Dove Monastery 10/29
- Thread starter fuzzybabybunny
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Okay -- you didn't ask for this, but you are going to get it.
You are risk averse -- you are the person who wanted to start the thread on how to cope with any possible problem underwater. Yet, you are deeper than 100 feet, at Monastery, by yourself? Aware you are experiencing narcosis (and, BTW, the heart pounding is CO2 intoxication, which means you weren't breathing ENOUGH for where you were), aware you are a long way from spare gas, aware you are close to going into deco, and sitting on a rock and contemplating?
I posit that you simply don't have enough experience to be doing what you were doing. You didn't even know how many cubic feet of gas you had -- you thought you had different tanks from what you were using -- so you couldn't calculate a rock bottom value for where you were. You were alone, at a place where exits can be VERY difficult, and where a lot of spare gas can be the difference between surviving being rolled and drowning.
I think this dive was poorly planned, poorly conceptualized, and poorly executed. I am very glad you came back okay. I think you should reexamine your assumptions and your strategies. I have roughly thirty times as many dives as you have, and I treat Monastery with profound respect.
You are risk averse -- you are the person who wanted to start the thread on how to cope with any possible problem underwater. Yet, you are deeper than 100 feet, at Monastery, by yourself? Aware you are experiencing narcosis (and, BTW, the heart pounding is CO2 intoxication, which means you weren't breathing ENOUGH for where you were), aware you are a long way from spare gas, aware you are close to going into deco, and sitting on a rock and contemplating?
I posit that you simply don't have enough experience to be doing what you were doing. You didn't even know how many cubic feet of gas you had -- you thought you had different tanks from what you were using -- so you couldn't calculate a rock bottom value for where you were. You were alone, at a place where exits can be VERY difficult, and where a lot of spare gas can be the difference between surviving being rolled and drowning.
I think this dive was poorly planned, poorly conceptualized, and poorly executed. I am very glad you came back okay. I think you should reexamine your assumptions and your strategies. I have roughly thirty times as many dives as you have, and I treat Monastery with profound respect.
I think you need to take it easy fuzzy
Stick to freediving at that depth.
I will say that I'm envious you were able to pull off such a long and deep dive.
But I feel that you were really lucky.
You only have 50 dives or less if your profile is correct. I can only assume you're still within a recreational cert, yet you nearly reached the recreational limits with a just a casual attitude. (going by the NAUI tables at least)
Don't you think that's a bit much?
Not to mention you were alone and carrying another's person's torch. ;D
Take it easy, there's plenty to see above 60ft.
Also I hope you're equipped for solo diving.
Keep it safe, have fun!
Stick to freediving at that depth.
I will say that I'm envious you were able to pull off such a long and deep dive.
But I feel that you were really lucky.
You only have 50 dives or less if your profile is correct. I can only assume you're still within a recreational cert, yet you nearly reached the recreational limits with a just a casual attitude. (going by the NAUI tables at least)
Don't you think that's a bit much?
Not to mention you were alone and carrying another's person's torch. ;D
Take it easy, there's plenty to see above 60ft.
Also I hope you're equipped for solo diving.
Keep it safe, have fun!
Peter_C
Contributor
In less than 40 dives you have passed my deepest dive by 24 feet in my over 300 dives. Way to go! 
Did you see anything that you couldn't see at 100 feet?
You really need to head others advice, and take more classes too. Only said in your best interest. We met last weekend and you know I am just another local diver.
Did you see anything that you couldn't see at 100 feet?You really need to head others advice, and take more classes too. Only said in your best interest. We met last weekend and you know I am just another local diver.
FuzzyBunny:
Any idea on what happened to the dive computer? If it did malfunction, you should send it back to Oceanic for repair or replacement. Haven't heard too many complaints about the Data Max Pro Plus 2, if any at all. Also a low pressure 77/80 cft has a working pressure of 2400 + 10% overfill = 2640psi. Did your shop overfill your tanks to 3440psi?
