Lessons Don't go in a wreck, even an "easy" one

[Searcaigh]

I missed the meaning of your comment, please clarify.

I think @NW Dive Dawg is referring to the OP.

 

[wnissen]

Well, just under 2 months ago, I was going through the C-53. At over 100 dives, I knew that there was enhanced risk in entering even a limited overhead. I understand and accept that as "price of admission." I also mitigate risk by always diving with my own alternate air source which = time to sort things out.

Yep, it is a very mild wreck, with a bit more preparation and equipment I think it would be very enjoyable and interesting.

Did your DM take you inside the wreck? Or did the DM just let you swim around and you went in by yourselves. I don't remember which of the C-5x wrecks I dived maybe 8 years ago. What I remember fits your description. We didn't go inside, but did go under cover as there were a lot of fish there.

Correct, we were single file, DM, me, buddy, and the other buddy pair. We circled the ship on the outside and entered from an overhead hatch on the deck, port side of the stern, and were going to head toward the bow and back to the stern. We only made it through a couple rooms.

 

[Lorenzoid]

In my experience, when a DM says we're doing some swim-throughs, I have found it difficult and awkward to quiz the DM to ascertain whether it really meets my definition of a swim-through. I tell the DM ahead of time that if, upon reaching the entrance and seeing it firsthand, it doesn't meet my definition of a swim-through, my buddy and I will be swimming around it and will either meet the rest of the group on the other side or surface on our own. If I can't see the exit from the entrance, it's not a swim-through to me.

 

[Wibble]

It's interesting to see this thread and comments, simply as a lesson in some of the challenges people have when in an overhead diving together.

Things that one takes for granted such as a bright torch being used for communications, team awareness, situational awareness (keeping that map in your head should the lights go out), core skills, knowing one's limits, redundant kit, etc.

Looks a fun wreck to dive, although only with the right kit.

 

[wnissen]

I did this dive a few weeks ago: July 25 at 6pm, just before dusk. Me and my two dive buddies (all of us on our first wreck penetration dive, with approximately 100-200 open water dives apiece). Plus another diver from the same resort who had done a few wrecks before, and the dive guide, who has several thousand dives in the QR area, and maybe 100 on this particular wreck. All on single AL80s with 32%.

The dive involved much more penetration than was described on the surface, and involved navigation decisions that I'm not 100% confident that I would have made correctly, push come to shove. At one point, we were in a room that is completely dark, 2 rooms away from the nearest exit, and which involved a navigation decision in between. An issue in that room would be difficult to solve with the tools and training we had.

The inside of the wreck is fairly clean, I guess. I did not see many places where we could have become entangled, at least. There is some line on the ground to follow in a few places, but most of it had no line. One place had some loose line which had broken some months or years ago, but the line did not appear to be an entanglement risk, at least not to me.

The dive route navigated into and out of the wreck a few times. I went through my gas the fastest in the group that dive, once I was at 1k psi at about 38 minutes in I signaled the DM and did not enter the wreck again, my 2 buddies stuck with me. We followed the bubbles and light from the outside while the DM led the last diver through another 10 minutes or so, then we went to our safety stop and surfaced at 53 minutes.

I enjoyed the dive, and we didn't encounter any problems. The only tricky part was the clusterf*** of the 5 of us hanging on the line in a 3kt current doing a safety stop. But I wouldn't do it like that again, and I did not appreciate the DM's overview of the dive just not matching up to reality. More gas, redundant gas, and maybe some more training would make me a lot more comfortable here.

Small world! Yes, I think if I'd asked more questions on the surface things would have gone much better. I'm sure from the DMs perspectives it goes fine 999 out of 1000 times and most people have a great time. I forgot to add that our DM told us in advance that we should not enter the wreck with less than 70 bar / 1000 psi, and that we would be ascending to our safety stop at 50 bar / 700 psi. So we were being fairly conservative with our air.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Another consideration with this type of dive is that even if you and your buddy are trained in overhead diving and have suitable equipment, there may be others in the group who have no clue about overhead diving and could make it difficult for you and others if they have a problem.

 

[Chavodel8en]

Another story, a few years ago on the Vandie, I was assigned buddy, I wanted to go solo and had my pony and equipment but still----. So, I discussed with him that I would do a swim through but would NOT enter the wreck. He agreed. If I take a buddy, I take it serious. The first thing he did was take off down a passage kicking up a cloud of rust. I went in after and then decided, dude!!!! I told you!!!!! And I exited stage left. I had no interest in dyeing and screw that. I went about my photo taking and towards the end of the dive he popped up from somewhere. I did not buddy with him again.

James

I share your approach. I would do a swim through, with an easy egress visible from the entrance. But I worry about what you describe, a buddy going off doing actual penetration. I think I would do as you did, and "peace, out" the buddy.

I dove the C-59 in La Paz in December. The guide did discuss swim-throughs on it, and said we could follow him or not. On the swim throughs, I followed. Some of them looked more like penetrations though, so I did not. I dont think he was doing a full course of the whole damn ship though, like the OP describes!! Thats pretty crazy.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Correct, we were single file, DM, me, buddy, and the other buddy pair. We circled the ship on the outside and entered from an overhead hatch on the deck, port side of the stern, and were going to head toward the bow and back to the stern. We only made it through a couple rooms.

I shake my head at DMs pushing the safety envelope for tips. But that's what happens with abysmal pay (which means cheaper diving for the customers).

 

[-JD-]

Small world! Yes, I think if I'd asked more questions on the surface things would have gone much better. I'm sure from the DMs perspectives it goes fine 999 out of 1000 times and most people have a great time. I forgot to add that our DM told us in advance that we should not enter the wreck with less than 70 bar / 1000 psi, and that we would be ascending to our safety stop at 50 bar / 700 psi. So we were being fairly conservative with our air.

Please tell me that was actually entering with no less than 2000psi!

 

[Akimbo]

You might find this thread useful:

Lessons - Wreck Penetration

There are a lot of posts on Scubaboard about finding your way out of a wreck and avoiding stirring up silt, but not much on other factors that influence when it is safe to penetrate a compartment. I thought I would share this experience: I was in Navy First Class Diving School in the early...

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