kevindwhite
Contributor
I had my first near out of air experience on a recent dive of Santa Cruz island. I was diving with a new buddy, this was our second dive together, in cold kelp infested water. The dive plan was quite simple: descend to the bottom, 30ft, head toward shore until you encounter structure, explore, return. Visibility was 20 - 30 feet. This was my second dive in these conditions. While I had no anxiety about the cold or the kelp I was by no means experienced.
My buddy, who is a PADI instructor, was really leading the dive. He wanted to lobster hunt while I just wanted to watch. We stayed together through most of the dive but communicated little. About 20 minutes in I felt my air was getting on the low side, 1200 psi, and started signaling a desire to turn around and head toward the boat. My buddy agreed and we started a reciprocal back to the boat. That was the first mistake. We should have surfaced, made visual contact with the boat, communicated, and confirmed our heading and distance.
Because we dove toward shore, that's where the lobsters are, we were fighting surge and waves the whole way back. I was not used to this as I had always planned my dives to avoid current on the return. My consumption skyrocketed. Wasn't long before I had dipped below 1000 without much progress toward the boat. I signaled 900 & boat to my buddy and got okay back. That's when my buddy promptly started to inspect a ledge for lobster. I should have left him there. That was second mistake. Instead I waited until my air dropped to 700.
At 700 psi I started having trouble staying down. I was under weighted and didn't realize it. Rather than try to stay down with a buddy who had clearly lost interest in me I began my ascent. Once on the surface I fully inflated my wing and checked for the boat. I was down to 500 psi and had 200 feet of current and kelp between me and the boat. I made contact with the crew and signaled for an assist. I could have probably done a surface swim around the kelp and made it to the swim step unassisted but mentally I was done. Instead I waited for the safety diver to come and drag my ass back to the boat.
By the time my knees hit the swim step I was down to 300 psi but out of danger. My buddy still hadn't surfaced. I told the crew what had happened, dragged my ass to the bench and began shedding my gear. My buddy hit the swim step just as I dropped my weight belt.
Once onboard my buddy asked me what happened. I told him I was low on air and couldn't get his attention. He said I should have ditched him sooner. He was right but I still wanted to beat him with my weight belt.
My buddy, who is a PADI instructor, was really leading the dive. He wanted to lobster hunt while I just wanted to watch. We stayed together through most of the dive but communicated little. About 20 minutes in I felt my air was getting on the low side, 1200 psi, and started signaling a desire to turn around and head toward the boat. My buddy agreed and we started a reciprocal back to the boat. That was the first mistake. We should have surfaced, made visual contact with the boat, communicated, and confirmed our heading and distance.
Because we dove toward shore, that's where the lobsters are, we were fighting surge and waves the whole way back. I was not used to this as I had always planned my dives to avoid current on the return. My consumption skyrocketed. Wasn't long before I had dipped below 1000 without much progress toward the boat. I signaled 900 & boat to my buddy and got okay back. That's when my buddy promptly started to inspect a ledge for lobster. I should have left him there. That was second mistake. Instead I waited until my air dropped to 700.
At 700 psi I started having trouble staying down. I was under weighted and didn't realize it. Rather than try to stay down with a buddy who had clearly lost interest in me I began my ascent. Once on the surface I fully inflated my wing and checked for the boat. I was down to 500 psi and had 200 feet of current and kelp between me and the boat. I made contact with the crew and signaled for an assist. I could have probably done a surface swim around the kelp and made it to the swim step unassisted but mentally I was done. Instead I waited for the safety diver to come and drag my ass back to the boat.
By the time my knees hit the swim step I was down to 300 psi but out of danger. My buddy still hadn't surfaced. I told the crew what had happened, dragged my ass to the bench and began shedding my gear. My buddy hit the swim step just as I dropped my weight belt.
Once onboard my buddy asked me what happened. I told him I was low on air and couldn't get his attention. He said I should have ditched him sooner. He was right but I still wanted to beat him with my weight belt.
