Buddy OOA with 1,000 PSI

[Diving Dubai]

My OW instructor was not super clear on the fine points of buddy checks

Basically (and without being long winded) the finer points are that at each stage, the diver checks and assurese themselves that each part of their kit both functions correctly, is rigged correctly and they can reach/find it. For the Buddy, its so they are aware of the divers kit , function and placement and the buddy is a second set of eyes. I always teach the for releases, the buddy physically checks the cylinder band is tight and the cylinder is secure.

Checking tank valves is a difficult one. There is always the risk of someone turning it the wrong way (OFF) equally I don't mind being checked because I know that I myself am fallible

Without being critical, because you did well and I note from yoru profile you haven't taken Rescue. but some pointers to think about

If you remember your OOA air sharing skill. On signal of OOA by a diver you should hand them your Alternate (or primary depending on your config), rather than the OOA diver trying to grab/find it. At teh OOA or Low on air signal, you, the donating diver takes control

On teh ascent you should have positive contact, holding either their arm or BCD with yoru right hand. This leaves yoru left hand to control the ascent (by deflating your BCD and checking your gas contents.

Remember once the other diver has a working air source the emergency is over (assuming you have sufficient gas) While instinct does take over , there's no reason why you can't make a SS, and you can signal the other diver to hold and show them yoru SPG so they know they have gas (Indeed letting them see your SPG does give them some reassurance)

I advise all of my divers to keep their skills refreshed in their mind, either by physical practice or by reviewing them online (may good Youtube videos) and then mentally practising them

 

[peeweediver]

Sometimes it's hard to do everything fully when diving with an insta-buddy. It's easier if you're checking with regular buddy because they don't get annoyed if you make them do 5 breaths. I teach students to make sure buddy's value is open and have the buddy take 5 breaths after checking the value. However, in Coz two years ago, one of our group ran out of air with the gauge showing 500-600 psi. Not a big deal because we were all on the safety stop and got back just fine. Afterwards Dive Op examined the gauge, it was defective and she really was out of air. It was a rental and they gave her a new one. Not an experienced diver and she was quite shaken, but got back in the next day.

 

[TrimixToo]

I didn't see her take 3 deep breaths while watching her gauge, as I've also learned to do. A boat captain in Mexico once turned off my air, but I caught it before splashing with that trick.

This. ^^^

Everyone should do this test. Someone I know once splashed with gas off, realized it immediately, shrugged out of the BC, turned on the air, got back into it, and continued the dive. (I was impressed. Happy to hear the story from that diver, too!) Figuring it out on the boat is simpler, safer, and does not require you to keep your wits about you nearly as much.

 

[2airishuman]

What could have caused this?

1. Internal deterioration of the hose to the 2nd stage causing blockage. (There have been several reports, particularly with the flexible braid-covered plastic hoses)
   
2. Cylinder valve not fully opened
3. Debris lodged in valve, dip tube, or 1st stage
   
4. Physiological problems such as subclinical IPE
5. Problems of perception and inexperience, possibly combined with a 2nd stage that didn't breathe all that well throughout the dive
6. Empty cylinder with stuck SPG showing plenty of gas

And should I have insisted we skip that last dive until we figured it out? If I'd been the one with the problem, I definitely would have called it a day, but I feel like it's a little murkier telling someone else what to do, especially since she handled it well and I wasn't afraid for my own safety.

First thing is be clear what you can and cannot choose:

1. You can choose whether you will dive.
2. You can choose whether you will accept the other diver as your buddy. (Depending on the situation you may end up having to sit out the dive as a result)
3. You cannot choose whether someone else will dive.

I wasn't there, you were, you made your tradeoffs.

 

[2airishuman]

Yes, I put my hand on their valve and make sure it's either fully open or opens only a quarter turn or so. Of course we discuss it beforehand so if the instabuddy isn't cool with me touching their valve, I don't.

I don't handle other people's valves before the dive.

I discourage other people from handling my cylinder valve. Some of my cylinders have valves on the "uncommon" side so they can be made up into twinsets if necessary. Many DMs turn the valves the wrong way on these. I caught one once. Since then, I talk to the DMs, and point out that I can manipulate the valve underwater, and that if they shut off my air my mistake, I will remain on the bottom for 30 seconds while they are watching in abject panic, before calmly reaching up to turn my air on.

Most people can be taught to reach the valve, It is a good skill to have.

 

[clownfishsydney]

Almost certainly a valve not fully open. This problem is only really noticed once underwater by watching your gauge as you take a breath (it will go back towards zero) or the breathing getting harder. In both cases, it is far more obvious once the tank gets less than half and the deeper you are.

Have seen it happen to a number of people, the worst case was to a diver who did a rapid ascent and had to be helicoptered off the boat to the chamber. Turns out she had opened the valve as far as it could go but the valve was very dirty and the internal mechanism did not open the orifice fully. Rental tank!

 

[a878bob]

Don't dive with instabuddy!

Don't dive with someone with rental gear !

 

[Esprise Me]

I also use rental gear, and the three people I talked into getting certified with me haven't dived since, so...

 

[a878bob]

So....

You dove with someone you knew nothing about, their experience, training, or gear. You didn't do a buddy check before getting in. Although, you knew they had a problem and you dove with them again.

So... You have have no idea what the problem was, the person and/or equipment. And you dove with that same person in the same rental gear ? Or different rental gear from the same place that you didn't check again ?

I'm sorry to sound cynical but .... I am genuinely glad you are both ok, and hope we all learn from this and apply these lessons going forward. This could have easily been a tradgedy that better training could have stopped before it started.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

Good for you, good for her. I have no problem doing the third dive with her. I would have as long as she was good to go. She handled the problem well, did not cork, did not panic (much) and you both did fine.

You both stayed shallow and a little closer on the third dive just in case, apparently you did not violate your computers, although we don't know the profiles of the first two dives or surface interval times, and the only suggestion I would make is if you both are breathing...do the safety stop.

Best of all, there is no dramatic post about how she almost died and what crap rental gear Xxx dive op uses, and that she will probably never dive again because of this traumatic experience, and the shop owner didn't even offer her free lifetime dives... You both handled it like rockstars. Sooner or later we will all experience some type of equipment issue. If it's mechanical, exposed to salt-or any water, and used regularly...it will malfunction at some point. (Ever own a boat?) The buddy system and your training worked as designed. Kudos to your instructors on that one.

If there was no air at depth, but enough to inflate at the surface, I'm leaning towards faulty gauge, valve not fully on, or crap in the pickup tube... that is only a SEWAG.

Good luck, safe diving, and give yourself (and your instructor) a pat on the back...or a beer. Personally, I'd prefer the beer...Mexican, Amber, please.

Jay


SEWAG-Slightly Educated Wild Assed Guess