My near-miss in the Galapagos
- Thread starter Leejnd
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OP
Leejnd
Contributor
I saw this line posted on another message board once, and it stuck with me:
(Just kidding around, Abaco...thanks for coming back and straightening things out!)
(Just kidding around, Abaco...thanks for coming back and straightening things out!)
lemon
Guest
Hey Leeanne, Thanks for posting and i'm very glad to hear that you escaped to tell the tale.
By any chance did you have a snorkel with you or do you think it might have helped? (i didn't read the whole thread so apologies if this was covered.) I never dive with mine but I guess it's a thought.
I was in the galapagos earlier last month and a diver on-board my liveaboard had multiple gear related issues with his rental gear. One dive the tank cam strap buckle completely failed on him with no way to fix underwater. On the very next dive he realized the replacement BCD he was given also had an air leak and wouldn't hold air. Both of those dives were at Darwin. He handled them well but I was beginning to wonder when his next failure was going to occur.
By any chance did you have a snorkel with you or do you think it might have helped? (i didn't read the whole thread so apologies if this was covered.) I never dive with mine but I guess it's a thought.
I was in the galapagos earlier last month and a diver on-board my liveaboard had multiple gear related issues with his rental gear. One dive the tank cam strap buckle completely failed on him with no way to fix underwater. On the very next dive he realized the replacement BCD he was given also had an air leak and wouldn't hold air. Both of those dives were at Darwin. He handled them well but I was beginning to wonder when his next failure was going to occur.
OP
Leejnd
Contributor
As I have aged, I've learned you have to face your demons, learn from the mistake and make amends to those you offended. I'm glad Ann has been so gracious.
Now before I start singing Kum ba ya can we get back to her post!!!
PS - I also "turned myself RED" since this site has provided a wealth of information for me as a diver of the 70's. It has provided me in a short amount of time friends, connections, and dive site/equipment information from actual divers worldwide.
Better feedback than trip advisor since we're all divers here.
So I challenge you............(click on your name, look to the left margin)
Turn yourself red for $40 a year or $3.33 cents per month, if this site has helped you in any capacity. Isn't one question answered worth $3.33 cents a month at our sports actual rates? That's not even a plastic safety whistle!!
Now before I start singing Kum ba ya can we get back to her post!!!
PS - I also "turned myself RED" since this site has provided a wealth of information for me as a diver of the 70's. It has provided me in a short amount of time friends, connections, and dive site/equipment information from actual divers worldwide.
Better feedback than trip advisor since we're all divers here.
So I challenge you............(click on your name, look to the left margin)
Turn yourself red for $40 a year or $3.33 cents per month, if this site has helped you in any capacity. Isn't one question answered worth $3.33 cents a month at our sports actual rates? That's not even a plastic safety whistle!!
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It's OK if you post after this, I don't work for SB. Just thought you could spare some change for SB and support them for all the answers they provide.
Please no more mobs for me
and the French :guillotine: again.
AB - "I am not an animal........."
Please no more mobs for me
and the French :guillotine: again.AB - "I am not an animal........."
Scott L
Contributor
It's OK if you post after this, I don't work for SB. Just thought you could spare some change for SB and support them for all the answers they provide.
Please no more mobs for me
AB - "I am not an animal........."
With all the knowledge that I have gained from participating on SB I came to the same conclusion many months with regard to making a contribution. Psssst, actually I was just hoping NetDoc (alumni) would buy another UF Gator shirt with the money...
LeeAnn,
Thanks for posting in such detail and answering and updating with so many posts after that.
I'm very thankful your BCD didn't blow out while you were at depth at Gordon Rocks and you didn't panic when you were OOA.
I know you've learned your lesson (I've learned mine from just reading this thread). From now on, I will bring my own gear, otherwise it's no diving. Another point to note: many dive magazines and liveaboards indicate the diving in the Galapagos is advanced - all the more important to have your own, reliable gear.
Regarding imperial to metric weight conversion - this might be something to put in your dive log book if you can't remember. If you'll be traveling a lot, especially to Asia, Australia, Europe or Mideast to dive, you'll soon need to figure this out again. For example, I use 12 pounds or 5 kg in 1mm fullsuit, 16 pounds (or 7kg) in 3mm. These go into my log book which I bring to the dive.
The only thing I would have decided to do differently might be the 2nd day. Given I wasn't there to experience what happened, but for diving on the second day (Gordon Rocks), the facts you wrote are: it's a new, advanced dive + questionable gear (which appeared unchanged from previous day) + divemaster who was looking after several newbies, and your buddy/hubby sitting it out. And after the previous day's experience, I think I would have sat that one out, maybe just snorkel (if there's much to see on the surface).
