Missed Safety Stop. Go Back Down?

[Steve_C]

Novice divers have been known to press the wrong button

Had a rental BCD, forget which kind, on a shore dive in California. The inflator/release buttons were totally different than the way my BCD is. No big problem since i was giving or releasing small puffs but started to push the wrong button more than once.

 

[CuzzA]

I made less than five safety stops during my first 1000 dives. I didn't start making them on a regular basis until I began diving with Merry, who was certified at a time when all the agencies were recommending safety stops.

I suspect a lot of the reason why many spearfishing divers here don't do them is because after getting certified they want to catch fish and learn from the veterans who were never trained to do them as it was not the standard recommendation back then. They see them blowing them off, ask a few questions and begin to emulate. After all there really aren't any spearfishing classes out there besides some shops offering some instruction.

It reminds me of a trip where we were diving a big ledge and I set the computer to 1.4 PPO2. Well, the top of the ledge was right there, the fish a little deeper and my computer was screaming at me. As a new diver and over the top conservatism being hammered into me I aborted the dive. After a top side briefing from the vets, the computer was adjusted to 1.6. Can you believe it? I didn't die.

Note: I'm relatively young and fit. The older I get the more conservative I will dive.

 

[Jonny Wishbone]

One can only assume that if a diver misses a safety stop it is most likely due to a problem that could not be handled underwater. I don't want to believe that a diver can be so careless or lacking the knowledge to do so. I just don't get it. Missing a safety stop because one just forgot, is maybe like pulling into your driveway and forgetting to put your car in park before you get out or forgetting to raise the toilet lid before you pee. If it was an underwater problem that made a diver surface without a stop then maybe it would be more suited for the topic of a "near miss" or "lessons learned" and should be a one time thing. Then again, forgetting to put your car in park for the first time after pulling into your driveway could have serious consequences and major repairs, but still probably cheaper than a trip to the chamber...

 

[Bob DBF]

the recreational tables are based on studies and reflect times without safety stops in wich divers had VERY low probabilities of DCS symtoms

If you are diving the tables and they do not have safety stops, then alls good. I spent a lot of years diving tables and ascending at 60 fpm with no safety stop with no complaints. If, however, you are diving a computer that asks for a 30 fpm ascent and a 3 min stop then you should either follow its algorithm, or get a different computer. Some computers will penalize you for not following the rules and others won't. None guarantee you won't get bent, but not following the computer puts you further into the unknown.


Bob

 

[AdivingBel]

Are we all aware of the fact that the DAN video being questioned talked about the scenario where you blow your safety stop, reach the surface, and then descend immediately? It is not talking about reaching the surface, getting back on the boat, looking at your computer, and saying, "You know, I missed a safety stop. I think I will go back into the water and do it now."

That is an entirely different animal.

Is it? I understand we're talking about a short time period. I'm referring to before you get out of your rig, at a point where you can easily converse with your buddy and actually I'm being a bit facetious. I don't see it as much different than at the surface on a tag line. Beyond that scenario, going back to finish an SS is pretty much moot. Actually, IMHO, finishing a one-off miss of a SS post dive is low priority after all it is an optional stop. The much higher safety priority is not to blow the SS in the first place on a regular basis.

 

[boulderjohn]

Missing a safety stop because one just forgot, is maybe like pulling into your driveway and forgetting to put your car in park before you get out or forgetting to raise the toilet lid before you pee.

People miss safety stops because of buoyancy control issues. They get too shallow, maybe all the way to the surface, think "Oh, crap!" and go back down. It is very common.

 

[gcarter]

For everyone saying they wouldn't go back down, can you explain why?

Let's say you have 25%-33% of your air left, what would be the problem? How is it dangerous to go back down to 15 feet for a few minutes?

Say I was on a 2 or 3 dive day and was nearing my NDL with sufficient air, I would absolutely go back down for a few minutes to reduce my chances of DCS and think it would be stupid not to.

Why. To me it is no more complicated than the fact it is optional.

NDL diving times / tables contain an inherent safety margin. For proof of this you need look no further than the low incident rate. The optional safety stop extends this margin, and is prudent. But removing the stop still leaves you in the safe zone. If I have already surfaced, I have completed my dive. There is no need for me to re-descend for 3 - 5 minutes.

All this assumes I have been diving within recreational limits.

Having said all of that, I have surfaced to take a fix and re-descended, but that is a different scenario - the dive is not over.

 

[AfterDark]

Hi all
I was always told if you miss a safety stop, to not go back down underwater.
This DAN video says that if you feel fine you should go back down for your safety stop.

What do you think?

0:20-0:45 in the video.

Edit: Assuming within recreational NDL's

No just to two SS after the second dive! Let me reassure you on SS; old timers like myself dove for decades before the idea of a SS was ever thought of and thousands of us survive and live to dive today. We also used using an ascent rate of 60FPM. SS are a nice idea but missing one isn't going hurt you unless you pushed your NDL to absolute limit and really excreted yourself during a dive.

 

[Bowers]

If you are diving the tables and they do not have safety stops, then alls good. I spent a lot of years diving tables and ascending at 60 fpm with no safety stop with no complaints. If, however, you are diving a computer that asks for a 30 fpm ascent and a 3 min stop then you should either follow its algorithm, or get a different computer. Some computers will penalize you for not following the rules and others won't. None guarantee you won't get bent, but not following the computer puts you further into the unknown.


Bob

yes if your computer reads differently you should follow it, otherwise why even have it. I guess im speaking more specifically of square profile tables.

 

[stepfen]

It is nowhere near that fast.

Yep, it can actually be days later!

I thought that bubbles form fast (mostly during ascent - where pressure changes are fast - or soon after it), while symptoms can take long time to appear. Well I am obviously wrong. Anyway I'd stay well within NDL for the time being.
Thanks anyway