OOA at 100fsw

[Uncle Pug]

We were scootin' along at 100fsw several minutes into the dive separated by 20+ feet... just about the limit of viz.

Looking ahead to make sure I didn't run into anything... downrigger canonball, sea lion, jelly fish or whatever... I could still see Shane's light beam moving back and forth along with mine out in front of us.

All of a sudden I no longer saw his light beam but instead noticed a quick flashing on my scooter and extended arm. Turning toward Shane I could barely make out his outline but could clearly see the light flashing back and forth.

As he scootered over to me I took my regulator out of my mouth and over my head extending it to him. After he had it secured in his mouth I reached down and put my back up in my mouth.

This took only seconds to accomplish but I noticed in the exchange that we had momentarily dropped to 104 feet. I attribute this to not being neutral... our movement through the water with the scooters masking a slight negativity in one or both of us. Something to remember and correct next time.

Shane gave me the OK and returned my regulator.

 

[boomx5]

When was this? Was this only a drill? Why did he return your regulator, did he switch to a backup?

 

[Cave Diver]

boomx5 once bubbled...
When was this? Was this only a drill? Why did he return your regulator, did he switch to a backup?

My guess is it was a drill. UP, like many good divers regularly practice skills in an impromptu fashion.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Shane surprised me at an unlikely moment and at the point of maximum separation given the viz.... I was proud of him

Now... what if we hadn't been using lights... specifically focusable HID lights... and it had been an actual OOA... maybe even coupled with a scooter failure or entanglement?

 

[Cave Diver]

Uncle Pug once bubbled...
Shane surprised me at an unlikely moment and at the point of maximum separation given the viz.... I was proud of him

Now... what if we hadn't been using lights... specifically focusable HID lights... and it had been an actual OOA... maybe even coupled with a scooter failure or entanglement?

Then I would suppose that due to the awarness of the maximum penetration of light that you would have been diving closer together. I would further assume, that had there been an entaglement or scooter failure, instead of him getting your attention by signalling rapidly, he would have gotten it by the fact that his beam would have disappeared (pointing in another direction).

 

[Uncle Pug]

he would have gotten it by the fact that his beam would have disappeared

?

 

[MSP Rescue Diver]

Uncle Pug once bubbled...
We were scootin' along at 100fsw several minutes into the dive separated by 20+ feet... just about the limit of viz.

All of a sudden I no longer saw his light beam but instead noticed a quick flashing on my scooter and extended arm. Turning toward Shane I could barely make out his outline but could clearly see the light flashing back and forth.

As he scootered over to me I took my regulator out of my mouth and over my head extending it to him. After he had it secured in his mouth I reached down and put my back up in my mouth.

This took only seconds to accomplish but I noticed in the exchange that we had momentarily dropped to 104 feet. I attribute this to not being neutral... our movement through the water with the scooters masking a slight negativity in one or both of us. Something to remember and correct next time.

Shane gave me the OK and returned my regulator.

Is 20 feet of buddy separation acceptable if you have a scooter?

I'd be mightily ticked off at both myself and my buddy if we got that far apart, especially in limited visibilty.

Marc

 

[Uncle Pug]

FLL Diver once bubbled...
Is 20 feet of buddy separation acceptable if you have a scooter?

I'd be mightily ticked off at both myself and my buddy if we got that far apart, especially in limited visibilty.

Marc

We can close that distance quickly with a scooter. But if we were not using focusable HIDs then we would have to stick together like glue since you can separate very quickly when scootering.

We will separate that much and even more if viz allows... as long as we can see the HID beam we know: 1) where the other guy is 2) what he is looking at 3) what his situation is 4) where he is heading 5) if there is a problem. We practice OOA scenarios with separations of 30~40 feet at times without a scooter... that means you have to swim to close the distance.

 

[Rick Murchison]

In your description you refer to seeing Shane's light beam out front with yours, then its absence, followed by his emergency signal being directed at your scooter. I teach the first signal should be across the spot your buddy's light is shining, as that's most likely where his attention is focused.
What do you think?
Rick
PS - a 4' excursion? Oh, yeah, you need to work on that... HA! Great job.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Rick Murchison once bubbled...
I teach the first signal should be across the spot your buddy's light is shining, as that's most likely where his attention is focused.
What do you think?

We usually signal at or near the spot where the other diver's light is shining... but in this case the back of the scooter was a white reflective surface excellent for flashing the light on and Shane chose wisely and I reacted immediately.

As for the 4' excursion... we talked about that today... and Shane said that while I was at 100fsw he was actually at 106fsw (and slightly behind me) and he came up while I went down so I guess we didn't do as bad as I thought.... my Stinger recorded the meeting as 104fsw

BTW ~ he got his on the next dive at 70 fsw.