Bad dive on the USS Spiegel Grove

[WyCal]

Hey Pilot Fish, you know what they say... any landing you walk away from....

Hope to get to do the Grove with you the next time your down this way.

G.

 

[pilot fish]

PF
Sg is a difficult dive. When we were in Keys some of us did SG Friday afternoon. The current was ripping them of and they abroted the dive after around 10 minutes. Had problems holding the line on the way up. I did it with CBulla Saturday afternoon - no current, lovely deep dive for about 20 minutes.
so it only shows that conditions there can change within few hours.
And you did some mistakes which were well pointed out by JimLap
Mania

Sorry to have missed diving with you guys. Colin told me you guys had a great time and he loved diving with you. Next time. I was disappointed in this Spiegel dive because I had stayed on the wreck on previous Spiegel dives for 35 and 38 minutes. Yes, I did some mistakes at the surface- good learning experience- but my dive on the wreck seems to have been normal, for those conditions.

 

[pilot fish]

Hey Pilot Fish, you know what they say... any landing you walk away from....

Hope to get to do the Grove with you the next time your down this way.

G.

Hi Wycal. Would love to do the wreck with you and Mish again -as I recall you were on that dive? You are a great diver and teacher.You got all your students back ok? Thank your husband for pointing out to me that it was the same for everyone else and I did not do much worse.

 

[mtg]

I intend to get my lung capacity checked because of this incident.

depending on your age, and "symptoms" (read: how you SAY you feel) this is probably something you could get done in a clinical setting very accurately. If your insurance balks, you should be able to go to your local YMCA and work out a deal if you aren't a member. Recommend a graded treadmill test. Or you could just assume your VO2 max needs improving and start a cardio program utilizing interval training techniques.

 

[Guba]

As you have amply pointed out, PF, the conditions in practially ANY open ocean dive can be deceiving from the surface and can also change in a heartbeat. I dive well out in the Gulf of Mexico and currents there can whip around 180 degrees literally in seconds (did it on a dive last month as a matter of fact), and they can go from nothing to ripping just as fast. Bottom line...don't feel pressured to continue a dive when you're uncomfortable. The result is bound to be only increased anxiety and that will do nothing to help your air consumption, etc... You've pointed out that every diver must constantly evaluate their own status including their stress level as well as the factors affecting the dive, such as current. Hope the next dive on the SG goes much better for you (but I don't think you did that badly on this one, so don't be so hard on yourself).

 

[Louma]

I will ditto a lot of what was said about you not doing to badly on this dive. It sounds like you were one of the last on the up line. Your dive was 22min. best was 28. Your psi left prior to ascent 1170, your buddy's 1300 psi a difference of 130psi. Also, don't forget you were in the water before your buddy. You were also breathing off the reg for awhile before you switched to the snorkel. It seems that your SAC rates were about the same. There is not a dive that I do that I don't learn something. By your willingness to post this experiance, I know you have learned a lot from this dive. The problem I have is some of the decisions your "more experianced" dive buddy made.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

The problem I have is some of the decisions your "more experianced" dive buddy made.

I would reserve judgment on that until I heard the other guy's side of the story ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[BiggDawg]

Next day we were at 104 ft on the USS Duane, no current, and he was 20 ft ahead of me and 5 ft lower. I gave him the rattle and told him to wait up and let's swim together closer. He was hesitant with that too. He was telling me I worry too much.

We did not do a check before splash. He was thinking I was being too much by the book.

And, the classic

He's going for his intructor cert. He's a good diver

emphasis added

Please, some one, save us from new instructors with these attitudes.
I hope his instructor training beats this stuff out of him, or I'm thinking it's time to invest in a barometric trauma center... :nurse:

 

[trigfunctions]

Good post Pilot fish - thanks for sharing your experiences. Can I ask - what do you mean your computer was blinking? Were you heading into Deco?

 

[scubadobadoo]

As others have said, the SG can be a really tough dive. The first time I attempted it the current was so bad we didn't even make it down the line. I almost died pulling myself up the line along side the boat. Second time aborted due to current. Third time never made it out due to a hurricane. Fourth time, YES, smooth as glass and no current to be had at all! Go figure! I think you did pretty darn good. You kept your cool and made it back safely. Perhaps your buddy was being a "not so great buddy" this dive because he was also having trouble in the current. I don't think everyone here understands what ripping current can do to a dive plan and a buddy team. Mother Nature always wins regardless of your fitness level. Thanks for sharing!