Diving today (1/21) and lessons learned

[dk2943]

I do appreciate all of your comments. I should have said it in my original post, but I, too, questioned why I had not been taught that skill in training, but I do assure you all that I will practice on land until I am sure I am ok with it and then will confirm that the next time I dive.

As to my buddy, yes, I was and am upset. I was too tired to comment to him today, but I will speak to him during the week. I want to be able to depend on my buddy, not waste time and air getting stressed looking for him.

 

[Charlie99]

Not to beat a dead horse, but yeah I would wonder why orally inflating your BC wasn't covered in OW classes??

The original poster doesn't remember it being taught. That isn't the same as it not being covered during the class.

The original poster clearly has decided to take responsibility for his own safety in the future. A prudent diver will get to know his equipment, including figuring out what that mouthpiece hanging off the corrugated hose is for.

 

[redrover]

That reads like one scary dive to me gotta give you points for telling the story. From reading here I’d say you could be up for a stern talking to and so far it’s looking pretty subdued.

I know I’m not alone dismayed at hearing something basic is not covered in class and saw several things that could have a far more devastating outcome than fatigue. More atta boy points for emotionally feeling well enough for the second dive. And having a good one after getting so tired on the first, you must have very good recovery.

I was curious about your training and found the following posts.

I got my OW through SDI, now merged with SSI. The course was on-line. I could have never found the time to do the classroom course, but could do the online course at my convenience. The course was set up in such a way that you had no choice but to read the material. I wanted to learn, so I did. Of course, subsequently there was hands on in the pool and in the ocean. I still have the book and refer back to it on occasion. Glad it happened this way, because having gotten my certification, I am loving it.l

I, too, had a problem with my instructor. I finally went back to the shop and they got me a new instructor, who was terrific

I was wondering about your online class and the instructor you had problems with. I question your training; these were part of my class and not what I’ve learned since from experience.
- no buddy - call the dive
- staying with buddy for assistance - LOA
– safety stop recommendations
- ditching weights when in trouble on the surface
- status awareness – you knew your depth but not remaining air?
- equipment operation including alternatives
- clearing snorkel
- swim across current
Were none of these problem areas covered? :11:

 

[stevetim]

I am curious. Did you and your original buddy listen to the DM's briefing on the dive site and wreck? This would in turn let you and your buddy plan a course of action for all of the incidents you site during your first dive.

The old lesson...plan your dive, and dive your plan really does come into light when things happen like you describe.

 

[MikeFerrara]

The issue of getting buoyant at the surface has bee gone over pretty well but don't forget gas management. Plan your gas so you can get back to the boat if that's where you want to be...but certainly at least to the surface.

Gas management is more than just watching your guage and there's a bunch about it on the board.

 

[victor]

Congratulations on keeping a cool head.
Somethings to think about.
You were strugling to stay on the surface with an empty tank. In my opinion you were overweighted.

On the second dive you were strugling with being cold. You need to look after yourself during the surface interval. Dry off, warm soup, banana, cover your head and neck. keep out of the wind.

In general you are burning a lot more calories than you think when you are diving. So a good breakfast early in the morning is important. If you suffer from sea sickness then eat a good 3 hours before you get on the boat.

Do your AOW, and do buoyancy as a speciality, get your buoyanvy right and your airconsumption will improve dramatically.

And most important, dive, dive dive, experience helps.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

As to my buddy, yes, I was and am upset. I was too tired to comment to him today, but I will speak to him during the week. I want to be able to depend on my buddy, not waste time and air getting stressed looking for him.

If your buddy is experienced, then talking to him will change nothing. He has already demonstrated that he will ditch you on an easy dive (the fist part of the dive) and then demonstrated that he will ditch you when you need help. He seals the deal by failure to acknowledge his screw up after the dive.

He may be a friend, but you have had ample warning that he is not an asset underwater and continuing to dive with him will probably continue to be needlessly exciting.

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

continuing to dive with him will probably continue to be needlessly exciting.

ROFLMAO

 

[MikeFerrara]

If your buddy is experienced, then talking to him will change nothing. He has already demonstrated that he will ditch you on an easy dive (the fist part of the dive) and then demonstrated that he will ditch you when you need help. He seals the deal by failure to acknowledge his screw up after the dive.

He may be a friend, but you have had ample warning that he is not an asset underwater and continuing to dive with him will probably continue to be needlessly exciting.

I don't know.

IME, good dive buddies are made, not found. I think the guy was probably just diving the way he always has and the way he's always seen other divers diving.

If he is a friend and worth salvaging, I'd go do some easy dives with him and start the whole thing off with a good dive plan and a clear understanding of what each divers responsibilities are.

Unfortunately, being new, the OP isn't in a great position to be teaching. However, the lucky guy lives in florida. Not only are there lots of divers in florida but there are lots of great divers and some of them are even scubaboard members.

I think, the both of them should get together and look for a mentor that can teach them some control in the water, gas management and buddy diving.

I specifically suggest a mentor because these aren't things that you're going to learn in an AOW class.

 

[Web Monkey]

First, your buddy is a d***.

• With only a few dives, an "experienced" diver should have been sticking to you like white on rice. It's inexcusable that he took off without you.
• No buddy means you should have bagged the dive at that point. There's no guarantee that you would be able to find him on the wreck and without him you would be competely alone on one of your first dives.
• Being "with the group" is arguably worse then being solo, since you still have the warm fuzzy "I'm OK" feeling, but there's really nobody there keeping an eye on you

If you read enough of these incident reports, you'll notice that a lot of them begin with buddy seperation, but don't all end as well as yours.

Really Bad things almost always arise from a number of smaller Sort of Bad Things.

Feel free to call any dive at any time, regardless of peer pressure. You can always do another one tomorrow.

Terry

I am a new diver with less than 10 dives. I am no longer young, although I think of myself that way, being 56. I live in Miami and most of my dives thus far have been in the Keys, but today I went with RJ Diving out of Miami Beach. I took my friend, an experienced diver, who is 60. The boat was a bit crowded. I am used to 8 to 10 on a boat. This one had at least 20. The first dive was to the Belcher wreck. Vis was good, not great. The sea was very bumpy. I was carrying 16lbs. I was wearing my 2mm full wetsuit. My friend and I agreed that I would jump in first. I jumped in, grabbed the line, checked myself out and looked around for my friend. There were lots of people in the water, but I could not find him. Finally, the people on the boat told me he had already gone down.