I believe we saw a seal on both our dives. One was laying on the sandy flat and the other (on the second dive) swung around us several times. Although I do believe we were in no more than 30 feet of water. Do exercise restraint and caution on solo dives. If you must, stay within Monterey when there are plenty of other divers or within the shallow areas of Monastery Beach. Otter Cover, which is adjacent to Lover's Cover, has relatively shallow waters and a very thick kelp forest. You should try Coral Street, if the weather permits (has to be dead calm to even consider diving there).
The effects of nitrogen narcosis can lead to irrational decisions/actions. To me, it felt like a bout of terror. It's not a pleasant feeling and I was happy to have my buddy's presence as reassurance.
C.
Any idea on what happened to the dive computer? If it did malfunction, you should send it back to Oceanic for repair or replacement. Haven't heard too many complaints about the Data Max Pro Plus 2, if any at all. Also a low pressure 77/80 cft has a working pressure of 2400 + 10% overfill = 2640psi. Did your shop overfill your tanks to 3440psi?
I believe we saw a seal on both our dives. One was laying on the sandy flat and the other (on the second dive) swung around us several times. Although I do believe we were in no more than 30 feet of water. Do exercise restraint and caution on solo dives. If you must, stay within Monterey when there are plenty of other divers or within the shallow areas of Monastery Beach. Otter Cover, which is adjacent to Lover's Cover, has relatively shallow waters and a very thick kelp forest. You should try Coral Street, if the weather permits (has to be dead calm to even consider diving there).
The effects of nitrogen narcosis can lead to irrational decisions/actions. To me, it felt like a bout of terror. It's not a pleasant feeling and I was happy to have my buddy's presence as reassurance.
C.
What I get out of this:
You didn't trust your depth gauge/computer on descent but went pretty deep anyway.
Solo deep without redundant gas or redundant computer/bottom timer.
Experienced narcosis and CO2 retention at the limit of recreational depths.
Glad it worked out for you this time. You were lucky.
The plaque you saw at 90 ft is a memorial plaque placed by friends of a deceased diver.
At least you watched your pressure gauge and completed safety stops. And surfaced with enough air to get through the surf if needed.
There's really not much to see at Monastery that deep but sand and occasional pelagics. It's more for chest thumping bravado than anything else.
You didn't trust your depth gauge/computer on descent but went pretty deep anyway.
Solo deep without redundant gas or redundant computer/bottom timer.
Experienced narcosis and CO2 retention at the limit of recreational depths.
Glad it worked out for you this time. You were lucky.
The plaque you saw at 90 ft is a memorial plaque placed by friends of a deceased diver.
At least you watched your pressure gauge and completed safety stops. And surfaced with enough air to get through the surf if needed.
There's really not much to see at Monastery that deep but sand and occasional pelagics. It's more for chest thumping bravado than anything else.
OP
fuzzybabybunny
Contributor
Hey guys, I really get your concern for me and I want to thank you all.
Here's what I was doing before the dive:
I saw the wave model and it was mild. I knew that the wind was blowing from the east (the mountains) so that would flatten things out a bit as well. I drove there and stared at the ocean for about 20 minutes before making the decision to go. At this point I had made up my mind that I would go to the recreational depth limit of 132. A touch and go dive to experience that depth for just a few moments. I had read about ways to combat narcosis and knew that studies show that keeping my wits about me was going to be a top priority and that it was possible to still function well enough while narced. I was hellbent on checking gauges frequently because I knew people sometimes have trouble keeping track of time down there.
I saw that the shop had accidentally overfilled to 3442 psi so I knew I had a lot more gas than what I was used to. Not knowing my real tank size wasn't a problem - I had 10 dives prior to this on these same tanks sp I knew how long they lasted for me - 4 of them at Monastery. I knew I would be able to last at least an hour and most likely more. I made it a point to surface with a lot of air so I could deal with at least two safety stops and a crawling surf exit in case the waves picked up and I got laundry machined.
