Catastrophic loss of gas during air share drill

[Rick Inman]

It is really hard for me to understand how a regulator failure (air leak) in open water at a depth of 18 feet was so stressful for 2 certified divers. How hard is it to slowly swim up from 18 ft? Even if you had an air leak, it sounded like the reg was working and you could both leisurly swim up without shuting the tank down or switching regulators.

I sure hope that you both consider pony bottles if you dive to any depth over 20 feet.

Whoa. I have to take issue with this. It was right for these divers to do an air share and try to solve there problems underwater, not think, "surface". 18 feet, 20 feet, 30 feet, 60 feet... at what depth do you start handling your problems underwater? Answer: At ANY depth. Sure, it's easy to breathe off a free-flowing reg and just slowly ascend... But to automatically donate air to your buddy when there is any kind of breathing issue with their reg is commendable. In fact, shallow depths like 18' make it even the better place to do this. Great opportunity to practice. Not heading for the surface is the correct mind set, and to admonish a dive for it... Not good.

And this sentence: "I sure hope that you both consider pony bottles if you dive to any depth over 20 feet."... Wow. This kind of advise coming from an instructor blows my mind. I'm not saying that ponies are evil. But automatically thinking "surface" and "pony" is never the answer to equipment failures or problems of any kind underwater.

Sorry, but IMHO, this advise should go right back into the dumpster.

 

[DandyDon]

Well said Rick. My thoughts as well, but couldn't organgize them as well.

 

[xiSkiGuy]

It is really hard for me to understand how a regulator failure (air leak) in open water at a depth of 18 feet was so stressful for 2 certified divers. How hard is it to slowly swim up from 18 ft? Even if you had an air leak, it sounded like the reg was working and you could both leisurly swim up without shuting the tank down or switching regulators.

I sure hope that you both consider pony bottles if you dive to any depth over 20 feet.

Why don't you suggest a Spare Air and Mares HUB while you're at it. . .

 

[TheRedHead]

The pool I practice is in 18 feet deep and I practice all sorts of scenarios. They seemed a bit stressed and never stopped to think about the depth and the huge amount of time they had to solve any problem. The buddy in particular seemed flummoxed about what to do. The buddy saw the bubbles and should have terminated the drill, recovered her primary, donated her secondary and shut off the valve. I didn't see any evidence of stop, think and act in the description. Solving problems underwater is mostly mental and you do need to take a few seconds to think it through.

I think the point dumpsterdiver was making was about the described stress of the divers and his comment about a pony bottle was sarcastic.

 

[piikki]

Did you have instruction with the long hose?

No we did not – except for a dry run when renting and via books. That’s why we tried to keep the dives when we had it fairly easy – just in case it was going to sneak upon us and do things to us

My thanks to Rick too. I composed a reply but decided it was way too defensive coming from me. I already dive with a pony, it’s on my buddy’s back. I do not think there will be any other pony bottles in my future.

Also, I have to clarify there was no freeflow from the reg. The air was bursting out of the first stage, and it would have lead into air running out of my tank. Suggesting that we did not do the reg switch at all is indeed silly. It is not hard to swim up slowly from 18f but I hardly call CESA a desirable or leisurely way to come up from any depth. Dramatizing that we would have shut the valve before we realized we have to switch is kinda silly to me personally knowing fair well that latest at that point we would have realized which regs work. It’s a good reminder though: To think what leads to what before acting – which I think we did, just not so eloquently but in a rookie way stumbling a bit on the way.

Vayu: Yeah, unfortunately Poseidon uses proprietary hoses ($$$). And different ones for different models. Buddy’s is upstream and mine is downstream. And no, this incident sure did not push me away from long-hose. Quite the contrary.

 

[TheRedHead]

piikki, my criticism would have been more appropriately addressed to your buddy who was the one who had all the facts initially. But I really can't stress enough the thinking it through part. Drills are good for committing skills to muscle memory, but you will encounter novel situations underwater where it is critical to stop and think it through. Depth? How much gas? How much time? What's the worst thing can happen? Best Solution? etc.

 

[Diver0001]

It is really hard for me to understand how a regulator failure (air leak) in open water at a depth of 18 feet was so stressful for 2 certified divers.

Well....I agree with Rick. This is macho talk but unless your OW course is a lot more rigorous than most, then I doubt that your students would have reacted much differently. IN fact, most instructors would be proud to see their students taking control and solving their problems.

The most admirable fact in this case is that they experienced a problem and they solved it under water despite feeling stressed and *without* fleeing to surface, as you suggest. That's something to reflect on.

Moreover, their solution was effective and they only took 40 seconds to get it sorted out.

And finally, I think it's logical that he felt stressed. It's probably the first time he had to solve a real world problem in real world conditions. Regardless of the depth, these divers did the right thing and that's a big confidence builder that will help him feel less stressed in the future and he has a right to feel satisfied with himself for how it went.

Oh, the suggestion about using a pony bottle, aside from being cynical, is throwing gear at a training issue. It is really hard for me to understand how an instructor could think this is good advice.

R..

 

[Diver0001]

The pool I practice is in 18 feet deep and I practice all sorts of scenarios. They seemed a bit stressed and never stopped to think about the depth and the huge amount of time they had to solve any problem. The buddy in particular seemed flummoxed about what to do. The buddy saw the bubbles and should have terminated the drill, recovered her primary, donated her secondary and shut off the valve. I didn't see any evidence of stop, think and act in the description. Solving problems underwater is mostly mental and you do need to take a few seconds to think it through.

I think the point dumpsterdiver was making was about the described stress of the divers and his comment about a pony bottle was sarcastic.

It think it's too easy to arm-chair quarter-back these things.

I think you made some good points for Piikki to reflect upon but keep in mind that he just learned how to dive and this is probably his first incident. I had my first air sharing ascent with about 40 dives or so too and I felt stressed. It's different -- feels much bigger -- when it happens in real life than when you're practicing. I don't know if you've ever had to do an air-sharing ascent for real but try to remember what it felt like the first time....

R..

 

[DandyDon]

Yep...!

Oh, the suggestion about using a pony bottle, aside from being cynical, is throwing gear at a training issue. It is really hard for me to understand how an instructor could think this is good advice.

I like my pony on any deeper dives, but for appropriate reason and use only.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

Oh, the suggestion about using a pony bottle, aside from being cynical, is throwing gear at a training issue. It is really hard for me to understand how an instructor could think this is good advice.

R..

Well, I've heard some state that a hang tank at 15ft is proper gas mangement too, so what do we really expect