Bad experience on my first dive with strong current

[Dark Blue]

One more thing, if conditions look sketchy, beyond your training, or beyond your comfort level, be willing to thumb the dive. Were you diving with the same crew on the Duane as on the Grove? I'd hope that, had they known your experience level, they'd have asked you to sit this one out. Nonetheless, one hell of a learning experience for you; glad you kept yourself safe.

 

[scubadada]

One more thing, if conditions look sketchy, beyond your training, or beyond your comfort level, be willing to thumb the dive. Were you diving with the same crew on the Duane as on the Grove? I'd hope that, had they known your experience level, they'd have asked you to sit this one out. Nonetheless, one hell of a learning experience for you; glad you kept yourself safe.

Not many inexperienced divers are going to know when the conditions are beyond their level. They are going to depend on the dive professionals.

 

[Dark Blue]

Not many inexperienced divers are going to know when the conditions are beyond their level. They are going to depend on the dive professionals.

True. Still, it benefits an inexperienced diver to let the pros know they have a new diver on the boat. (And, unfortunately, the trip from newly certified to dive professional can be frighteningly short, so you still have to watch your own but even when not qualified to do so)

 

[RyanT]

Several good responses so far, @scubadada always has good advice on the forum here.

Here's something that my buddy@Kim Hunter and I have adopted. If one of us is winded or uncomfortable when reaching the bottom (or even before), we give the other person a sign. It's a hand out, fingers spread, downward motion with the hand. That just means, slow down, I need a minute. That person now has control of the dive and then dictates when it's time to start moving. It gives the person full control of catching their breath, adjusting gear or anything else that needs doing before continuing the dive.

This sort of communication can be difficult in a mixed group, especially with a dive guide or someone else you don't know. One of the things I've learned along the way is, don't be shy about communicating with your dive buddy(s) on the surface. The more understanding you have on the surface, the better things are likely to go underwater when communication is limited.

 

[Schwob]

@anchochile
Great description, great observations, good thoughts and questions! Excellent replies too! Keep your approach to diving up, keep being a thinking, learning and inquisitive, open for advise diver but with critical thinking and constantly evaluating and re-evaluating situations for yourself... and you will get better and more comfortable and more competent faster than many.

 

[scubadada]

On a dive on the Duane, where the operator took out a minimum of 2 divers, I was buddied with a very fit 30 year old Navy man. He had just completed his AOW, a total of 9 dives. He did not inform me until he had reached about 700 psi, though the plan had been something different. I swam him back to the ascent line and finished my dive alone.

 

[txgoose]

Being in this situation at 100 feet at the beginning of the dive made me feel nervous - what if I can't calm myself down? - and I felt that this could be the very beginning of a panic response, which I've never experienced before. I closed my eyes, focused on slowing my breathing, but it didn't really help. I indicated to the guide that I wasn't doing great, using hand signals to communicate that I was breathing too heavily. He grabbed my arms, looked me in the eyes and helped me calm down. After a minute or so, my breathing was back down to a manageable level and I felt more relaxed, so I indicated to him that I was ready to proceed with the dive.

As a newer diver I don’t have advice but I do want to applaud your attitude in this paragraph. Your self awareness, your desire to work on a tough situation rather than bolting, your willingness to be honest with the DM and receive help. I like all of it. Lack of ego but also combined with some dogged determination seems like a great mix.

You’re asking questions, you’re learning. As others have said, this experience has already bought you a lot of perspective and new ways to approach this in the future.

 

[cutty]

Is it possible your regs contributed to your breathing not keeping up to the exertion?
My buddy and I were caught in some pretty wild current in Cozumel some years back and as she was using some avg rental regs we brought with us. We had been diving them most of the week without issue.
Long story short... after the dive, she explained that that she "just couldn't seem to catch her breath" with the rather intense excertion.
1st thing we did when we got home was purchase premium regs for her!!... Happy wife... Happy life!.... never an issue again.

 

[anchochile]

Is it possible your regs contributed to your breathing not keeping up to the exertion?

Don't think so, I was using my own reg, an old hand-me-down Sherwood Magnum that has never given a smidge of resistance to breathing at any depth. Good to consider, though.

 

[Satrekker]

Were you submerged while pulling hand over hand from stern to bow on tag line? If not, then this is where your overexertion began. Best to be below surface pulling hand over hand with arms only. I always try to be first off boat for Duane, so I can be completely submerged while on the tag line. This can be more difficult with people in front and behind who are not submerged. They will keep the rope closer to the surface.

The descent shouldn't be that difficult, even in current. Negative buoyancy, hand over hand is not very tiring unless you are attempting to exceed natural rate of negative descent. You were smart to take a breather before descending. CO2 buildup is probably what you felt when the hint of feeling panicky started creeping up on you. Again, you did exactly what you needed to do. Stop, think, breath, before acting. It's interesting how that panicky feeling is there until it seems to completely disappear all at once after blood CO2 levels decrease. Experiencing this and handling it properly can be a major experience and confidence boost in hindsight.

Keeping close to the deck will keep you out of the current for the most part, and there are openings and areas you can use to shield yourself from the current as you swim around the deck. All in all, it sounds like you assessed and adapted to the conditions well considering this was your first time. Congratulations. I guarantee you that the things you learned on this dive will come in handy for future dives. For me, after experiencing and being able to successfully complete a dive like the Duane in strong current, I definitely felt like I stepped up a level in diving experience and skill.