A very PERSONAL Close Call incident

[diverbrian]

I was waiting for someone to say it. In more than one class, I have told someone who couldn't sink to EXHALE. Most of the time, they go down very well after that. Most of our instructors estimate that a student will drop 6-10 pounds of weight after initial cert when they finally learn to relax and have fun.

You have been beat up enough about the thin wetsuit in that temperature water. I have gone into 46 degree water with a two-piece 7mm wetsuit and the obligatory hood and gloves. If you ever see me dive anything besides my drysuit in open waters besides warm water ocean, it will be a miracle. I came out awful darn cold.

Have fun diving. Hopefully, one of us will see you in the open water.

 

[Lloyd]

Sounds like you were over weighted as previously stated. You could have also experienced the mammalian dive reflex from the cold water hitting your face.
Lloyd

 

[Dxtreme]

the reason i put some burden on my buddy is because my buddy happened to be MY DIVE INSTRUCTOR.

After reading all the comments here i assume that

1) cold water
2) overweighthing : my BC has only 27 lbs of lift !! and my lead weights are 22 lbs alone !!!
3) personal judgement


I put personal judgement last because, Funny thing is, the day before the incident , we were diving the same quarry WITHOUT any problems whatsoever. The water temp is not all that different between the two days. Also, i am man enough to call off the rest of our 3 dives after that incident.

:upset:

I will be going to the pool and do some weighting stuff before plunging in again

 

[JimC]

Its your life and in the end your responsibility to stay that way.

Passing the buck will get you hurt or killed when it has to do with your saftey.

 

[Butch103]

Dxtreme once bubbled...

2) I am 165 lbs and diving with 22 lbs of weights in 2/3mm suits. I dont think that i am seriously overweighted.

3

Sorry, but I think you are seriously overweighted.!!

I am 280lbs dive with full 7mill thermo head to toe and use 21lbs, and that is now a little heavey.

Aas you practice more you will learn to use less weight. I began at 40lbs weight and have decreased to 21lbs, and will take off even more.

Please don't hesitate to ditch the weight. 20-30 $ for a new weight belt and weights is a hell of a lot cheaper than a $10,000. funeral and a lot less stressful.

Gearup get wet, but take a refresher with your favorite Instructor........

Good luck, and glad you are here to share ....

 

[Braunbehrens]

OK, I agree with everyone (including you) that you made a lot of mistakes. However, when we look at the timeline, your FIRST mistake was your choice of buddy.

You cannot BLAME the buddy for not being attentive. You are the only one who is responsible. In this case, your responsibility was to only dive with competent divers. We call this rule #1.

You also failed to take option #1....calling the dive.

But your FIRST mistake was the choice of buddy. The other mistakes were serious as well, but a competent choice of buddy would have resulted in all the other mistakes being deal with differently.

For example, a competent buddy would have refused to dive with you if you don't have proper equipment for the dive.

Find some good buddies...and a better instructor.

 

[ScubaCrossing]

Limited viz, over weighted, on the bottom kicking going no where, I think because you could not see ,your fins were dragging the the bottom and you did not realize this which made you to feel entangled. Panic glazed your thoughts of what was the actual problem. Like others have said you may have pushing the deflator instead of the inflator.
In the end I am glad you're able to start a thread here to discuss your incident.

 

[KMdiver]

Just wondering, what made you do another dive right after that. Seems like it didn't bother you much at the time. You sure this isnt a joke?

 

[KMdiver]

I agree with the others that your buddy was a wrong pick. But honestly, what type of instructor did you have that taughtyou to dive with 22 lbs! im not sure whether or not youre really certified or whether or not your story is true. On tope of that, in 55 degree water, you would have been cold the minute you got in. How did you make it to the bottom? Im not trying to be mean, but you really should stay out of the water until you take some courses. Why, not because you are a hazard to yourself, but anyone who might get randomly paired up with you. You say you picked the wrong buddy, but i think its the other way around.