Open water

[CROCETTI]

I just saw the movie Open Water for the first time a few days ago. The whole movie is about this couple who gets left behind while on a dive and is never found. I have been on several dives in the ocean and know what it is like to be taken by the current etc. and I know stuff like that has happened before but is it really as common as they made it seem? Do a lot of divers get lost or left behind?

 

[jbisjim]

I've made it back every time.

I heard a story in the Keys of that happening a few years ago. Then this Open Water movie, which i won't pay actual money to see. Other than that i have not heard too many. Maybe other have?

 

[tkrock]

I have seen the movie! Worth a rent Maybe..... but not to see in the movies. Anyway, this isn't a common occurence at all. Think about how little money dive operators make as it is..... They can't afford to pay for a HUGE mistake like that!!!

 

[Tanked]

My wife and I saw it in the theater, and made us both upset. My wife because it gave her another reason to worry when I dive, and me because I wasted 20 bucks on that piece of crap.
The movie is based on an actual couple being left behind, but the movie made it sound like its a common thing. In fact I think the guy even says "it happens more often than you think". Which I think is ridiculous, yeah it happened but its probably a one in a million chance.

 

[NauticalbutNice]

Been left behind once, by accident, on a very busy diveboat (not my regular one). Me and my buddy (my regular one!) looked at each other, watched the boat disappear into the distance, and shrugged. What were we going to do?

So we stayed put (we could have swum to shore, but it was a hike through the woods and up a hill to get to a main road - we thought we had more chance of the boat coming back!), plenty of air for suit warmth and buoyancy, so we just had a nice chat. We were there about 20 minutes, and neither of us were that freaked. We were going to give them 45 minutes and then swim for the shore and go for a hike.

When the boat came back they were all flustered and we didn't have to pay for our dives!

I don't know that many divers that it has happened too - look at it this way: if they made a film about it, it suggests it's pretty rare.

Relax and happy diving

Nauticalbutnice :fruit:

P.S I-Spy gets really silly and quite giggly when you are adrift at sea. Every second go is "...something beginning with w....WATER!"

 

[scubapro50]

the part of the movie everbody talks about is the divers being left behind ... how about the sharks ? I have never been left behind and I have never been bitten by a shark .... but there has been a few times where more than one shark circled me and have taken an interest. I have developed three simple rules .... (1) one shark I keep an eye on it at all times (2) two sharks and we start to head back to the boat (3) three or more sharks you will find me out of the water having a beer. As a general rule the larger the shark the quicker I get to rule #3.

 

[SueMermaid]

This movie is next on my Netflix list. I know, everyone hated it. I want to join in on the bashing too.

 

[StSomewhere]

Learn the important lessions from the movie:

• Stay with the group (or at least stay close enough to the boat to hear the engines start).
• Let someone know which dive operation you are going with and when to expect you back.
• Have signaling devices with you (safety sausage, dive whistle, dive alert/horn, signal mirror, etc.), and know how to use them.
• Make sure the boat has a good check-out/check-in process.
• Make conversation on the boat with the DM, captain and other divers. That way they'll remember you.
• Most important, if you see a buoy then fergawdzsakes swim towards it.

 

[Walter]

You might also want to make friends with someone else on the boat. You promise not to let the boat leave without them if they'll do the same for you.

Yes, it has happened, but it is extremely rare. It usually results in a delay in getting to shore followed by a lawsuit.

 

[NauticalbutNice]

You might also want to make friends with someone else on the boat. You promise not to let the boat leave without them if they'll do the same for you.

Yes, it has happened, but it is extremely rare. It usually results in a delay in getting to shore followed by a lawsuit.

Hmm...a lawsuit you say? Nice way to make my dive money J/K

Our problem came from the fact that one of the divers on the boat had fallen and broken their wrist on board - unfortunately this led to panic (it's a break...not a panic situation but never mind...) and the plan was to get them to the hospital asap.

This meant that procedure went out the window. I would not dive with this group again. Imagine if someone had had DCS. Panic is never good, in any situation.

Luckilly, me and my buddy had our "if it all goes wrong" backup plan. We always have this. (Moral: dive with pessimists!)

Nauticalbutnice :fruit: