Lessons I have taken from Recent Accidents

[Cave Diver]

okay..here is a question.

If you are ascending in heavy current (DIR-style), and you are avoiding "stops" and favoring the sloping ascent profile.... do you take into account the exertion involved in staying in place (not a drift) by finning? I know I have done free ascents with deco, where I had to gently fin into the current to stay on location of the boat. Maybe not clear...I am wondering if the ascent style has the drawback of requiring a more physical ascent, exertion wise, and does that increase your DSI risk?

Most of the stops are more along the lines of "long pauses."

Most of the people I know diving under these conditions (high current) are doing live boating and drifting deco. They aren't fighting the current at all, the boat is following their shot line/lift bag/deco ball.

 

[Cave Diver]

What I seem to see is that PANIC kills. How do you train yourself away from panic?

Just my observation.

You answered your own question. You train yourself away from panic through training, training and more training.

When a problem arises and someone has no idea how to handle it, that leads to panic.

Having the training and knowing what the proper response is to a situation will help keep the pucker factor down.

Practice air shares with your buddy. That isn't something that just has to happen in training class. Do mask removal and no mask swims. Learn and practice techniques that are in your comfort range, then push that range until you ratchet your comfort level up a notch.

Knowing what to do will keep you from wondering what to do and leading to those precious wasted moments of indecisiveness.

 

[Cave Diver]

CO2 build-up..yes I need to know more about the CNS effects. (what is a CO2 "hit"?)

Are you asking about the causes/effects of CO2 buildup?

 

[Diver Dennis]

Catherine, go ahead and take fundies...

 

[Rick Murchison]

How do you train yourself away from panic?

"The superior diver is one who uses his/her superior knowledge to avoid situations requiring the use of his/her superior skill."
(Stolen from the aviation community)
Rick

 

[Cacia]

co2 retention is mostly cause by dead space and skip breathing, shallow breaths, right?

what else?

I think of a "hit" a physical phenomena, are you calling a panic anxiety response a "hit".

Dennis...it is not possible here. Fly me to Canada and spring for my drysuit, I have babies to feed.

 

[SparticleBrane]

I'm sure the people from 5thd-x/Breakthrudiving would love to come out there and teach a Fundies class, which they frequently do.

 

[Jake_Doig]

Not sure if anyone included these yet:
YOU are responsible for your own safety; and some places, legally obligated to your buddies. which brings me to....

Even though current laws (good samaritain) are present, and proper rescue procedures are followed, not only does the dive buddy expirience survivors guilt; they get sued by the victim's family even though his death was due to a previous condition. ... I forgot and LOSE the lawsuit!!!
-not easy to swallow eh?

the true color of fear is brown
-yuck

 

[Cacia]

Do not say specifics, but have you heard of this actually happening?

That would really suck. Probably help with the guilt though....

good point, not a happy thought though.

 

[miketsp]

..snip..

well, I usually never use the ascent line, myself. BUT the times I do, is if I am waiting with divers on the 3 minute shallow stop and the swells here can get very tough. Holding a stop perfectly in current on a wreck with surge generated by big swell is why I though maybe a jon line could help me take less aggitation physically. Sometimes the swell is a big issue at 15ft whereas quite easy to deal with at deeper depths. Also..diving in a group restricts your ascent profile.

My comment about NOT using a Jon line was specific to NIGHT dives where stops should normally be avoided.
I regularly use a Jon line to do stops during the day when there is a lot a lot of current and/or surge.