I look at it this way - Diving is inherently a dangerous sport (the diver is basically relying on a foreign life support), so it is important we analyze our actions and try to come up with solutions or things which could have been done better, if the unexpected happens (which you did very well). Hence, thank you, thank you for sharing this. Happy diving!
Thanks for posting in such detail and answering and updating with so many posts after that.
I'm very thankful your BCD didn't blow out while you were at depth at Gordon Rocks and you didn't panic when you were OOA.
I know you've learned your lesson (I've learned mine from just reading this thread). From now on, I will bring my own gear, otherwise it's no diving. Another point to note: many dive magazines and liveaboards indicate the diving in the Galapagos is advanced - all the more important to have your own, reliable gear.
Regarding imperial to metric weight conversion - this might be something to put in your dive log book if you can't remember. If you'll be traveling a lot, especially to Asia, Australia, Europe or Mideast to dive, you'll soon need to figure this out again. For example, I use 12 pounds or 5 kg in 1mm fullsuit, 16 pounds (or 7kg) in 3mm. These go into my log book which I bring to the dive.
The only thing I would have decided to do differently might be the 2nd day. Given I wasn't there to experience what happened, but for diving on the second day (Gordon Rocks), the facts you wrote are: it's a new, advanced dive + questionable gear (which appeared unchanged from previous day) + divemaster who was looking after several newbies, and your buddy/hubby sitting it out. And after the previous day's experience, I think I would have sat that one out, maybe just snorkel (if there's much to see on the surface).
I look at it this way - Diving is inherently a dangerous sport (the diver is basically relying on a foreign life support), so it is important we analyze our actions and try to come up with solutions or things which could have been done better, if the unexpected happens (which you did very well). Hence, thank you, thank you for sharing this. Happy diving!
OP
Leejnd
Contributor
Well garsh, EvaL, thanks for all the thanks! Just to clarify a couple things: no, there is no snorkeling at Gordon Rocks. It's a deep dive location, and the whole point really is to see the hammerhead sharks that hang out there. You can't snorkel anyway, because of the washing machine surface. As was discussed in detail earlier in this thread, clearly my decision to go on day 2 was a questionable one...which, well, to be perfectly honest, I kinda regret...and kinda don't. I mean, I got to see hammerhead sharks! But I'm sure I would regret it a LOT more (or my loved ones would anyway!) if I hadn't had a good outcome from that bad BCD.
I know I should come out and say that I regret doing it. I should say that. I know it. But dammit, I saw hammerhead sharks! Still, I shouldn't have done the dives. (But I saw hammerhead sharks!) Ahhh, it's a dilemma.
Anyway, re the logbook and noting my weight...funny you should mention that, which is actually a great lesson-learned from this incident - probably the LAST lesson to be learned from it! I did actually note my weight in kilos during my dives in Bali, in which I was wearing similar gear (5 mil wetsuit etc). But wouldn't you know it, I lost the log book! I have a new one, starting with dive #120 (I'm now up in the 150's) but I don't have any dives logged in which I was wearing kilos. And I didn't note it from my Galapagos dives either -- there was so much going on, I never did get the number of kilos I was wearing clarified...which annoys me.
Guess I'll have to take another trip somewhere where they use the metric system!
Just to clarify a couple things: no, there is no snorkeling at Gordon Rocks. It's a deep dive location, and the whole point really is to see the hammerhead sharks that hang out there. You can't snorkel anyway, because of the washing machine surface. As was discussed in detail earlier in this thread, clearly my decision to go on day 2 was a questionable one...which, well, to be perfectly honest, I kinda regret...and kinda don't. I mean, I got to see hammerhead sharks! But I'm sure I would regret it a LOT more (or my loved ones would anyway!) if I hadn't had a good outcome from that bad BCD. I know I should come out and say that I regret doing it. I should say that. I know it. But dammit, I saw hammerhead sharks! Still, I shouldn't have done the dives. (But I saw hammerhead sharks!)
Ahhh, it's a dilemma.Anyway, re the logbook and noting my weight...funny you should mention that, which is actually a great lesson-learned from this incident - probably the LAST lesson to be learned from it!
I did actually note my weight in kilos during my dives in Bali, in which I was wearing similar gear (5 mil wetsuit etc). But wouldn't you know it, I lost the log book! I have a new one, starting with dive #120 (I'm now up in the 150's) but I don't have any dives logged in which I was wearing kilos. And I didn't note it from my Galapagos dives either -- there was so much going on, I never did get the number of kilos I was wearing clarified...which annoys me. Guess I'll have to take another trip somewhere where they use the metric system!
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