I'm not concerned. . .but should I be?

[jupitermermaid]

It's not a good idea to dive using a buddies computer for your dive. Either use your own (I agree that if yours dies, abort the dive) or go strickly by tables.

About the rash....it sounds like you rubbed up against some little jellyfish or hydroids (wrecks are full of hydroids). I get them a lot, and sometimes the "rash" will last for several weeks. I don't believe skin bends would manifest as a small rash on a wrist, and since it's been this long with no other symptoms, I wouldn't be concerned. I am no doctor, however, and it is just my opinion.

Keep diving, and learn from your mistakes. We all make them, and sometimes we learn more from making them than do we do from formal instruction.

 

[openmindOW]

Very brief history here, I'm a relatively new OW certified diver . . . aside from my checkout dives in a lake the only dive I had done was Venice Beach off the shore.

I have a few questions that would help me to understand the situation.

When were you certified?
How many lifetime dives had you had at the time that the dives in question occurred?
What agency trained you?
Where did you get trained?
Prior to the dives in question, what was your deepest dive?
How old are you?

2 Sundays ago I went on my first boat dive, went out of Pompano. I nearly aborted my first tank, wreck dive, as when I was holding onto the bow line that led to the wreck, I was just feeling very skittish and like it was too much for me . . jumping off the boat into the big blue was feeling quite a bit different than just prancing my way down the shore, I dunno, just freaked for no reason.

It's okay to be skittish. Your first boat dive probably should not have been to a wreck lying in 60 feet of water. I recommend going to the Keys and diong some reef dives to get comfortable with boat diving.

We went up rather uneventfully, aside from me worrying about being low on air, the computer printout of my buddies computer (here is a point I'm sure to catch flak on, my comp's battery compartment leaked as soon as I hit the water and thus was out of order for the day, I've since been able to revive it; so I was at the mercy of staying by my dad (buddy) and watching his)

I am glad that you recognize that your were wrong to rely on your buddy's computer. That was big no-no, but you realize you made a mistake. Lesson learned.

I'm OK with being blasted for the mistakes on made on this one, I don't offend easily. I made sure to note everything I feel I did wrong on the dive . . . .

You are learning. That's good.

It sounds like you might benefit from easier dives. Progress slowly. Stay withinn your comfort zone. With experience, that zone will expand.

Take additional courses.

Consider getting analog gauges on your console for back-up.

 

[ptyx]

Do you mean degenerating in a decomposing sense or NDS sense? I have noticed that the spot tends to inflame rather easily and will get a bit puffed up if I scratch it, but I wouldn't call it swelling . . . if the rash spreads I would definitely seek attention, but this far after the dive, is there even a possibility of it being skin bends?

This long after the dive, any decompression related issue is long cleared. So no bends.

I can't find the thread any more, but there was a (verifiable) story of a guy who got a minor cut while diving, got infected with something rare and nasty, ignored it for a while, and ended being stuck with a really painful wound (as in "can't sleep because of it") for months, trying every antibiotic on the block with no result, and getting plenty of doctors really excited.

The morale of the story was: if a minor wound which should fix itself fast doesn't, and you got good health insurance, it's probably worth a visit just in case. Especially if you got it in a marine environment.

 

[SCUBASailor]

Actually with a working air integrated computer, i always have an SPG, and watch on me anyway. if the computer dies, i abort the dive. period. After the abort any additional dives must be calculated from the charts.

I'm wondering...if you have redundant gauges and your computer dies, would it not have been of benefit to have made a square profile "worst case" dive plan before the dive? That way if the computer craps out, you don't have to abort, just stick to the conservative worst case plan. (Assuming of course, that you know that your max depth had not exceeded your worst case scenario dive plan.) Is this just too much of a pain to do, given the remote chance that your computer will fail?

 

[ptyx]

I'm wondering...if you have redundant gauges and your computer dies, would it not have been of benefit to have made a square profile "worst case" dive plan before the dive? That way if the computer craps out, you don't have to abort, just stick to the conservative worst case plan. (Assuming of course, that you know that your max depth had not exceeded your worst case scenario dive plan.) Is this just too much of a pain to do, given the remote chance that your computer will fail?

Except when you dive square profiles, you get really fast in the area where computers will tell you that everything is fine and tables will tell you to spend the next half hour doing deco.

That's why everyone is using them.

 

[CosmoKramerOfTheDeep]

As I said above the gauges must be on your own person or the dive gets aborted immediately. Computers are not a requirement for diving, but knowing and understanding the tables are whether you use a computer or not.

Shore diving will allow you to gain confidence and learn buoyancy in an environment where making a small mistake does not carry the repercussions of corking to the surface on a blue water ascent from 70 feet.

Excellent point, I've noticed that the depth on the watch I had is not completely accurate/always reliable and really I just guess I wasn't thinking "worst case scenario" like getting separated from someone who has fully functioning guages, but had that happened . . . I see where it would be very important to know your depth. I realize now that really a lot of things could have happened to have turned it into a potentially dangerous situation and that next time I need to have that mindset, no need to be at risk if there is a way to avoid it (abort).

