Embarassing Moment - Shore Dive FAIL

[Kharon]

A trick I learned on Bonaire (after flubbing around on severtal shore entries). Watch the waves and count. Usually there will be a pattern of increasing wave height with several much smaller waves following the largest. Once you figure out the pattern you wait for the largest and then enter as it's receeding. Quickly go out far enough to float (chest high) and put your fins on.

 

[CT-Rich]

Was with a newbie buddy and we were going to do a rocky shore entry, his first. We selected a sight and got our gear down on the beach and I explained the entry prodeure (get in, swim like hell and we meet open water off the breakers. I went out and turned around and he is in the surf on the rocks unbuckling his tank. I watched him getting pinned out he had pinned hi reg inside his BCD. On the way in from this truly scrappy dive, I spent 10 minutes trying to crawl between two rocks that were forming a nasty rip. Did not add to my image as th old salt... Was almost in and saw my new light floating back to sea... Of coarse, I had to chase it, losing ground and dignity...

 

[farsidefan1]

Aw heck, don't feel embarrassed . Most of us have been nailed during shore entry/exits. Simply the price of admission to some great dive sites. Just act like you dropped something and ignore the hysterical laughter coming from others nearby. They are just laughing with relief that it wasn't them THAT time. And believe me, they are desperately praying it won't happen to them while the same crowd is watching. Just watch, you will be laughing next time it happens to someone else and then you will understand it is not laughter of derision but relief. Happy diving.

 

[cloudflint]

I was right there with you up until the part where you had to swim against a 7 knot current. Typo?



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Im afraid not, it was on an area where an entire loch drains through a very narrow opening. We dive it on a rising tide so that we are being pushed inwards instead of being pulled out to sea The section we ended up on was a gravel bottom with nothing to cling onto so we just had to fin against the current to stop ourselves going further while we worked our way across to the shore, the plan being to enter the water at one point, drift down and exit at another point. To be honest we could have just drifted along with the current and got out of the water further inland but that would have meant a long long walk back to the cars

I later got out a map and worked out the speed we where going based on distance/divetime.

 

[CamG]

I have learned to be humble by just such experiences and do not laugh at anyone while on the shore, boat, pier, dock!
Now afterward over drinks or while consoling those in the team after said incident is time for humor or appropriate dialog.
Sound rehearsed? It should this is the adopted version over the years of murphys beatings upon the rocky roads of the dive trail!

I have had some moments in my dive training, and or actual dives that are intensely humbling to the point of now others remind me often.
But it is good to be able to laugh about them and use them to ensure others dive safe.
Teachable moments my instructor always called them and I do now have fair share of them to sort through!

 

[BluewaterSail]

I went on a shore dive that wasn't meant to be. After multiple attempts, I called the dive. It was rocks, not sand, and heading back to the shore again through those rocks, on one fall, I dropped my fins. My buddy caught one, the other went to King Neptune. So I now have 3 size Large Jet Fins with springs. Useful if I ever grow another foot. My wetsuit took alot of abuse bashing up against rocks, and I ended up with a number of cuts and bruises.

Educational experience. I don't think that I will try another entry like that again.

 

[fdarden]

One thing this sport has taught me is the ability to laugh at myself. Another thing is that there are days when the juice is not worth the squeeze. Sounds like you came upon one of those situations/days.

 

[lmorin]

On a calm Bonaire day with only a few inches of wave height, I encountered the final 6 inch "cliff" at the surf line. To exit, it seemed best to move left, then forward up and out of 5-6 inches of water. Simple, right? I moved my left foot laterally expecting to put my weight on it, then step onto my right foot that would be placed on rock out of the water. But it did not happen. I had already committed my weight to standing on my left foot as I slid it laterally. After moving only a few inches leftward, my foot encountered a submerged, unseen rock. My head, shoulders and upper tank had already passed the point of no return and, in slow motion, plop! down I went. At which point, I was battered mercilessly, in slow motion, by the ocean's ceaseless, mighty-mite 5-6 inch wave action that gently pushed me around, belly up on my tank. I could squirm, but not get up. I felt very stupid in 6 inches of water and was about to take off my BC when a young guy who was watching from the hood of his pickup took pity on me. He pulled me upright. That's my embarrassing moment. I am sure it will not be the last.

 

[UforSCUBA?]

These stories are all great!!! Thanks so much for sharing!!!

 

[Jax]

Just remember, when everything seems to be going wrong, "This is what they call an adventure!"

If you go do a great dive, you come back and say, "Great dive!" . . . .

If the wave takes your fin, you dive after, almost catch it, the %^& waves take your mask, you begin crawling in after giving up on the mask . . . . See? Now THAT's a story! :lol: