My own little run in with "come to jesus"

[dumpsterDiver]

Well if you were not breathing oxygen, then the whole event seems like a minor issue. Go to back gas, hang with another diver, check their guages and yours with their light and resume the ascent. As long as there are other divers around with lights, doesn't seem like it was that big of a bummer except for loosing the light.


Last night I was solo night diving and doing an ascent from 80 feet with zero references, not even a SMB because the current was low and i knew I would come up near the wreck.

I recently bought one of the Dorcy aluminum lights with the screw on switch and have it clipped to a D-ring in a very DIR manner (I guess). I normally have lights that i can operate with one hand, but these lights are proving to be a bit of a pain. I was video taping at night and the camera and light setup were big. As I was ascending with the camera light off, the darn Dorcy light went out because the pressure was less and i needed to screw the light head down a little.

What a pain in the butt!. It takes 2 hands to turn on a back up light! Had to hold the camera in my knees. I never unclipped the light from the D-Ring, I guess i could unclip, place the head in my arm pit and turn the lght, and then re-clip to my shoulder, but that sounds like a good way to loose a light!

I never noticed how much I liked the one hand switch on some of my other lights. If we had bolt snaps, WITHOUT a swivel, then you could simply grab the head and twist the light on and off while it hangs from the shoulder D-ring. Does anyone else think that would be a big improvement?

 

[lowviz]

I've not had ANY tech training, but when I dive solo and do drifting deco on oxygen, if I have a problem with sinking, I am going to be going to backgas, before screwing around with anything like looking for a light. Glad you are OK.

You've been 'tech' since forever. BTW, one of your old off-hand comments taught me how to read gauges without a mask, -Thanks.

Sounds like a scary moment. Glad you're OK. Do you think your reaction to the situation would have been different had you been using a different deco gas; say 50% like other people in your group? Out of curiosity, why such drastically different deco gas strategies on same dive ?

"Adjust the plan"

Amphiprion -

Yah, I've since revisited my thoughts on unclipping backup lights. Due to the poor visibility, I really wanted a light in my hand for signaling purposes as well as making my position more obvious. One suggestion has been to clip it to the bungees on my gauge mount. That way if I drop it, it doesn't go to the bottom. In better viz, I'd just leave it clipped off.....

"Again, adjust the plan"

Marc,

Thanks for re-posting your experience in a non-DIR forum. This incident reinforces a suspicion of mine. Having any front-to-finish plan that you live and make your own (be it rec, tech, wreck, DIR, or whatever) gives you something to hold on to when your plan breaks.

Bottom line: you still have workable bits of your plan left for your mind to hold on to. The alternative being 'go screaming to the surface'.

Stay safe.

 

[liuk3]

Is there a GUE/DIR protocol for when you are unaware/concerned about your depth when conducting deco?

My personal reaction would have been to immediately switch to backgas if I was in your situation.

Use your buddy's gauges.

 

[TSandM]

In rereading this story, I have a question I didn't think of the first time. You were part of a team of three,right? How did you guys lose the line?

What I was taught was that, if you have a team of three and one diver is in trouble, although the diver who goes to his assistance SHOULD maintain line awareness, the primary role of the third diver on the team in that circumstance is to keep the team oriented. Was it just that the viz was so bad that you couldn't even see one another? And if so, how did Christian find you? Was it just luck?

 

[dumpsterDiver]

You've been 'tech' since forever. BTW, one of your old off-hand comments taught me how to read gauges without a mask, -Thanks.....

.

I had to think about that for a while....

Must have been a reference to the "bubble goggles" trick?

 

[lowviz]

I had to think about that for a while....

Must have been a reference to the "bubble goggles" trick?

Exactly.

Which is also why my bottom timer is on my left arm. Need the right hand for making 'circles'.:cool2: -All parts of my plan...

 

[Blackwood]

And if so, how did Christian find you? Was it just luck?

I suspect so.

I'm not sure how we lost it since I don't really know what was going on during that little episode. I'll ask Christian this weekend.

 

[Blackwood]

Well if you were not breathing oxygen, then the whole event seems like a minor issue.

Agreed... in retrospect. At the time it felt like a big deal.

Go to back gas, hang with another diver, check their guages and yours with their light and resume the ascent. As long as there are other divers around with lights, doesn't seem like it was that big of a bummer except for loosing the light.

Yes sir. Was my plan until Christian came and a better option presented itself. And in the end, I didn't even lose the light. The third team found it glowing at the bottom of the shotline.

What a pain in the butt!. It takes 2 hands to turn on a back up light! Had to hold the camera in my knees. I never unclipped the light from the D-Ring, I guess i could unclip, place the head in my arm pit and turn the lght, and then re-clip to my shoulder, but that sounds like a good way to loose a light!

Yah, or a camera

I never noticed how much I liked the one hand switch on some of my other lights. If we had bolt snaps, WITHOUT a swivel, then you could simply grab the head and twist the light on and off while it hangs from the shoulder D-ring. Does anyone else think that would be a big improvement?

I suspect you'd have to be maintain them with some added diligence to prevent eventually tearing through the attachment knot. As is, I only re-attach my snaps about once a year when I put them in the ultrasonic cleaner. Seems like if you're twisting against the knot, you may want to do so more often.

Interesting idea. Do they make those?

 

[cool_hardware52]

I suspect so.

I'm not sure how we lost it since I don't really know what was going on during that little episode. I'll ask Christian this weekend.

Glad to hear you solved the puzzle and avoided doing anything newsworthy.

Christian is a very aware diver. It's a pleasure to dive with him. He's well skilled and he's always seems to be where you you need him, when you need him.

He's one of those rare folks that anticipates what you need next.

Having Christian on your team was a very good decision.

Tobin