I get them a lot, and sometimes the "rash" will last for several weeks. I don't believe skin bends would manifest as a small rash on a wrist

This is a relief, I know it's just an opinion but glad to hear that I wouldn't be the only one to have had a symptom like this and turn out non-DCS related. I think I spent enough time in this forum prior to diving to make me question every goosebump and burp after diving, then I get this weird rash and start reading about skin bends freaking myself out, had I not actually posted about it I'd be having nightmares about cartoonish nitrogen bubbles chasing me around a hyperbaric chamber. . . The spot, like I had said, does get pretty puffy when irritated, but I guess I was just worried because the tiny bumps are roundish "bubbly" feeling, but it's definitely isolated to one spot and no other symptoms (aside from my random carpal tunnel like symptoms that I get in my left pinkie from working at a desk with poor ergonomics for a long time, pinkie gets numb from out of nowhere, but this has been something ongoing from before I ever started diving, but it feels similar to I'm sure the DCS related numbness would, where nerves are compressed by something. . didn't happen after this dive, flared up at one point in the week for a few minutes but that's how its always happened, went away after I got up and walked around)

When were you certified?
How many lifetime dives had you had at the time that the dives in question occurred?
What agency trained you?
Where did you get trained?
Prior to the dives in question, what was your deepest dive?
How old are you?


It's okay to be skittish. Your first boat dive probably should not have been to a wreck lying in 60 feet of water.

OW Certified with PADI in October 2009 in Central FL, I'm 26. Prior to this my OW checkout dives had been my deepest, 35 fsw in a lake, aside from the checkouts my only other dive was a very shallow shore dive looking for shark teeth and practicing skills in venice beach fl. I agree that it would have been and would be best to do those type of more comfortable dives before doing the one I did, but the opportunity was there . . . I did have a mindset once I was in the water and feeling comfortable that if at any point I felt out of comfort, I was going to stop. Was actually very surprised at how comfortable the whole underwater part was, I didn't have any problem adjusting to the slight current and felt that it was a really good dive aside from the mistakes pointed out. . . with the way they do those descent lines from the bow to the wreck, I actually felt like it was a pretty simple one too (but only once I was in, as stated, I was freaked about it before I was actually under the water. . really was just a shame that I used up all that air freaking out). I wasn't like spitting regulator out flailing wildly freaking out, just in my head and breathing too heavy. Oh and by the way. . the deck was 60 feet, sand was 80 ;-). I was deeper on the drift/reef dive, which I just wasn't thinking about because thats what everyone on the boat was doing for the 2nd dive, is it odd that an op would take you to a shallower dive first? After we came up is when I remembered about how youre supposed to do your deepest dive first.

 

[scubamountaingirl]

All of the comments are great. i would add one more, take it easy...you sound really task loaded as any new diver would. You might benefit from doing some open water ocean dives with a dive master or a rented guide until you have your chops down, your computer, your analog gauges, your decent and accent, all of the "stuff" that it takes to dive.

dont beat yourself up cause your first ocean dive was not perfect. and as for the itching, it comes with the territory.

keep diving, keep learing and it will all be ok. just take it slow...breathe

hope this helps
ww

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Two people can easily dive on one computer, but you need to stay close together, use common sense and I would definitely not push the no- deco limits if you are doing that.

I can still remember pretty well a defining moment in my diving when I jumped off a boat in NJ, in big waves, big current, got real scared, the tank popped out of the backpack band and the only thing holding the tank was my teeth (holding the reg) when I bailed and made it back to the stern.

I was scared and embarassed, but got dressed again and immediately did the dive. Don't remember anything about the dive, other than gettiing spooked and then sucking it up and going back down is what I do remember. Jumping off boats in the ocean is a lot different than a 35 ft lake.

Those little victories over your own insecurities are what it takes to become a good diver. You shouldn't exceed your comfort level, but sometimes you MUST stretch it, especially if you are new and only dove in a lake.

Sounds like you did pretty well to me.

 

[DandyDon]

Now you know to not do mooring lines or wrecks without gloves. See http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/diving-medicine/273655-cozumel-rash-little-bumps.html

This long after the dive, any decompression related issue is long cleared. So no bends.

I can't find the thread any more, but there was a (verifiable) story of a guy who got a minor cut while diving, got infected with something rare and nasty, ignored it for a while, and ended being stuck with a really painful wound (as in "can't sleep because of it") for months, trying every antibiotic on the block with no result, and getting plenty of doctors really excited.

The morale of the story was: if a minor wound which should fix itself fast doesn't, and you got good health insurance, it's probably worth a visit just in case. Especially if you got it in a marine environment.

Several fishermen die on the coast that way ever year. If the wound looks worse the morning after, go to ER and/or call DAN. Don't wait for an appointment.

Two people can easily dive on one computer, but you need to stay close together, use common sense and I would definitely not push the no- deco limits if you are doing that.

I can still remember pretty well a defining moment in my diving when I jumped off a boat in NJ, in big waves, big current, got real scared, the tank popped out of the backpack band and the only thing holding the tank was my teeth (holding the reg) when I bailed and made it back to the stern.

I was scared and embarassed, but got dressed again and immediately did the dive. Don't remember anything about the dive, other than gettiing spooked and then sucking it up and going back down is what I do remember. Jumping off boats in the ocean is a lot different than a 35 ft lake.

Those little victories over your own insecurities are what it takes to become a good diver. You shouldn't exceed your comfort level, but sometimes you MUST stretch it, especially if you are new and only dove in a lake.

Sounds like you did pretty well to me.

Excellent post. :medal: Comfort level diving doesn't teach much; training, study, and practice within approved limits yes, but don't be afraid to learn on new adventures.

 

[ONESPEED]

Several fishermen die on the coast that way ever year.

Interesting, care to cite any incidents because I doubt seriously "several fisherman" die every year from this.