Diving from my own boat??

[diver 85]

Oh yeah I would definitely have my other crew (son and fellow Capt. buddy up top). I'm very familiar with the currents out there bottom fishing that area over the years. Sometimes they are ripping. Also have a quick release on my fortress anchor. I don't like losing an expensive anchor due to it being hung in the rocks. I would definitely have a safety sausage if we got away from the boat and have an extra submersible VHF handheld.

Good points. I have strobes, whistle, portable submersible VHF's and PLB/EPIRB's due to offshore fishing that you can carry on a life vest or BC including safety sausage for my son and I .
Interesting point on the O2. I've been researching. Is the point of O2 mainly for DC sickness vs drowning victim. Reason I ask, just looking back at my First Responder training going through captain school, we never discussed the use of 02 for drowning victoms and the USCG doesn't have guidance for carrying it on boats for hire. (That I'm aware of) However it appears to obviously be a first response for DCS in diving related accidents. If that is the case and not trying to be risky at all, if you remain shallow (say 30') and control your time and ascent it appears that risk can greatly be minimized. Not trying to cut corners. Believe me anyone who has fished with me can tell you I prepare for about every contingence offshore. Just trying to learn the new world of diving and the possible contingences. Thanks to everyone for the great feedback.

You've covered all---I think....now go dive......We don't carry half that diving 65 miles out in the GoM.......

 

[Capt.Tim]

Thanks. You made me laugh, I have buddies who run to the stream with me that don't carry half the emergency equipment I do, but hey, you can't control everything but I operate by the principle: rather have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Thanks guys.

 

[WestNCDiver]

Yessir - Awesome. You sound well prepared. I have done many shallow dives without o2 on board or on-shore but really don't think it is worth it if there is the possibility of going deep on a dive . I accepted the risks for myself and 99% of the time you don't need it. It would really suck to be that 1% when you do. (68.2 percent of all statistics are made up by the way- lol)

I know of some divers who have inadvertently surpassed the planned depth and many who have surpassed the planned time. Also many who exceed ascent rate by dropped weights or just not paying attention to buoyancy. (Safety stop is a great time to practice perfecting buoyancy control BTW) If the maximum possible depth is shallow that's one thing but always consider (without being paranoid) that there are things that could happen to force unplanned depths and dive times.

I really enjoy reading diving accident scenarios because they make you think of things you never would have dreamed up and can teach us a lot. Some people don't like to read them because it scares them. They help me feel much more comfortable, ,prepared and humbled.

My understanding is that o2 should be administered for either drowning or any possible DCS situations to increase oxygen in the bloodstream.

 

[diver 85]

Thanks. You made me laugh, I have buddies who run to the stream with me that don't carry half the emergency equipment I do, but hey, you can't control everything but I operate by the principle: rather have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Thanks guys.

Good luck & let us know how it turns out........

 

[CuzzA]

No one needs any safety gear... until you need it.

 

[oldschoolto]

The hanging of a extra bottle on the down line solves a lot of the problems that would show up for going to deep or staying down to long... I dive alone from my on boat and started doing it at 14... The biggest thing is not letting yourself get to far from the boat... If you need to go that far to see something... MOVE THE BOAT...

Jim...

 

[mmmbelows]

Small signaling mirror. Best $3.00 you may spend, works during the day like the light would at night, SMBs can be almost invisible during some conditions or distances, whistles can become useless in just a little wind, but a mirror when the suns out... well you're a boat captain you know how well a flashed reflection can be spotted from a great distance.

 

[Capt.Tim]

Small signaling mirror. Best $3.00 you may spend, works during the day light the light would at night, SMBs can be almost invisible during some conditions or distances, whistles can become useless in just a little wind, but a mirror when the suns out... well you're a boat captain you know how well a flashed reflection can be spotted from a great distance.

Interesting you mention a signaling mirror. Something I've noticed over the years are people's reliance on technology. For example, you won't believe the people that go offshore and have no idea how to read a compass or navigate with a chart. Heck most don't even have a chart. My point, basic simple tools that have been around forever but majority of folks don't even think to utilize them or know how. I love when people go out with me and about 12 miles off they just fret cause they can't get a cell signal for the rest of the day. That's why I love to go offshore and why I'm loving diving so much. Getting off the grid.