Embarrassment at Little Farnsworth

[daniel f aleman]

Well, considering your expertise, how do you explain what happened to you? What was your dive plan as compared to the actual conditions experienced? I'm not questioning your consideration to do the dive. Accumulative weakness, or the "willies", we call it. After diving for so many days in a row, I get totally slammed sometimes. I don't know it until I find myself in the water and realise that I am not going to be able to handle it. I've seen others in the same position. As a DM I watch mature divers like a hawk on the second dive of the day after they have spent days in a row diving.

I'm 48, and there's dives that I use to make that I don't now... cold water, strong currents, task loads, confusion... or, it was just a bad-assed current, and you write it off.

 

[DiverBuoy]

drbill thanks for the honest assessment of your dive experience, these are always favorite posts, because the more forthcoming folks are about what actually happened the more lively the discussion. Again thanks.

 

[drbill]

The explanation is simple. The current was much stronger than anyone on board anticipated. Even those in their early 20's (and in excellent shape) had significant problems reaching the bow. Despite pushing 60, I reached the bow without too much trouble (using my brain and my hands on the rub rail). I think my biggest mistake was underestimating the scope of the anchor line. It was at a pretty steep angle, and I should have grabbed it near the bow just after surfacing instead of trying to dive down to it.

There are dives I do now that I wouldn't do 35-40 years ago when I first started diving this area. In many respects I'm in better shape now (a smoker then) and a more experienced diver.

 

[daniel f aleman]

Dung happens, you made it back. Though, what I worry about is that you were tired and shaken after only a few minutes in the water, as you say in the first post. And, you've thought about this enough to post your experience here, must mean something to you.

Hey, I got bit in the rump once by an eel, never again.

 

[Mr.X]

Dung happens, you made it back. Though, what I worry about is that you were tired and shaken after only a few minutes in the water, as you say in the first post. And, you've thought about this enough to post your experience here, must mean something to you.

Hey, I got bit in the rump once by an eel, never again.

Again, your wisdom, foresight/hindsight and expertise are simply numbing. Throwing "said" qualifications is not a a part of an informed position, but a device used to assert a margin of proficiency (real or assumed). Those that dive either share freely, or simply just go diving and don't think twice about it. Please sit down.

 

[PAdiver93]

My point? If you feel the dive is questionable (as I did at the surface heading towards the bow and anchor line), give serious thought to calling it before a situation develops.

I also had to learn this one the hard way.

Glad you are OK.

-V

Here is the question: out of the 5-6 diverrs that didn't dive, how many will end up diving on a questionable day/site at one point or another in their career? Is it because we are stupid or is it because we have to establish our own thresholds for calling the dive off?

 

[drbill]

Dung happens, you made it back. Though, what I worry about is that you were tired and shaken after only a few minutes in the water, as you say in the first post. And, you've thought about this enough to post your experience here, must mean something to you.

Hey, I got bit in the rump once by an eel, never again.

There was never any question about whether I'd make it back or not. As I mentioned, the thought going through my mind was the great white that hit the sea lion at the surface in that vicinity. That's why I was shaken! I was more interested in eating my lunch than being eaten myself!!

Tired, yes, after fighting against (rather than drifting with) a stiff current for nearly 10 minutes. A runner on land running for nearly 10 min gets tired too ( I know, I used to run half marathons)! Because this is an offshore site, I couldn't simply swim cross current and head to shore without posing problems for the boat and crew.

Understand that even after the current line reached me, my hands were slipping backwards along it due to the strength of the current. I had to double it up and have the crew reel me in. This was not a drift dive where you are going with the current. Been there, done that many times (lots of fun IMHO).

I have a somewhat unearned reputation in the SoCal dive comunity as one of the old timers with a fair degree of experience (although I consider myself a biologist more than a diver). Maybe it's just because most of my wetsuits look extremely "experienced!" By posting this situation, I was hoping less experienced divers in the region would feel more comfortable calling a dive if they faced something similar. Call it a public service announcement!

 

[Willie]

I was hoping less experienced divers in the region would feel more comfortable calling a dive if they faced something similar. Call it a public service announcement!

Thanks for the post, DrBill, you are one of the posters I always look forward to reading. I am not from the region, but do consider myself better educated having read the experience and the discussion. One of these days I hope to come out and dive your island.

Willie

 

[Cudabait]

Thanks, again, Bill,

Sure as heck.......one's great post is another's cheap roast!! Keep up the good work, Bill!

regards,

 

[DiveDad]

A few years ago I was on a dive boat where the DM was doing the briefing for a dive which was a bit more challanging than the others we had done...after a very complete description of the dive he said that if anyone didn't feel up to it they could/should sit it out....he concluded by saying "If there's any question, then there's no question." Probably one of the best pieces of dive advice I've ever heard....

thanks DrBill for your candor.