Have you had to call off a dive?

[k374]

As I posted in another thread, due to me falling ill during my time here in the Red Sea i've had to call off my dives to Ras Mohammed and the SS Thislegorm which is pretty damn disappointing. Would like to hear what dives you guys have had to miss out on and what was the reason? Did you eventually return to that place?

 

[Guba]

If you dive for long, you almost certainly one day reach a point where you just say, "Y'know, I think I had better sit this one out." The reasons are varied for me, such as...
1) Woke up on the boat to one heckava current (Gulf of Mexico). We were moored and the DM who was to check out the conditions at depth couldn't GET to depth. Since the DM was young, fit, an excellent power swimmer and couldn't make ANY headway against it, I decided to wait for better conditions. (They came along in about an hour...GOM can change in a heartbeat, it seems.)
2) Also on a liveaboard trip, I was preparing for yet another dive (after three previous dives that day) when I realized I was simply tired (had been seasick the previous night in addition to the vigorous diving schedule). I quit gearing up and told my partner he needed to pair up with another diver pair and that I was going to get some rest. He did, and I took a nap. Afterwards, I was more than ready to get in the pm dive. I feel it was a wise thing to do because a fatigued diver is more prone to make mistakes and that endangers not only himself, but others as well.

To me, one of the most valuable skills a diver learns is when to pull the plug.

 

[LouieLouie]

Yep. Those #%#)""!! Jet Fins didn't fit my new dry suit so I ended up doing a shallow water walk instead of a dive. Now they're headed for the potato boiler.

 

[DMDavid]

I once paid for a charter boat a day in advance and when my dive group got up the following morning the marine radio (NOAA) was forcasting tropical storm conditions (small craft warning).

At this point we assumed that the boat trip would be called off on account of the tropical storm conditions we were faced with so we all went and had a large breakfast.

When I went to see the boat captain about rescheduling or canceling he said that the conditions were fine and that we would forfeit our money if we didn't go.

So being young and stupid I figured this captain must know what he's talking about since I didn't think he would be so arrogant as to put or safety at risk for a few dollars and off we went to dive the USCG Duane just outside of Key Largo, Florida.

Before we could even get outside the reef to get to the USCG Duane the conditions were like the Gilligans Island scene where the Minnow was being hammered by storm waves.

It was at this point that the captain decided that we were doing a reef dive instead and set us out in what became the ultimate challenge to get back onboard.

Lesson learned: Never pay in full prior to your departure day.
Use your own judgement as to what is safe and what isn't.
And never ever eat a large breakfast of greasy bacon, eggs and cheese prior to setting off into very stormy conditions.

Edit:[/color=red] This charter company is no longer in business.

 

[tstormdiver]

I've sat out several dives just this last year.
1. Galapagos I sat out 2 dives on that trip First time because I was tired & cold from fighting currents & we weren't seeing a lot & the second time because my drysuit neck seal rolled & caused a full suit flood in 50 degree water. I called the dive after 35 minutes because of hypothermia. The next dive (last one for the trip) was to be 20 min. after we got back on board. I was still freezing & figured I did not have the time to change undergarments.

2. Peacock Springs, FL- a couple of days before going through my Full Cave class. A guy & I going through the class together, arrived a couple days early & decided to do some intro level dives. We had a heck of a time trying to do the first dive. 1. the instructor took the keys to his truck (he was riding with another student- we were to drive his truck). After a long frantic search turned up no keys, we called the instructor & he returned the keys (strike 1). 2. When we got to Peacock Springs, my buddy's fin buckle broke as he jumped in. I retrieved the parts & he got it back together (strike 2). 3. the second time he jumped in, his wing started leaking air very badly at the inflator hose connection. I tried to re- screw it back on 3- 4 times with no success. It was too tight between him & his tanks to get my hands in there & to do any good (stirke 3- You're out!). We decided it just wasn't to be our day.

3. The day after our Full Cave course was over, I sat out the second dive. After 2 days of 3-4 dives per day doing Intro level dives, 4 days of going through Full Cave (1200 min bottom time during those 4 days) & one dive in a high flow cave that morning, I was just completely worn out for the day. I did do a dive the next day (last dive of the trip).

4. Called a dive 10 minutes into it. I was helping a friend with a Adv. Nitrox/ Deco course he was struggling with. During the dive (he was leading) I gave him an Out of Air Signal with my light (a drill he knew was going to happen). His attention was elsewhere & not on his team (me). After chasing him a bit, signaling, I stopped & went "unresponsive". He finally came back after a few minutes & I had "drowned". He came with such speed & hit me so hard (no control) that I had to move to keep from getting completely clobbered. Because his control & awareness were not where they needed to be, I called the dive at that point. I drove home the point of his inattention when I told him to call our instructor & my parents to tell them that he had "killed" me because of his inattention. That really woke him up.

5. New Year's Eve midnight dive at the local quarry- Severe thunderstorm rolled through at that time

6. New Years day- Sinuses were in bad shape due to the weather changes from the storms the night before & I just didn't feel like doing a solo dive that morning

That was just this last year, there is nothing wrong with sitting out a dive if you're not up to it, not feeling good or even if it just doesn't feel right (for me the 3 strikes & you're out). You can always dive another day. My tech instructor has told me time & again, "if even a fart doesn't feel right, don't do the dive". Meaning listen to yourself & your gut feeling,.... it is usually right.

 

[DMDavid]

"if even a fart doesn't feel right, don't do the dive".

Wouldn't pressing the purge button on your drysuit allow you to purge the fart and continue the dive or are we talking more like a shart?


New Years humor... Don't mind me...

 

[Searcaigh]

Had a squishy ear on descent for my last dive at PG last Nov, it just did not feel right at all, no pain just weird noises but decided to call it quits at 5M, signaled my buddy and ascended with the DM to get back on the boat.

 

[Md Spear]

had to cancell the oyster dive trip cause of this

 

[Wetsuit 4 life]

Blood sugar level dropped way to low after lunch to even think about doing anything other then staying in the car and drinking orange juice

Have yet to go back to the dive site, but hoping to this spring or later this winter
Cheers

 

[BKP]

Had to call a night dive when my wife turned around and was staring into the barbells of a 7-foot nurse shark, close enough to kiss it... I didn't see what the big deal was -- she was no stranger to peeing in her wetsuit...