Experienced Divers and OOA emergencies

[ozziworld]

Since learning to dive in 1988 I have experienced an OOA emergency twice. Once was my own tank running dry during an ascent from a deep (180 ft.) dive. Another was with an inexperienced diver paniking during a safety stop.

I was wondering if most divers eventually encounter an OOA emergency or if many divers never encounter an OOA emergency even after diving for ten years or more.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I have been 5+ years and only about 300 dives but, knock on wood, no OOA emergencies. I have pulled a newbie move or two in my early days, but learned from the mistakes and moved on.


I think another good question to go along with this is how many new divers have had a Dive Master take them along on their Octo (to continue with a dive) once they informed them of "low air" or "turn pressure"? I have seen it a couple of times and had it happen to me twice in the Caribbean on my first dive trip (somewhere around dives 12-18 or so). I hope we all know it should only happen under certain circumstances.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I've been diving for just under 3 years and have right around 150 dives. I have been part of one OOA emergency. My buddy, who was new to doubles at the time, was diving with his isolator closed and didn't know it. He drained his right cylinder dry and then came to me OOA. We shared air and safely ascended without further mishap.

I have never been OOA myself, never even close.

 

[Twistedarts]

Not to mention, Plan your dive, Dive your plan. If you do this, chances are you will never run out of air. Barring any unforseen circumstances such as gear failure.

 

[captain]

50 years and never went OOA.

 

[ianr33]

Never been OOA. Had a buddy once with a partially open valve. I donated until we sorted out the problem.

Proper planning makes the chance of not having breathable air almost zero. e.g every time I have done a 180 foot dive I have been carrying 4 tanks.

 

[Thalassamania]

50 years and never went OOA.

Same, same.

Closest I can come is not checking a regulator carefully enough before a diver and having it pull out of the mouthpiece.

 

[Zieg]

I've had one. Chasing lobster in S. Fla. in about 35 ft of water. I knew it was coming, but I didn't want to leave. I kept waiting for that tight breath. When it came, I finally headed headed up.

 

[tc]

Only once myself, looking for a gun in four feet of water- didn't feel like hiking back to the truck to get a new tank so I ran it dry deliberately. Not too worried about an emergency ascent in 4' since I'm 6'4".

Had a buddy go OOA at around 60' off the coronados back in the 80's. Funny thing was I saw him watching his gauge closely before it happened. He gave the OOA signal and started up, I grabbed his arm and gave him my octo (Octo's wern't as common back then) and we did a normal ascent.

When I asked him if his gauge was off he told me no, he just dives till he runs out and then comes up.

That comment got him banned from my buddy list and the boat we were on.

 

[TSandM]

3 years, about 600 dives, I've gone OOA once and that was a freeflow we couldn't stop. I was on my buddy's long hose, so it didn't matter, but we should have turned off the tank to stop the noise and prevent me from having to pay to VIP the tank. I have not seen another diver go out of gas.