No SMB, no good

[sibermike7]

Did you figure out the breathing issue? Was it your equipment or just the situation.

Equipment mostly. I picked up another set of regs this week. Now I have my Poseidon and ScubaPro sets in the shop and another Poseidon as a third![/quote]

(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)

A lot of times if the temp drops the vis goes up. You should try it under ice!

 

[sibermike7]

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.

I had never had a problem with narcosis at this depth (or on this particular wreck for the matter) before. I think, as I have stated, the excessive amount of labor to breathe caused me to intake too much nitrogen which then brought on the narcosis. I was not severely narc'd, but I knew that I was impaired. I recognized it and decided to call the dive even though I couldn't find the upline, reasoning that it would be better to ascend without reference then stay looking for the line and possibly have a catastrophic equipment failure.

Even ascending w/o reference line would not have been a big deal if I hadn't stupidly decided to forego the SMB, and if the surface conditions hadn't turned sour.

 

[TSandM]

I think, as I have stated, the excessive amount of labor to breathe caused me to intake too much nitrogen which then brought on the narcosis.

It doesn't work that way, but it IS likely that the increased work of breathing caused you to retain CO2, which is powerfully narcotic.

 

[sibermike7]

It doesn't work that way, but it IS likely that the increased work of breathing caused you to retain CO2, which is powerfully narcotic.

Wasn't sure which gas did it but I am still pretty sure that narcosis is generally also called "nitrogen narcosis" because it is the nitrogen that is the cause. However, if you are saying that the symptoms of narcosis can be the same as excess CO2, then I'm with you. Regardless, I just know that heavy breathing is problematic! (Learned that when we used to make prank phone calls as kids!)

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Once again your comments/questions demonstrate (to me anyway) that you are not yet prepared to do these kind of dives.

 

[openmindOW]

SiberMike, thank you for your posts. By posting on this thread, you are helping others divers to learn. You are demonstrating thoughtfulness and intelligence by posting. And you are helpng us all. Thank you.

 

[sibermike7]

Once again your comments/questions demonstrate (to me anyway) that you are not yet prepared to do these kind of dives.

I could get irritated by your entirely useless posts and make some snide comment like, "Once again, based on your comments, you demonstrate that you are not prepared to be an instructor," but I'll refrain.

I will, however, ask you to instead of only making disparaging comments, why not enlighten us as to what could have/ should have been done differently and/or better. The whole purpose of my original posts was to encourage comments about how to avoid situations like this and prevent them in the future. If all posters get for posting in this forum is deconstructive criticism, few will be willing to expose themselves to such unproductive comments which only gender strife. In consequence, all suffer.

I haven't seen much from you that has even attempted to do that, and you are supposed to be an instructor.

 

[Deefstes]

I haven't seen much from you that has even attempted to do that, and you are supposed to be an instructor.

Well said.

 

[jkaterenchuk]

I would suggest that you take a real technical wreck course from a technical instructor. Not a PADI wreck course. You are engaging in dives that fall in this category and you would find the course both interesting and valuable to improve your skill set and safety.

John

 

[reticentDiver]

Mike, thanks for posting a detailed description of this incident. Good to know everything ended ok for all involved.

For what is worth I think that the origin of the whole incident is that you did not know one of your buddies was having trouble with his gear and this led to confusion. A lesson for everyone, the need to communicate more and not assume things under water!

But your point about the importance of carrying an SMB is well noted. Hopefully people will read this thread and avoid the bad moments you had to go through by taking that simple precaution.

Thanks!