Incident at White Star Quarry, 6/9/09

[Thalassamania]

A competent "diver" could do it breath hold. I'm 59 years old, a bit overweight and mildly out of shape and I could do it easily ... what's your excuse?

 

[DandyDon]

Oh good grief...!

I guess I'd better start Ebaying.

 

[edm81363]

... in-water CPR was started.

For those who are NOT rescue certified, this refers to rescue breaths, NOT chest compressions.

 

[Thalassamania]

Oh good grief...!

I guess I'd better start Ebaying.

Or refresh your skills?

 

[fisheyeview]

For those who are NOT rescue certified, this refers to rescue breaths, NOT chest compressions.

There was a time that in water CPR was taught. You would support the victim on top of you, reach around from behind, clasp your hands together into a big fist, and do chest compressions. You would then tilt the head to you to do breaths. All of this was done while trying to swim the victim to shore or boat. It did not work well, so they stopped teaching it.

 

[DandyDon]

Or refresh your skills?

Always good to improve my scuba skills to be sure, and I screw up my share - but I am not a skilled free diver. I did that some before scuba, not knowing about Shallow Water Blackout, and survived. For me to free dive to 40 ft in a Rescue attempt would be asking for a SWB incident. If the reg worked and tank had air, great - but who knows.

No, the best thing for me to do without scuba gear & PSIs is find gear & tank with PSIs ASAP.

 

[Thalassamania]

Don, it's 40 feet. Half the length of a swimming pool. Less than 15 seconds down, 15 seconds back ... SWB is not, I repeat NOT a possibility for this exposure. Every second counts, there's not time to be looking for another tank. Get over your apprehensions and your misapprehensions ... take a good free diving class, it'll improve your diving, it'll change your life, it might save someone else's.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

Guys, if we knew exactly where the victim was, any of us posting in this thread could get down to 40 feet and get the victim moving up with 300lbs, many of us with 150lbs.

300lbs? We are talking just 40 feet. Not 140. I'd do my best until my tank ran dry, then swim up. And I'm nothing special as far as divers go. I'm about as unspecial a diver as you could find, and I wouldn't hesitate.

Thal, damn right Eddie would go. And did, countless times.

So would I. My name also happens to be Ed .

Best wishes.

 

[DandyDon]

Don, it's 40 feet. Half the length of a swimming pool. Less than 15 seconds down, 15 seconds back ... SWB is not, I repeat NOT a possibility for this exposure. Every second counts, there's not time to be looking for another tank. Get over your apprehensions and your misapprehensions ... take a good free diving class, it'll improve your diving, it'll change your life, it might save someone else's.

I'll try it next time we go to Santa Rosa NM, with a safety diver - and hope his ears don't lock on him again. We always have hell with his ears. No way he could drop with me, but if I can get him to wait at 20 ft and chase me up, ok.

Guys, if we knew exactly where the victim was, any of us posting in this thread could get down to 40 feet and get the victim moving up with 300lbs, many of us with 150lbs.

300lbs? We are talking just 40 feet. Not 140. I'd do my best until my tank ran dry, then swim up. And I'm nothing special as far as divers go. I'm about as unspecial a diver as you could find, and I wouldn't hesitate.

Thal, damn right Eddie would go. And did, countless times.

So would I. My name also happens to be Ed .

Best wishes.

Okay, I do try to keep my posting safer than my actual dive life, unless I am admitting a screw up in Near Misses - and I do know my SPG I think. You're talking about 8 cf of a 80 cf tank, if the SPG is accurate and the reg is tuned well. I always request 100 cf tanks on a trip as I know what kind of air hog I am, but all we get in Santa Rosa is 80s. On the search for a missing third buddy there once (I think I went over this some a couple of days ago in this one?), I burned thru my 19 cf pony on a 60-70 dive and circle around before heading up, saving my back gas 500 psi for reserve and had to go to it for the SS. I'd probly be sucking the last of those 8 cf on a 40 ft recovery, but I've done a real CESA from 50 once. Sure I'd do it; just wouldn't ask anyone else to.

 

[TheScubaBOB]

... take a good free diving class, it'll improve your diving, it'll change your life, it might save someone else's.

Thal,

I've already decided that I want to take a formal swimming class to strengthen my swimming skills. To be honest I've never really liked the idea of Skin Diving but have heard over & over that it would make me a better Scuba Diver. I assume the PADI Skin Diving Course doesn't qualify as a "good" one. Can you please recommend and agency or program that has wide avaliability (I'm in Northern Illinois, near Chicago) and is considered "Good".

I really am interested in improving myself as a Person & Diver before I begin the "Pro" Track. I don't want to be the DM or Instructor who lost a Diver becuase I just wasn't good enough to save someone who trusted me with their life.