No SMB, no good

[sibermike7]

The problems began with a buddy separation on descent. The OP had information that made him think he knew what the problem was, so he waited for his teammate at 20 feet on the anchor line. I don't think that's heinous, although if the other diver had had some kind of serious problem, it would have been better to have the whole team on the surface with him to help deal with it. (What if he had been having chest pain or shortness of breath?)

I realize that I wrote "third guy" when referring to Mart, but he was the 2nd one on the line. I called him "third" because he was added last to our team. So I was at 20' he was at 10' and Mait was on the surface. Our dive boat is one of those with the inflatable sides. It is like a BIG Zodiac. On board was a Master Instructor supervising and a DM trainee who was doing most of the hands-on stuff. I had stopped as soon as I realized that there was only 2 of us on the line. I actually could only tell he was there because of the location of the light.

When the team regrouped, there was no communication about what the problem had been, so you weren't in a place to monitor your buddy for possible further issues with the valve. A quick point to the drysuit dump and a "not so good" sign would have prepared you for possible issues later.

Agreed.

Not to excuse myself, but I was on one side with Mait on the other and Mart in the middle. I couldn't even see what Mait was doing. I could see that Mart had a visual on him and was not offering any assistance. This indicated to me that whatever Mait was doing he didn't need any help. As he later related, he didn't want any help, he just wanted a few minutes to work it out himself.

I thought that he wanted to see the dead seal which had been trapped in some nets and was inside the wreck but visible from above. I know he hadn't seen it last time and I also knew that he wasn't in the right place to see it. So I was miffed that he wasn't sticking to the plan and wasn't going to accomplish what he was trying to accomplish by altering the plan either!

When you reached the wreck, there was no communication from your buddies about why they were not following the plan. You don't state this, but I know in the same situation, this would have put me a couple of kicks behind them as they started off. I would have signaled the team and asked, "Question, that way?", pointing to the prop area. At least you might then have gotten some info about the bad valve.

Agreed. I should have verified to be true what I thought that I knew. I would have learned that Mait wasn't "seal searching" and was having valve trouble. We could have thumbed the dive and not gone through a scary ascent. But then again, I would still be letting Mait supply the SMB! SO I am thankful that I was forced to consider the NECESSITY of a SMB without any thing worse happening.

Problems were then compounded by silting. This is where I have enormous sympathy -- I HATE silt clouds, especially since there is no reason at all for them to be raised when cruising the deck of an open wreck.

A lot of the "silt" was suspended particles that had been brought in by the current, i.e., vis was bad to start with!

(Did you guys have lights, BTW?)

Since we weren't going into the wreck I only had 2, a primary and a back-up.

But when you see the viz dropping, it's time to close ranks and get in tight, to where, if it goes to zero, you can go into touch contact. Still, even with correct procedures, it's quite possible to lose teammates in such conditions.

Agreed and very true. I think one of the biggest things that threw the whole thing out of kilter was having a third added to our 2-man team at the last minute. I should have conducted a better plan to integrate the third member into a new or modified plan rather than just stick him in between us, which is what we did to no good effect.

Having found yourself alone, you tried to execute the plan to return to the upline and regroup -- this is where I get a bit puzzled. I've missed uplines on a number of occasions, but they were always where the anchor or buoy was in natural substrate that looked the same as all the substrate around it. On a ship, you have landmarks and a very defined space to search. If you were unable to distinguish bow from stern, perhaps you guys shouldn't have wandered so far from the upline?

Would seem pretty obvious wouldn't it?
The wreck is not all in one piece but has some rather large pieces. I think that I got on one of the pieces and not the main stern section where the buoy line was. I was fighting for air with the reg and sucking up way too much air. I then knew I was getting "buzzed," confused and anxious. I could tell that I was lost and was more than a little worried about the air supply I was getting. That was when I decided to stop trying to find the line and start my ascent. As I was hanging out at 45' I realized that I had no idea how far I was being pushed from the boat.

The last step is a diver, alone in poor viz, unable to navigate, and without a surface marker. But the chain that got you there is a long one, and might have been broken at any number of points along the way.

True, true. That is why I posted. It could have gone completely south! However, a few steps could also have prevented even something nervy from happening.

I think the biggest lesson here is that good communication would have gone a long way to prevent things.

You said it!

 

[sibermike7]

Stuff here for everyone to learn from
... Do you have, and take with you, a SMB now?

