How I almost drowned -- twice

[Donnah]

Hope I'm never diving with you on a bad trip...

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." It was challenging diving, to say the least. We were all so exhausted that we kept falling asleep during the guide's after dinner lecture. It was an El Nino year and the currents were crazy and constantly changing. As a relatively new diver, I learned a lot -- some of it the hard way. I'd never had to deal with that kind of current before, and not just one current, but multiple! It was difficult staying with your buddy, let alone the rest of the group. Sometimes the pangas would be picking us up all over the place, pairs or small groups of divers hanging on to each other going up and down in the swells. I give those panga drivers lots of credit for getting us all back on board. On one dive, the Lammer Law had to pull anchor and go after one couple who was almost out of sight.

But one night, the WORST happened! We ran out of beer! Later that night, I heard the clink, clink of cases of beer being loaded onto our boat. Brought a whole new meaning to the term "Beer Run."

 

[nldunn]

Of course planning your dive is important, but it's the unexpected things that you can't plan for or the things that could happen that you simply don't have any control over.

Considering air is the most important thing during scuba diving, I think it's prudent when taking on a challenging dive to plan for that and a redundant air source may make the difference between life or death.

In the OP's scenario there's no way to predict "exactly" how those currents may effect a diver. Even if he planned more conservatively a down current ripping to an unexpected depth could have wiped out any of the conservative measures that were taken. Carrying a pony bottle that's not part of the plan could give you back what was taken by the unexpected incident and save your life. So to write off a pony bottle as not or less of a reliable option doesn't make sense to me. Especially considering how inexpensive it can be to put one together.

I know this is an old thread but I was certified NAUI in 1989 and we always had a pony bottle. I didn't dive for the next 33 years and suddenly I never see any pony bottles mentioned or available. What happened? Why did they used to be mandatory when I was certified and unavailable now?? Thanks!!

 

[billt4sf]

I know this is an old thread but I was certified NAUI in 1989 and we always had a pony bottle. I didn't dive for the next 33 years and suddenly I never see any pony bottles mentioned or available. What happened? Why did they used to be mandatory when I was certified and unavailable now?? Thanks!!

Hey Anna. I can't answer your question, but I am glad you asked it because I am the OP and it was amazing to read through this after 10 years! After this event I started carrying a pony bottle and using a 15L tank, sometimes both. Lots of operators have 15L tanks but I have hardly EVER seen someone carrying a pony bottle as I do. it is a PITA to carry around and deal with, that's for sure!

 

[nldunn]

Pony bottles are not "unavailable" nor are they never mentioned. Solo divers carry them, it's mandatory and it would be foolish not to have the redundancy when you don't have the gas in your buddy's tank as your backup. At least on deeper dives and those involving an overhead environment. Aside from being required for solo diving, I've never heard of pony bottles being mandatory.

That's why I'm asking - as someone coming back to the sport and only diving with PADI shops because that is what is most common, I've never even seen them at any shops I've been diving with. I liked them and thought they added safety. We had no choice when getting NAUI certified in 1989. We had to train with them and carry them on our back right beside the regular tank.

 

[nldunn]

Hey Anna. I can't answer your question, but I am glad you asked it because I am the OP and it was amazing to read through this after 10 years! After this event I started carrying a pony bottle and using a 15L tank, sometimes both. Lots of operators have 15L tanks but I have hardly EVER seen someone carrying a pony bottle as I do. it is a PITA to carry around and deal with, that's for sure!

Thanks for answering!! Do you carry the pony on your back, next to your regular tank? That's the set-up we had when we dove back in 1989!!!
Thanks again!

 

[nldunn]

Smaller dive shops might not carry them for sale or rental but you'll find them at the larger stores such as Divers Direct and other larger retailers.

Any redundant air supply aids safety if the diver has the training, skills and experience to properly utilize it. A better question might be if it's necessary to carry a second tank if you've got a buddy and follow the proper gas planning rules during the dive.

As far as how to carry the tank, opinions vary but it appears that the majority of divers including myself prefer to sling them, for a multitude of reasons that go beyond the scope of this post.

I wasn't aware that NAUI made student divers use ponys during their training, thanks for clarifying that.

Thank you for the explanation - I don't know if all NAUI schools made students learn and carry them, but the one in NJ where we were certified did.
Thanks again!

 

[Nemrod]

NAUI never required or advised pony bottles for scuba diving. They did and do teach and promote the buddy system. An individual instructor may have taken their own opinion and mandated them. NJ and some east coast diving it is common to see pony bottles or various other rigs for open water due to the conditions dived there. This is not a NAUI requirement to have basic scuba divers carrying a pony when the buddy system is the primary means of air sharing or air supply redundancy.

 

[nldunn]

NAUI never required or advised pony bottles for scuba diving. They did and do teach and promote the buddy system. An individual instructor may have taken their own opinion and mandated them. NJ and some east coast diving it is common to see pony bottles or various other rigs for open water due to the conditions dived there. This is not a NAUI requirement to have basic scuba divers carrying a pony when the buddy system is the primary means of air sharing or air supply redundancy.

Oh, good to know! Thank you for that information. We never knew that. We thought everyone in NAUI used them because we weren't given a choice.

 

[billt4sf]

Thanks for answering!! Do you carry the pony on your back, next to your regular tank? That's the set-up we had when we dove back in 1989!!!
Thanks again!

I sling it. It has it's own reg, I switch regs when I breathe from it. Because of that, I prefer to descend on my main tank, and when I get well-situated I switch to the pony while all is calm. I breathe from it until it gets low, then I switch back to my main tank (back gas). I didn't want to use the pony "only if I need it" because then I am doing a reg switch under anxiety conditions.

My pony is 6L, not those teeny 3L ones! So my pony is half the size of a normal 12L aluminum tank. Best thing I ever did. I enjoy my dives MUCH more.

 

[justinthedeeps]

I too brought and dived a standard AL80 stage rigging kit and extra stage regulator for some Raja and Komodo trips. A quite convenient approach to safety! Use the same tank(s) they are already providing for you.

It's not a huge burden, regardless of diver size, when rigged and clipped properly to a wing/harness style setup. A 'deep diver,' 'self-reilant,' or 'intro to tech' course should cover this.

Reasons:
1. Self-sufficiency when deep, delayed, and/or away from buddies/group
2. Can be faster and more convenient to 'self-rescue' from air supply issue--even when others present
3. Don't need to consume others' gas
4. Have extra gas for others if they need it

I still only used two cylinders for a two dive outing. But I carried both cylinders on both dives, periodically alternating the regs, 'sidemount style.' Even a 50 bar/700psi otherwise "done" AL80 cylinder is still potentially a life-saving backup, when paired with another.

It's a bit slower in the water, but probably not as much as expected.
You do need to be a little more careful near sensitive corals etc with an extra tank attached.
On a backroll from a small boat, it's best to pre-clip the stage cylinder, but you need to position and hold it in a way that it will not hit you or other people in the face or head etc.