Bad Experience

[u_turn23]

Just wanted to share our experience on our 2nd too last dive b4 check out dive
we were in Wilinston FL Devils Den we were at 30 feet on a platform my buddy
was about 2 feet 2 my rite we were doing some skills all was going fine we came to
our regulator recovery skill (swinging arm behind you too collect regulator)
everyone did it fine including me when my buddy started i looked over at her
the instructor was approx 7 feet away i seen her start to panic she was having
trouble getting it into her hand she started up i took my regulator out of my mouth
and shoved it into hers she rejected and continued too the surfice verry quickly
I know i made the mistake of giving her my regulator instead of my octo
inturn I received a big breath of water but I picked my regulator up coughed
out the water a was ok when we all came up she was ok but verry shaken up
and was ready to quit I think shes going to continue but on the ride home she
did mention that i should consider other dive buddies becouse she is verry
uncertain about her diving.

 

[jbd]

Just wanted to share our experience on our 2nd too last dive b4 check out dive
we were in Wilinston FL Devils Den we were at 30 feet on a platform my buddy
was about 2 feet 2 my rite we were doing some skills all was going fine we came to
our regulator recovery skill (swinging arm behind you too collect regulator)
everyone did it fine including me when my buddy started i looked over at her
the instructor was approx 7 feet away i seen her start to panic she was having
trouble getting it into her hand she started up i took my regulator out of my mouth
and shoved it into hers she rejected and continued too the surfice verry quickly
I know i made the mistake of giving her my regulator instead of my octo
inturn I received a big breath of water but I picked my regulator up coughed
out the water a was ok when we all came up she was ok but verry shaken up
and was ready to quit I think shes going to continue but on the ride home she
did mention that i should consider other dive buddies becouse she is verry
uncertain about her diving.

Donating the regulator in your mouth is one method of sharing air. The problem here is that you aren't trained in this method, which requires you to switch to your octo. Fortunately you recovered quickly. Your buddy needs more training and practice before proceeding with certification, possibly one on one with a competent instructor.

 

[OE2X]

Just wanted to share our experience on our 2nd too last dive b4 check out dive
we were in Wilinston FL Devils Den we were at 30 feet on a platform my buddy
was about 2 feet 2 my rite we were doing some skills all was going fine we came to
our regulator recovery skill (swinging arm behind you too collect regulator)
everyone did it fine including me when my buddy started i looked over at her
the instructor was approx 7 feet away i seen her start to panic she was having
trouble getting it into her hand she started up i took my regulator out of my mouth
and shoved it into hers she rejected and continued too the surfice verry quickly
I know i made the mistake of giving her my regulator instead of my octo
inturn I received a big breath of water but I picked my regulator up coughed
out the water a was ok when we all came up she was ok but verry shaken up
and was ready to quit I think shes going to continue but on the ride home she
did mention that i should consider other dive buddies becouse she is verry
uncertain about her diving.

Excellent thinking on your part. You were very aware of the situation and did your best to help out. Nicely done!
It sounds like you learned a lot from this experience. FYI - there are two schools of thought on donating your reg. From divers that dive with a more technical configuration, we always donate our primary and then go to our secondary as backup. We also have our primary on a 7' hose to facilitate this. In your case, since your longer hose is your octo, then, agreed - you should have donated that. I applaud you though for trying to take care of your buddy! With as little training as you have, I would say you did well.

One thing you might want to discuss with your buddy, is to have her do this excercise on dry land fully geared up. When she can easily do it, have her do it with her eyes closed. When she feels comfortable with that, have her move into neck deep water and try it there. What this will do is build muscle memory and confidence. When you go underwater have her take her primary out of her mouth, hold it, insert back into her mouth, purge and breath. When she is comfortable with this, then have her switch regs. This can all be done in 5'-6' of water with her knealing on the bottom. If she has a problem - she stands up. When she feels comfortable with this - have her give your instructor the out of air sign - spit out her reg and then you donate his. Again this is muscle memory and confidence building. You don't need to do this in deep water. Discuss this with her first and as long she is comfortable with the idea, have your instructor work with her.

She had a bad experience and is now freaked out. She and your instructor will need to take small steps to work on her confidence.

 

[ShakaZulu]

Why do they let new divers do these kind of tests at 30ft???? They're supposed to practise this in the pool???

 

[OE2X]

If memory serves from my OW refresher a while ago - you practice in the pool, but then are have to demonstrate the skill in open water at about 30'.

 

[u_turn23]

Why do they let new divers do these kind of tests at 30ft???? They're supposed to practise this in the pool???

we did do this skill in a pool where she did fine I must say there were approx 50 divers in an area alittle bigger then a pool verry cunfusing i was alittle overwhelmed as well

 

[Poseidon8118]

Good job! You have very good instinct underwater. I remember an OOA (out of air) situation with my buddy in my advanced class that was similar to your experience. I gave him my primary after I figured he was out of air for awhile (no hand signal given). He bolted to the surface, I grabbed his fin and tried to locate my octo, it was stuck in my BC. We started up, I was breathing out slowly thinking to myself "what a moron", ascended 15', located the octo, stuck it in my mouth, and the rest was history. He said he was sorry that he panicked a little and was glad I was his buddy. Odds are your buddy feels the same about you.

 

[pt40fathoms]

the instructor was approx 7 feet away

OK, now this may be a normal practice in some parts of the world, and if it is, I strongly disagree with it!

When my Open Water students perform *any* skill under the water, I am either within touching distance or gently holding onto them, depending on the skill I have them doing. The same is true for every other instructor I have ever worked with or even seen under the water. Regardless of training agency! If something is going to happen, we need to be their *before* it happens.

Nice job spotting your buddies difficulty, most students are so focused that they tend not to see very much durring their first few dives.

Where I come from, we call your type of student "Dive Master Candidates".

 

[pt40fathoms]

If memory serves from my OW refresher a while ago - you practice in the pool, but then are have to demonstrate the skill in open water at about 30'.

You are correct!

The majority open water demonstration of skills must be done in waters deeper than 15 feet.

 

[ScubaFreak]

OK, now this may be a normal practice in some parts of the world, and if it is, I strongly disagree with it!

When my Open Water students perform *any* skill under the water, I am either within touching distance or gently holding onto them, depending on the skill I have them doing.

Exactly, I cant think of a training agency that would have an instructor so far away. I would always be right up there with them. And if its a skill where the student removes their reg, my octopus is subtly in my hand in case they need it.
I would like to know why the instructor was so far away when your buddy was doing her skill though. :06:

Talk to your buddy and tell her that she should return to finish her certification. That will be a big learning experience for her, and she'll notice that she'll be much more alert from now on! You did well!

SF