My dive mistakes

[Aloha Joe]

I’m just finishing up a dive trip which included 2 weeks (26 dives) in Taveuni, Fiji and 8 dives in Kona, Hawaii. Things went generally well. I made a lot of progress but also made a few mistakes which fortunately I’m able to learn from. I guess I’m posting this because I’ve gotten comfortable and confident and don’t want to be cocky and complacent.

1) I neglected to look up algorithms and had my computer set conservative for the whole trip (can’t change for 24 hours once it’s wet, so with diving every day I couldn’t change it) - not a big deal but could have been worse if it was the other way around.

2) I went into Deco and didn’t know what my computer was telling me to do. I’ve gotten used to diving nitrox (would have had much more NDL time at 90ft) and apparently got complacent checking NDL time on my PC. I didn’t at all understand that my computer was telling me to ascend to 10ft for 2 minutes (immediately?) but knew something was wrong, so I did a deep stop and a safety stop, which eventually cleared it, and I stayed at 15ft for the remainder of the dive. I still don’t know if it wanted me to immediately make a safe ascent to 10ft, and if I’m supposed to end the dive at that point (I assume so).

3) I forgot to change nitrox mix for a dive. I was diving 31% with the computer set to 21%. The dive profile was well within the max depth for the mix FWIW. The second part of that mistake is continuing to dive with my computer.

4) I got over confident and thought I could help a guy who dropped his weights and was ascending. I grabbed his weights and handed them to him. He was struggling to put them in the pocket and still ascending so I dumped my air and tried to help. Realizing we both were ascending out of control, I handed him the weights, signaled to swim, got myself under control and buddy swam with him back to the group. Nothing bad really happened, but I feel like my approach was wrong and I was over my abilities. The correct thing was probably to hand him the weights and have him get himself under control before trying to do anything else - but instead I put myself in an uncontrolled situation, He didn’t seem that bothered by the event (said I did the right thing) but I’m still kicking myself I guess. I was feeling cocky before the dive - this was very humbling and I think it’s time for Rescue class.

 

[vovanx]

> I forgot to change nitrox mix for a dive. I was diving 31% with the computer set to 21%.

LOL don't worry, I think this happened to everyone. Helps if your computer allows gas change during the dive. Also seeing the point 2) I would recommend you to read the computer manual thoroughly.

> I think it’s time for Rescue class.

it's a must have for every diver. Also kudos for trying to help - many divers don't give a shít about other divers around.

 

[Kimela]

I'd guess each bullet point could be a long discussion here! You're learning a lot, early on. I second what @vovanx said - read the computer manual and spend some quality time with your computer, learning the screens for everything. One of my computers will default back to air after a certain amount of time - so if I'm diving nitrox I need to check it each morning. These are things you just may not know about your computer until something hinky happens. Diving a conservative profile with less than 100 dives may be a good plan anyway - while you're learning the ropes.

I hope you had awesome dives! Loved Kona - the hard coral is so very different from everywhere else I've been. Happy diving to you!!

 

[nolatom]

You had some "coulda happened to anyone" hiccups. You handled them pretty well. And you're seeking to learn from them.

I would say, "all good"...

 

[tbone1004]

@Aloha Joe
1. can't help you there, frustrating, but is what it is.
2. unsure what computer it is, but it is telling you that you have a 2 minute stop at 10ft. If you stay down, it will continue to tick up from there and then you have to stop at 10ft. Over time it will eventually get deeper and tell you that you have a 20ft stop, etc.
3a. that's annoying from an NDL perspective, but no harm in that so long as you don't violate MOD. It's more conservative and one of the recommended ways to use nitrox if you are using it for conservatism
3b. continuing to dive your computer is fine, it just assumes you have more nitrogen than less. If you dove EAN21 instead of EAN32 and the computer was set to EAN32, that could be problematic, but the other way is fine
4. glad you came out of that OK

 

[outofofficebrb]

Recognizing what you could have done differently or better is the first successful step in becoming a better diver. Having that self awareness will do leaps and bounds for you and that recognition will pave way for you. I think you are off to a great start. So that brings us to the next point...What do you think you should have done differently or better?

Some ideas are to get in the habit of checking the settings on your computer (time, date, conservative settings, preferences, alarms, etc.) before you leave on a trip. While on a trip, make it a habit of analyzing your nitrox and checking that your computer is set to the right setting and the right % of nitrox that you are diving right before you splash. Check with your buddy, too. Understand and know your computer well in and out. As you have learned, you can't follow its directions if you don't know what it's trying to tell you. This is what really helped me when I got a new computer. The following website is very gimmicky sounding based on its URL, but the video modules are very extensive and can almost completely replace your manual. (At least, it did for my Oceanic.) It does video modules that teaches you how to set the settings, what they mean, and how to operate it. It does a surface module as well as a simulated dive module and will show you what displays when something happens and what it is trying to tell you to do. It was only $7 and it was WAY worth the price. I would have paid double or triple for the simple class. Hopefully, your computer is there.

Cheers and best fishes!

Dive Computer Training

 

[scubadada]

I've jumped in with my mask off. I've jumped in without my fins on. I've jumped in without my weight. I've jumped in with my gas off. I've jumped in with my computer on the wrong setting. Fortunately, I've not done any of these things for a long time. Live, the key, and learn. On the other hand, I've always known how my computers work