I have never ran out my self. But had to share my air at 110 feet when the person I was diving,regulator froze up and he headed for my octo. We went up with him slightly panicking but I controlled it to the surface safely..Scott
Ooa ?
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When I was doing my Divemaster class, part of the class was that everyone took turns supervising a group of divers underwater, making sure to keep them together and checking there air. While underwater certain students were flagged by the Staff Instructor to either move away from the group or some other thing that is typical of new divers. While the DM leader was busy rounding up the group and checking everyones air, she ran out of air herself at 95 feet. She motioned to the closet diver she was out of air and the excerise was cut off and we all ascended. Im sure she felt pretty stupid for her lack of attention to her our gauge.
As for checking gauges, I check my frequently, and keep it my hand so I can look at it often. I also check my buddies air as often as I check my own when I'm diving with friends, and obviously when I'm with a class I check early and often as they say.
Ryan Stone
IDCS
As for checking gauges, I check my frequently, and keep it my hand so I can look at it often. I also check my buddies air as often as I check my own when I'm diving with friends, and obviously when I'm with a class I check early and often as they say.
Ryan Stone
IDCS
Boy is this a timely question. Earlier this week I voted NO, I have never been in a OOA situation. Then about 5 hours ago, according to my dive computer, I had what can only be called, a near death experience. It's a short story, it's fresh in my mind, so here goes.
Today My dive buddy and I drove to the local lake, to meet about 15 other divers for a sunday dive. Our first dive was uneventful and enjoyable. Any time I can get wet and breath air that clean is an enjoyable day. My dive buddy and I took a 2 hour break, had lunch with most of the other divers, and had planned a second dive. His lunch must have not agreed with him, and he had to back out of dive number 2. However one of the other divers in the group, who was diving as a third with another couple, asked if he could buddy with me for his second dive. Being a friendly type I said sure, why not, he's one of the group.
He is a new diver, less than 25 dives, and just completed his AOW. He had a rented regulator he was trying out, and considering buying it. I asked him if he had anything in mind, and he said "yup, wana check this out at 90 ft and see how it performs, the dive shop adjusted it, so that it will work real smooth". I didn't think much of it, pretty standard check out run on a piece of kit you are considering buying. Well we made our decent to 15, did a final bubble check, and moved onto 90. The decent took about 10 min, following the slope of the lake bottom. Vis was nill without lights, and less than 15ft with lights, it was a little murky the temp wat 37 f. We were at depth for 6 minutes, when I noticed my freshman dive buddy having a little problem with his reg. It was pumping air, and was in free flow. He then started to "run" in a panic, not swim, run, and in a large circle around me. I grabbed my octo, held it out in front of me, and swam as fast as I could towards him. Shaking the item in front of his face, and grabbing his BC to keep him close, he seemed in a complete daze. Air flowing freely from his reg, and in complete panic, I finally got his attention by shaking him and making eye contact. Signaling to him that we will go up together he seemed to calm a little. I managed to control the ascent up to about 50 ft. when he took my otco, still being held out in front of his face. At this point, he reached down and started to fill he BC. We started to rise like a ballistic missile out of a sub. I'm dumping all my air, he's filling, my BC's out and I reach for his dump valve, and manage to stop us a 12ft. He ran out of air, we started to sink, at 30 ft I managed to bring our descent to a halt, and bring us to 14ft for a safety stop. I looked at my gauge, and saw it sitting at 600 psi. This new diver seeing the surface, bailed and swam to the surface, and found enough air for one last fill of his BC. I reluctantly followed him up to the surface and found him hyperventilating and unable to keep his face out of the water for long. Grabbing him from the back, I told him to calm down and I will get him to shore, which was about 400 yards away against a 25 mph wind. At this point I'm exhausted, angry, and wondering if I have hurt myself with the sudden rise.
Needless to say, my dive computer is having major issues with what we were put through. I just had the cr*p scared out of me, and this new diver is having second thoughts about ever diving again. I'll be back next weekend, but from this lesson, I've learned to never go deep with a new buddy...ever. Not until I know what type of diver he is. Next week will mark my 100th dive, today made me realize just how easy it is for things to go really wrong really fast.
Today My dive buddy and I drove to the local lake, to meet about 15 other divers for a sunday dive. Our first dive was uneventful and enjoyable. Any time I can get wet and breath air that clean is an enjoyable day. My dive buddy and I took a 2 hour break, had lunch with most of the other divers, and had planned a second dive. His lunch must have not agreed with him, and he had to back out of dive number 2. However one of the other divers in the group, who was diving as a third with another couple, asked if he could buddy with me for his second dive. Being a friendly type I said sure, why not, he's one of the group.
He is a new diver, less than 25 dives, and just completed his AOW. He had a rented regulator he was trying out, and considering buying it. I asked him if he had anything in mind, and he said "yup, wana check this out at 90 ft and see how it performs, the dive shop adjusted it, so that it will work real smooth". I didn't think much of it, pretty standard check out run on a piece of kit you are considering buying. Well we made our decent to 15, did a final bubble check, and moved onto 90. The decent took about 10 min, following the slope of the lake bottom. Vis was nill without lights, and less than 15ft with lights, it was a little murky the temp wat 37 f. We were at depth for 6 minutes, when I noticed my freshman dive buddy having a little problem with his reg. It was pumping air, and was in free flow. He then started to "run" in a panic, not swim, run, and in a large circle around me. I grabbed my octo, held it out in front of me, and swam as fast as I could towards him. Shaking the item in front of his face, and grabbing his BC to keep him close, he seemed in a complete daze. Air flowing freely from his reg, and in complete panic, I finally got his attention by shaking him and making eye contact. Signaling to him that we will go up together he seemed to calm a little. I managed to control the ascent up to about 50 ft. when he took my otco, still being held out in front of his face. At this point, he reached down and started to fill he BC. We started to rise like a ballistic missile out of a sub. I'm dumping all my air, he's filling, my BC's out and I reach for his dump valve, and manage to stop us a 12ft. He ran out of air, we started to sink, at 30 ft I managed to bring our descent to a halt, and bring us to 14ft for a safety stop. I looked at my gauge, and saw it sitting at 600 psi. This new diver seeing the surface, bailed and swam to the surface, and found enough air for one last fill of his BC. I reluctantly followed him up to the surface and found him hyperventilating and unable to keep his face out of the water for long. Grabbing him from the back, I told him to calm down and I will get him to shore, which was about 400 yards away against a 25 mph wind. At this point I'm exhausted, angry, and wondering if I have hurt myself with the sudden rise.
