Can We Learn From This?

[Iguana Don]

"My dive profiles are as follows:- ( times are time of descending to time of surfacing) All dives were on Air. Temp was recorded at deepest part of each dive.

Friday:

Dive 1
10:46 to 16.2m, out at 11:23 (37mins)(temp 8C), Had uncontrolled ascent from approx 12 metres to surface..was slowed by 2 divers holding my fins. It was later found that my cuff dump on my dry suit was infact partly blocked with talc powder which made me unable to dump air quick enough on ascent.
Dive 2
13:53 to 30m (multi level dive), out at 14:32 (39 mins)(temp 7C)
Dive 3
15:40 to 6m, out at 16:18 (38 mins)(temp 8C)

Saturday:

Dive1
10:34 to 19m out at 11:01 (27mins) temp 8C
Dive2
13:29 to 6m out at 14:00 (31 mins) temp 8C
Dive3
15:48 to 19m out at 16:13 (25mins) temp 8C

Sunday:

Dive1
9:26 to 21m out at 9:55 (29mins) temp 8C
Dive2
11:48 to 21m out at 12:20 (32 mins) temp 7C
Dive3
14:02 to 21.6m out at 14:27 (25 mins) temp 7C , Buddy started ascending uncontrollably from approx 10 metres, whereby i grabbed his fin to slow him down...we managed to stop at 4 metres. A 3-5 minute safety stop was attempted although with no frame of reference (open water-no lines) and with 2 other inexperienced divers grabbing onto me to stabelize themselves the stop was abandoned. 200 yard surface swim to shore. Symptoms (pins and needles) began immediately in both feet." Posted by Aegir in Dr.Deco's Forum


Since I am the one who usually seems to stir up the controversy, I will take this opportunity to do so at this time.

Not to point fingers, fault or ridicule but to help all the new and old divers alike learn from this accident.

I am refering to Aegir's uncontrolled ascents. We are all deeply sorry that one of us has had any kind of accident, but we are fortunate in several ways. One that she is still with us and is in a good state of recovery. Two, that she decided to share her experience with us in hopes that we can learn from her experience.

I know that I have stepped on untrodden ground, but this may save somebody's life someday!

Questions or comments

ID

 

[Warhammer]

If so, what type of computer and did it ever get into deco? Course one has to assume the drinking prior to diving did not help.

 

[joewr]

IguanaDon,

You are so right that we have to be grateful that Aegir is on, hopefully, her way to complete recovery!

It is very easy to become smug when you view others' problems, but humility is a little better; and it can lead to learning how not to repeat history--at least unwanted history. I note that in the last couple of weeks on this Board we have read about Aegir, the death of a cave diver, and Beachman's tale of woe. For those who think recreational diving is not dangerous--rethink that!

What struck me, though, was two uncontrolled ascents in one weekend. Was that just a coincidence? I rarely believe in coincidences. I did not read that the group sat down afterwards and discussed whether they had done all the could to prevent the uncontrolled ascent--in the event that a valve got plugged again--or whatever. Then two days another uncontrolled ascent and they are back to grabbing at fins. And Aegir is on her way to shore with the initial symptons of DCS.

We probably do not know enough to make a serious inquiry--but Aegir and her group need to do some serious recounting and soul-searching. They are the ones who have all the data.

Joewr

 

[Aegir]

Good idea Don and i approve.

LOL sorry to disapoint you guys but i am not a "she" but a "he"

Aegir: One of the Norse Gods of the ocean

One of the main errors as i see it , is the fact that i dived with 2 other ppl rather than just 1 buddy. In a way, throughout the dive i was waiting for the inevitable to happen (an uncontrolled ascent/ or some kind of panic). I felt uneasy before the dive. IMHO these guys just were not ready for diving without an instructor/DM..they should have recieved more tuition before gaining there certs (AOW).


The computer in question is a Suunto Cobra...and no it never went into decompression mode at any point. By the way, what does the cobra do when it go's into deco mode?

Keep the Q's coming, you can ask me ANYTHING...i'm jst glad i can help.

 

[Sue]

Hi Aegir

I'm glad you're ok and getting better.
I don't own a Cobra but a Stinger, but I suppose they are similar in their features. When in deco mode it sends you up, giving the ascent rate, then shows two arrows to indicate where you must stop for deco, and for how much time, then it allows you to go up a bit and then stop again, and so on...
You can check how it works at:
http://www.suunto.fi/diving/demo/cobra_demo.exe
It's a demo showing the Suunto features, where you can see what happens when in deco mode.

Cheers

Sue

 

[gozumutti]

Hi all

I am new at this, so I can afford to ask stupid questions:

Aegir, why the deeper dive (on Friday) in between the two shallower ones? and again on Saturday at 19m, then 6m, then again 19m.....or am I reading something wrongly. I don't know if that has anything to do with uncontrolled ascents, but I am just wondering....

And PLEASE don't do that again, I like seeing you on the board and hate to see you get hurt in any way!

gozumutti

 

[Aegir]

Well Goz most of the deeper dives done later than shallower dives were infact multilevel dives as i remember. i.e. decend to deepest depth first and slowly work your way up to shallower depths which helps to offgas any nitrogen in your tissues. Wether or not this practise is a good idea (deeper "multi-level dives" inbetween shallower dives) is not for me to say...maybe there are some people here that can help us with this grey area. All i know is that i was there diving with my instructor to get 2 certs so i didnt question anything, especially in view of him having over 3000 logged dives. However maybe he is wrong? cmon guys lets have those opinions

 

[Warhammer]

I own a Cobra and as Sue said, the best way for you to familiarize yourself with it is through the demo. Or you can also use the Cobra's onboard simulator to familiarize yourself with it. But, Aegir, no disrespect meant, shouldn't you have gotten well acquainted with your Cobra prior to ever diving it?

I'm sure you probably seen somewhat of an example of the Cobra's deco mode when you made the rapid ascents. Reason being that if you ascent at or faster than 33fpm, the cobra will hit you with a mandatory safety stop. The "ceiling" and "stop" notations will also appear on the screen. If you blow this stop, it will penalize you on your next dive, but it won't lock you out. Maybe it should in extreme cases as yours. I guess that's debateable, but if it had, you probably would not have gotten bent because the Cobra will not operate in any mode other than gauge mode for 48hrs following a lock-out. So you'd most likely have missed the dive that bent you. Course that's alot of ifs.

BTW, did you go back down and make an effort to complete the safety stop? I'll probably get flamed for that one, but I'm just curious.

 

[Iguana Don]

We all need to look at this and forget about fins, tanks, BCs, Cozumel etc. This was a very bad situation and all of the us members need to look at this and examine it and ourselves real close.

I am not on a soap box or anything like that. It's just that we have a 1st hand report of a diving accident and that rarely happens. Most of the time we have to hear about it in the news or from a friend of a friend. I am really suprised there have been so few views to this and Beachman's horror.

ID

 

[Sue]

I.Don is right. We all should learn from this. Still being a newbie, besides going on with my training I do a lot of reading and I try to avoid some mistakes learning from others.
There's also an interesting report we all (mainly those into deep diving) should read and learn from at:
http://diver.ocean.washington.edu/bendstory.html

Sue