Belmar NJ - Shark River Inlet or Boat Ramp 2/28

[Basking Ridge Diver]

I agree with your assessment DD - the tank did not come loose until I was in the rocks getting pushed around. At that point it was get up and out or ditch all the equipment and get out... Thankfully it worked and I only lost one of your fins I now have a spare fin for the next time...

Had it been on the sand or in the swim it should have been possible - I had not practiced that drill with the drysuit.
So next set of dives will be doffing and donning the rig to ensure I can do it - I used to practice that all the time in my wetsuit - I should have had several more dives in the drysuit before I hit that dive up... But I was pretty excited about the great weather and the chance to try it out - the swells looked tame from the truck and off I went...

 

[lowviz]

OMG, everybody ends up with the same story if you dive SRI long enough.

That is why I declined diving SRI for any sort of a "test" dive. Just exiting across those barnacle covered rocks is hard on both you and your gear. Those barnacles can shred a shell suit, one of main the reasons I went with neoprene. I will only solo dive there when I'm feeling stoked and everything is aligned. Even the North side can be very unforgiving. Those rocks will snag anything and everything. The longer you wait, the worse the current gets.

Try it again. This time splash under the bridge early in the tide cycle and exit at the rocks before the tide gets to ripping. About a half hour dive. Just throw your flag at the rocks when you begin your exit, it will stick and won't go anywhere. Let me know next time. I'm game. Love the place.

BTW, there is a big partially buried concrete slab directly under the bridge, check for antennae...

 

[lowviz]

Here is an extremely rare daytime pic of the place with a couple of my buds.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

The part about the BC inflator has me totally baffled. You have an inline shut off valve for the inflator??? If the inflator is free-flowing and inflating (and you decide to dive anyway) why not just unhook the hose and orally inflate?? Even with the hose shut off and connected, you can orally inflate the BC .. right? Solo diving, in super cold water and knowing the power inflator function is not there... should have reminded you well before the dive that you are going to be orally inflating.... Am I confused.

No you were not confused - the oral inflator had been acting up on me and I had not gotten time to get it serviced - (I believe it was a check valve or one way rubber mushroom was dumping all the oral air back out- it is an Air 3 - I will know when I get it back from service) - hence my get it overhauled after this dive... My twisted thought was I could open the shutoff and inflate but lose some air in the process - what I did not take into account is I did not want to lose any air once I was at the end of the jetty - I realized how precious it was and I did not carry a pony - so I was on complete conservation air mode at that point.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I am assuming an Air 3 is the latest version of the air 2? If so, it sounds like you have indicated that when you press the dump valve to orally inflate that it does not return to the full closed position after release of the large deflate button. If so, then I would be very hesitant to trust the BC to hold any air. If the button were to get bumped or you oveinflate and have to dump, then the BC could just keep venting itself. That is probably not something I would have dove with.

If this is the device, you can remove it from the corrugated hose and then you can sorta see the shaft and mechanism.
If you clean up the shaft with vinegar and then spray with silicone spray it might be fixed.. I rinse mine very well and allow it to soak with the other second stages during the wash and get good service life from my Air 2's

Edit:
Oh just thought of this.. I suppose you could avoid that button and use the pull dump function which is independent.. forgot about that.. but still, if you are not confident that the BC holds air..

Also, I have not dove with a dry suit for like 35 years, but I was always a little concerned about the logistics of the suit inflator hose and removing and replacing the tank. I would want to feel confident I can do all that stuff perfectly before solo diving.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Again you make sense - can't dispute that.
But having spent the money on a drysuit and trying to get several dives so I can be comfortable in it - I may have over reached on this dive. No doubt had I had a better plan I would have had a different outcome.

That said - I read the accident forums and it was apparent during and after the dive I was in one of those categories of multiple chain of events and new equipment scenarios leading up to this outcome. I acknowledged the gear issues and proceeded anyway - which in hindsight was not the safest way to dive. So I will slow down a bit but I really wanted to leapfrog ahead to the spring and summer and be as comfortable as I can be in the new suit. That was my mistake of not taking it slower and practicing - besides what could possibly go wrong?

 

[lowviz]

Carl, if I had to vote for the best "real world" post, your last would win. You got away with it, we all did.

Why is it that we ALL have to be burned before we actually believe it?

Oh well.

 

[KDAD]

I got a little burnt on my last dive - I had to get the max bottom time which took me to 300 psi while still at the bottom. Kind of ran out of air on the way up. Same thing I felt. What could possibly go wrong if I stay a few more minutes?

No biggie as the surface was up there and I am still here to report on it but it was an "aha" moment.

BRD was lucky in part because the site was shallow, close to shore, and nearby jetty rocks. Might have ended differently if it was offshore or otherwise a different profile.

Don't rush the suit....spring will be here soon and then we can attach the new double 72s to your back and hit round valley.

 

[lowviz]

Hey guys, I think that the jury is still out on Carl going BM or SM. This just in: Good Life Divers is starting early at Dutch this year! April 16,17 or April 22, 23. Let me know if interested, I'll book too.

If it is a go, I'll bring both single 72's with my sidemount rig and twinsets with a harness. No doubt that it would be a fun and valuable couple of days. THEY TAKE THE TIME TO DIAL YOU IN rather than just putting bandaids all over your issues and telling you "we can work on this later".

Anyway, I made several changes to my SM rig and want to get dialed in again. I love diving with that group...

 

[KDAD]

I have been kicking around getting a xdeep stealth 2 so would be interested in a try. Also would like to give the 72s I have doubled a go. They can always be broken down if I go sidemount....wonder how well they trim out?

I will be away through April 17. I will put the weekend of the 22nd on my calendar.