Basic rules broken become near miss

[uwxplorer]

30 tech dives ? does that include your extended range course? you must have just about done your extended range and adv trimix back to back

This.
I know that most training agencies do not require a minimum of dives in the depth range of the previous cert before enrolling students in the next class, but hypoxic trimix with 30 tech dives, that's pushing it. I lost a CCR buddy to this nonsense... Note that I more upset by the instructor's greed than by the diver's ignorance, but this needs serious soul searching by both.

 

[kelemvor]

This.
I know that most training agencies do not require a minimum of dives in the depth range of the previous cert before enrolling students in the next class, but hypoxic trimix with 30 tech dives, that's pushing it. I lost a CCR buddy to this nonsense... Note that I more upset by the instructor's greed than by the diver's ignorance, but this needs serious soul searching by both.

His profile says TDI. Their pre-reqs for that course are:

• Minimum age 18
• Minimum certification of TDI Extended Range or Trimix Diver or equivalent
• Show proof of 100 logged dives, 25 must be deeper than 30metres/100feet

Although I've seen TDI poo-pooed a number of times on SB. I'm certainly not experienced enough to criticize the pre-reqs on this course.

 

[Yeason]

You're seriously still willing to plan and execute an 80m dive after what just happened?you have done it "dozens of times" and the only reason it wasn't ok this time was because you didn't plan and had a weighting issue?

Yes I'm willing to plan and execute a drive within my training and experience. Would you stop diving simply because you made mistakes and had a rough dive. I posted here as a reminder to myself and others that we can all make mistakes. Maybe I have to spell it out that I would obviously be going on simpler shallower dives first to sort out my equipment issues before going on anything more complex.

 

[Scuba Cobra]

His profile says TDI. Their pre-reqs for that course are:

• Minimum age 18
• Minimum certification of TDI Extended Range or Trimix Diver or equivalent
• Show proof of 100 logged dives, 25 must be deeper than 30metres/100feet

Although I've seen TDI poo-pooed a number of times on SB. I'm certainly not experienced enough to criticize the pre-reqs on this course.

The issue there are too many instructors out there who got buddy hook up into being a tech instructor, or crossed over from an easier organization.

Oh, and instructors generally don't turn away $1,200 for AN/DP regardless of the students skill level, and I have been victim to that myself before i switched tech Instructors and started from intro to tech over....

 

[Edward3c]

Also not sure why the image is not appearing so here is the direct link Imgur

Thanks for sharing the dive profile.

For me, the lessons you may have learned:

1. Properly plan the dive:
   1. depth, time and gas usage for each stage of the dive (not ish numbers):
      1. decent,
      2. the dive,
      3. the ascent to 1st deco stop,
      4. 1st stop,
      5. ascent to 2nd stop,
      6. 2nd stop,
      7. ascent to surface.
2. Agree the plan with your buddy(s).
3. Dive the plan.
4. Deep stops and the effect they have on on-gassing of slow tissues.

These are the types of calculations we put BSAC Sports Divers through when planning dives with mandatory deco stops.

From a personal prospective your in the dive count range where complacency starts to develop. I'd like to say I haven't been there, but I have. Providing you learn the planning and executing lessons you'll be fine.

 

[rjack321]

In retrospect, would you dive this plan again without a fully redundant air supply?

Yes I'm willing to plan and execute a drive within my training and experience. Would you stop diving simply because you made mistakes and had a rough dive. I posted here as a reminder to myself and others that we can all make mistakes. Maybe I have to spell it out that I would obviously be going on simpler shallower dives first to sort out my equipment issues before going on anything more complex.

If you have hypoxic trimix why are you doing deco dives on a single tank with no deco gas at all?

I know a couple of divers who have quit after less stressful dives than yours, because they feared for their life and it wasn't worth it for them or their family. The fact the you had a hard time staying within 10m of you target depth after an essentially zero-to-hero hypoxic trimix progression is pretty worrisome for your future.

 

[Scuba Cobra]

If you have hypoxic trimix why are you doing deco dives on a single tank with no deco gas at all?

The fact the you had a hard time staying within 10m of you target depth after an essentially zero-to-hero hypoxic trimix progression is pretty worrisome for your future.

Normalization of deviance.....

 

[saxman242]

I would obviously be going on simpler shallower dives first to sort out my equipment issues

I think part of the reason people are being a bit more critical here is that reading what you're saying sounds like you're hiding a poorly planned/executed dive behind an equipment issue. Planning on a 40m deco dive on a single cylinder seems to make many of take pause and then violating your plan down to 53m is a huge deviation from an already suspect plan. The equipment issue you were having is what took your fast and loose plan and made it turn from potentially dangerous to actually dangerous, but I suspect many would agree that the issue started long before you had a drysuit issue.

It seems that, in retrospect, you're focusing much more on preventing the equipment issue that pushed you over the edge rather than on the key issues that pushed you to the edge.

 

[uwxplorer]

Normalization of deviance.....

Not it's not. It's ignorance. You can't blame a diver who got a hypoxic trimix cert with less than 30 tec dives for what he doesn't know. Now the fact that the diver is an OW instructor is at the same time dumbfounding and on the other hand so so unsurprising...
I'd hate to see that thread turning into a head bashing one, but I think Rumfeld's adage would be a good subtitle for it.

 

[rjack321]

I think part of the reason people are being a bit more critical here is that reading what you're saying sounds like you're hiding a poorly planned/executed dive behind an equipment issue. Planning on a 40m deco dive on a single cylinder seems to make many of take pause and then violating your plan down to 53m is a huge deviation from an already suspect plan. The equipment issue you were having is what took your fast and loose plan and made it turn from potentially dangerous to actually dangerous, but I suspect many would agree that the issue started long before you had a drysuit issue.

Yes ^^^

Equipment is easy. It still pretty easy to say "I screwed up and didn't do a weight check" The equipment issue takes some of the burden off of you

It's a lot harder to ask "How did I get a hypoxic card at all if I can't even plan and execute a one gas 40m dive?"