I found a way to attach mine to my BC with 2 loops of bungee that keeps it in a fairly streamlined fashion so that I'll always have it with me

That should work fine!

 

[sibermike7]

What a story. Deefstes, I think you're right. Missing diver or separation procedures should be reviewed and adhered to on any dive. They may vary from recreational to technical diving, but they need to be followed. But there is one more thing. If you're having equipment problems, call the dive. No sense risking an accident.

Sibermike, I think you should remind your buddies of this. But it's a really interesting story. Thank you for sharing it with us. I'm glad nobody was hurt or lost.

You're welcome.
What are your separation procedures?

 

[TSandM]

Mike, I'd really like to compliment you on the excellent spirit in which you are taking the feedback you are getting. It's awfully easy to get defensive and upset when people take apart the things that have happened to you -- as I know, from having posted any number of my own screwups. But these stories really ARE the best educational lessons a bulletin board can offer to its member -- the things that went wrong and wronger, but where the participants came back to write about them. Again, thank you for posting this.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Mike, I'd really like to compliment you on the excellent spirit in which you are taking the feedback you are getting. It's awfully easy to get defensive and upset when people take apart the things that have happened to you -- as I know, from having posted any number of my own screwups. But these stories really ARE the best educational lessons a bulletin board can offer to its member -- the things that went wrong and wronger, but where the participants came back to write about them. Again, thank you for posting this.

I agree. I used to dive deep wrecks in cold dirty water and based on what you described and your failure to plan for a very predictable problem of not being able to find the upline, I honestly do not think you were qualified to be doing the dive. Certainly not going to the bottom in 130 to see a prop along with a "third wheel" who doesn't sound like he was on board with the dive plan.

If you felt narced at 100 feet and were having trouble finding your way (or predicting what would happen when you made a free ascent) you have no business diving to 130 ft to see the prop. I think you should continue to think more about problem scenarios and get used to narcosis a little before you jump off the deck and head for the sand.

Sounds like you are doing very challenging diving with very little experience.

 

[stadevene]

Sounds like you are doing very challenging diving with very little experience.

I wouldn't jump to that conclusion. His bio reads:

Started diving in 1983 while with USMC and TAD to NTC San Diego. Certified both PADI and NAUI.

Certification Level
ADDMM

While he doesn't list his number of dives I would think what he does list would cut him some slack no?

 

[D_B]

Thanks for posting Mike, and you too Lynne, you always seam to cover all the points, and informative to read your take on things

 

[irishsquid]

Hey Mike!
First, let me say I'm glad everything eventually turned out OK. As some have stated, this could have had different outcomes. Second, thanks for sharing your experience. Did you figure out the breathing issue? Was it your equipment or just the situation. The good thing is being able to leave this incident with a little more experience and knowledge that I know you will put to good use.
(Short Hijack)- Dude, would you believe the trench we dove back in spring is colder now with air temps. in the upper 90s now, compared to our our last dive then? At least our vis is up to about 50-60ft on my last one. (Hijack over)

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I wouldn't jump to that conclusion. His bio reads:



While he doesn't list his number of dives I would think what he does list would cut him some slack no?

He said he had 40 dives in that area, I wrongly assumed that was his total dives. Sorry if that is incorrect.

However, if he has been diving for 25 yrs, then he REALLY should have considered the contingency of loosing the upline in bad vis?

 

[sibermike7]

He said he had 40 dives in that area, I wrongly assumed that was his total dives. Sorry if that is incorrect.

This is not my total dives. I am kind of a perfectionist in some areas (sounds odd considering this is in a thread of stupid things I did on a dive!) I did not post my number of dives because I don't know how many I have. I have traveled all over the world and was in Siberia for 7 years, for example. We have lost all our possessions more than once due to political problems on the foreign field of service, so I do not remember the total number of dives I have had without the log books (which would go back for 26 years). I have had 40 dives (appx.) since Oct. here in Estonia (read COLD water, bad vis.) That is part of the reason for posting. I knew better and SHOULD have known better.

However, if he has been diving for 25 yrs, then he REALLY should have considered the contingency of loosing the upline in bad vis?

You got it! Actually, I had considered the contingency of losing the line, and I followed it. I surfaced! What got me into trouble was getting lazy about strapping on the SMB. I knew that Mait was going to be practicing every dive and I usually stick to him like glue (he has only been diving about 17 months). I blew it, and admitted it! Also, this is the first time I have gotten separated from Mait here in the Baltic sea and he is my primary dive buddy.