Near Miss OOA

[NETim]

Long, long ago in an ocean far, far away, I wasn't assertive enough with my dive buddy (I guess) and my tank went dry at 60fsw. I could see it coming. Couldn't get the dive buddy to quit the dive. We had it drilled into our heads that you just didn't abandon your buddy. It was a sin to become separated.

He didn't have an octo rig so I had no choice but to go topside. I remember being very proud of myself to remember to exhale the whole way. It was a VERY long way.

Now, as I'm re-equipping myself to resume the hobby, a brass SPG has even more attraction.

It oughtta pack more of a thump on a recalcitrant buddy's head.

 

[theduckguru]

About 40 years ago, a public service commercial used to run on TV about being right and driving. It showed a bad wreck, the announcer says he was right - dead right. Who cares if you are right as long as your alive.

 

[gcbryan]

Your only mistake was just showing him your pressure gauge at 750psi rather than signaling ending the dive.

We don't know how deep you were or whether he was aware of your experience level so it's hard to say for sure whether he reacted appropriately. If you were already shallow he could have assumed that 750psi was enough air for whatever he was planning for the rest of the dive. If you are going though air more rapidly than everyone else you need to make the decision to end the dive (and do it while you still have a reasonable amount of air left).

For sure it's your responsibility to monitor your air and not his. He may be roughly trying to keep track of everyone's air consumption but it's your responsibility.

 

[Jorgy]

TheJox thanks for posting......

I make it a point to check my air much more frequently at the beginning of the dive than at the end of the dive.......

This is in case there is an equipment malfunction or I am breathing more than normal (first dive in a while, rougher conditions, new/different equipment, new location, current, sharks, night dive, etc...)

Another item I use all the time is half tank symbol - hold one hand flat and make a T with your other hand........

So in a group situation, first diver to half tank let's the DM know....

We had an out and back wall dive in Curacao last December, where early in the dive my darling bride came to me with the half tank symbol which surprised me as her air consumption is very good. I turned saw the DM was looking at us, I pointed to her, made the half tank sign and then the OK sign. I then made a V for boat and indicated that we would return to the boat. The DM retuned the OK and kept leading the dive. We turned the dive and went shallow to the top of the wall, about 20-25 feet above where the group had been. She continued to breath her reg and I was right beside her, by the time we hit the boat she still had 900 psi and we had completed our safety stop. We were hanging at 15 feet looking at fish when the group came back to the boat, another diver immediately surfaced with no stop, OOA (or very very LOA). The point of the story is the LOA can happen, it is up the diver to handle it proactively.

M

 

[imwright1985]

A good habit to get into- before looking at your gauge take a guess at what your pressure will be, then look to see how close you were. Over time you'll get very accurate at predicting what gas you have left without even having to look. That will help you be more aware of your gas consumption as a dive progresses and avoid the surprises like you encountered on that dive.

i like that alot, just dont get too reliant on your normal air consumption though

 

[timle]

This is just one reason I don't "gaggle" dive. People tend to "follow the leader" and ignore events they would not have in a buddy pairing dive. There is peer pressure for the
group to remain together. However people have widely varying air consuption rates and the guy leading sometimes has the best.

Here we have 2 (of endless possibilities of how and when to signal the leader), none of which are standard (signal at 1200 and the half t sign). In a group dive how and when to signal should be covered in a briefing immeidately before the dive. Failing to do so, I'll conduct my own dive with a buddy - but I prefer this anyway. On the boat before an after the dive is a group activity, in the water it is a pairing or team sport - IMHO.

 

[ShakaZulu]

The OP is obviously a vacation diver...what do you expect, pretty much the norm. I'd say the dive master is to blame, he knows the problems you have with vacation divers, should have been more aware of his groups needs...

 

[divengolf]

thejoz, I don't know much about your buddy on this dive, but for all the new divers out there, I'd strongly suggest that whenever you do something "new", e.g. night dive, deep dive, drift dive, shore dive, etc., HIRE an experienced DM or Instructor to be your buddy. No other responsibility than to buddy with you and give you their undivided attention in case things get tense.

Cheap insurance. Also a good way to relax and learn a lot more in new surroundings.

Also a good thing to do if you haven't been in the water in some time, i.e., more than a year.

Just make sure that their only job is being your buddy.

 

[diver 85]

short answer IMO, yes--you are a certified diver & know how to keep up with air etc.....

 

[InTheDrink]

The OP is obviously a vacation diver...what do you expect, pretty much the norm. I'd say the dive master is to blame, he knows the problems you have with vacation divers, should have been more aware of his groups needs...

If you could premise your opening a little more politely I think that would be generally appreciated. Being patronised is rarely appreciated or helpful, particularly with a newer diver.

J