Anti-Hero
Contributor
Agreed, but current and surge move you and un-spooled cave line at different speeds which can be an entanglement issue.
Nor was it intended to be.
Monterey on Saturday (3/7)
- Thread starter mikemill
- Start date
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Agreed, but current and surge move you and un-spooled cave line at different speeds which can be an entanglement issue.
Nor was it intended to be.
KMD
Contributor
Yeah but if the boat is unattended then its rather pointless to be shooting a bag to let the boat know where you are.
srcalDiver
Contributor
I thought I might provide the other half of Mike G's diving experience off the Sanctuary at Aumentos Reef last Saturday and fill in some of the missing information. I'm Greg, Mike G's buddy for that dive. There's plenty to be learned by all involved. Here we go:
Background on tech divers that MIke G hooked up with:
Both were experienced IANTD divers and said they'd been down to 300 fsw. Both were breathing Nitrox as their main gas. Tech diver 1 had an LP85 stage bottle (yes an 85) of unknown content, tech diver 2 had 40cuft stage bottle with 50% O2. During their first dive at Fire Rock, both tech divers incurred a 5 min deco obligation. I didn't inquire about the profile of their second dive at Aumentos. Marker gear: one of the tech divers and a 185# Halcyon lift bag and a 6" LP hose on his stage bottle to inflate it with. He'd removed the LP hose locking feature to simplify inflating the bag. He also said that his method of deploying the bag was to connect his reel to it, inflate as appropriate, then drop the reel, then release the bag while letting the cave line run between his thumb and index finger. He said the bag shots to the surface faster than the reel lets line out and that the reel rises to his hand. It must take a bit of practice to pull that off.
Aumentos Dive Summary:
During the dive briefing, the captain warned us that we were in a high traffic area and to be sure to ascend on the anchor line or deploy a surface marker at depth prior to surfacing. On board Mike G and I buddied up. Mike M buddied up with the "other diver" whose name none of us recall. Mike M and "other diver" (Team A) planned to descend and remain near the anchor. The four of us then agreed to dive as a team of two buddy pairs. I made it clear to everyone that if Mike G and I decided to leave Team A that we'd let them know before we left. Then all four of us met at the anchor line. The current was so strong that only Team A could hold on to the anchor line, so I held on to "other divers" tank valve while we waited for Mike G to join us.
When Mike G arrived, I reviewed the plan again including that Mike G and I would let Team A know if we decided to leave. Everyone acknowledged the plan and Team A descended. Mike G and I agreed to descend, I descended first. At 30 ft I stopped to look up and check on Mike G. He was at ~10ft. I signaled OK, he replied with OK. I resumed my descent and joined Team A. I looked up the anchor line and could see the faint silhouette of the boat, but Mike G was not there.
Analysis: I assumed Mike G had aborted the dive and re-boarded the boat because he'd been ill the entire trip. I felt sure that I could have seen him if he had been in the water. In fact, I should have surfaced to look for him. As it turned out, however, I wouldn't have found Mike G because he decided to continue his descent after he was swept away from the anchor line, and he eventually hooked up with the tech divers.
Analysis: When Mike G let go of the anchor line to clear his mask and was swept away by the current, he should have assumed the current would remain just as strong at depth, which it was, and surfaced.
So, the dive continues with me buddied up with Team A. At approximately 25 minutes (guessing) into the dive, Mike M decided he was low on air and needed to surface. Neither the "other diver" nor I were aware that Mike M had decided to leave.
Analysis: Mike M didn't let me or his other buddy know that he was leaving. Had I known that Mike M needed to ascend, we would have called the dive. Mike M put himself at unnecessary risk and should have insisted that we end the dive.
Analysis: When "other diver" and I realized Mike M was missing, we should have searched for him and then surfaced instead of continuing the dive.
35 minutes into the dive the "other diver" wanted to surface due to low air. We agreed to end the dive. I swam toward the anchor and found it dragging across the sand floor and then lift and rise to the surface. This must be at the 5 minute point of the 10 minutes that Mike G was on the surface waiting for the Sanctuary to pick him up after leaving the tech divers.
"Other diver" and I began our ascent. I held my safety stop for 4 min given that both dives were relatively deep and because I chose to hold it at 20ft to avoid being struck by a passing boat. I also pulled out my non-dump valve equipped surface marker. I attempted to inflate it, but as Mike G explained, my lips seemed to be too cold to inflate it at 20 ft depth. My plan was to hold it above me so that it would surface somewhat before I did - better than nothing.
