Lessons Learned this weekend

[tddfleming]

My family and myself, did our first boat dive and ocean dive this past weekend. Great time had by all but there are a few lessons learned from this past weekend.

For our first boat dive and ocean dive we hired a DM, which we are very glad we did. We listened to the dive brief and we drilled into our heads and daughters to NEVER remove reg until we are back on boat. We followed dive brief to the letter, but this is were common sense should take over and another lesson learned. Once off the boat the seas were a little rough. We overhead someone coming in from the morning dive that seas were 4-5 foot and they had picked up since the morning. Once off the boat and into the water we were instruced to go hand over hand down the line to the wreck. There are weights placed on the lines, as I was going hand over hand down the line and the boat pitching up and down the weight were also going up and down, I just happen to be in the wrong area at the wrong time, as the weight crossed my reg hose and I did not notice until the boat started pitching, as it was dragging me up and down with the pitching line. This is also where stop, think and react comes into play. As it took me a few seconds to figure out what was going on, where I was hooked at and how to unhook myself. Caught up with my group and on we went. Know I know this will lead to "where was your buddy?" My buddys were in front of me going hand over hand down the line like instructed. As this system over hand over hand down the line leaves a lot to be desired. It would have been easier to do a free ascent to the wreck and on the following dives we did.

 

[TSandM]

Hand over hand to the wreck seems, in my experience, to be a common instruction from dive boats. It is useful (and may be the only safe approach) in high current. In low viz, absent significant current, you should have enough control to descend with visual reference to the line, without actually holding onto it. In good viz and no current, I never touch the line. As you have noted, if you have a team going hand-over-hand down, it is very difficult for the people deeper to be able to look back and keep track of the last one in line. In addition, being yanked up and down can be dangerous, if you hold your breath at all.

 

[DevonDiver]

It's also a good learner about streamlining and hose configuration. At the very least - maintaining an awareness of where your hoses are, and what they can catch on. Very relevant for wreck divers.

 

[tddfleming]

It's also a good learner about streamlining and hose configuration. At the very least - maintaining an awareness of where your hoses are, and what they can catch on. Very relevant for wreck divers.

Agreed Devon as far as better streamlining, however, my config. is the same as almost everyother OW diver. I can see from your avatar, it is tmuch he same as yours. I am not a wreck diver, so my config, is nothing like cave or wreck set ups. The 7' primary hose and the 24" octo hose. More my point was for people such as myself, new and trying new things of one more thing to keep in mind when doing this. As this never crossed my mind as something to watch out for, no one ever mentioned this as being a problem, never read about it here on SB and I can only assume I am not the only one to dance with the hang line weight UW. More so, had I paniced things could have turned out much differently. As the weight was pulling on the primary reg, the one I was using for air, and as each pitched moved the boat, I also was being tossed like a rag doll, up and down in the water. Lynne had also brought up some good points as well, the holding of breath while being jerked and the buddy set up for using the lines. Again, all just good things to keep in mind while diving.

 

[davetowz]

I was out that morning and did the hand over hand on the first dive, from then on I free descended next to the line so I could grab it if I hit a current. I like the way they rig the lines and saw the way the junctions looked like a pinch point and was wary of them. Good job keeping a clear head and untangling without panic!

 

[lulubelle]

Wow, from your other thread, I see that you picked a very challenging place to do your first boat and first ocean dives! I'm sorry you had rough seas. But it was a good call to hire a DM and well done in keeping your cool and untangling yourself. I couldn't quite tell what part of the anchor rig you got caught up in. It sounds like it was one of the weights that holds the hangline underneath the boat in place? Those do bounce a lot. Or was it the anchor line itself? The weights on either end of the hang line and the hangline going underneath the boat can move alot, but the anchor line doesn't usually move that much in my experience.

