Confessions of a Lightweight

[ZzzKing]

So we're in the panga. 1 2 3 SPLASH! I turn down like a duck, pull the butt dump and kick. I get down fine but I'm feeling a little light. I feel around my waist and sure enough, no weight belt. SUNUVABICH! I'm at 90', hanging on to the top of a volcano named Darwin Island to keep from getting blown off by the 3-4 knot current and trying to figure out how to do a 3 minute stop while 12 lbs light.

Then the baby whale shark (about 15') went by overhead and it just didn't seem that important any more. A few minutes later, mommie whale shark (all 60' of her) cruises within touching distance of my wife and I have forgotten there was ever a problem.

Eventually, all dives must end so I am slowly rising. Everything is going well until I hit about 40'. Suddenly my nice slow ascent begins to pick up a little steam. I dump all my remaining air, breathe out and flair. I'm still headed up. Oh yeah, there was that weight belt problem I was worried about earlier. SUNUVABICH! :shocked2:

Well, to make a long story short, I end up on the surface. I've broken the speed limit according to my computer and violated the 3 minute safety stop. But I saw whale sharks. And one of them was a BIG sucker.

Afterwards I decide to skip the final two dives of the day, take a nice nap and indulge in a little O2. I never felt any ill effects so I may be lucky but believe me, the weight belt was the first piece of gear I grabbed on subsequent dives!

 

[austinspace]

Wow, nothing like a close encounter with a 60' whale shark to clear your head! Thanks for sharing the story, and glad all was well at the end of the day.

 

[dementid]

Talk about an item for the bucket list that is one of mine is to swim with a whale shark

 

[Guba]

My whale shark is still waiting for me in the Gulf of Mexico.

One day...

 

[scubashawn123]

Very exciting and interesting experience you had. Thanks for sharing. Did you get any pictures or video?



This makes me remember back in the 70's and 80's when we dove with NO safety stop (no such thing) and the ascent rate for surfacing was double what it is today. Everyone seemed to make it out of the water. Very interesting that our sport has gotten ultra conservative in its training programs and standards and practices........maybe for older divers like me.

 

[thevalkyry]

Wow... TwoBit must be green with envy. He didnt see any whale sharks in the Galapagos. I'm glad you had a great time.

 

[ZzzKing]

Wow... TwoBit must be green with envy. He didnt see any whale sharks in the Galapagos. I'm glad you had a great time.

Hey Vanessa! I tried to include you in my message to Tom, Frank, John, Alan etc. but I sent it to Valkrie instead of THEvalkrie.

My wife was close enough to one of the big whale sharks that she could have reached out, grabbed the dorsal fin and gone for a ride! She also saw areally big manta ray that I missed because I took off after a large turtle. Seems she's pretty lucky.

If you ever get the chance, you should definitely head down there.

 

[thevalkyry]

I'm with you - I would have totally gone for the turtle too

 

[rakpix]

great story zzzking! what i'd give to see a whale shark family ... and seems like as good a lesson as any to teach the value of v-weights.

 

[ianr33]

great story zzzking! what i'd give to see a whale shark family ... and seems like as good a lesson as any to teach the value of v-weights.

How do you use a V weight with a single tank?