Do not ever say you are a rescue diver

[boulderjohn]

That is also true in the Rescue Diver course, if you can get the victim out of the water in less than 5 minutes.

Sure. That's what they say. Well, that's what some say.

When they changed the rulings on this a decade or so ago, I went directly PADI headquarters and asked for clarification. I gave what I thought was a ridiculous scenario. I asked if you are 30 feet from the boat and pull up an unconscious diver, do you go through that scenario? Yes, I was told. Begin mouth to mouth and removing your and the victim's gear as you tow the diver slowly to the boat. I said that contradicts my understanding. I was told that if that contradicts my understanding, then my understanding was wrong.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Initially, we have the same training but I dive more and am more interested in the science of diving. The first time we went in Thailand, she could not go down even though she used the same equipment and weight than in Africa some weeks before. All the parameters were identical except the water temperature. She did not have the time to do a check dive. So she got 2 kilos from the DM while already at the surface and it was a bloody nightmare, buoyancy wise. She had a 5.5 wetsuit and blamed it on the equipment. I had a 3. Next day, I put my 5.5 and showed her that buoyancy was manageable even with 3 kilos extra. I believe that she had air bubbles in her jacket BCD. We all have different aptitudes and ways to face new situations. And I will always be over careful watching my wife … don’t want to have no regret.

She may have had or more likely, she was nervous and/or tired. It is a common thing for new divers to actually be holding air in their lungs despite believing that they have fully exhaled.

I believe that it would be a good thing for your wife to take some private lessons with an instructor and you NOT be around.

Are you sure that she enjoys diving or is she just doing this to please you?

 

[chillyinCanada]

This thread sure seems to contain a lot erroneous information and wild scenarios.

First, I only carry my three highest cards. One for each of the different types of diving: Trimix, Cave and Divemaster. Those three can get me on any dive I’m qualified to make. I don’t carry an AOW, Nitrox, RD or any other subordinate card. I don’t even have them anymore. Wish I did though.

20 years ago, I occasionally got asked to buddy with a weak diver, but it was rare. Those days are long since gone, partially because insurance won’t cover a non-employee. Typically, only the one-man shop does things like that anymore.

I have benefited with my DM card by being given more freedom, allowed to leave the group and venture off on my own, etc. I’ve also on occasionally been invited on more advanced dives to fill a private charter.

When I was in HI, I got invited on a semi-private trip that only had one spot left. I passed because I already had a dive booked. The next day, when I told the group of locals I was diving with about it. They went nuts saying they only do that trip once a year and I should have ditched them and gone. Oh well…

I have also had the dive shop go to bat for me when some dude tried to steal my fins. I normally carry my fins back to my seat on the boat. One charter insisted on taking everyone’s fins and throwing them in a pile. It wasn’t until the next day that I realized I didn’t have my fins. The shop knew who had them, and when they called, he refused to bring them back. Fins are fins, apparently. The shop found and called his instructor and had him call him. He told him if him didn’t return my fins, he would never dive with them again. I got my fins back. He admitted to me that he knew they weren’t his fins, but he like them better. The shop made a lot of effort on that for me.

I have had similar experiences and without your level of certs. Of course, they've seen me dive and believe that I'm experienced enough for the dives, that they are inviting me to do.

I've also had the shop go to bat for me over this or that.

It's not always your cert level, it's your personality, your value as a client and one of their divers.

At some shops, their divers can almost become like family over time.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Don’t people get cold even in warm temps if they are diving a lot ?

Sure but it depends on the diver. I don't. Even in Bali where water temp was 22c this is what I wear.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Sure but it depends on the diver. I don't. Even in Bali where water temp was 22c this is what I wear.

View attachment 750816

I wear more neoprene, etc., every day and sometimes every dive.

Bali at 19c, I was wearing a Bare fleece, a full 5mm suit, a Sharkskin, a beanie AND a full hood with cowl neck, and eventually even my gloves.

But at the surface, that needs to be stripped off. The wind can then give you a chill so one needs a towel or a cover-up of some sort.

 

[Blackcrusader]

At some past point, I've read of someone getting badly sick from breathing off a BCD, presumably due to microbes in the bladder. People vary widely in what measures they use to clean those. I don't know how much of a real world risk this is. When I want mine empty (e.g.: for a back roll with negative entry), I stand beside my rig, hit the inflator button to release pressure, and mash the sides of the wing.

I'd be curious as to whether deliberately sucking air out of a BCD bladder into your lungs is a substantial risk, or no big deal?

One guy in the UK who had moldy bladder and he wasn't on a dive. No other known cases. Freak accident.
No big deal I do it often. But then again I clean my bladder. Wrote a post about it recently.
another thread on that here

Cleaning BC Bladder

Aside from rinsing and draining your BC bladder with water do you use anything else such as using a cleaning or sanitizing solution? I was thinking a steramine rinse might not be a bad idea. Thots?

scubaboard.com

Emergency Breathing from Your BCD: Undercurrent 06/2011

 

[Blackcrusader]

I learned NOT to suck on my BC bladder long before the pandemic.
You actually disinfect your bladder? You are one in a million, I suspect.

Several of my dive buddies do. I do.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Initially, we have the same training but I dive more and am more interested in the science of diving. The first time we went in Thailand, she could not go down even though she used the same equipment and weight than in Africa some weeks before. All the parameters were identical except the water temperature. She did not have the time to do a check dive. So she got 2 kilos from the DM while already at the surface and it was a bloody nightmare, buoyancy wise. She had a 5.5 wetsuit and blamed it on the equipment. I had a 3. Next day, I put my 5.5 and showed her that buoyancy was manageable even with 3 kilos extra. I believe that she had air bubbles in her jacket BCD. We all have different aptitudes and ways to face new situations. And I will always be over careful watching my wife … don’t want to have no regret.

Water temperature will not have made a difference to the amount of weight she required. But you coddling her all the time can only be bad for her as instead of being independent and sorting her own issues you rush in where there is no need to. She will become dependent on you and that as we know is not a good thing.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I wear more neoprene, etc., every day and sometimes every dive.
Bali at 19c, I was wearing a Bare fleece, a full 5mm suit, a Sharkskin, a beanie AND a full hood with cowl neck, and eventually even my gloves.
But at the surface, that needs to be stripped off. The wind can then give tou a chill so one needs a towel or a cover-up of some sort.

Sure, I bring a dry bag with a nice large towel and a dry t shirt. Sometimes I wear my sharkskin if a really cold breeze when the boat is going from one place to another. I really needed it on the 22C dive but left it at the dive shop lol. Silly me.

 

[Blackcrusader]

She may have had or more likely, she was nervous and/or tired. It is a common thing for new divers to actually be holding air in their lungs despite believing that they have fully exhaled.

I believe that it would be a good thing for your wife to take some private lessons with an instructor and you NOT be around.

Are you sure that she enjoys diving or is she just doing this to please you?

It would be better if she has her own dive vacation without Dody being around. Go on the same vacation but dive with different dive buddies or dive with different dive shops. I agree she needs to be away from the ever present macho man husband.