Needless to say, my dive computer is having major issues with what we were put through. I just had the cr*p scared out of me, and this new diver is having second thoughts about ever diving again. I'll be back next weekend, but from this lesson, I've learned to never go deep with a new buddy...ever. Not until I know what type of diver he is. Next week will mark my 100th dive, today made me realize just how easy it is for things to go really wrong really fast.
greyface
Guest
pt40fathoms, just reading your post made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end! You saved that dude's benind. Every day, this bd. enlightens me. I start my OW in 2 weeks, and your post has it's little niche' etched in memory. Thanks for sharing, and I'm so glad all is O.K.! I never want to be a liability to anyone. Your story (hopefully) will help me achieve that. Scary stuff!
I'm glad you take this so seriously Greyface. It's the next day now, and I'm still a little shaken as to the possible after effects of the event. I just posted a question to that affect on the medical thread. I'm sure the advice will be sound on that thread, and hopefully any observation as to the after effects I may be subject to will be in a positive nature. After all, my health is very important to me!
danceswithoctopus
Guest
Aside from an equipment malfunction, there is no excuse for running out of air or for letting your buddy run out of air. Many people on this board have discussed this issue many times and the answer always is to know how much air you have in your tank at all times--check often. Also, to check your buddy's air supply often (I often do this just by glancing at the guage as my buddy swims past, but if I need to I won't hesitate to take the guage in my hand). And to surface with a reserve left in your tank. That said, it's really great to hear that so many other divers do unannounced OOA drills with their buddies. I thought I was fairly unique in this, but apparently not. We have found it a great way to drill and to bolster confidence in each other, as well as familiarity with each other's equipment.
Okay: yes, I have run out of air once. It was the day before I put my sailboat on the grid for painting and I dove on the boat to clean the bottom. I used a tank that had only about 750# that was in need of a VIP. I planned to suck it dry and was watching the guage closely. It ended up emptying in about 4 feet of water and I surfaced. Not very exciting, but about the only way I really want to experience the feeling of sucking on an empty tank. (btw: I did have a pony with me as well, I just didn't use it.)
Okay: yes, I have run out of air once. It was the day before I put my sailboat on the grid for painting and I dove on the boat to clean the bottom. I used a tank that had only about 750# that was in need of a VIP. I planned to suck it dry and was watching the guage closely. It ended up emptying in about 4 feet of water and I surfaced. Not very exciting, but about the only way I really want to experience the feeling of sucking on an empty tank. (btw: I did have a pony with me as well, I just didn't use it.)
Spectre
Contributor
Nice save man... Hopefully that guy realizes just how lucky he was.
Rockhound
Guest
but nothing unplanned--no surprises beyond having a buddy think it was funny to turn my air off. Ha. Ha.
I've made a planned OAO ascent in an advanced class from 50' (a loooongggg time ago). Does anyone remember Stop-Drop-Blow-Go-Flare-There? I bet that's not DIR,eh? My AT-PAC was so heavy, even without the lead shot, that I began to sink on the flare. I found it a little disconcerting.
Let's see, I was once diving with a buddy who was on a 120 cf tank and I surreptiously "stole" his extra air to extend my bottom time to shoot a few last photos. He swam off, jerking the regulator unceremoniusly out of my mouth.....but I was reserving adequate air for the ascent and stop and he had more than enough. It only took me a moment to find my primary.
Oh, yea..... I've pretty much run the tank dry on safety stops a couple of times just to enjoy the end of the dive and the big-action bit longer (on a couple of winter "shark trips" in the Gulf). But those were planned and I had tanks hanging nearby.
and......last year I ran out of air after a really long dive off the jetties in Panama City. I had made it back into very shallow water and thought "what the heck" and deliberately ran the tank down as I made a swimming safety stop.
I've made a planned OAO ascent in an advanced class from 50' (a loooongggg time ago). Does anyone remember Stop-Drop-Blow-Go-Flare-There? I bet that's not DIR,eh? My AT-PAC was so heavy, even without the lead shot, that I began to sink on the flare. I found it a little disconcerting.
Let's see, I was once diving with a buddy who was on a 120 cf tank and I surreptiously "stole" his extra air to extend my bottom time to shoot a few last photos. He swam off, jerking the regulator unceremoniusly out of my mouth.....but I was reserving adequate air for the ascent and stop and he had more than enough. It only took me a moment to find my primary.
Oh, yea..... I've pretty much run the tank dry on safety stops a couple of times just to enjoy the end of the dive and the big-action bit longer (on a couple of winter "shark trips" in the Gulf). But those were planned and I had tanks hanging nearby.
and......last year I ran out of air after a really long dive off the jetties in Panama City. I had made it back into very shallow water and thought "what the heck" and deliberately ran the tank down as I made a swimming safety stop.
