Happy to be alive - scuba diving incident in Brockville, Ontario

[RonDawg]

Nice idea, but doesn't always work.

My very first post-certification dives were the Lillie and Gaskin. The Lillie is certainly not a wreck I'd recommend for a newbie - yet when I specifically asked the charter op if the dive was appropriate for a newbie with no out-of-class dives, they assured me it was! (Other charter ops I spoke to earlier gently informed me that the wrecks they had planned were not for me)

That's what that particular Monterey dive operator tried to tell me, that they have newbies all the time. I wanted specifics, like depth, currents, viz, etc. It was clear to me that she was trying to steer me away from specifics. I simply wasn't comfortable with the answers she was giving me, so that's why I went with someone else who could give me those answers.

I also would have concerns about dive charters that would allow newbies to do those kinds of dives. I've seen advertisements for charters that specifically say they are for advanced divers only.

 

[durian]

After completing my OW in Thailand, I returned to Thailand about 6 months later and did my AOW. Part of my AOW was doing deep dives and wreck dives. I was bale to go about 80 feet down and visit two wrecks. On the first one I had a little trouble with the mask provided by the dive shop and it kept filling with water. Later my Instructor told me had had done quite well considering. Also this place had strong currents. In spite of this, having my instructor there gave me some security. I still had training wheels on and needed that sense of security as it was the first time I had gone down that deep and the first time to a wreck. I think wrecks can be quite dangerous as there are cables and other things to easy get entangled in or snagged up with, you do not have to go into an overhead environment for it to be dangerous. Also the visibiliy was very low because of silt.

Most of my dives all through my Rescue course have been training dives and I guess I always had a DM or Instructor nearby to help me along. I am glad I did it that way as I do feel more confident and have had some excellent mentoring.

Now I will concentrate on recreational dives.

I am a little surprised about OW's going that deep and going to wrecks???

Well, I have little experience, but I have much to learn.

I am sure the OP was mentored by her experience and will recognize others like herself in the future and be able to give them some good advice.

 

[hermosadive]

One of my first dives after certification was in Tobermory back '99. Our group (put together by my instructor) had scheduled various dives including the Niagara II (80+ feet). Even though I had only planned on going out to the Niagara for the boat cruise, the captain asked to see everyone's log book and made sure to personally let me know that he was not going to let me dive the wreck.

From many of the posts I see lately, it appears that instructors, students and charter boats don't seem to care about the guidelines taught in OW classes. I find it baffling that brand new divers are going on 70+ foot dives right out of class. Many post,"I was comfortable with my skills", fresh out of class you have no skills, just theory.

Don't appologize for "scolding" those who post their stupidity. Hopefully, they will pass the lesson on to someone else. It's much better than "glad you're okay, welcome to the board".

 

[ScubaFreak]

Glad to see you lived to tell the tale!
Welcome to the board, you'll be surprised how much you learn here !
The fact that what happend to you hasn't made you tear up ur C Card and never get wet again is fantastic! It shows that you understand what happened and how it can be avoided! Like everyone said, take ur time, relax, those wrecks aint goin nowhere

SF

 

[hvulin]

Congratulations for your courage to write this down for us, and do please continue to dive...
It's a wonderful expirience and with time you will be able to go there again and really enjoy the dive.

Glad you are ok!

 

[vlada]

Thanks for telling your story - hopefully it would teach some of other new divers to look back at their training and recognize their limits

When i saw the wrecks you listed as your first post cert dives - i said to myself "that is an accident waiting to happen" - some of those wrecks could kick your backside even after 100 dives if the conditions are bad enough. But as they say - you don't know what you don't know - i blame the operator and DMs for allowing you on a charter

Some people already recommended to you to start participating in Ontario Fresh Water Freaks Section - there is tons of knowledge and local experience in that section and you can always find buddies, mentors and get assessment of dive sites from people who dove them before

 

[sarora]

I wish I had known about this board before I went on those dives. I have learnt my lesson albeit hard way and that's why I wanted to post this story for other newbie scuba divers to learn from my mistakes. I don't mind being a bad example. Thanks so much for your advice and suggestions. I agree that I am not going back to those wrecks, until I have done more shallower dives and gotten used to some basic underwater skills such as buoyancy control (really liked this another thread about buyancy control) and proper breathing. I can learn so much from this board. This board rocks!!!

Believe me I am so thankful that my buddy is doing well. I drove to the wrecks with a Dive Master Candidate (but he wasn't really my buddy). I was assigned a buddy just before going in the water. I really didn't know this buddy well until the incident. We spent time in the hospital together - so I know him well now. He is relatively new to diving as well. I think this was his 11th or 12th dive. I understand my limits and will try to be more aware of the dives before I embark on them.

On that note, I am going travelling in India for couple of months end of October 2004. I was planning on flying to Maldives for 5 days to get some scuba diving in November 2004. I will make sure that this time I ask a lot of questions before I dive anywhere beyond my limits. I wonder if there is another thread about diving in Maldives .. hmmm ...

Thanks again!
Sonu "Survivor"

 

[MikeFerrara]

sarora,
CO2 build up and the resultant panic, or near panic, is very common in new divers still struggling with buoyancy control doing deepish dives. We see the same things over and over.

You need to get with a different crowd of divers and instructors, IMO.

 

[FreeFloat]

Sarora, I'm in Toronto also if you'd like to get together for a dive sometime..........

 

[s7595]

sarora glad you are okay ,thanks for shareing your story.my only advice is to remember the 3 rules of diveing ,1 stop, 2 think,3 act.I have forgoten those a few times and allmost got in trouble.go back over your dive and review what you did .then follow these guidlines ,check guages every 1-3 min ,spg ,dept and computer if you dive one . set rock bottom turn around psi in tank with buddy ,a good example is the dive you were doing should have been called at 1500 psi and you and buddy begin ascent .make a habit of being on the surface with 500-750 of psi in tank better to have more air and dive again then not cavers rule.my last advice check your ego at the waters edge , buddy's with lots of bravdo I do not dive with .like me you seem to be hooked line and sinker into this sport man I just love it ,but I do admit I only like current when do drift diveing