Out of air emergency at 105 feet

[paddler3d]

For me, part of being a good buddy

Yeah, but who is supposed to be the DM's buddy? You're basically diving alone so you'd think a solo mentality would ensure, and part of that 'what is up with my air?' I can't imagine not knowing what my gas was before a dive. That blows my fragile little mind. Blows it. As the pro in charge of that group that should never have occurred. It is like a fire engine only showing up to a fire with only 1/2 of it's tank of water.

I would not risk my health for him in this scenario. I would have sent his butt up if he didn't want to do a safety stop. If something goes array up top you can rescue him again, or someone from the boat can. I think this was something they emphasized in rescue class...don't become a victim yourself. One injured diver is better than two.

 

[Gombessa]

Yeah, but who is supposed to be the DM's buddy? You're basically diving alone so you'd think a solo mentality would ensure

I agree, DMs in these guided tour situations are not operating under the typical buddy system, and definitely this guy was not an exemplar of best practices in diving or his pre-dive checks. Still, my personal belief is that if someone is in distress underwater and I can help without putting myself at substantial risk, I will do so. And once I've started rendering assistance, I'm your buddy and you can count on me to try to get us both to the top safely.

don't become a victim yourself. One injured diver is better than two.

I don't think there's a huge disagreement here, mainly differences of opinion on the consequences of a safety stop. Whether your buddy will stay or leave is IMO, something that should be known before you get in the water, but is probably rarely discussed. But that's a different thread altogether.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

nuts4corals: Well done.

My opinion is that you did the right thing surfacing with with DM. I'd have done the same, just to make sure the OOA diver was really "ok" and made it safely back aboard the boat. You had no way of knowing if the DM was having any other problems until you talked to him, so to cut him loose and let him surface on his own could have been a mistake.

Again, nice job.

Best wishes.

 

[drbill]

I can't believe this guy was a DM... but then I've seen a number of them that couldn't dive their way out of a paper bag (and some that are excellent... I guess it's just the bell curve). Hard to believe he would get to the point of being OOA as a DM.

 

[NJ to FLA]

Paddler3d, :cool2:that was well put. I completely agree. My number 1 priority is myself. THEN the other diver, whether an OK buddy or rescued diver. You are right about the fire engine analogy as well. That's crazy that he did not notice his air was LOW until it was GONE ! I have a feeling he knew he had 1/2 tank to start with and then did not realize how quickly he went through it.. ??

 

[paddler3d]

I have a feeling he knew he had 1/2 tank to start with and then did not realize how quickly he went through it.. ??

I doubt it. What sounds more moronic. a) He didn't check his air before or during the dive leading to his OOA. b) He thought he could do do the dive with the air he had.

He fessed up to 'a'. In my book that is Darwinian selection at its finest. If he answered 'b' we could blame his ego. Which would you own up to?

But then again I'm shocked daily on some of the stupidity I witness.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

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...

Agree.

I'd have assumed there was a problem if the OOA diver waved-off the safety stop. You can't assume that the diver is going to be "rescued" by the boat crew if he starts to have a problem on the surface. Divers have surfaced, then sank and drowned within "spitting distance" of dive boats, simply because the boat crew were chatting or looking away and didn't see them.

Best wishes.

 

[Teamcasa]

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'd have assumed there was a problem if the OOA diver waved-off the safety stop.

There is the key point. When the DM waived off the stop you had no idea if he had any other issues. So yes, I would have gone up with him as well.

Once I found out he just blew off the stop, it would be one more point I'd make when discussing the tip amount.

 

[OldNSalty]

You committed yourself to rescuing him-or actually, he committed you to the rescue. Unless there was some very compelling reason to not continue, then you did the right thing by taking him to the top. I have never been in a situation that serious but I have been with some very stressed divers and I took them all the way to the boat and made sure the crew had the situation in hand before continuing own.

Shame for suggesting that you leave him at the safety stop. That might have resulted in 2 dead divers when he realized that his air supply was going to stay at 15 feet.

 

[under water]

I would have done exactly what you did.
The 15' stop is still only a suggestion to build in some additional safety, not a requirement as far as I know.
He was out of air, so if he had indeed gone to the surface without you, as some suggest, he may have needed to inflate his BCD manually. Maybe he could, maybe he couldn't. Good buddy protocol (including instant Buddies) should include staying with them as long as you don't endanger yourself. I would have hated to see him do a panicked ascent, even from 15 feet.
I think you made the right call. Bad experience, but good learning.