Out of air emergency at 105 feet

[udtfire]

hey great job ill dive with you .as for the safety stop yes if possiable, i have brought divers up at there panic level and the returned to 20 feet to finish my air off and extra long safety stop if you will. this is my way of helping them and me as well just my thought.
dive safe stay wet and enjoy our sport buck@dive911.com

 

[Pearldiver07]

You did great.

Your decisions, considering how the DM handled it, were well made in my opinion.

Similar happened to me in Borneo. Just assumed the tank was full, as we didn't have much time between on the boat and on the site. It was only a couple of minutes from the dock, and I allowed myself to get rushed, so I didn't check.

We were going deep to photograph Coleman Shrimp. I rolled off, got to about 35 feet, and confirmed my readings, to realize that I had only 1700 psi. I waved "bye bye" to them and climbed back aboard. The DM helped me swap tanks, then I checked PSI, took a couple of practice drags on the reg to ensure it was open and rolled off again.

What I didn't know was the DM for some reason charged the tank, then turned off the air again (?!?!?). I was only 5-10 feet down so I did a CESA and opened my valve at the surface my self.

The next attempt, my ears just wouldn't clear. I guess that I wasn't meant to see them that day. I sat on the boat grumbling, to later only have everyone else raz me for not doing my own checks, and never assume that the DM's always got it right (these guys were generally very good though, I gotta say that).

As my friend got back aboard, he noted that he screwed up too. He put his DSLR into the housing, put it all together with the twin strobes on extended arms, but forgot to take off the camera's lense cap first.

Well, he got to lug that around for a whole dive, missing some very good shots too.

Bottom line of all of these stories?

NEVER, NEVER get rushed enough to miss doing your own checks, no matter how much you believe someone else is reliable. It's your final responsibility.

 

[Gombessa]

I think people are being a bit flippant with the "wave goodbye and leave the guy to CESA" talk here. I would NEVER leave an OOG diver to his own devices after providing assistance.

I think you made the right call. You signaled for a safety stop, your "buddy" nixed the idea, you considered that he may have a problem necessitating an early ascent to the surface, and made the decision with him to ascend.

Ideally, I think I would have signaled "slow down," pulled out my SPG and showed it to him, then signaled safety stop one more time. If he still wanted to bypass it he would either so signal or just start heading up. Either way, I'd go with him.

It might be different if you were either in or closer to a deco obligation, but I'm not trained in dealing with a panicked diver, I certainly don't want to do anything to induce a panic, and for me, the balance between missing a safety stop and losing an OOG diver or creating a panic situation tilts in favor of skipping the stop.

 

[ScubaSteve]

You don't say it so I can only assume that you were the DM's buddy? Where was everybody else? This is Mexico where DMs are mandatory and it becomes a follow the leader dive. You say that YOU stayed at 97 feet and the DM went to 105.....typically in pack diving, the swarm follows the leader. Did the DM swim past people to get to your octo? This is a perfect example of why a diver should NEVER rely on the DM (solely) to keep them safe. Some good, some bad. I have no issues with calling this one a BAD one.

 

[RJP]

I think people are being a bit flippant with the "wave goodbye and leave the guy to CESA" talk here. I would NEVER leave an OOG diver to his own devices after providing assistance.

CESA from 15' ???

Not a big deal.

Rule #1 of rendering assistance "Don't become the second victim."

 

[ScubaSteve]

I think it is also worth noting that from the sounds of it, the situation was WELL under control and nobody was freaking out, so I personally see no reason risk a hit after a week of deep diving by blowing a safety stop when there was plenty of air. Had the two involved partied been scrambling and frantic, then perhaps but that is not how I interperet the account. A safety stop should have been done and if the DM refused, buh-bye.

 

[Gombessa]

CESA from 15' ???

Not a big deal.

Apart from everything else? Agreed.

But abandoning a rescue and taking your regulator back from an OOG diver who may be near panic, and in any case is worried enough to skip a safety stop, which isn't mandatory in the first place? Something I hope I never do.

Also, if CESA from 15' is no big deal, then you're really not appreciably increasing your chances of becoming a second victim, right? And if your worry isn't about the CESA itself and rather potential DCS, then it doesn't make sense to suggest the victim will be OK because CESA is no big deal. To me, it becomes even more important for the donor buddy to emphasize a safety stop. For me, part of being a good buddy is to have another brain that can help make rational decisions when your own may be panicked/stressed, not simply leave the scene when an poor decision is suggested.

 

[fisheater]

I think that you did it just right. If the DM waived off a safety stop, I too would have assumed another issue (medical?) necessitating surfacing then. I would NOT send him
on his own. Many divers make it to the surface in an emergency and THEN fail to establish positive buoyancy and drown. I would have accompanied him to the surface and made sure he was OK and was positively buoyant.

In fact, that exactly what I did last weekend when my dive buddy went OOA during a safety stop and - for some reason - wouldn't take my immediately offered primary. (Heck, I put it right in front of his face within three seconds of his signaling and taking his primary out.

He CESA'd and I came up too so as to ensure that stayed at the surface and didn't have any issues (other than embarassment).
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[Web Monkey]

I just got back from vacation where I experienced a divers worst nightmare... An out of air emergency.

The dive started out with a briefing and a plan with the dive master on the boat. This was to be my last set of tank dives while in Mexico. I was diving all week long and loving it. After the briefing a pre dive check with the buddy teams and we were

Congratulations on a successful air share!

Especially after a week of diving, a safety stop would have been a good idea, although by definition, it's not mandatory.

Terry

 

[grf88]

With 1500 in the tank if I had come with him to the surface I would have probably dropped down again after making sure he was in control and spent a few minutes at 20 feet before a very slow ascent to the surface.