Lessons Most frightening moments

After seeing how the post I wrote about the reverse block resonated with people, I would like to make another post today, namely about the most frightening moments I've ever had.

It's easy, particularly for novice divers, to think that people like myself, with decades of experience, thousands of dives and a deck of c-cards have everything under control and nothing bad ever happens.

I wrote about the reverse block because of that. I wanted to show that I am still human and I can still make mistakes. On the internet there is a strong tendency for (technical) divers and instructors with a lot of experience to project an image of themselves as always solving problems correctly, always making the best decisions, and in the case of instructors in particular, having a monopoly on good ideas that lead to perfect students diving perfectly.

None of that, of course, reflects reality at all.

So I will start. I urge experienced divers to share their own stories.

-------
First
-------
1985. I was certified as AOW and we were making a deep dive along a wall. The bottom, for all intents and purposes, at the bottom of the wall was unsurvivable. A diver who diving with a group slightly ahead of us got caught in a large ball of discarded fishing line that he didn't see. He started sinking. The incident started at 42 meters. My buddy and I had just started our dive and we saw this happening. Nobody in his group did. We went after him. This was the first time I had dived deeper than 42 meters. I couldn't tell how deep we were when we caught him because the (analogue) depth gauge I was using was pinned at its maximum depth. This was also my first deco dive or at least my first dive where I was "off the tables" and unable to to know how to ascend. I was, at that time, unaware of oxygen toxicity, gas management and ascent protocols. We returned (at a rapid pace) to 30ft. (10m) and waited there until our tanks were empty on the assumption that any damage done by our deep incursion would be fixed by that. Upon surfacing we didn't know if we were going to get the bends or not. I was, frankly, scared. It still gives me the heebiejeebies to think about this incident more than 30 years later. We did something there that was completely out of control (also the rescue) and we got off easy.

-----------
Second
-----------
2002, I think. I was working as a DM. We temporarily lost a diver during a dive. The situation was that we were on a platform at 25m and doing some exercises for the AOW (deep) dive. A group of divers (maybe 6) descending LANDED on us and kicked up so much silt in their attempts to slow down before impacting the bottom that the visibility went from 5m to black-out in a matter of seconds. I grabbed the two divers right in front of me and dragged them out of the silt cloud. One of them turned out to be our diver and the other one turned out to be one of the idiots who landed on us. We were missing a diver. We surfaced. Naturally our divers were told to surface if they became separated but this diver did not. He remained where he was and waited to be rescued. On the surface we decided that I would search for the missing diver because I had the most experience of everyone (including the instructor). At that point I was a DM but I was already technically trained. I had very limited time. I went back down and eventually found him but it was luck. He survived and my beard got grayer overnight. If I couldn't have found him in the next 5 min his death would have been on my conscience until I died. This was so frightening to me that I nearly abandoned all plans I had to become an instructor.

-----------
Third
-----------
The accident. My team saved the life of a diver who ran out of air during an AOW training dive (by another group, not mine) and was left for dead on the bottom at 18m. We acted quickly and professionally and got him into the hands of paramedics within about 10 min. As an aside, the fact that the Dutch paramedics were able to be on scene so quickly was no small part of this! He looked dead when we retrieved him. He lay in coma for several weeks after the incident. Doctors had basically written him off when -- unexpectedly to all -- he woke up and subsequently made a reasonable (albeit not full) recovery.

The impact on myself and on the members of my team was substantial, particularly because of what we viewed as our 'mistakes'. One diver (the DM) stopped diving. He started hyperventilating during the descent to find the "body" and after that he started to hyperventilate on EVERY dive. He stopped diving.

To me it changed EVERYTHING about how I view training and my role as an instructor. I didn't organize things on the surface as well as I could have, if I had had a second run at it. Yes, I had the EMS on site in 10 min. Police, paramedics, trauma doctor, helicopter, fire department with a boat, a private boat.... all of that I had..... but I was overwhelmed and not communicating as well as I could.

