that you are okay. If you are swimming around underwater, it's unlikely you'll reunite, and your buddy will get increasingly frantic.

 

[cneal]

A quick tip. When you are in front of another diver, you don't have to stop and turn around to see if they are there. Look under you, between your feet. If you have a good horizontal swimming position the person behind won't even notice you checking.

 

[superkingkong]

great tip

yeah, i agree that i didn't follow the protocol, of what was taught from the book. maybe i should stick with the protocol from now on

well, previously, i was feeling, "i know what i'm doing, i'm comfortable with the water, the situation, so, i do it"

now, i do agree that, normally this kind of people with risk their lives although they know what they are doing, but who knows, some bad situation happens, sudden strong current, and as a newbie, they will not know how to handle it well.

eg, in a fire situation, all must evacuate the building, but this fella thinks that the situation is not that bad, and maybe he wants to gather some important documents first then only go down. on his way down, some pillar collapse on him or maybe the floor collapse, being the only one around, noone is able to save him

 

[TSandM]

The most important thing a new diver can know, in my opinion, is how much they DON'T know. It is extremely easy to get into trouble doing this if you just don't understand all the ramifications of what you are doing and the decisions you are making.

The protocols exist because a problem has been identified and a form of solution has been chosen. There are usually reasons. Until you know what they are, it is best to follow protocol.

 

[MikeFerrara]

When an instructor is teaching, they should be teaching and not taking pictures, cleaning up the reef or anything else that takes their attention away from supervising their students.

Traveling single file just doesn't work well unless you have lights to maintain constant contact...the reason is simple...we don't have eyes in the back of our head. For her to stop to engage in another task without first insuring that you knew what she was up to was just plain nuts. So, she banged on her tank (or something) and left/stopped? Without getting an ackowledgement from the student who just kept going?

The instructor was right to be both scared and embarassed.

 

[Archangel]

Yes, I agree with all, a cluster was set up that could have gone horribly wrong, and everything turns out OK. If you read the fatality reports, you will see time and time again that the diver 'lost their buddy.'

The fact that you are comfortable in the water, has no bearing on this scenario. You get to die only once in this sport.

I offer, in the future, dive bcd to bcd/side by side with your buddy/lifeline/team mate/pony bottle/extra pair of hands to unwrap you from line right there next to you.

This way your buddy is ALWAYS in your periphery, and you wont LOSE them.

Regards,

T