Fell from a ladder - lessons learned

[Diver0001]

I fell from a ladder this weekend and I just wanted to post a quick lessons learned about that.

I was on the Fogo Isle (www.fogoisle.nl), which is pretty much the biggest dive boat in Western Europe. We were diving on the North Sea and we had force 4 winds.

The boat was rocking back and forth about 15 degrees and we had 1 metre (2 metre absolute) waves. I was parked just short of the ladder waiting to exit and when I went to exit two things happened.

- the boat rocked my way
- a wave lifted me

I was transported until just about the top of the ladder. My first thoughts were *hey great, I'm out*. I grabbed the ladder and tried to hold on.

But the wave dropped and the boat rolled the other other way and suddenly I was about 4 metres above water level with the feeling of doom you get just before you realise that you're about to have a car-accident..... Namely, My grip on the ladder wasn't good enough......

And i fell.....

CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG

All the bloody way down the ladder back into the water again. 4 metre free-fall and a messy entry back into the North Sea. Then picked up and slammmed against the ladder again just to make sure that Mr. Murphy had made his point with all the proper puncutation.

I'm covered in bruises and very VERY lucky that I didn't get a leg stuck in between the ladder.

So.

This is obviously something that not everyone will find themselves doing but I learned an important lesson that I want to pass on.

if you don't have good grip on the ladder in waves....then push off and wait for the next good chance. Don't hang on and hope.....because that's going to hurt.

R..

 

[jbd]

JEEEEEZZZZ that hurts just reading about it. Glad that you are basically OK.

 

[NINman]

Ouch .. glad your OK for the most part.

 

[Kim]

Wow that sounds painful. I've been bashed against stuff trying to exit in quite heavy surf - but never as bad as that. Probably another good reason why I have never been attracted to North Sea diving!!

 

[Uncle Pug]

R... I'm glad you are OK... at least OK enough to get online and tell us about it!

 

[sea nmf]

Hmmm. I guess I don't know how luck I am. Very similar exit in Canada once. However, I stayed on. Luck me, I guess. Sorry that happened. I hope everything heals soon.

 

[String]

I knew there was a reason i preferred RIBs in rough seas

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

OUCH you sure you wearnt in NORTH CAROLINA !!! sounds about right on for hear !!!!

 

[marisa-t]

I fell from a ladder this weekend and I just wanted to post a quick lessons learned about that.

I The boat was rocking back and forth about 15 degrees and we had 1 metre (2 metre absolute) waves. I was parked just short of the ladder waiting to exit and when I went to exit two things happened.

- the boat rocked my way
- a wave lifted me

I was transported until just about the top of the ladder. My first thoughts were *hey great, I'm out*. I grabbed the ladder and tried to hold on.

But the wave dropped and the boat rolled the other other way and suddenly I was about 4 metres above water level with the feeling of doom you get just before you realise that you're about to have a car-accident..... Namely, My grip on the ladder wasn't good enough......

And i fell.....

CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG

All the bloody way down the ladder back into the water again. 4 metre free-fall and a messy entry back into the North Sea. Then picked up and slammmed against the ladder again just to make sure that Mr. Murphy had made his point with all the proper puncutation.

I'm covered in bruises and very VERY lucky that I didn't get a leg stuck in between the ladder.

So.

This is obviously something that not everyone will find themselves doing but I learned an important lesson that I want to pass on.

if you don't have good grip on the ladder in waves....then push off and wait for the next good chance. Don't hang on and hope.....because that's going to hurt.

R..

Ditto, I learned my lesson too! I was in Maui at the dive site pennacle when the waves and winds decided to change!!!!... when it came my turn to throw up my fins and hold onto the rope my camera wrapped around the rope causing me to be tanlged, I couldn't get a foot onto the ladder, needless to say that ladder wasn't a good thought either, it was plunging in and out of the water... After getting the stupid camera unwrapped around the rope.. believe me I was cusing myself out on that stupid problem.. the next adventure was getting on that boat! I tried to grab onto the ladder with the timing of when the waves were gone for a second, needless to say the first attempt did not work, I fell off. The second time I went to grab on and the thrust of that boat and ladder came down and hit the @*$^#@(* out of my arm.. Yep then came the blood.. Third shot and I made it. :11: . Barely! I couldn't even use the arm that was bleeding it hurt so bad, so the crew people helped me up on that one. I have a nice battle scar! I was kind of a scared little noodle once I arrive on the deck of that boat! I promise to this day.. I will never grab on to the rope with the same arm that is holding my camera.. and secondly.. I will just stay on the boat when the captain decides to change his thought on diving spots.. He took us to this spot in late summer, when it's suppose to usually be a winter spot. Currents and wind can change you know.
Saw a great Viper eel and frog fish!

Glad to hear you are okay.

 

[MikeFerrara]

if you don't have good grip on the ladder in waves....then push off and wait for the next good chance. Don't hang on and hope.....because that's going to hurt.

R..

I watched my wife (in doubles) get launched off a ladder when the boat pitched on a rough day in Lake Michigan.

She pushed off to get away from the boat and almost took a guy on the boat who was trying to hold onto her manifold with her.

I never though some one in doubles could fly so far. She landed a long way from the boat. It's one of those Newton things...object (like doubles) in motion tend to stay in motion. LOL