By the time I surfaced, the Sanctuary was back waiting to pick me and "other diver" up with Mike G onboard. The crew hustled us onboard then drove over the pick up the tech divers. They had orally inflated an SMB at depth and reeled it to the surface.
So, I hope the individuals involved don't feel that I'm laying any blame on them, because I'm not. What I do want is an accurate record of the incident and enough information for everyone to learn from it.
Conclusions:
Background on tech divers that MIke G hooked up with:
Both were experienced IANTD divers and said they'd been down to 300 fsw. Both were breathing Nitrox as their main gas. Tech diver 1 had an LP85 stage bottle (yes an 85) of unknown content, tech diver 2 had 40cuft stage bottle with 50% O2. During their first dive at Fire Rock, both tech divers incurred a 5 min deco obligation. I didn't inquire about the profile of their second dive at Aumentos. Marker gear: one of the tech divers and a 185# Halcyon lift bag and a 6" LP hose on his stage bottle to inflate it with. He'd removed the LP hose locking feature to simplify inflating the bag. He also said that his method of deploying the bag was to connect his reel to it, inflate as appropriate, then drop the reel, then release the bag while letting the cave line run between his thumb and index finger. He said the bag shots to the surface faster than the reel lets line out and that the reel rises to his hand. It must take a bit of practice to pull that off.
Aumentos Dive Summary:
During the dive briefing, the captain warned us that we were in a high traffic area and to be sure to ascend on the anchor line or deploy a surface marker at depth prior to surfacing. On board Mike G and I buddied up. Mike M buddied up with the "other diver" whose name none of us recall. Mike M and "other diver" (Team A) planned to descend and remain near the anchor. The four of us then agreed to dive as a team of two buddy pairs. I made it clear to everyone that if Mike G and I decided to leave Team A that we'd let them know before we left. Then all four of us met at the anchor line. The current was so strong that only Team A could hold on to the anchor line, so I held on to "other divers" tank valve while we waited for Mike G to join us.
When Mike G arrived, I reviewed the plan again including that Mike G and I would let Team A know if we decided to leave. Everyone acknowledged the plan and Team A descended. Mike G and I agreed to descend, I descended first. At 30 ft I stopped to look up and check on Mike G. He was at ~10ft. I signaled OK, he replied with OK. I resumed my descent and joined Team A. I looked up the anchor line and could see the faint silhouette of the boat, but Mike G was not there.
Analysis: I assumed Mike G had aborted the dive and re-boarded the boat because he'd been ill the entire trip. I felt sure that I could have seen him if he had been in the water. In fact, I should have surfaced to look for him. As it turned out, however, I wouldn't have found Mike G because he decided to continue his descent after he was swept away from the anchor line, and he eventually hooked up with the tech divers.
Analysis: When Mike G let go of the anchor line to clear his mask and was swept away by the current, he should have assumed the current would remain just as strong at depth, which it was, and surfaced.
So, the dive continues with me buddied up with Team A. At approximately 25 minutes (guessing) into the dive, Mike M decided he was low on air and needed to surface. Neither the "other diver" nor I were aware that Mike M had decided to leave.
Analysis: Mike M didn't let me or his other buddy know that he was leaving. Had I known that Mike M needed to ascend, we would have called the dive. Mike M put himself at unnecessary risk and should have insisted that we end the dive.
Analysis: When "other diver" and I realized Mike M was missing, we should have searched for him and then surfaced instead of continuing the dive.
35 minutes into the dive the "other diver" wanted to surface due to low air. We agreed to end the dive. I swam toward the anchor and found it dragging across the sand floor and then lift and rise to the surface. This must be at the 5 minute point of the 10 minutes that Mike G was on the surface waiting for the Sanctuary to pick him up after leaving the tech divers.
"Other diver" and I began our ascent. I held my safety stop for 4 min given that both dives were relatively deep and because I chose to hold it at 20ft to avoid being struck by a passing boat. I also pulled out my non-dump valve equipped surface marker. I attempted to inflate it, but as Mike G explained, my lips seemed to be too cold to inflate it at 20 ft depth. My plan was to hold it above me so that it would surface somewhat before I did - better than nothing.
By the time I surfaced, the Sanctuary was back waiting to pick me and "other diver" up with Mike G onboard. The crew hustled us onboard then drove over the pick up the tech divers. They had orally inflated an SMB at depth and reeled it to the surface.