I didn't trust the depth gauge at first but as I said in my post, looking up at the kelp ceiling I visually estimated that the gauge was actually right. It looked like 25ft. It definitely did not look like the 45ft I thought I was at.
At 132ft I took a moment to just soak in the feeling of being there while making sure I was always present to my situation (checking my gauges, telling myself to stay calm, making slow, careful, calculated movements, looking ahead to see which boulder I would hop up to, etc). Did safety stops, and the rest of the dive was uneventful.
I surfaced right where I wanted to, and timed the waves so that one of them plopped me gently on the beach and I crawled the rest of the way.
I'm not risk averse, but I do like to have the bases covered according to my comfort level (which is wider than most), which is why I created that "What to do in the event that (something bad happens)" thread. I do a LOT of solo things, not just diving, and want to learn to be self sufficient to handle issues that may come up.
I'm looking into pony bottles. Thinking about a 40 so it can eventually be used as a deco bottle. Also very interested in rebreathers. And hang gliding. And base jumping
Here's what I was doing before the dive:
I saw the wave model and it was mild. I knew that the wind was blowing from the east (the mountains) so that would flatten things out a bit as well. I drove there and stared at the ocean for about 20 minutes before making the decision to go. At this point I had made up my mind that I would go to the recreational depth limit of 132. A touch and go dive to experience that depth for just a few moments. I had read about ways to combat narcosis and knew that studies show that keeping my wits about me was going to be a top priority and that it was possible to still function well enough while narced. I was hellbent on checking gauges frequently because I knew people sometimes have trouble keeping track of time down there.
I saw that the shop had accidentally overfilled to 3442 psi so I knew I had a lot more gas than what I was used to. Not knowing my real tank size wasn't a problem - I had 10 dives prior to this on these same tanks sp I knew how long they lasted for me - 4 of them at Monastery. I knew I would be able to last at least an hour and most likely more. I made it a point to surface with a lot of air so I could deal with at least two safety stops and a crawling surf exit in case the waves picked up and I got laundry machined.
I didn't trust the depth gauge at first but as I said in my post, looking up at the kelp ceiling I visually estimated that the gauge was actually right. It looked like 25ft. It definitely did not look like the 45ft I thought I was at.
At 132ft I took a moment to just soak in the feeling of being there while making sure I was always present to my situation (checking my gauges, telling myself to stay calm, making slow, careful, calculated movements, looking ahead to see which boulder I would hop up to, etc). Did safety stops, and the rest of the dive was uneventful.
I surfaced right where I wanted to, and timed the waves so that one of them plopped me gently on the beach and I crawled the rest of the way.
I'm not risk averse, but I do like to have the bases covered according to my comfort level (which is wider than most), which is why I created that "What to do in the event that (something bad happens)" thread. I do a LOT of solo things, not just diving, and want to learn to be self sufficient to handle issues that may come up.
I'm looking into pony bottles. Thinking about a 40 so it can eventually be used as a deco bottle. Also very interested in rebreathers. And hang gliding. And base jumping
Seeing as you are PADI certified, the recreational depth limit for your level of training is 130ft. That is the absolute maximum depth as stated by the RSTC (these standards are followed by PADI). You were off by 2ft in your post. Sure this could be a typo, but I would hope that this isn't an indication of the level of your attention to detail, especially being a solo diver.
I echo the sentiments above. You can do all the risk taking you want, just get the proper training FIRST. Don't just skip it because you have no patience. Instead, take the time to prepare now.
OP
fuzzybabybunny
Contributor
You can decide for yourself what is your "recreational dive limit" but PADI's limit is not calculated in atmospheres, but in feet: 130 feet. If you are buddying with a PADI diver who takes standards literally, and many do, then you need to be sure to brief them on your standards before you go out with them, just to avoid confusion during the dive. 2 feet may not seem like much, but if you have a casual attitude about that, what else are you casual about?
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