First night dive.. error, task overload, abort

[KevinNM]

Snorkels are generally useless, but a folding snorkel in a pocket is pretty much all you need on the rare occasion you might want one.

Self-illuminating gauges are nice. I went with a shearwater after deciding I was done with having to use both hands to see the display in darkness, but there are other options. But look at one that has easily replaceable batteries, bright displays use up batteries in weeks vs the years of a typical Suunto battery.

Buddy checks and head to toe checks are important. I've gotten to 30 feet and descending fast and found I forgot to hook up my drysuit, kind of sucks. Don't be overly aggressive to start the dive before everyone is ready, including yourself.

 

[CuzzA]

Snorkels are generally useless

Worst advice I ever got on ScubaBoard... Surfacing far from the boat and they can't see you in crap surface conditions... You'll be wishing you had a snorkel when that reg can't deliver enough gas or runs out. At least I was.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Worst advice I ever got on ScubaBoard... Surfacing far from the boat and they can't see you in crap surface conditions... You'll be wishing you had a snorkel when that reg can't deliver enough gas or runs out. At least I was.

Can't you just lie back? (And then signal the boat.) Why would you want to plant your face in the water where you can't see the approaching boat?

 

[KevinNM]

Worst advice I ever got on ScubaBoard... Surfacing far from the boat and they can't see you in crap surface conditions... You'll be wishing you had a snorkel when that reg can't deliver enough gas or runs out. At least I was.

That's how many times in how many dives?

I've needed one once in the last two years, and I had one. In my pocket.

 

[TMHeimer]

That's how many times in how many dives?

I've needed one once in the last two years, and I had one. In my pocket.

To continue the SNORKEL thread, I keep the fold up one in pocket, but much less often than I used to-- like when there may be unexpected (or expected) current, fast ebbing tide, etc. Haven't used that or my regular snorkel before that once in over 600 dives, mostly ocean. ANYWAY.....
I'll just throw in that on a course night dive at Vortex Spring, FL viz was bad (well it was night...) and I could see fins disappearing in front of me into the dark--obviously including those of the instructor (who I felt except for that was an outstanding one). Maybe a close together almost side by side formation makes sense. I have very rarely night dived, though I got the cert.

 

[CuzzA]

That's how many times in how many dives?

I've needed one once in the last two years, and I had one. In my pocket.

I understand, but I think it's bad advice for new divers since other errors may lead to it being a valuable tool early on. And Murphy is watching. Always better to have and not need than need and not have.

I bought one of those pocket snorkels and found them to be collapsible, difficult to keep above water and all around pretty crappy. So I switched to a Riffe snorkel many freedivers use.

I've just got in the habit of switching to my snorkel after I backroll off the boat. This saves gas as I'm looking for the jug line or intended ledge I'm diving. When back on the surface, I again switch to my snorkel as I swim to the boat. I'm usually exerting myself more during that time and I want to save the remaining gas in my tank for emergencies.

 

[CuzzA]

Can't you just lie back? (And then signal the boat.) Why would you want to plant your face in the water where you can't see the approaching boat?

I don't want to derail this thread as the snorkel debate really doesn't apply here, but I'm talking in a situation with rough surface conditions, you can hardly see the boat, the boat can't see you and you better start swimming or it's going to get worse. A snorkel is the right tool for the job. A good snorkel, properly positioned on your mask strap is hardly noticeable during a dive. It gives you a clear airway for a long hard swim. The big clunky snorkels with giant restricting flapper valves at the top and huge water collectors and purge valves at the bottom are a nuisance.

Also, as far as the pocket snorkels go, I've found I like the items I may need to be readily available when I need them.

I have a barely used pocket snorkel for sale if anyone wants it. $10.

 

[Doby45]

To stay on topic the comment to ditch the snorkel was meant for a dive in benign waters like the quarry in question. Minus the un-needed snorkel the OP could have simply pulled the hood up and over the mask strap, problem solved.

 

[Storker]

Am I the only one who noticed this?

again buddy doesn't seem to be acknowledging me, just looking back at me, so this time, I start going up on my own.

Buddy did surface later,

Let's assume that the OP's buddy had a good reason for not reacting to the OP's signals. Like e.g. not seeing them because the OP didn't shine their light on their hand while making the signs. That still doesn't excuse allowing a diving buddy ascend without them, because they had no excuse for not noticing that their buddy disappeared.

If I'm diving with someone who suddenly ascends, I. Will. Not. let my buddy disappear upwards and out of sight. I'd follow them up. If I judged the ascent speed to be too high, I'd ascend slower than my buddy, for my own safety, but I would never wave goodbye and just continue my dive. An unplanned ascent like that may very well be caused by some problem, and I'd have no idea if that was just some nuisance or a serious problem before we were on the surface and I could ask.

If I suddenly ascended and my buddy didn't follow me up, I'd need a pretty good reason for not striking that person from my list of diving buddies.

And perhaps we should take the snorkel/no snorkel debate somewhere else? It's tangential to the topic, at best.

 

[northernone]

Glad you are ok!

I'll bring a piece of the situation to the forefront.

Diving within your limits. From a recent thread where you received advice on one of the topics that contributed to the cascade leading to the uncontrolled ascent was the equalization issue:


"My main point listing all this is that I know my limits, and I'm not going to be diving 60 ft deep the first day just because the base open water certification allows it. I have no plans to go much deeper than 12 feet until I can get the inner ear equalization methods figured out and working reliably.."

Knowing your limits and diving within your limits are two different things.

Diving is wonder fun, I hope after this aborted dive you'll find time for many more relaxed dives where you build the experience needed to return to night diving. If you want to.

Regards,
Cameron