Georgia man dead - Key Largo, Florida

[gypsyjim]

Cool! My knowledge is now expanded...

A day is not wasted if you have used it to learn something new

 

[FinnMom]

As a new and fairly active diver (2008/2009 CMAS trained) I never tried to turn my own (single tank) air on/off because it just never even crossed my mind that it was possible. I tried it once while standing in a pool after diving nearly 2 yrs, then was amazed to find that it was almost as easy in full cold-water gear. I still remember what a big wellwaddayaknow moment it was.

We also need to remember that new or rusty divers are pretty task loaded, which unfortunately just makes them vastly less likely to seek creative solutions, esp. one they might never have even been told was an option. In a pinch many divers can't seem to remember how an inflator works, or some even that the inflator exists.

I have often seen the less experienced, less confident or in some way "lower rank" diver of a buddy pair being a bit rushed and flustered because he (quite natuarally) can't get ready as fast as his buddy and isn't even entirely sure what-all he needs to do to get ready. I have no trouble at all believing someone like that goes in with their air off every now and again. As for the buddy that rushed them instead of showing more patience and concern, the result is fair bit his fault. We should all make a point of being more supportive and helpful. You can be perfectly selfish about it because in the long run you will get a longer, easier more enjoyable dive if your buddy is calm, prepared and squared-away.

 

[scubadada]

"Not taught", by whom? I learned to reach my valve in YMCA Scuba in 1970.
Doubles were just something we saw Lloyd Bridges use on TV.

Taught by LA County Underwater Unit in Basic Scuba Diver 30 hour course, also 1970

I also jumped once without my air on, embarrassingly reached back and turned it on

---------- Post added October 7th, 2015 at 01:44 PM ----------

Yeah, and that probably has something more do to with the extent of training back then as compared to today. I don't know about your course, but you probably had a lot more training before you got in the water - there weren't "discover diving" courses back then.

It does make sense from the point of view of a comfortable diver to teach how to open the valve on a single tank, but I can also see the counter argument. Specifically, if you teach it to someone who will be diving very infrequently, or with anxiety issues, or with limited skills, then you may solve one problem and create another. It's not always so obvious which way to turn a valve behind your head, especially in a panic situation. I can remember having trouble with the isolator valve when I started diving doubles...

Many things were different, some out of necessity, such as buddy breathing off your only 2nd stage and reaching back to trip your J valve when breathing became more difficult before SPGs were common. Of course Navy tables were all we had....computers and nitrox were a ways off as were many of today's equipment choices

 

[Iralub]

As a very new diver I once inhaled water while doing a giant stride entry. Queue coughing, spluttering, near panic and indicating to the DM that I was calling the dive and would return to the boat. I was on the surface at the time. If I had a heart attack or something as a result, it would be a dive accident, notwithstanding that I never submerged.

As it happened, the excellent DM took me to the anchor rope and stayed with me encouraging me to breathe normally for a couple of minutes and then asked whether I still wanted to go back to the boat. I didn't and we proceed to have an excellent dive.

But the incident on the surface was part of "diving". (I now make sure to exhale as I enter the water to avoid a repeat).