OOA Buddy starts to drag you up by your octo - What would you do?

[caseybird]

Hmmmm ... have you ever found yourself diving with someone who used an inline backup (i.e. AirII, SS1, etc)?

If so, how did you handle it?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Yeah, I've dove with two divers with Air2, I hate it, told them so, didn't change anyone's mind. Big victory for me. Not. The whole "I eliminated a hose so it's worth it" argument seems bogus, I think the air 2 makes a stressful situation more difficult, since the donating diver has to breathe and vent from the same place. Where do you want your air supply? In your mouth or over your head?
Should I have refused to dive with them? You tell me. We were doing relatively shallow open water dives in easy conditions, I didn't think too much about it. If I was a scubaboard purist, I could have refused to dive with them. However, I've found few pure situations in life, and I elected to do the dives. Plus, I believe you guys have figured I'm not much of a purist. That box is too small for me.
In a more demanding environment such overhead or deco, I wouldn't dive with Air2's. Apparently, I have a sliding scale of diving purity.
So, we all have 2 big choices: absolute adherence to the "rules" or a flexible approach to decision making. I prefer to make my go/no go decisions based on the dive I'm doing. Others make their decisions differently.
An interesting question.

 

[H2Andy]

.. 60fpm is better than nothing

well, more than likely, it will happen so fast that by the time you start to take corrective action, the runaway ascent is going much too fast to significantly slow down

but yeah ... if you're riding the rocket up, might as well try to slow it down

 

[halocline]

I've only made it through 10 pages of this (at this time) 23 page thread, so I apologize if this has already been said, but if a panicked diver is heading for the surface, it's VERY unlikely you'll be able to stop him/her.

A minor, sort of, version of this scenario happened to me with a novice insta-buddy once; she was not OOA, but could not control her ascent as we approached a safety stop, and had previously asked me to help her hold the stop if necessary. Despite both of us trying to stay down, including me holding her hand while kicking hard upside down, we both ended up on the surface quickly. Once she was on the surface and okay, I immediately went back to 15 ft to do my stop. I suppose if you had a rapid ascent from some depth with an OOA diver, you could do something similar. I'm pretty sure that in most situations like this, if you're going to share air, you're heading for the surface like it or not. You might be able to slow it down somewhat, but if it were me, I'd head straight back down and stay at 15 ft as long as practical.

 

[Soggy]

You might be able to slow it down somewhat, but if it were me, I'd head straight back down and stay at 15 ft as long as practical.

Why? Also, why would you choose 15ft as the in water recompression stop? What benefit do you think you will receive by going back and doing your missed safety stop?

If you are asymptomatic, returning to depth is a poor choice. If you are worried, go on O2. That will do you far more good than going back down to safety stop depth.

 

[TSandM]

Don't most people have a sliding scale of diving purity?

I dive with most anybody who wants to dive with me, but I take them to the local underwater park where you can get to 35 feet with a shovel. If you drag me to the surface from somewhere at Edmonds, I'll be annoyed and that's it.

 

[Puffer Fish]

well, more than likely, it will happen so fast that by the time you start to take corrective action, the runaway ascent is going much too fast to significantly slow down

but yeah ... if you're riding the rocket up, might as well try to slow it down

My worst was someone grabbing my reg, out of my mouth, from over my left shoulder, never saw them.

I think you need to actually have it happen to understand.. panic does not lead to multitasking. If they want air, they want air, so if they decided to swim over and grab yours, then at that point, they are not headed up. It is after they get that nice breath of fresh, canned air, that that they want to get to the big air supply in the sky. You have some small amount of time to take corrective action. And they will not do anything, at that point to stop you. They seem to be a bit focused on the task at hand.

I would guess that everyone would act slightly different, but everyone seems to do the same, general behavior. And them holding the reg with the grip of death is also rather standard OP.

And it is nothing like a practice drill.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Yeah, I've dove with two divers with Air2, I hate it, told them so, didn't change anyone's mind. Big victory for me. Not. The whole "I eliminated a hose so it's worth it" argument seems bogus, I think the air 2 makes a stressful situation more difficult, since the donating diver has to breathe and vent from the same place. Where do you want your air supply? In your mouth or over your head?
Should I have refused to dive with them? You tell me. We were doing relatively shallow open water dives in easy conditions, I didn't think too much about it. If I was a scubaboard purist, I could have refused to dive with them. However, I've found few pure situations in life, and I elected to do the dives. Plus, I believe you guys have figured I'm not much of a purist. That box is too small for me.
In a more demanding environment such overhead or deco, I wouldn't dive with Air2's. Apparently, I have a sliding scale of diving purity.
So, we all have 2 big choices: absolute adherence to the "rules" or a flexible approach to decision making. I prefer to make my go/no go decisions based on the dive I'm doing. Others make their decisions differently.
An interesting question.

Me ... I consider a potential dive buddy's attitude to be way more important than gear configuration, or even skills. The latter two may determine our choice of dive sites or profiles, but the first consideration will determine whether or not I'll choose to get in the water with someone at all.

As an instructor, I've got to be pretty familiar with how different configurations work. Can't afford to be a "purist".

Now, if we're talking about an aggressive dive, I'll be a bit more picky ... but I'll still prioritize by attitude, then skill level, then gear.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[caseybird]

Me ... I consider a potential dive buddy's attitude to be way more important than gear configuration, or even skills. The latter two may determine our choice of dive sites or profiles, but the first consideration will determine whether or not I'll choose to get in the water with someone at all.

As an instructor, I've got to be pretty familiar with how different configurations work. Can't afford to be a "purist".

Now, if we're talking about an aggressive dive, I'll be a bit more picky ... but I'll still prioritize by attitude, then skill level, then gear.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Yeah, I like the attitude comment. The right attitude will allow one diver to beg off a dive he isn't prepared to make, and allow his buddy to accept that decision and reformulate the dive plan. Save the egos and macho stuff, learn to enjoy the dive.
I find myself in this situation occasionally. I dive with some truly cave/ wreck/ deep heavy hitters and I am not prepared to do some of the dives they're doing. I know it, I let them know, and we make a new plan. No hurt feelings.
Hey, way off topic: My son is being posted to Fort Lewis, WA in Febuary, Since I'll be visiting during the summer, Are there any dive boat ops that supply tanks and weight?
What about guided dives? What do you reccommend?
Thanks,

 

[caseybird]

Don't most people have a sliding scale of diving purity?

I

Sometimes it seems that a keyboard and modem make people become the purest of the pure. I suspect in real life, most are a lot more willing to observe, learn and adapt than it comes across on SB. Myself included.
Hey T: I've always admired your posts, good questions and you're obviously trying to learn, not lecture. Thanks.

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Ah just read through this post for the first time, if its not a student teacher situation, and its just some instabuddy i'd yank my octo back and let them do their rocketing.