(Another) Dive goes bad fast.

[Reno1979]

There was never any talk of shutting any valves down in my OW class. We were taught and learned how to breath easily off of a free flowing reg.

We did many out of air drills, where one buddy went to the other signaled, shared, control ascent, etc.. We practiced breathing on a simulated free flowing reg... but we never practiced or really addressed specifically what to do if at depth, your reg free flows, and your buddy is a little too far away for comfort. I would assume that they would have told us to treat like an OOA situation and get to your buddy. In the moment, I reacted, and very much had it in my head that we had only been down a few minutes, and I could probably get up ok. The thought that lingers in my head, and is making me reread books and drive my girlfriend insane about, is what if we had been down for 35 minutes when the free flow occurred. I can not be making a 45 second ascent from 60 feet at that point. I need to either get up slowly in two minutes with a safety stop, or preferably have my buddy's BC in my hand ready to take his air if I need it while we are making our nice leisurely ascent.
I had my buddy shut the valve off at the the surface after I was fulling inflated.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Good to hear you are thinking about it. Of course you could just buy a small pony bottle, learn to use it and not worry about trivial things like a freeflow at 60 or 100 feet. That is what I do. It gives me a huge sense of freedom and alleviates much worry.

 

[caseybird]

Were I the buddy-
When I saw the OP in a serious free flow, I would immediately get completely into hs face, establish eye contact and latch onto a bcd strap with my right hand, never to let go. I would offer my octo, give it to him if he wanted it, and help initiate and regulate an ascent. I wouldn't turn off his air unless the diver had his own redundant source.
Five minutes into a NDL dive? Skip the safety stop, just make sure both of us are breathing normally.
On the surface, establish bouyancy, establish "OK's" and get to dry land. Review what happened. Find out about icing up.
I used the same reg without a swivel last month in 38 degree water, it didn't free flow.
You did fine.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Were I the buddy-
When I saw the OP in a serious free flow, I would immediately get completely into hs face, establish eye contact and latch onto a bcd strap with my right hand, never to let go. I would offer my octo, give it to him if he wanted it, and help initiate and regulate an ascent. I wouldn't turn off his air unless the diver had his own redundant source.
Five minutes into a NDL dive? Skip the safety stop, just make sure both of us are breathing normally.
On the surface, establish bouyancy, establish "OK's" and get to dry land. Review what happened. Find out about icing up. ......

That is exactly what I would try to do. (and turn the valve off at the surface so you don't have to get a vip).

 

[lowviz]

Were I the buddy-
When I saw the OP in a serious free flow, I would immediately get completely into hs face, establish eye contact and latch onto a bcd strap with my right hand, never to let go.

Yes, exactly.

 

[Anthony Turner]

I disagree that the correct procedure is to ascend on your freeflowing reg. Signal your buddy and get on his gas; you or he can shut down your valve. If you have calculated gas reserves properly, there will be NO problem with doing this. Once the valve is shut down, a short time may thaw the offending regulator. If not, a coordinated, calm, and QUIET ascent can be done while sharing gas.

If you aren't accustomed to it, the sheer noise and reduced vision of existing in a cloud of freeflowing bubbles is disoriented and disconcerting at best, and highly anxiety provoking. Shutting down the noise and the visual distraction helps everybody get calmer. IF your buddy has the correct reserves, it is NO problem to do an air-sharing ascent, and it is highly likely that you will regain access to your own gas at some point. On the other hand, ascending on the free-flowing reg runs the risk that the tank will run empty during the ascent, creating a need for a CESA (and incidentally most likely requiring the tank get a viz before the shop will fill it again).

Yes, this strategy depends on both divers being able to calmly execute an air-share and ascend while sharing gas, but EVERYBODY should be able to do this -- it is a survival skill.

I have to totally agree with you !!! Stop Breathe Think Act

 

[lowviz]

Yes, this strategy depends on both divers being able to calmly execute an air-share and ascend while sharing gas, but EVERYBODY should be able to do this -- it is a survival skill.

But they didn't have this skill yet.

I won't disagree with TSandM in principle as her style is closer to how I choose to dive. But in the context of two new divers, both in way over their heads, -I too would recommend taking the most direct route out of somewhere that neither belonged.

 

[Rick Inman]

Yes, this strategy depends on both divers being able to calmly execute an air-share and ascend while sharing gas, but EVERYBODY should be able to do this -- it is a survival skill.

But they didn't have this skill yet.

I won't disagree with TSandM in principle as her style is closer to how I choose to dive. But in the context of two new divers, both in way over their heads, -I too would recommend taking the most direct route out of somewhere that neither belonged.

So, then the agencies are giving people license to dive who do not have the ability to, "calmly execute an air-share and ascend while sharing gas." Is that what we're all agreeing is true? Does anyone see a problem with this?

 

[suzette]

FWIW, I completed my PADI open water a few weeks ago. In a free flowing regulator emergency I was taught to breathe (assuming it is possible and safe to do so) from our octo. We were then to get assistance from our buddy an ascend immediately and safely, either on our own air or on theirs. If the buddy were not close enough for some reason, we were taught that it was possible to breathe from a free flowing regulator, but that was to show us that it could be done, not that it should be done necessarily. It was more of a "don't panic, you can still breathe if this happens" drill, from what I gathered. We practiced emergency ascents with our buddy sharing air as part of our training, which included linking arms to keep each other safe and from ascending too fast.

Crazily enough, I had a free flowing regulator just a week ago. It wasn't flowing like crazy, but it was certainly stuck open. I switched to my octo, signaled my husband/buddy up, ascended safely and used a different reg on my dive (and sent mine in for service). It wasn't a particularly panic inducing situation, but then again my buddy was right in front of me, I was only at about 30 feet, and I had tons of air and knew that (it happened just minutes after descent).

 

[fisheater]

FWIW, I completed my PADI open water a few weeks ago. In a free flowing regulator emergency I was taught to breathe (assuming it is possible and safe to do so) from our octo. We were then to get assistance from our buddy an ascend immediately and safely, either on our own air or on theirs. If the buddy were not close enough for some reason, we were taught that it was possible to breathe from a free flowing regulator, but that was to show us that it could be done, not that it should be done necessarily. It was more of a "don't panic, you can still breathe if this happens" drill, from what I gathered. We practiced emergency ascents with our buddy sharing air as part of our training, which included linking arms to keep each other safe and from ascending too fast.

Crazily enough, I had a free flowing regulator just a week ago. It wasn't flowing like crazy, but it was certainly stuck open. I switched to my octo, signaled my husband/buddy up, ascended safely and used a different reg on my dive (and sent mine in for service). It wasn't a particularly panic inducing situation, but then again my buddy was right in front of me, I was only at about 30 feet, and I had tons of air and knew that (it happened just minutes after descent).

Well done!

You've learned two important lessons. First, that you really can breath on a free flow and make a safe ascent. Second, and way more important, that you don't panic!