Out of Air at 84 ft

[RonFrank]

Based on everything I've read (I have NOT experienced OOA), it is something that generally does not happen without warning.

Actually there was a story (I think maybe Uncle Pug) of a diver who did run out of air at a similar depth, and his spare air failed... Alive to tell the story fortunately. The obvious instinct is to head to the surface, which is what he did...

I believe the answer to this based on training is, attempt to get the buddies attention, if that fails, do an ESA.

Ron

Your options are:

a) die
b) die
c) throw a less experienced diver in their path, steal his/her mask and fins and air and make a break for it.


I understand where pilot fish was coming from with the original post. I also like the way people have digressed. It's useful. And in the end it's all hypothetical anyway. You don't know what you'd actually do, unless you've been in that situation. I haven't, so I can't really say.

Nauticalbutnice :fruit:

 

[pilot fish]

Lots of people, myself included, do their first dives in NY. I've never dived anything that wasn't cold, heavy exposure protection, lots of current, low vis, or any combination of these factors.

I did my first 4 dives here in NY and that is why I'm not too keen on it. 59* water is cold

 

[pilot fish]

Well you forgot to include that your no good buddy not only left, but before doing so he chummed the waters. Now there are 300 20' Great White sharks in a feeding frenzy, and thre is NO MORE CHUM!!!



Just when things could not possibly get ANY worst, they DO!! In your panic, you have backed into the coral, and cut the heck out of your arm!! To make matters worst, a baracuda swims by avoiding a hungry Great White, and there goes your mask!! Another shark mistakes you fin for a fish, and there goes one fin!!



So now you are at 84', bleeding, surrounded by Great Whites in a feeding frenzy, out of air, without a mask, and missing one fin!!! So what do you do?? What??

Don't worry about how you got to 84' surrounded by Killer Sharks, OOA, missing a fin, and mask, the most important thing is to discuss what the REAL alternatives are...

:1poke:

Ron

Narcosis?

 

[Far_X]

I did my first 4 dives here in NY and that is why I'm not too keen on it. 59* water is cold

Where did you dive then? I must say that I love it. Being in the water is being in the water. Of course the visibility can be crap and some beaches if check out are happening at the same time, the silt can be easily stirred up and visibility is zero!! Btu you remember your training and experience and know that because you are in current, the silt is most likely to be swept away and you hold your position. If you are a bad diver and a bad buddy, your experiences will stay the same, if you are a good buddy and a learning diver, they will always get better no matter what conditions you dive. Get a dry suit and dive local. It is a great teacher!!

 

[simbrooks]

Actually there was a story (I think maybe Uncle Pug) of a diver who did run out of air at a similar depth, and his spare air failed... Alive to tell the story fortunately. The obvious instinct is to head to the surface, which is what he did...

That is a pretty big claim against our UP! I cant see UP totting a spareair around for any reason, but it appears in his early days he had an experience with spare air that we could all learn from!

I did my first 4 dives here in NY and that is why I'm not too keen on it. 59* water is cold

Typically from what i see and hear, those divers could help you in your quest for better buddy skills. From what i see on here there are quite a few in your area that it might be worth heading out with to work on buddying and generally get skills down (never bad to practice - i do it all the time). The water isnt as nice and warm as the Carribbean, but its diving nonetheless and worth the effort. You could even hit Dutch, i know of a few who go there regularly.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

59* water is cold

Depends on what you're used to. It never gets that warm here (Puget Sound). In summer the water temps typically get up to mid-50's. Winter they drop down to low-40's. Right now it's about 48 degrees (F).

Snowbear lives in Alaska, and refers to our conditions as "warm-water diving" ... :11:

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[opiniongirl]

I'd just continue down...if you're gonna die, may as well be narced and enjoy it.

 

[pilot fish]

That is a pretty big claim against our UP! I cant see UP totting a spareair around for any reason, but it appears in his early days he had an experience with spare air that we could all learn from!


Typically from what i see and hear, those divers could help you in your quest for better buddy skills. From what i see on here there are quite a few in your area that it might be worth heading out with to work on buddying and generally get skills down (never bad to practice - i do it all the time). The water isnt as nice and warm as the Carribbean, but its diving nonetheless and worth the effort. You could even hit Dutch, i know of a few who go there regularly.

Dutch Springs, fresh water, quarry diving, holds NO allure for me. I think I'd do a cold water, wreck dive on Long Island before that. Not sure.

 

[Far_X]

I'd just continue down...if you're gonna die, may as well be narced and enjoy it.

I like your attitude, let's be buddies

 

[pilot fish]

Depends on what you're used to. It never gets that warm here (Puget Sound). In summer the water temps typically get up to mid-50's. Winter they drop down to low-40's. Right now it's about 48 degrees (F).

Snowbear lives in Alaska, and refers to our conditions as "warm-water diving" ... :11:

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

That was in late Spring in NY. It is now in the 40s here too now