Archangel
...
As a DM, I subscribe to a host of newsgroups discuss accident analysis, dive medicine, etc. . . .
The following is a particularly poignant account of diving well above experience level. I plead with you, only go beyond your comfort level with a mentor. Gain experience not by collecting plastic, but by going diving.
Safe diving,
Tevis
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On May 9th, 2005 I had the fight of my life. briefly, I was diving
the Proteus, a wreck about 25 miles off shore and about 125 ft to the
bottom. I was aboard a boat full of "die-hard" wreck divers. All the
equipment plus some. I knew this would be the most challenging dive i
had ever done thus far. I donned my dry suit and jumped in and
started my descent to the bottom which seemed like an aweful long way
but for me it was. I had been to 97 ft and that was in clear calm
water in the caribbean. This was murky water,currents and substantial
swells. The descent went fine and the cloudines got better at the
bottom. The wreck itself was FANTASTIC! My dive buddy hooked a line
and off we went to explore the Proteus. I was amazed due to the fact
I was a wreck "virgin". The sand tiger sharks were menicing to say
the least but very large and i was in awe! During this time i had
been checking my dive computer frequently, apparantly not often
enough. I normally suck air (yes i was using only air and started
with 3000psi) very quickly and i didn't realize I was down to 500psi
in a real hurry maybe because i was breathing heavier than normal due
to new surroundings. My buddy and I headed back to the ascent line
and at about 110 ft i gave my buddy the out of air sign and we
continued our ascent sharing his Nitrox air and at this point
everything was going very smoothly considering I was out of air. We
continued up the line to the 15ft hang bar and with one hand on his
alternate regulator (well probably more like a death grip) and one on
the hang line we got caught in a wicked current and my feet went
above my head and the air in my dry suit went straight to my feet.
NOW is when all hell broke loose!! I was upside down with that death
grip on his regulator, no longer holding on to the hang line with my
mask flooded, not able to see anything, and my flippers trying to get
to the surface with ME in them. The current was so strong that I was
unable to hold his regulator and i let go and by the grace of God
worked like Hell to get myself right side up in the ocean. (If you
have ever used a dry suit and had to right yourself to the upright
position than you would know how much harder it would be in the ocean
with current and swells and not able to see! So i did finally make it
to the surface and threw off my mask into the ocean so i could see
where i was. I did make it to the side of the boat where they threw a
line over for me to grab. I must say from the time I let go of my
buddy's regulator (after taking one last DEEP breathe) to the time I
got to the surface it seemed like a VERY, VERY long time. I managed
to work my way to the ladder in the back of the boat and the boat
captain asked to see my dive computer that happened to be blinking
and "in the red". I had gone WAY over the deco limit and he informed
me that i still had at least 20 minutes of deco time. He told me I
had to go back down to 15 feet for 20 minutes. I told him "I can't do
that"!! And he looked at me and said " If you want to live, you have
to go back down" What was I suppose to say to that!! They gave me a
tank of 100% oxygen and I mustered up enough balls to go back down.
By the way, someone had retreived my mask when i threw it, so not all
was lost. My buddy was with me the whole time while at 15ft. And i
did eventually calm down and reflect on all that happened and the
mistakes I had made. That too was a long 20 minutes. After the 20, I
got on board and just broke down and cried. I had never been so
mortally frightened in my whole life, but at no time did I ever think
I was going to die and I kept my head together very well, I think,
during the whole ordeal. While removing my gear and dry suit I was
having numbness in my lips and tongue and had slirred speech. I
noticed pain in my left thigh muscle and my left shoulder. I was
asked several times of I was OK and I just assumed it was due to the
stressful situation I just encountered. I also should add that I'm
from PA and was on Vacation in the Outer Banks. I drove back to our
beach House and by that evening I was really stiff and still had the
pain and numbness. I drove back to PA and started to develope fuzzy
vision and just felt like i couldn't "think straight". I called DAN
and they directed me to go directly to the University of MD shock
trauma unit for chamber treatments. I have DAN insurance and thank
god I do. They were very helpful and paid all my med bills not
covered by my personal health insurance. I spent 2 days in the
hyperbaric chamber for 7 hours at a time. I was told not to dive for
at least 8 weeks, and at that point i wasn't sure if i would ever
dive again. In retrospect I should've gone to the nearest NC hospital
immediately. I've been to Hawaii and the Florida Keys to dive since
this accident and I have a whole new appreciation for safety. I want
to thank my buddy ( a complete stranger, whom I don't remember his
name) for being there for me when he was truly needed. And DAN for
all their help and the wonderful guidance they give to divers. I owe
you my life!
