American woman dead - Bell Island, Newfoundland

[grf88]

Are there any preventative measures you can take with your equipment to lower the probability of a free flowing regulator?

I have a 40 ft3 sling bottle, btw, but almost never use it on a dive. Maybe that’s something I should reconsider.

Have a suitable regulator that is known to perform well in cold water which to me is a sealed diaphragm first. I have Apeks, Hogs and Deep 6. I also reduce the IP a little but this seems to be somewhat controversial and this probably benefits the second stage rather than the first.

 

[SlugLife]

Are there any preventative measures you can take with your equipment to lower the probability of a free flowing regulator?

I have a 40 ft3 sling bottle, btw, but almost never use it on a dive. Maybe that’s something I should reconsider.

I have several friends with 40cu "pony" bottles, and they always leave them at home. I've also seen SB members claim they don't mind 40cu bottles. If your 40cu is always left at home, perhaps the 6, 13, or 19cu you have on your person is better than the 40cu left at home. (I generally reccomend 19cu)

I also take redundant air (either SideMount, or a Pony) on EVERY dive, no exceptions, no excuses. Even allowing the "do I need it" questions, is like someone one a diet or trying to quit alcohol asking if it's a cheat-day. It's just simpler (for me) to make it a personal rule.

 

[grf88]

Are there any preventative measures you can take with your equipment to lower the probability of a free flowing regulator?

I have a 40 ft3 sling bottle, btw, but almost never use it on a dive. Maybe that’s something I should reconsider.

I should of added that you should not breathe at the same time as you are adding air to your BC or drysuit just to reduce the demand on your first stage. Even better is to have your primary reg on a different first stage to your primary buoyancy method. This is best accomplished by using an H-valve, doubles or sidemount.

 

[DandyDon]

I have several friends with 40cu "pony" bottles, and they always leave them at home.

WHY?! I don't get it.

I generally reccomend 19cu

When I decided that they are a great idea, but all of my diving involves flying, I considered the capacities and weights and went with 19cf. Same reg, same gear to carry, not much heavier than the smaller ones, but much more to breath if needed.

I also take redundant air (either SideMount, or a Pony) on EVERY dive, no exceptions, no excuses.

I left it on the boat once for a shallow reef dive in Cozumel, but the reef dive was at the top of a wall. I got blown off and down to 100 feet before I could get out, feeling very dumb about my pony on the boat.

 

[SlugLife]

WHY?! I don't get it.

When I decided that they are a great idea, but all of my diving involves flying, I considered the capacities and weights and went with 19cf. Same reg, same gear to carry, not much heavier than the smaller ones, but much more to breath if needed.

I left it on the boat once for a shallow reef dive in Cozumel, but the reef dive was at the top of a wall. I got blown off and down to 100 feet before I could get out, feeling very dumb about my pony on the boat.

I don't get why either. I even have spare pony-bottles with regs they can borrow any time, and people rarely take me up on the offer.

re: sizes. I usually suggest 13cu for travel, but certainly 19 is good if you can bring it. Since I don't have 13cu (only 19 & 6), I'll usually take the 6cu when traveling if my planned max-depth is around 60ft. If it's around 100ft or more, then I'll find a way to fit in the 19cu.

I left it on the boat once for a shallow reef dive in Cozumel, but the reef dive was at the top of a wall. I got blown off and down to 100 feet before I could get out, feeling very dumb about my pony on the boat.

Thanks for sharing; a good example about why it's often better to treat it as a "rule."

I'm trying to figure out how to easily carry some other redundancies like backup mask, or 2nd DSMB/lift-bag that are always on my person, but ideally without turning my rig into a Christmas tree.

 

[DandyDon]

I'm trying to figure out how to easily carry some other redundancies like backup mask, or 2nd DSMB/lift-bag that are always on my person, but ideally without turning my rig into a Christmas tree.

Oh, I see a mask as a nice enhancement to diving, but unneeded. I can see okay without it and ascend if needed. With my pony on my right hip, PLB on my left hip, camera in hand, I think that I am fully loaded. My DSMB & reel, big yellow trash bag, and snap-on snorkel are in my BC pockets, mirror hung from neck between suit and T-shirt, DAN tag & storm whistle hung from BC, so I'm full.

 

[Biotech Diver]

I put my backpack mask in the left pocket of my scuba pro dive shorts that I wear outside of my wetsuit. I keep the stuff I’m not likely to use in left pocket and stuff I am more likely to use in my right pocket.

Has it come to light if the deceased diver’s weights were all easily ditchable? I used to wear ankle weights when I dove with a dry suit, and I also wore a weight belt before I switched to a weight integrated BC.

 

[grf88]

Another advantage of carrying your own redundant gas is that it gives you the time to STOP, THINK and ACT which can prevent the situation from escalating.

 

[rjack321]

While your suggestion for how to handle the scenario may be valid, you're seemingly shutting down extremely valid discussion and analysis. I mean, sure, ideally in an incident you want to pursue the simplest and most straightforward plan of action.

In the Accidents and Incidents section, what most of us often try to do is....

• Examining accidents, in order to determine better ways to handle scenarios and be safer ourselves.
• Avoiding getting into the blame-game, criticizing, etc.

I have handled a diving incident by heading straight for the surface. But I was perhaps "lucky" it happened at 30ft, not 90ft, or while entangled, etc. The fact that I handled an incident successfully in that manner, doesn't imply I have nothing else to learn or improve, or redundancies to add.

Most fatal or severe diving incidents tend to involve multiple things going wrong all at the same time. Trying to trivialize an incident to a singular dimension often does a disservice to what actually happened.

The surviving buddy regretted venting Caroline's suit to "try and stabilize her", which caused her to descend and eventually drown. Caroline was on her way to the surface which was the right direction until the complicated efforts to stabilize her, vent her suit, and donate her a pony reg. All that was (in hindsight) a mistake. You don't need some complicated response in 45-50ft of water and all those actions compounded the problem and did nothing to solve it. She wasn't even completely OOA.

Maintain an open airway and surface.

 

[Biotech Diver]

The whole situation is sad. I agree the best resolution is usually the simplest one. You can survive a rapid ascent to the surface but it’s hard to survive a rapid descent to the bottom with no regulator in your mouth.

I was taught in an OOA situation for your buddy that you are to give them your primary reg and switch to your backup. Like it was already said, it’s easy to play Monday morning quarterback. Everyone tried to do what they thought was the right thing in the moment, and under pressure in an unexpected situation.

I’ve learned a few things in these discussions, which I think is the whole point of this forum. Thank you to those who provided details because it seems most of the time we don’t get that in here because everyone is scared of legal repercussions.