Bent in Belize--Blue Hole Incident

[TheAquaticApe]

That being said I think you made several mistakes that could have cost you your life.

Glad it turned out alright.

Now go buy DAN insurance. Right now.

Chris

 

[vladimir]

Now go buy DAN insurance. Right now.

Not right now. Wait until a few weeks before your next dive, then buy it. No sense buying DAN insurance if you're not diving.

 

[Scuba Cat Diving]

I read all the story, but not the full 27 pages of response, but wanted to add about my trip there.

I am a MI with more than 5000 dives and went to Belize for a holiday with a few days diving with a friend of mine. She is not as experienced but a good diver.

We went to the blue hole on the same type of daytrip, 3 dives with the island lunch.

My experience was

Open water divers with NO computer were taken on the dive.
The DM didnt really show any concern. I told my friend to stay close, she has a deep cert and I lent her my spare computer.
We stayed at 40m max and shallowed up so as not to go in deco, many others did not.
We did a deep stop and extended safety stop, even though we were being told to get up by the DM.
Our surface interval to the next dive was short, maybe not even 1 hour, as they wanted that dive before the island lunch stop.
I was given the same tank for my last dive as the Blue hole one, and when I questioned it was told it's enough air for you.
Ok maybe it was, I dont use much, but I was a paying customer not a guide and should have had 3 full tanks.
We were given rum punch on the way back, again to keep everyone quiet on the 3 hour journey and increase tips. I didnt drink it.
I found the operator not interested in safety, customer service or operating a business I would consider diving with again.

The nature of the Blue hole means everyone has heard of it and wants to dive there, this does not mean new, inexperienced and unequipped divers should go there. I dont think it is just one dive center that does this it is almost certainly all of them.

I hope you have recovered and learnt a lot from your experience of what NOT to do in future.

 

[tarponchik]

I can understand going too deep in the Blue Hole. I went to 156 ft there for a sec, and nothing happened to me. And I had a 5 and 1/2 hrs surface interval before my next dive. I see a different problem here, though.

Sometime ago, I asked folks here if there was any evidence that introduction of dive comps had increased safety. No such evidence was shown to me and a lot of folks here accused me of being a spammer. Now you can see the downside of computer addiction: people tend to rely on their comps rather than on their skills, and once the comp is out, they can get into trouble. I have a comp but I still have the NAUI table inside my head, so I use my comp primarily as a handy helper for my log book, not as the decision-maker.

 

[flots am]

I can understand going too deep in the Blue Hole. I went to 156 ft there for a sec, and nothing happened to me.

. . .

Now you can see the downside of computer addiction: people tend to rely on their comps rather than on their skills, and once the comp is out, they can get into trouble. I have a comp but I still have the NAUI table inside my head, so I use my comp primarily as a handy helper for my log book, not as the decision-maker.

What do the NAUI tables say about a 156' dive?

What did your computer say about a 156' dive?

flots.

 

[tarponchik]

What do the NAUI tables say about a 156' dive?

What did your computer say about a 156' dive?

flots.

The table said "Get the Hell out of here!"
The comp said "You are at 156 ft"

 

[vladimir]

Sometime ago, I asked folks here if there was any evidence that introduction of dive comps had increased safety. No such evidence was shown to me

I do not wear a computer to increase my safety. I wear it to get credit for the shallower parts of multi-level dives, to enable multiple dives on successive days, and as a convenience. For me, diving was very safe before I had a computer, and continues to be very safe, but now I get to do more dives.

 

[peterbj7]

Yes, a computer enables me to stay at shallower depths for much longer than any tables would permit. It is not however a "get out of jail safely" card. At all times I also have in my mind what profile I'd adopt if my computer were unexpectedly to quit on me. I still use tables where the bulk of the dive will be very deep, and I would not rely on any computer even though I have one that purports to cater for any type of dive I might make.

 

[sydney-diver]

I agree, planning increases safety, computers are simply a tool to assist execution of the dive plan.

 

[tarponchik]

I do not wear a computer to increase my safety. I wear it to get credit for the shallower parts of multi-level dives, to enable multiple dives on successive days, and as a convenience. For me, diving was very safe before I had a computer, and continues to be very safe, but now I get to do more dives.

You contradict yourself. Since you can dive more cause you rely on your comp, you do wear your comp to increase your safety. That's the point: I dive the same with the comp or w/o it cause I do not rely on it.