Even careful people do dumb things.

[FFMDiver]

Thanks for sharing...never thought I would hear about an incident you were involved with. At the same time I bet this explains the lever play in some regulator designs (such as Apeks). The lever pinches the barrel VERY loosely...perhaps to help it function during an ice build up....

 

[diveasr]

i second the exhaust filliing just keep yourbag above you and to the left

 

[waynel]

Freezing regs, 35 degree water...How thankful am I to be living on the Gulf of Mexico. We don't ever encounter these things. My hat's off to all you divers who have to wear dry suits. Ya'll have a whole different set of "things" to deal with. I mean it. Ya'll have got to absolutely LOVE diving to do it under those conditions. We complain when the water temp in Key Largo is 76F in November. My next dive is in Key Largo in June at 85F in swim trunks. The Gulf Stream is like a cradle for us. Kudos to all of you.

 

[Jackie]

Well, I guess you will be practicing buddy breathing,,, If you dive with the same buddy the trust issues and practice are in place to work it out.
Thanks for the lesson learned !

 

[Web Monkey]

Well, I guess you will be practicing buddy breathing,,, If you dive with the same buddy the trust issues and practice are in place to work it out.
Thanks for the lesson learned !

Actually, I'll just be sure to always carry a redundant air source. At 35F degrees, buddy breathing has a huge chance of giving my buddy the same problem I had.

This is one of the places where you can't replace equipment with training.

Terry

 

[60feet]

Good post and good thread. I think you did great, WM. Probably the only thing I would do a little differently would be to skip the SMB launch practice after I saw that my buddy's air 2 leaking and that he disconnected it. Either that or I'd do the SMB launch practice, but at 15 feet after a 3 minute safety stop (assuming that you did it at 40-50 feet).

 

[Web Monkey]

To eliminate your problem filling your lift bag under these type of conditions try filling the bag using the exhaust from your reg rather then taking the reg out of your mouth. Just tilt your head sideways (so that the exhaust is facing up) and alow the exhast to fill the bag.

I just tried this on Wednesday, and it's the slickest thing I've seen!

Not only is there no freeflow, there's no regulator switch, and because the bag and the spool are now above all the hoses and catch-points, it's really difficult to get tangled up in the line.

I'm going to keep doing it this way even in the summer! Thanks!

Terry

 

[WJL]

I just tried this on Wednesday, and it's the slickest thing I've seen!

Not only is there no freeflow, there's no regulator switch, and because the bag and the spool are now above all the hoses and catch-points, it's really difficult to get tangled up in the line.

I'm going to keep doing it this way even in the summer! Thanks!

Terry

I haven't tried filling a lift bag with the exhaust, so I'm just wondering how this would work. Doesn't it seem that the bag is right up by your head? With the spool right in your face? I'm thinking this would make me nervous about getting something caught. You didn't have any issues that way?

 

[Web Monkey]

I haven't tried filling a lift bag with the exhaust, so I'm just wondering how this would work. Doesn't it seem that the bag is right up by your head? With the spool right in your face? I'm thinking this would make me nervous about getting something caught. You didn't have any issues that way?

After the first little shot of air, the bag is above your head. The spool is still there, but seems to be much less of a problem.

Also, this requires one less hand. Instead of a hand for the bag, a hand for the reg/inflator and a hand for the spool, now it only requires a hand for the bag and a hand for the spool, which oddly enough, is exactly how many hands I usually bring with me.

Terry

 

[dtdiver]

glad you weren't deeper and it was an overhead (meaning deco) dive

freeflows are common in waterless than 35

you gotta be prepared always for them, there ain't no cutting corners when you dive!!

that means redundant regs and air supplies

it's risky to do it with a single cylinder and no backup. shoulda slung a 40 (instant buddy) or gone for coffee.

i dive doubles AND a slung bottle in water that approaches 32

reference the triple freeflow of the diver in rockport canada that lead to his death.

one can't be too careful or prepared.

dave