Dive gone wrong in Guardalavalca Cuba

[EPS]

Dive description: Cave dive, enter 90 feet, exit 128 feet
Facts: 4 buddy pairs, one guide. I was first buddy in last buddy pair to enter cave. Other divers kicked too vigorously, silt stirred up, visibility 2 feet. I entered, my buddy decided at last instant not to enter and made no effort to inform me of his intentions. I exited cave at 128', waited for my buddy to exit behind me. He did not. Guide instructed 7 remaining divers to HANG AT 128' while he investigated. My dive computer put me in caution zone. I indicated to other divers that we should begin our ascent. Guide absent, time and depth an issue, nobody wanted to surface with me. I indicated I was going to surface, then did so. Reached surface after safety stop with 450 lbs. Other divers surfaced minutes later with a little as 75 lbs.

My buddy hung at 90' and was found by guide.

Lesson: divers should trust their own safety training and not accept dangerous instructions from guide. Dive tables and dive computers are useless unless you use them for their intended purpose.

 

[tkring]

EPS,I am not a cave diver but if you are diving with a buddy, shouldn't you have checked on him sometime after entering the cave to ensure he was near and okay?

 

[DandyDon]

Welcome to SB. Go here to introduce yourself if you'd like to.

Yep, even if you're only one sane one - ascend when prudent.

EPS,I am not a cave diver but if you are diving with a buddy, shouldn't you have checked on him sometime after entering the cave to ensure he was near and okay?

Then threaten him with bodily hard back on the boat if he ever leaves you again.

Yeah, if you can. I'm not a cave diver either, but I had a time in Dec with a short swim thru - had to focus on where I was going, couldn't watch buddy, and he wasn't there when I got out. Arrg. Found him at the entry point. Devils Throat Cozumel is kinda' like that, too.

 

[Willie]

Devils Throat Cozumel is kinda' like that, too.

That is exactly the kind of thing I was thinking. Too narrow maybe to look back and with only 2' vis, what are you going to see.

Tough situation all the way around. If you ascend alone, you put yourself in a position of being separated. All in all, doesnt sound like a very fun end to the dive.

Willie

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

Good call in taking responsibility for your own safety and starting the ascent.

Questionable call in swimming through a 40' vertical (no mention of linear) cave without noticing buddy not with you.

 

[dbulmer]

EPS,
I have done that dive - it was Cave 1 wasn't it?

The dive itself from memory is one of those where you twist and turn around the coral until you come to a very small overhead section. You swim in this over head section which has a sandy bottom and then you rise slightly to go out a small hole back into the blue.

My worst moment in diving and that includes an OOA was Cave1. The overhead section is onl;y wide enough for one person at a time and I had a momment when my reg wasn't giving me much air and I was starting to get panicky. I calmed down and go out through that hole. That was the defining moment for me - I returned to England and got more training. I would bet the briefing was the max depth and a tell me your air at 50bar and 100 bar and that was it. I learned the hard way that the individual diver is responsible for their own safety and that blind trust in a DM is not a sensible thing. Glad you survived but I bet you loved the Blue Wall?

 

[EPS]

EPS,I am not a cave diver but if you are diving with a buddy, shouldn't you have checked on him sometime after entering the cave to ensure he was near and okay?

The confines of the passage precluded a turn-around to check on buddy. In hindsight perhaps I should have let my buddy enter ahead of me. One of the perils of diving with an unfamiliar buddy is that you don't really know if his/her experience and confidence are up to the challenges of such a dive. Lesson learned.

 

[EPS]

EPS,
I have done that dive - it was Cave 1 wasn't it?

The dive itself from memory is one of those where you twist and turn around the coral until you come to a very small overhead section. You swim in this over head section which has a sandy bottom and then you rise slightly to go out a small hole back into the blue.

My worst moment in diving and that includes an OOA was Cave1. The overhead section is onl;y wide enough for one person at a time and I had a momment when my reg wasn't giving me much air and I was starting to get panicky. I calmed down and go out through that hole. That was the defining moment for me - I returned to England and got more training. I would bet the briefing was the max depth and a tell me your air at 50bar and 100 bar and that was it. I learned the hard way that the individual diver is responsible for their own safety and that blind trust in a DM is not a sensible thing. Glad you survived but I bet you loved the Blue Wall?

Sounds like the same one. A little tricky but fun nonetheless. Did the same dive in '98 but went in first, no silt, no problem. My concern is mainly the lack of detail in the briefing and the cavalier attitude with respect to ascending with proper air reserves. I am old school... 1/3 air out, 1/3 air back, 1/3 to ascend. Safe and reliable.

 

[tkring]

EPS,
Please know that I am not criticizing but but trying to understand. I have been in other situations where I am forced to review my actions and always want to know what others would have done. Hindsight is always 20 20.

I'm just glad that both of you made it out okay.

 

[EPS]

Hey, no offense taken. You made a good point; one that all should heed.

That's the problem with "resort" diving. I am used to diving with a bunch of guys and gals who know each other, are used to how we do things, and always communicate.

My buddy should have indicated his reluctance to enter the cave while we were waiting for the other divers to enter; we were the last buddy pair.

Please read new thread : "tragic Accident"