So there is my dive accident story. All is well now, and i do continue
to dive with great caution.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Posted by 'Anonymous' on diveaccidents forum
Again safe diving all,
T
The following is a particularly poignant account of diving well above experience level. I plead with you, only go beyond your comfort level with a mentor. Gain experience not by collecting plastic, but by going diving.
Safe diving,
Tevis
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On May 9th, 2005 I had the fight of my life. briefly, I was diving
the Proteus, a wreck about 25 miles off shore and about 125 ft to the
bottom. I was aboard a boat full of "die-hard" wreck divers. All the
equipment plus some. I knew this would be the most challenging dive i
had ever done thus far. I donned my dry suit and jumped in and
started my descent to the bottom which seemed like an aweful long way
but for me it was. I had been to 97 ft and that was in clear calm
water in the caribbean. This was murky water,currents and substantial
swells. The descent went fine and the cloudines got better at the
bottom. The wreck itself was FANTASTIC! My dive buddy hooked a line
and off we went to explore the Proteus. I was amazed due to the fact
I was a wreck "virgin". The sand tiger sharks were menicing to say
the least but very large and i was in awe! During this time i had
been checking my dive computer frequently, apparantly not often
enough. I normally suck air (yes i was using only air and started
with 3000psi) very quickly and i didn't realize I was down to 500psi
in a real hurry maybe because i was breathing heavier than normal due
to new surroundings. My buddy and I headed back to the ascent line
and at about 110 ft i gave my buddy the out of air sign and we
continued our ascent sharing his Nitrox air and at this point
everything was going very smoothly considering I was out of air. We
continued up the line to the 15ft hang bar and with one hand on his
alternate regulator (well probably more like a death grip) and one on
the hang line we got caught in a wicked current and my feet went
above my head and the air in my dry suit went straight to my feet.
NOW is when all hell broke loose!! I was upside down with that death
grip on his regulator, no longer holding on to the hang line with my
mask flooded, not able to see anything, and my flippers trying to get
to the surface with ME in them. The current was so strong that I was
unable to hold his regulator and i let go and by the grace of God
worked like Hell to get myself right side up in the ocean. (If you
have ever used a dry suit and had to right yourself to the upright
position than you would know how much harder it would be in the ocean
with current and swells and not able to see! So i did finally make it
to the surface and threw off my mask into the ocean so i could see
where i was. I did make it to the side of the boat where they threw a
line over for me to grab. I must say from the time I let go of my
buddy's regulator (after taking one last DEEP breathe) to the time I
got to the surface it seemed like a VERY, VERY long time. I managed
to work my way to the ladder in the back of the boat and the boat
captain asked to see my dive computer that happened to be blinking
and "in the red". I had gone WAY over the deco limit and he informed
me that i still had at least 20 minutes of deco time. He told me I
had to go back down to 15 feet for 20 minutes. I told him "I can't do
that"!! And he looked at me and said " If you want to live, you have
to go back down" What was I suppose to say to that!! They gave me a
tank of 100% oxygen and I mustered up enough balls to go back down.
By the way, someone had retreived my mask when i threw it, so not all
was lost. My buddy was with me the whole time while at 15ft. And i
did eventually calm down and reflect on all that happened and the
mistakes I had made. That too was a long 20 minutes. After the 20, I
got on board and just broke down and cried. I had never been so
mortally frightened in my whole life, but at no time did I ever think
I was going to die and I kept my head together very well, I think,
during the whole ordeal. While removing my gear and dry suit I was
having numbness in my lips and tongue and had slirred speech. I
noticed pain in my left thigh muscle and my left shoulder. I was
asked several times of I was OK and I just assumed it was due to the
stressful situation I just encountered. I also should add that I'm
from PA and was on Vacation in the Outer Banks. I drove back to our
beach House and by that evening I was really stiff and still had the
pain and numbness. I drove back to PA and started to develope fuzzy
vision and just felt like i couldn't "think straight". I called DAN
and they directed me to go directly to the University of MD shock
trauma unit for chamber treatments. I have DAN insurance and thank
god I do. They were very helpful and paid all my med bills not
covered by my personal health insurance. I spent 2 days in the
hyperbaric chamber for 7 hours at a time. I was told not to dive for
at least 8 weeks, and at that point i wasn't sure if i would ever
dive again. In retrospect I should've gone to the nearest NC hospital
immediately. I've been to Hawaii and the Florida Keys to dive since
this accident and I have a whole new appreciation for safety. I want
to thank my buddy ( a complete stranger, whom I don't remember his
name) for being there for me when he was truly needed. And DAN for
all their help and the wonderful guidance they give to divers. I owe
you my life!
So there is my dive accident story. All is well now, and i do continue
to dive with great caution.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Posted by 'Anonymous' on diveaccidents forum
Again safe diving all,
T
