Another diver is now a first time panic attack victim

[dwatts]

This guy is in dire need of a refresher course.

I've taken a refresher myself once and it did not cover anything that I think would have helped in this situation. I think a simpler/easier dive after a 1 year break would have been good for him.

So, you're telling me that you test your backup reg (Air2) underwater only "a couple of times a year." That's very "trusting" of you.
Based on your current configuration, your Air2 would be your only source of breathing gas in an air-sharing scenario. If it failed for whatever reason, you'd be stuck buddy-breathing with an out-of-air or low-on-air buddy -- which is what happened in this incident. It was only a matter of time before it happened.

Well, I test my Air2 2 or 3 (maybe 4) times a year because I'm a vacation diver. I only get that many trips per year. Now, it's been suggested that I test it on each dive rather than once per dive trip. OK, I agree with that one...

There is more to be learned here than just switching out the Air2 for a high-performance second stage and changing your hose configuration.

Three likely reasons:

1. Force of habit
2. Emphasis that your OW instructor placed on the importance of doing safety stops
3. You simply weren't thinking (you were, after all, just involved in an incident).

Different divers have different ideas about gas management -- some might be entirely oblivious to it.
I'm going to recommend that you change your method of leaving a diver's gas management to himself.
I've dived with people who, prior to our pre-dive discussions, didn't understand how much reserve gas a diver should keep.
I've dived with people who had no idea how quickly they used air out of their tank.
I've dived with people who wouldn't have even looked at their SPGs during the dive if I didn't ask them how much gas they had left.
I've dived with people who became angry/annoyed when I asked them how much gas they had left in their tank at the end of a dive.
I've heard of people lying about how much gas they had left in their tank at the end of a dive...and even during a dive.

I hear ya... I tend to "trust" the other person until they prove otherwise. Maybe I'll take a more conservative approach from now on.

Bubbletrubble, I appreciate your thoughts. Thanks!

 

[dwatts]

I would have been able to tell by his bubbles that he was distressed. The surface would have been the next move and he would have to get another buddy. Ill dive with nearly anyone to a point but this guy sounds like the type to get you hurt

Too soon to tell. I really think that he simply had a VERY bad day. It can happen...it did. I know him above water and he is a very level-headed guy. I think that he deserves the benefit of a doubt. We'll dive again this summer.

 

[dwatts]

Kudos to you for orderly buddy breathing. I wonder how many recently trained divers would have managed it so well. Were you taught to buddy breathe? Have you ever practiced it?

Actually, my OW instruction really sucked! (long story - requires beers), I've learned a lot here on SB and from diving with good divers.

 

[DandyDon]

I've taken a refresher myself once and it did not cover anything that I think would have helped in this situation. I think a simpler/easier dive after a 1 year break would have been good for him.

Yeah, that's our approach if either of us have not dived in a year: Dress rehearsal practice diving in our closest FW training pit, carrying and using all the gear we will use on the planned dive trip. You don't really need an Smb or signal mirror on a 65 ft wide hole in the middle of a town, but we drill with them there along with our other simulations.

Well, I test my Air2 2 or 3 (maybe 4) times a year because I'm a vacation diver. I only get that many trips per year. Now, it's been suggested that I test it on each dive rather than once per dive trip. OK, I agree with that one...

We do the more extensive testing prior to the first dive of a trip as I described above, but I gathered that you didn't test yours at all before this dive - at least not for leaks? Pre-need testing is great insurance.

I hear ya... I tend to "trust" the other person until they prove otherwise. Maybe I'll take a more conservative approach from now on.

I'd call it more assertive than conservative, but yeah confirm before need. It might be easier to ask the other how he pre-dive tests and drills, then share you own ideas in addition.

 

[TSandM]

One very simple thing I was taught was to do a head-to-toe equipment check before each dive. That includes checking BOTH regulators, as well as all inflators and dumps, lights, gauges, etc. The first couple of times you do it, it seems onerous, but with practice, the whole sequence becomes very fast. By doing this, you ensure that you get in the water with EVERYTHING working -- primary and backup gear. It prevents a lot of embarrassment and annoyance, at the very least.

 

[NoDiver]

As far as the refresher course goes...the only dive op I've ever been with insisted on our friend (PADI Rescue Trained) doing a check out dive with a DM as he hadn't dived for six months. Isn't this standard procedure?

Ps. I'm assuming this was with a dive op and not an independant dive.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

As far as the refresher course goes...the only dive op I've ever been with insisted on our friend (PADI Rescue Trained) doing a check out dive with a DM as he hadn't dived for six months. Isn't this standard procedure?.

@NoDiver: For whatever reason, not all dive ops inquire about a customer's most recent dive.
Most of the local boat dive ops here in SoCal ask about our highest level of training, number of lifetime dives, most recent dive, and most recent cold/temperate water dive. This information is used to help select the dive site. If there are any novices on board or warm water divers who aren't accustomed to wearing thick wetsuits and lots of lead, then the captain will position the boat so that there's a hard bottom in the 20'-30' range. FWIW, I've never seen a boat op insist that a diver hire a private DM for a check-out dive. The DMs here in SoCal remain on the boat while divers are in the water and help direct rescue efforts if necessary.

