Hi folks,
A little lesson learnt from this weekend's diving and a lesson from history too.
1) This weekend. Pretty warm water (18 degs C) and a nice drift at about twenty metres for forty mins. We were diving as a three-some - which I don't like doing too much, as one of the group always seems to end up playing gooseberry.
We were using a DSMB and, at then end of the dive, ascended to six metres for our safety-stop. The vis was average - maybe three metres - and, as I looked around, I noticed that the buddy with the DSMB had descended pretty rapidly again. Other buddy hadn't seemed to notice and was at the limit of my vis so, remembering the adage that you go for the one that's sinking not the one that's rising, I took off after DSMB buddy.
When I got back down to eighteen metres, I can see him looking well panicky and struggling with his reel. He's moving away from me pretty quickly and - as I swim after him - I give him the "calm down" sign.
I catch him up and as I get closer - very aware that a diver in panic could do me some serious harm - extend a hand. With that, he pushes the reel to me and bolts up.
At this point, I can't help but notice that a boat has clearly snagged the line - as I'm doing the underwater equivalent of water-skiing - so with a "F*&^ that!" let go of the reel and go up to check on the buddy.
We do our deco, I deploy another DSMB and all's well.
2) About a year ago. Diving a wreck with buddy - again pretty warmish water (about 15 deg C) - and no deeper than fourteen metres.
Plan was to go down the shot, bimble around and return to the shot on ninety bar to ascend - with enough gas for a safety stop.
We're heading back towards the shot on 110 bar when buddy decides to have "one more look" at one of the holds, resulting at being the wrong end of the ship on 90 bar.
No worries - we'll just deploy the DSMB, ascend here and wait for the boat.
Buddy fumbles around assembling the DSMB, uses Octo to inflate (not a good idea when you're on 90 bar) and then - with a look of surprise - begins to accelerate towards the surface. I grab hold of his ankle with one hand and the wreck with the other and try to use the powers of telepathy to get him to let go of the reel.
After a short while of being torn in two, I let go of the wreck, dump all my air, wrap round his legs and flare. At ten metres I let go.
After an extended safety, I get to the surface, to find buddy (or Polaris as he's now known) looking a bit sheepish. Get him on the boat, get him on O2 and keep an eye on him for the rest of the day.
After all that. My lesson for the day ........ let go of the bloody reel! Yes, it may have cost you thirty quid - but you can always buy another one on shore.
A little lesson learnt from this weekend's diving and a lesson from history too.
1) This weekend. Pretty warm water (18 degs C) and a nice drift at about twenty metres for forty mins. We were diving as a three-some - which I don't like doing too much, as one of the group always seems to end up playing gooseberry.
We were using a DSMB and, at then end of the dive, ascended to six metres for our safety-stop. The vis was average - maybe three metres - and, as I looked around, I noticed that the buddy with the DSMB had descended pretty rapidly again. Other buddy hadn't seemed to notice and was at the limit of my vis so, remembering the adage that you go for the one that's sinking not the one that's rising, I took off after DSMB buddy.
When I got back down to eighteen metres, I can see him looking well panicky and struggling with his reel. He's moving away from me pretty quickly and - as I swim after him - I give him the "calm down" sign.
I catch him up and as I get closer - very aware that a diver in panic could do me some serious harm - extend a hand. With that, he pushes the reel to me and bolts up.
At this point, I can't help but notice that a boat has clearly snagged the line - as I'm doing the underwater equivalent of water-skiing - so with a "F*&^ that!" let go of the reel and go up to check on the buddy.
We do our deco, I deploy another DSMB and all's well.
2) About a year ago. Diving a wreck with buddy - again pretty warmish water (about 15 deg C) - and no deeper than fourteen metres.
Plan was to go down the shot, bimble around and return to the shot on ninety bar to ascend - with enough gas for a safety stop.
We're heading back towards the shot on 110 bar when buddy decides to have "one more look" at one of the holds, resulting at being the wrong end of the ship on 90 bar.
No worries - we'll just deploy the DSMB, ascend here and wait for the boat.
Buddy fumbles around assembling the DSMB, uses Octo to inflate (not a good idea when you're on 90 bar) and then - with a look of surprise - begins to accelerate towards the surface. I grab hold of his ankle with one hand and the wreck with the other and try to use the powers of telepathy to get him to let go of the reel.
After a short while of being torn in two, I let go of the wreck, dump all my air, wrap round his legs and flare. At ten metres I let go.
After an extended safety, I get to the surface, to find buddy (or Polaris as he's now known) looking a bit sheepish. Get him on the boat, get him on O2 and keep an eye on him for the rest of the day.
After all that. My lesson for the day ........ let go of the bloody reel! Yes, it may have cost you thirty quid - but you can always buy another one on shore.
