Article: Don't Worry - It Will Be OK

[lacdenis]

My heart raced as I read this story. I too had an accident on my first dive. On my third dive someone died. Everyone keeps telling me to stop diving, but stories like this and experiences like mine have only made me more cautious and a much safer diver. I am very sorry for your loss.

 

[terrylowe]

Thanks for posting this. Thank the mother for sharing this story.

 

[DolphinladyD]

This is so sick and sad. There are sadly so many incompetent dive instructors, that think everyone is a pro. I was on my advanced night dive with a PADI instructor (which in PADI, was done on my 8th dive), I was prior a lifeguard for 8 years, and had plenty of ocean training, Yet on this particular dive I had problems...puked, dizziness, and shaking, tingly limbs...I thought maybe my air tank was old, but can't really tell you what went wrong for sure) I just wanted to get my dive done, so finished, then surfaced where we were supposed to meet. I was feeling really bad, but inflated my BCD and waited for our instructor, and WAITED, and WAITED...turns out, he was already on shore, not where he told us all to meet him. He brushed it off saying oh he thought everyone maybe went to shore. I was feeling so bad, I want to my car and sat down shaking, unable to say anything to my instructor, and he left...That was that. I had to make a call to a friend to help me manage and navigate the horrible drive home, that I thought I was never going to make. I know I should have said something, or called for help, but sadly I had no insurance and didn't want the $5000-$15000 typical Orange County Ambulance bill...I would not have been able to pay it. Anyway stories like this are so sad, and shops and instructors should not be out there just for the sole purpose of making money, slam-bam, without the safety. I feel bad for the parents of both the people involved, as the girl is gone, and I'm sure her dive buddie is suffering as well. So sad.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I just read the version in Alert Diver. Thank you for sharing this story, Julie and Bob.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

This is so sick and sad. There are sadly so many incompetent dive instructors, that think everyone is a pro. I was on my advanced night dive with a PADI instructor (which in PADI, was done on my 8th dive), I was prior a lifeguard for 8 years, and had plenty of ocean training, Yet on this particular dive I had problems...puked, dizziness, and shaking, tingly limbs...I thought maybe my air tank was old, but can't really tell you what went wrong for sure) I just wanted to get my dive done, so finished, then surfaced where we were supposed to meet. I was feeling really bad, but inflated my BCD and waited for our instructor, and WAITED, and WAITED...turns out, he was already on shore, not where he told us all to meet him. He brushed it off saying oh he thought everyone maybe went to shore. I was feeling so bad, I want to my car and sat down shaking, unable to say anything to my instructor, and he left...That was that. I had to make a call to a friend to help me manage and navigate the horrible drive home, that I thought I was never going to make. I know I should have said something, or called for help, but sadly I had no insurance and didn't want the $5000-$15000 typical Orange County Ambulance bill...I would not have been able to pay it. Anyway stories like this are so sad, and shops and instructors should not be out there just for the sole purpose of making money, slam-bam, without the safety. I feel bad for the parents of both the people involved, as the girl is gone, and I'm sure her dive buddie is suffering as well. So sad.

DolphinladyD,

I would recommend that you discuss this directly with PADI. If this guy did this to you, he is probably doing it to other divers.

John

---------- Post Merged at 05:58 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 05:55 PM ----------

DolphinladyD,

I recommend you take this up directly with PADI, and cite this thread and your post. If this instructor did this with you, he is probably doing it with other divers too.

John

John C. Ratliff (SeaRat), CSP, CIH, MSPH
John is a Certified Safety Professional, Certified Industrial Hygienist, and has his Master of Science in Public Health, with an emphasis on safety and industrial hygiene. John is also an ex-NAUI instructor (#2710), ex-USAF Pararescueman, and has been actively diving since 1959. He writes regularly on the Vintage Equipment portion of ScubaBoard.

 

[dpaustex]

Excellent article, with an unfortunate replay of preventable events. As an instructor, I am always conveying the cautionary tales of diving - and recommending the very next class as a Stress and Rescue class. Too often, false assurances are given by the salespeople of dive operators to "fill the boat". As stated in the above narrative, new divers often don't know what to ask.

One of the main lessons that all divers need to remember, is that either diver can call the dive at any time, for any reason. It is totally unfortunate that that Ms. Coyne was voicing concerns, that were not adequately addressed.

On the flip side, I see many divers that are one-trip-a-year (or less), that insist they do not need a refresher course. I tread a fine line while on a dive boat, as I see many people with poor skills, not doing pre-dive checks, etc. I now let people know I am instructor, but only offer advice if asked.

For all of us, instructor and student alike, we need to take care of each other. For the occasional diver, please practice those skills. And if something doesn't feel right - stop.

 

[Bhtmec2]

Bob

Thanks for the article. I was out working friday and my partner who is thinking of starting to dive with his son has been talking to me a lot. We were discussing that things can go wrong and he said Oh it is so safe and after we do our classes we can do this and that and that. I told him to read the article while we were in the street and he was just amazed at all the things that took place to cause this loss of life. Things that he as a non diver understood and could not fathom how this could happen. We discussed it and I think now he has a better outlook of what to expect and not do any "Trust me Dives" This is a valuable AAR for all

 

[Ram4wd]

We had a bad experience a few years ago. I was certified advanced and my wife was doing her first deep dive for her advanced certification. We talked to the instructor and explained the situation, paid him extra for the dive so he would sign off. We dove on the Spegiel Grove off Key Largo fla. Its in the gulf stream and the current that day was very strong. After we descended, the instructor went off with another couple leaving us there. I had my hand on my wifes hand to make her hold on to a cable as the current would have swept us both away. I saw the ascent line from the boat and told her we were ending the dive. we surfaced and lived to dive another day. We had words with the instructor but they were to no avail. Your article is well placed especially for new divers. The certs are only a license to learn. and there is much to be learned. I have learned alot reading Scubaboard.
Thank you,

 

[H.ciliaris]

This should never have happened. I am so sorry you lost your daughter so needlessly. Do you feel comfortable naming the dive shop and charter operation involved in this? I live in Washington state myself and it would be good to know, in case I should be out that way. Thank you for telling your story. It might help others avoid her fate.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

This should never have happened. I am so sorry you lost your daughter so needlessly. Do you feel comfortable naming the dive shop and charter operation involved in this? I live in Washington state myself and it would be good to know, in case I should be out that way. Thank you for telling your story. It might help others avoid her fate.

I won't speak for Julie, but when she first spoke to me about helping her create this article I took the position that the focus should not be to blame, but to inform. For this reason, none of the businesses involved were named ... and the article was written intentionally in a way that would keep the analysis and conclusions focused toward helping divers make more informed choices and take more responsibility for their own safety.

The focus point isn't the choices made by the dive operation ... but about the choices that we, as divers, need to make for ourselves. Scuba diving is, for all intents, an unregulated activity. There are many excellent reasons why it's in all our best interest to keep it that way. The downside is that we each have to be responsible for our own safety. The best way for that to occur is to make ourselves as informed as possible.

This article is intended to help divers ... new divers in particular ... achieve that end ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)