 

[ZenDiver.3D]

You have had good responses here, OP. Always keep in mind, that talk, is just that. I have seen and heard divers talk great experience and history. I have seen logs with hundreds of dives. And then that guy panics and makes some bonehead decisions. You never can truly tell how a diver is, until you dive with him/her. I have buddied with instructors who were absolute trianwrecks as divers and buddies.... Never trust perceptions. Trust acts.
A few things to try to always do, in my opinion:

1. With buddies- talk about theirs and your history, but talk more about dive parameters of that dive. Max depth, turn gas, ascent gas, speed of dive and focus, hand signals, and emergency procedures.

2. If you are a vacation diver, Every dive should start with a buoyancy check. This guy was uncertain and definitely should have done one.

3. Check air every few minutes. Period. And ask your buddy to check theirs then too.

4. Always run your alternate air sources. Each dive, I pick up my octo and switch to it for a couple of minutes. Just good sense and not any trouble.

It sounds like you did a good job at being a buddy and helping this fellow as much as you could. Now you know a few other things to do to maybe head off some of those events.
As to your air2. I personally don't care much for them, but others do. You do not have to subscribe to the long hose and bungie. A standard octo hose set up works exactly the same.
What you want is a good quality reg. I see many people buy cheap octo's because they plan to donate it. Make sure your primary and backup reg are both high quality. Because depending on the other guy's state of mind, there is no telling which one you end up with. I make sure mine are just as good as my primary and tried a lot. It will make things much better for if needed.

All in all, good job.

 

[dwatts]

As far as the refresher course goes...the only dive op I've ever been with insisted on our friend (PADI Rescue Trained) doing a check out dive with a DM as he hadn't dived for six months. Isn't this standard procedure?

Ps. I'm assuming this was with a dive op and not an independant dive.

Actually, he had dove about a year ago and that seems to be the window for shops requiring a refresher. So he essentially came just inside that time frame.

 

[dwatts]

You have had good responses here, OP. Always keep in mind, that talk, is just that. I have seen and heard divers talk great experience and history. I have seen logs with hundreds of dives. And then that guy panics and makes some bonehead decisions. You never can truly tell how a diver is, until you dive with him/her. I have buddied with instructors who were absolute trianwrecks as divers and buddies.... Never trust perceptions. Trust acts.

Dee, thanks for your comments. I "lurk" a lot so I get my own gut feeling about the various frequent posters here. You are absolutely one of the people I respect the most. </AssKissing>

A few things to try to always do, in my opinion:

1. With buddies- talk about theirs and your history, but talk more about dive parameters of that dive. Max depth, turn gas, ascent gas, speed of dive and focus, hand signals, and emergency procedures.

Actually, we did some this (most of it). I've had buddies who were the type that was just in the same ocean. I hate that and won't buddy with that guy again (he's a good friend...not a good dive buddy). So the diver in this case and I had a talk during the boat ride about what type of buddy we prefer. I wanted to be sure his inclination was to stay close. We covered most of the things that you mentioned.

2. If you are a vacation diver, Every dive should start with a buoyancy check. This guy was uncertain and definitely should have done one.

Yeah, that was where his whole weekend went bad...with the decision to underweight and not do a weight check at the start of the dive. I typically do a weight check on my first dive of a dive trip. I did it this time (while he was apparently struggling with his).

3. Check air every few minutes. Period. And ask your buddy to check theirs then too.

I do that but I've always been resistant to asking my buddy for his air level. I guess I just changed that habit...now I will ask.

4. Always run your alternate air sources. Each dive, I pick up my octo and switch to it for a couple of minutes. Just good sense and not any trouble.

Yep. That was definitely something I learned here, too. I did test it on dive #2 and the next day (at the Jetties). I hate my Air2. I'll take it in for service before my next trip but if it still doesn't breath to my satisfaction then it goes into the spare parts bucket.

It sounds like you did a good job at being a buddy and helping this fellow as much as you could. Now you know a few other things to do to maybe head off some of those events.
As to your air2. I personally don't care much for them, but others do. You do not have to subscribe to the long hose and bungie. A standard octo hose set up works exactly the same.
What you want is a good quality reg. I see many people buy cheap octo's because they plan to donate it. Make sure your primary and backup reg are both high quality. Because depending on the other guy's state of mind, there is no telling which one you end up with. I make sure mine are just as good as my primary and tried a lot. It will make things much better for if needed.

All in all, good job.

Thanks Dee! I've the reasons for the long hose configuration and the #1 seems to be that the state of mind of someone who is OOA will be to grab for their buddy's reg. That's exactly what happened (although I was actually already reaching for it to hand over to him). Based on this experience I now "get" the long hose reasoning.