So, I hope the individuals involved don't feel that I'm laying any blame on them, because I'm not. What I do want is an accurate record of the incident and enough information for everyone to learn from it.
Conclusions:
- Diving in a group tends to weaken buddy bonds. That's what happened here and I've seen it happen with other large diver teams. Try to resist it.
- Surface deployable SMB are difficult to use at depth in cold water and offer limited boat strike protection if you can't surface it at depth.
- We should have asked the Sanctuary to deploy its current line before we started the dive.
OP
mikemill
Contributor
Hmm, the other diver didn't know I ascended? I got his attention, signaled that I was going up, got an OK and that he had 1500 left. As I went up the line I looked down to see that he was staying down.
mikeguerrero
Guest
I can attest that Mike Mill does confirm his departures, when I dove with him at Firerock he came over to me and let me know he was done with his dive.
He then proceeded to ascend the anchor line and would casually keep on eye on me below as he ascended. He's a pretty good Dive Buddy.
Greg, I'm really glad you took the time to outline the whole dive from your point of view. It paints a more accurate assessment of the diving day, thanks for taking time to clarify many points that I left out.
MG
I just want to again thank all those involved for their willingness to discuss this non-optimal situation in a public forum. It is a great learning experience for all and have I found it thought provoking.
Cheers
Cheers
mikeguerrero
Guest
Hi Jim & Ben,
The dive plan for dive#2 was discussed on the boat as we were suiting up. I was asked first by the divers if I was going to dive; recall I was horribly seasick on dive #1 and I dove.
The group figured I was going to tap out but I felt more comfortable as we arrived at Aumentos and I proceeded to suit up.
At that moment the plan was discussed that Greg would be my partner and Mike Mill would buddy up with diver #2 (unknown name) but a diehard photographer.
I was the last to enter the water and as I headed to the anchor line there they were all three divers waiting for me. Greg re-confirmed the dive plan about who was paired with who and if separation would occur I recall we should ascend.
I never agreed on a solo dive, in fact, I don't like diving solo tried it before with a shallow dive at Lover's and have never done it again.
I have become too dependant on other divers leading and this has become a problem for me. I need to make my own compass heading and take charge in my diving.
I haven't in the past, rather just followed the lead diver and this has severely handicaped me as this dive shows.
If I were to assume that I could get blown out to open water and that I need a plan for returning I would've been better prepared.
Instead when I lost my buddies a dark feeling started comming over my whole body. It felt like I was engulfed with fear, a feeling that I was subject to getting attacked by anything and everything the ocean had to offer.
With every minute that passed I became weaker as I couldn't find my lead divers, (big problem for a dependant diver). I had next to zero experience in diving alone other than my short experience at Lovers Point.
When I found the two tech divers I felt secure but it was false sense of security as I went back to wanting my hand held. They saw no immenient danger and therefore let me return to the boat alone.
As I ascended due to gas consumption and the need to make a return to the boat the fear rushed back into me. I was ascending at a 45 degree angle because of the current. I therefore knew, I'm going to be very far away from the boat and that didn't make things better.
In fact, things got worse because I blew right through my safety stop, I was fighting the current and panic was not helping me any. I'll never forget as I ascended and the two tech divers were lost out of sight, I fought hard to keep in control.
I however, felt more vulnerable to the elements the ocean could throw my way. I thought where the hell am I going? Where will the boat be? And as I finally surfaced I was facing west looking out to open water, I saw no boat and said, "oh no, I'm really screwed where the hell is the boat"? Then I started thinking of that movie "Open Water" and how the divers died when the boat left them.
Then I quickly turned east and saw the Sanctuary and mind you that now I know why she is called that.
The boat was far away and I could barely make out Mike Mill siting in the corner of the boat looking my way as I was hollering for assitance.
Blowing that whistle or trying to erect that SMB was very hard next to impossible with cold lips. You need to calm down and let that mouth warm up.
I was glad I got it fully erect because I was in high boat traffic and the SMB helped keep me highly visible like Mike Mill said.
Well guys that was my experience with the strong current and I'll be on the Escapade tomorrow, wish me luck.
MG
Anti-Hero
Contributor
Mike - remember one of the basic tenants of diving. STOP - THINK - ACT
Don't let your imagination take over and block the normal, critical thought process.
Don't let your imagination take over and block the normal, critical thought process.
mobeeno
Contributor
Mike, how was the Escapade today? Dive condition, the boat, etc,etc..
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