Personally, I would not recommend that you get in a habit of doing free descents here however. I think I saw from another thread that you were on the Indra? To do a free descent or ascent on a large, shallow, and intact wreck like the Indra where you can see the wreck as soon as you drop is one thing. To do so on a larger broken up wreck sitting twice as deep, and which you cannot see as soon as you drop, is another entirely. It would be a pretty bad move to do a free descent on most of the offshore wrecks. Currents can really change dramatically from one level to another and it wouldn't be that hard to get swept way away from the wreck and boat if you don't descend on the line. Now in low current, once I can see the wreck, I'll drop off of the line when I am 10-20 feet from it and free descend from there. But otherwise, I descend on the line. If there is little current, I may just have my hand in a very loose circle around the line and descend freely without going hand over hand, but still stay on the line.

I only do free ascents when I am behind an AOW class on one of the cattle boats And only if the current is negligible, which doesn't happen regularly here. Last summer, someone did a free ascent and ended up a mile from their boat. Luckily, several boats did a search pattern and found the diver. His SMB was on the boat.

I'm sorry you missed diving here on Monday. It was a stunningly perfect day. Come back and try again!

 

[tddfleming]

Wow, from your other thread, I see that you picked a very challenging place to do your first boat and first ocean dives! I'm sorry you had rough seas. But it was a good call to hire a DM and well done in keeping your cool and untangling yourself. I couldn't quite tell what part of the anchor rig you got caught up in. It sounds like it was one of the weights that holds the hangline underneath the boat in place? Those do bounce a lot. Or was it the anchor line itself? The weights on either end of the hang line and the hangline going underneath the boat can move alot, but the anchor line doesn't usually move that much in my experience.

Personally, I would not recommend that you get in a habit of doing free descents here however. I think I saw from another thread that you were on the Indra? To do a free descent or ascent on a large, shallow, and intact wreck like the Indra where you can see the wreck as soon as you drop is one thing. To do so on a larger broken up wreck sitting twice as deep, and which you cannot see as soon as you drop, is another entirely. It would be a pretty bad move to do a free descent on most of the offshore wrecks. Currents can really change dramatically from one level to another and it wouldn't be that hard to get swept way away from the wreck and boat if you don't descend on the line. Now in low current, once I can see the wreck, I'll drop off of the line when I am 10-20 feet from it and free descend from there. But otherwise, I descend on the line. If there is little current, I may just have my hand in a very loose circle around the line and descend freely without going hand over hand, but still stay on the line.

I only do free ascents when I am behind an AOW class on one of the cattle boats And only if the current is negligible, which doesn't happen regularly here. Last summer, someone did a free ascent and ended up a mile from their boat. Luckily, several boats did a search pattern and found the diver. His SMB was on the boat.

I'm sorry you missed diving here on Monday. It was a stunningly perfect day. Come back and try again!

You made some very good points and ones I will take to heart and remember for next time. From what I overheard, Sat. am was great, however, the wind picked up and the seas changed for the afternoon run. The biggest hurdle was just keeping our food down, sitting on top of the boat helped a lot, however, the water was coming over top and soaking us. We started our seasick meds the day before and the day of, as instructed, we had ginger gun, real ginger ale, and sea bands, we left nothing to chance here. Once in the water and getting all 4 of us together was a struggle, as the waves were splitting us up. Which is when I just grabbed my daughters hand and we decended and met DM and husband on the 15' hang line. Once under the water it was much calmer. The problems with the hanging weights at the 20-30' depth. The hang pretty much right below the boat. The boat was packed which added to the confusion. On the way back up, since I had already learned my lesson with the line, but no one in my group knew of what happend, my daughter kept wanting to put her arms over the 15' hang line for our SS. I kept smacking them off or pushing her away from leaning all over the lines as they kept snapping. Once we surfaced I was able to explain what I was doing and why.

We did make it on Monday with Discovery, the boat was much less crowded the seas were wonderful just slight rolls. Did 2 dives, the Hutton and the Indra. We all loved the Hutton much better, more to see. While not intact, still better. We were able to sit on the top of the boat and no water slashing us.