Someone tried to chase my (uncertified) OW students into the water to go search. He didn't know that they were uncertified and I ripped him a new one in a way that I regret, giving in to the emotion. An NOB (CMAS) instructor showed me by example how to control the dive site in a way I had never learned, I missed seeing a diver (the DM who caused the accident) displaying passive panic. It only became apparent to me when they had to take him away by ambulance when he collapsed.... it was MUCH more messy scene than I had ever imagined and I was not in control as well as I would expect from myself. At one point, once the EMS had control of the surface situation I grabbed another diver (a DM) and went searching myself. This was a mistake. I can't get over the mind set that drove me to ACT when I SHOULD have been coordinating! I'm like the guy who charges into a burning building because I can't fight the urge to DO SOMETHING! I HATE that about myself.

Since that time (it's been years) I've been replaying that event in my mind and thinking, "if I had only done XXXX then YYYY". It drives me CRAZY to think that if we were sharper we could have found him 30 seconds or a minute earlier and his recovery could have been better. The fact that he survived is utterly astounding. These things never end like that.... but I feel responsible for the fact that it took so long.

This was a formative moment in my diving. I considered stopping as well but eventually decided not not to. To this day I cannot -- and will not -- teach or participate in the Rescue course, even though I may be the one instructor in my circle who is most qualified to talk about the differences between theory and practice. It's just too intimidating.

 

[Freewillow]

That's maybe because you do not commercially collect abalones

 

[drbill]

That's maybe because you do not commercially collect abalones

Abalone is a closed fishery in California, commercially and recreationally

 

[Mrs. B]

My most frightening moments were always leading VIPs on a dive and getting hopelessly lost.
Once I had this General and after missing the wreck site at night and surveying the sandy bottom for almost an hour, back on the boat he said "we'll just let that be our little secret"
I've been lost by myself quite a few times too, once I had some very wide gill slits pass right in front of my mask (Hawaii.)
I had one of those awful #metoo happenings where this drunk guest climbed into my bunk and so I left all my belongings and swam ashore to the Kona Resort with just my jet fins and my credit card and stayed three days. From then on I was known as "that dive master girl that jumped off the charter on Big Island." I was glad for an excuse to get off that boat.
The Riffe divers chummed the water once on a shoot and I realized that I was the only one down there without a spear gun which meant I was the moron.

 

[ygthad]

Thank you for posting

 

[60plus]

Following are not exactly frightening, more a concern and learning experience.
1) Regulator recovery by arm sweep. When practicing this I got a piece of seaweed on the right had side of the mouthpiece. As I tried to put it in my mouth it did not go in quite right at the right hand side, I blew out and started breathing but bubbles were coming out and I was breathing in some seawater. I then pushed it fully into my mouth and nearly choked on the seaweed. As I was only about 6m deep and had plenty of breath I did not panic and managed to get the weed out and, get the reg in and with a good bit of coughing get my throat cleared. The weed was only about the size of a desert spoon.
2) Instabudy on a fun dive. The guide / instructor said that he was going to treat us as if we were already OW certified. We were both Scuba diver. We would do all the equipment assembly and buddy checks and dive as buddies. He would explain the dive plan then just follow and keep an eye on us. With the aid of a large chart he explained where we were to go and the features we would see and the turn points, all straightforward. We got into the water, swam out a bit and he signalled to descend. I was descending slowly when the instabudy shot past me sinking like a stone and splatted into the sand bottom, just as I got to the bottom he shot up again like a cork, Then he came down again, head down and swimming fast with his octopus trailing I followed but could barely keep up. He went in the right direction but not at the agreed leisurely pace. Eventually I caught him and tapped on his back and pointed to his dangling octopus, instead of putting its hose in his D ring he shot off again with it in his hand. About 200m before we should have done a 90 degree left turn, he turns about 120 degrees left, does about another 100m fast realises he is lost and shoots to the surface. I stay down looking round for our guide who is about 30m behind a bit shallower and to my left. The instabudy then descends rapidly and spats into the seabed. Without increasing his buoyancy off he goes again, hands, octo and fins stirring up the sand. He is now heading out to sea at about 60 degrees to the shore following the bed down ever deeper. I can sense the colours changing and am having to frequently equalise. I could not keep up, especially as I was watching my SPG. At 22m I levelled out watching him go ever deeper. I looked round but could not even see our guide, he was in fact some distance away above and to my left and he could see me. I kept going with the instabudy getting further away and deeper, eventually I saw a stone on the sand and was able to get his attention by tank banging. I pointed to show the direction I wanted to take, back toward the beach. He came towards me nodded then, off he shot again, I was getting early indications of cramp and could not keep up. The entry to the beach was marked by 2 volcanic reef ends, he shot past these off into the distance. I followed until my air went into red then I surfaced just past the entry to be beach. The gide surfaced about 30m behind me. I shouted 45 bar pointing to my SPG above the water. He said go back down again and follow the bottom to the shore (about 100m). He went after the instabudy and brought him back on the surface. After the dive we are expected to wash off the gear and hand it in properly sorted. The instabudy just left it in a heap on the floor and shouted thanks as he swiftly walked off.

