Lee Viathan
Registered
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I'd like to share an incident that happened to me last Saturday. DUI has a traveling dry suit demonstration for folks to try out dry suits before buying one. In my opinion, a brilliant marketing tool. Being a newbie, any diving is good diving, so I bought tickets at my LDS and went. This particular event was held at Dive Alabama, a quarry, in Pelham, AL. Saturday morning was pandemonium as expected. Having a large noggin, I had to use a prototype trilaminate drysuit that took silicone seals which had to be cut to fit. This suit seemed a bit short, but I went with it.
First Dive went fine. Went to 58' to feel the second thermocline. I had some trouble straightening up and felt a little stooped in the dry suit, but I didn't think it was a problem.
Took a 1.5 hr SI, and got out of the top. I got suited back up and went down to the diving platform. I decided to put on my neoprene dew rag and 1.5 Mil gloves for dive 2. I didn't adjust my slap strap and proceeded to put on my mask. And it broke. Strike 1. One of the dive leaders on a SI tossed me his mask, so I proceeded. BTW It was only a DM and myself for this little jaunt.
DM wanted to do a weight check on me while we were still on the 4' deep platform. I proned out and immediately had wetness in my left sleeve. I got back up and everyone thought it was a wrist seal. Nope. Come to find out after 2 or 3 more wettings, my interior zipper hadn't been tugged well enough by my Dive Assistant Boss Lady. I was completely soaked. Strike 2.
DM asked me if I wanted to proceed. Stubbornness incarnate said yes ( I still can't believe it either...)
Little did I realize that the indigenous pollen had subtly taken hold of my sinuses as we descended to the 20' platform. At about 15' or so my right ear decided it didn't want to clear. I signaled ear trouble and swam up a few feet and was able to clear it. Had to yo -yo up ad down twice more to finally get clear and stay clear. Big Fat Strike 3. Did this deter our boy, you may ask? Nay, Nay!
The DM, who told me to thumb the dive at any time, had great buddy skills. I swam on his right and we were practically rubbing shoulders. We got down to 40' and we were about 40 away from the platform when the wheels fell off the wagon. In retrospect I believe that the inability to straighten up and breathe right coupled with cold, fatigue, prior ear squeeze, breaking equipment, was strike 4 for me. I was kicking but not moving. I started to feel panic creeping in on me and I was over breathing my reg. I grabbed the DM's arm and thumbed the dive. He motioned back to the platform, and I motioned up. We made a safe ascent, and he asked me what was wrong. He already knew the ingredients of the situation, and for me it was too much to gut out.
I left the dive sight exhausted, pi$$ed and disappointed. Told the Boss Lady I needed a good nights sleep and a good breakfast and then I'd decide if I'd return. I slept in, had a good breakfast, and headed back to the DUI Demo Days to get back on that horse.
Due to my aforementioned melon-of-a-head the only suit available was the same one from the previous day. I got personal attention from the DUI Boss Lady Jessica. She spent about 30 minutes loosening things up and helping me suit up. Night and Day Difference! Geared up and the same DM was in the water. I thanked him publicly for his help the day before. I told him that if my ears wouldn't clear I'd thumb myself out of the dive, and the group could go on. He looked at me like I was crazy and said we all go down together and we all come up together, no man left behind! WOW. This Fellow was definitely a pro! After some more in depth instruction about the intricacies of the inflator and dump on the dry suits (Had no added air in my suit the previous day adding squeeze to the laundry list of contributing factors to strike 4) , the six of us (3 buddy pairs) went for a nice dive. We had the chance to feed the fish at the 20' platform. Fish like Hot dogs for sure!
Overall a good learning experience (Yes, I did learn some valuable lessons) and a great opportunity provided by DUI!
LEE
I'd like to share an incident that happened to me last Saturday. DUI has a traveling dry suit demonstration for folks to try out dry suits before buying one. In my opinion, a brilliant marketing tool. Being a newbie, any diving is good diving, so I bought tickets at my LDS and went. This particular event was held at Dive Alabama, a quarry, in Pelham, AL. Saturday morning was pandemonium as expected. Having a large noggin, I had to use a prototype trilaminate drysuit that took silicone seals which had to be cut to fit. This suit seemed a bit short, but I went with it.
First Dive went fine. Went to 58' to feel the second thermocline. I had some trouble straightening up and felt a little stooped in the dry suit, but I didn't think it was a problem.
Took a 1.5 hr SI, and got out of the top. I got suited back up and went down to the diving platform. I decided to put on my neoprene dew rag and 1.5 Mil gloves for dive 2. I didn't adjust my slap strap and proceeded to put on my mask. And it broke. Strike 1. One of the dive leaders on a SI tossed me his mask, so I proceeded. BTW It was only a DM and myself for this little jaunt.
DM wanted to do a weight check on me while we were still on the 4' deep platform. I proned out and immediately had wetness in my left sleeve. I got back up and everyone thought it was a wrist seal. Nope. Come to find out after 2 or 3 more wettings, my interior zipper hadn't been tugged well enough by my Dive Assistant Boss Lady. I was completely soaked. Strike 2.
DM asked me if I wanted to proceed. Stubbornness incarnate said yes ( I still can't believe it either...)
Little did I realize that the indigenous pollen had subtly taken hold of my sinuses as we descended to the 20' platform. At about 15' or so my right ear decided it didn't want to clear. I signaled ear trouble and swam up a few feet and was able to clear it. Had to yo -yo up ad down twice more to finally get clear and stay clear. Big Fat Strike 3. Did this deter our boy, you may ask? Nay, Nay!
The DM, who told me to thumb the dive at any time, had great buddy skills. I swam on his right and we were practically rubbing shoulders. We got down to 40' and we were about 40 away from the platform when the wheels fell off the wagon. In retrospect I believe that the inability to straighten up and breathe right coupled with cold, fatigue, prior ear squeeze, breaking equipment, was strike 4 for me. I was kicking but not moving. I started to feel panic creeping in on me and I was over breathing my reg. I grabbed the DM's arm and thumbed the dive. He motioned back to the platform, and I motioned up. We made a safe ascent, and he asked me what was wrong. He already knew the ingredients of the situation, and for me it was too much to gut out.
I left the dive sight exhausted, pi$$ed and disappointed. Told the Boss Lady I needed a good nights sleep and a good breakfast and then I'd decide if I'd return. I slept in, had a good breakfast, and headed back to the DUI Demo Days to get back on that horse.
Due to my aforementioned melon-of-a-head the only suit available was the same one from the previous day. I got personal attention from the DUI Boss Lady Jessica. She spent about 30 minutes loosening things up and helping me suit up. Night and Day Difference! Geared up and the same DM was in the water. I thanked him publicly for his help the day before. I told him that if my ears wouldn't clear I'd thumb myself out of the dive, and the group could go on. He looked at me like I was crazy and said we all go down together and we all come up together, no man left behind! WOW. This Fellow was definitely a pro! After some more in depth instruction about the intricacies of the inflator and dump on the dry suits (Had no added air in my suit the previous day adding squeeze to the laundry list of contributing factors to strike 4) , the six of us (3 buddy pairs) went for a nice dive. We had the chance to feed the fish at the 20' platform. Fish like Hot dogs for sure!
Overall a good learning experience (Yes, I did learn some valuable lessons) and a great opportunity provided by DUI!
LEE