We will be coming back. One thing about us people that are not from there, we have no clue as to what is bad and what is not. Unless someone tells us, we have no clue. Other than the sea sickness and the weight, everything was great. Oh, forgot, husband lost mask upon entry the first time. He changed mask straps and I think that helped with the mask slipping off, but I just won't tell him, as he is right Next time, I just know to not get around the weights.

 

[lulubelle]

You made some very good points and ones I will take to heart and remember for next time. From what I overheard, Sat. am was great, however, the wind picked up and the seas changed for the afternoon run. The biggest hurdle was just keeping our food down, sitting on top of the boat helped a lot, however, the water was coming over top and soaking us. We started our seasick meds the day before and the day of, as instructed, we had ginger gun, real ginger ale, and sea bands, we left nothing to chance here. Once in the water and getting all 4 of us together was a struggle, as the waves were splitting us up. Which is when I just grabbed my daughters hand and we decended and met DM and husband on the 15' hang line. Once under the water it was much calmer. The problems with the hanging weights at the 20-30' depth. The hang pretty much right below the boat. The boat was packed which added to the confusion. On the way back up, since I had already learned my lesson with the line, but no one in my group knew of what happend, my daughter kept wanting to put her arms over the 15' hang line for our SS. I kept smacking them off or pushing her away from leaning all over the lines as they kept snapping. Once we surfaced I was able to explain what I was doing and why.

We did make it on Monday with Discovery, the boat was much less crowded the seas were wonderful just slight rolls. Did 2 dives, the Hutton and the Indra. We all loved the Hutton much better, more to see. While not intact, still better. We were able to sit on the top of the boat and no water slashing us.

We will be coming back. One thing about us people that are not from there, we have no clue as to what is bad and what is not. Unless someone tells us, we have no clue. Other than the sea sickness and the weight, everything was great. Oh, forgot, husband lost mask upon entry the first time. He changed mask straps and I think that helped with the mask slipping off, but I just won't tell him, as he is right Next time, I just know to not get around the weights.

Yes, I understand that Saturday was nasty. What a challenging day for a first ocean dive and first boat dive! I can imagine that you did have trouble getting everyone together on the surface. I personally almost always do negative entries when diving in Morehead and meet my buddy at the line to regroup and do buddy checks. The captains are used to it, they expect it, and in rough seas, it avoids the problems you had at the surface.

From your further description, it sounds like the anchor line was not the problem, it was the weighted line securing the hang line. Yes, those always bounce, some days more than others. The anchor line is far more stable as it is secured on both ends by the boat and the wreck. You were right to have your daughter avoid having a deathgrip on the hangline. To be honest, if it is swinging, I don't touch it until I am ready to get to the back of the boat. It is too unsafe to be changing depth rapidly while on your safety stop. In conditions like that, I do my safety stop on the anchor line, or if I can maintain my position easily, hanging near the anchor line.

Glad you had a chance to do another dive. We did the Caribsea, Atlas (a deeper one), and the Nancy Lee. It was a perfect day of NC wreck diving with sharks galore.

 

[davetowz]

Yep Saturday was a doozee! I was a lil queezy myself and hung out near the line for a few minutes before descending on my first dive: The Spar. I will be back, you NC divers been hiding some good diving!

 

[lulubelle]

Yep Saturday was a doozee! I was a lil queezy myself and hung out near the line for a few minutes before descending on my first dive: The Spar. I will be back, you NC divers been hiding some good diving!

I hear that it was indeed. I'm glad that my first dive of the season here was on Monday. The only thing I would have changed is to have a 5mm suit and warmer bottom temps.

Yes, when conditions are good, it is my favorite diving of all. When conditions are bad, it can still be pretty awe inspiring though you may wish someone would shoot you on the ride out and back.

Next time davetowz, you better come dive with me!