 

[Bierstadt]

Following are not exactly frightening, more a concern and learning experience.
1) Regulator recovery by arm sweep. When practicing this I got a piece of seaweed on the right had side of the mouthpiece. As I tried to put it in my mouth it did not go in quite right at the right hand side, I blew out and started breathing but bubbles were coming out and I was breathing in some seawater. I then pushed it fully into my mouth and nearly choked on the seaweed. As I was only about 6m deep and had plenty of breath I did not panic and managed to get the weed out and, get the reg in and with a good bit of coughing get my throat cleared. The weed was only about the size of a desert spoon.
2) Instabudy on a fun dive. The guide / instructor said that he was going to treat us as if we were already OW certified. We were both Scuba diver. We would do all the equipment assembly and buddy checks and dive as buddies. He would explain the dive plan then just follow and keep an eye on us. With the aid of a large chart he explained where we were to go and the features we would see and the turn points, all straightforward. We got into the water, swam out a bit and he signalled to descend. I was descending slowly when the instabudy shot past me sinking like a stone and splatted into the sand bottom, just as I got to the bottom he shot up again like a cork, Then he came down again, head down and swimming fast with his octopus trailing I followed but could barely keep up. He went in the right direction but not at the agreed leisurely pace. Eventually I caught him and tapped on his back and pointed to his dangling octopus, instead of putting its hose in his D ring he shot off again with it in his hand. About 200m before we should have done a 90 degree left turn, he turns about 120 degrees left, does about another 100m fast realises he is lost and shoots to the surface. I stay down looking round for our guide who is about 30m behind a bit shallower and to my left. The instabudy then descends rapidly and spats into the seabed. Without increasing his buoyancy off he goes again, hands, octo and fins stirring up the sand. He is now heading out to sea at about 60 degrees to the shore following the bed down ever deeper. I can sense the colours changing and am having to frequently equalise. I could not keep up, especially as I was watching my SPG. At 22m I levelled out watching him go ever deeper. I looked round but could not even see our guide, he was in fact some distance away above and to my left and he could see me. I kept going with the instabudy getting further away and deeper, eventually I saw a stone on the sand and was able to get his attention by tank banging. I pointed to show the direction I wanted to take, back toward the beach. He came towards me nodded then, off he shot again, I was getting early indications of cramp and could not keep up. The entry to the beach was marked by 2 volcanic reef ends, he shot past these off into the distance. I followed until my air went into red then I surfaced just past the entry to be beach. The gide surfaced about 30m behind me. I shouted 45 bar pointing to my SPG above the water. He said go back down again and follow the bottom to the shore (about 100m). He went after the instabudy and brought him back on the surface. After the dive we are expected to wash off the gear and hand it in properly sorted. The instabudy just left it in a heap on the floor and shouted thanks as he swiftly walked off.

Wow.

This could be a game: at which point do YOU give up on this instabuddy? I am kind of split between his first scuba racer episode and his attempt to see how deep the ocean goes.

 

[Freewillow]

the world is full of idiots.

To start with, I do not believe that ths instructor should have done that exercice with instabuddies. If he knows his student, he should have known that one was totally unreliable. That execrice could have ended badly for a few of you, including the liability of the instructor for poor judgment.

 

[60plus]

I had dived with a different guide with the same outfit in the morning. The instabudy was completely unknown to them and me other than that he had a scuba cert. He could not even assemble his gear properly. Before the dive I knew he would be no help to me but I had confidence in the guide and myself. When he headed off in the wrong direction going ever deeper I was torn between keeping close to him as instructed or keeping myself safe and nearer the guide. I am confident I could dump my gear and swim to the surface from 22m but that was it, for all I knew he could have continued heading off into the darkness at 40m +.
With the effort and depth I used 155 Bar in less than 30 minutes, normally 155 bar would last me over 45 minutes.
I don't think there was anything wrong with the guides plan, had it been followed at a steady pace we would not have or hardly have exceeded 12m. I was surprised that the guide did not intervene quickly but is possible it was his 3rd or 4th dive of the day and he may have been on his NDL.
I dived with the same outfit, different guide 2 days later, the incident had been noted, the instabudy being described as a missile.
On another occasion I was waiting for an instabuddy to turn up, he never did. Whilst I was waiting a woman came to the dive centre asking if she could do a dive and they were thinking of pairing her with me. She had a PADI OW cert and said she had done a few dives. After further questioning it turned out she had done her cert at university, one dive immediately after and none since. She had not dived for over 5 years. They declined her request to dive.

 

[Freewillow]

@ 60plus,

what you are telling here is a bit scary: is the dive shop in the UK? I doubd it.
So many funny things are descibed. If I understood you right, you are following a PADI OWD course . If it was a simple scuba diver fun dive, you would be restricted to 12m and to stay with the instructor. Therefore, I do not understand why the instructor let the "missile" go that deep without "chasing" him down. The fact that you mentionned that he was maybe close to his NDL is irrelevant. Experienced divers can/should be able to handle deco obligations.

So I am a bit lost here. The same thing for your idea to be able to "dump your equipment @ 22 meters " and swim back to the surface. Why would you want to dump your air supply and what were you doing @ 22 m in the first place?

Can you give us the name of this center, because there seems, from your description, so many pitfalls that they deserve to be known.

 

[60plus]

The dive outfit is not in the UK but it has a very good reputation and seeing what went on on the other days I was there I do not believe naming them for the irresponsible behaviour of one diver is appropriate. When the other diver shot off to the deep the instructor / guide had a choice, he could stick with me or abandon me and go after the other instabudy. It may be that if I had not been able to turn the other diver by tank banging the guide may have gone after him. Both me and the instabudy have PADI Scuba divers qualification that allows us to go to 12 m in the company of a suitably qualified guide. I have actually done most of the PADI OW qualification and expect to complete it early on my next holiday. This was a fun dive. The event happened very fast, We were going along at about 12 m when the instabudy curved right and down. By PADI rules I should not have gone to 22m but I did so because I was trying to catch and turn the instabudy. However 22m was my limit. I can in swimming trunks without scuba gear or fins swim down to 10m look about for 10 to 15 seconds and swim back to the surface so I reckon even if I ran into problems like getting my gear stuck on a net I could dump it and my weights ad get back to the surface if I had to, of course given the choice I would do a normal ascent with my gear.
Although I have limited scuba experience I am quite a strong swimmer, I swim under waterfalls in rivers and snorkel in quite rough water on reefs, but that instabudy was swift and given the few yards start he had it would be have been difficult for even an experienced diver to catch him. I did intend to have a chat with him at the end of the dive but as said previously he just took off his gear and walked off. He did not get his dive log completed, he may not even realised how deep he had been.
The only things I regret about this dive is rushing past a cuttlefish, not having time to investigate what was possibly a ray or angel shark, and due to burning air too fast not having time to visit the site where an octopus was likely to be seen. The antics of the instabudy was in hindsight quite entertaining even if irritating at the time.