Out Of Air -- Simply Unacceptable!

[Rainer]

it was stressed over and over do not put yourself at risk to save/retrieve a diver because then you have two divers requiring rescue.

I think that's a rather terrible lesson.

If my dive buddies aren't willing to accept *some* risk in offering assistance in a rescue, I need to find new buddies...

 

[calicant]

I think what happens is a false sense of security develops because I have a buddy or instructor or dive master who will risk every thing to save me - NOT! I just took rescue and it was stressed over and over do not put yourself at risk to save/retrieve a diver because then you have two divers requiring rescue.

I have always heard that an OOA diver will grab your regulator. I have yet to have any one tell me this happened to them. I have heard that OOA divers panic and hit the elevator button, aka BCD inflater thus risking DCI or worse embolism.

Calicant got right that I am responsible to monitor my own tank pressure, but I can also remind my buddy!

I have been told that a lot too. Perhaps I would have done if left another 30 seconds! I knew it was only a couple of kicks to the surface so perhaps not a panic situation for me.

 

[DevonDiver]

I am pretty sure one of the PADI manuals says at some point: if you computer dies, just go to 15 feet and breathe your tank dry. I'll see if I can dig out a more exact reference.

I've never come across that recommendation. I can't believe that PADI would ever recommend that a diver "breathed their tank dry" (i.e. went OOA).

Are you sure you didn't read a recommendation to "stay for as long as possible". The 'possible' meaning 'within the parameters of safe diving practices'...

 

[Rhone Man]

I think that's a rather terrible lesson.

If my dive buddies aren't willing to accept *some* risk in offering assistance in a rescue, I need to find new buddies...

Agree. First time I ever ran a tank dry it was because I had to help someone else who had run their tank dry. Buddy breathing my gas got us a lot closer to the surface, from whence we did a ESA (I would call it a CESA, but there wasn't much C involved).

We were young and dumb, but we lived. But the damage might have been much worse if I had just left him to help himself, out of air at that depth, and conserved my own dwindling reserve.

 

[Rhone Man]

I've never come across that recommendation. I can't believe that PADI would ever recommend that a diver "breathed their tank dry" (i.e. went OOA).

Are you sure you didn't read a recommendation to "stay for as long as possible". The 'possible' meaning 'within the parameters of safe diving practices'...

That might well be right. I should be careful how I paraphrase. I'll try and look up the exact wording.

 

[Tortuga68]

I have always heard that an OOA diver will grab your regulator. I have yet to have any one tell me this happened to them

Depends, but it does happen. The OOG diver will do whatever they think is the 'best' option at the time to get gas. Good reason to practice primary donation

 

[emoreira]

I saw that other article. I'll recommend a merge.

I am pretty sure one of the PADI manuals says at some point: if you computer dies, just go to 15 feet and breathe your tank dry. I'll see if I can dig out a more exact reference.

I was told that if my computer dies, and I have no backup computer or measurement equipmet (watch and bottom timer) I should abort the dive.

 

[Tortuga68]

I was told that if my computer dies, and I have no backup computer or measurement equipmet (watch and bottom timer) I should abort the dive.

Aborting the dive would ideally still include doing your safety stop. But I would be very surprised if breathing your tank dry was a PADI recommendation. Or any agency for that matter

 

[tkdgodess]

I have always heard that an OOA diver will grab your regulator. I have yet to have any one tell me this happened to them. I have heard that OOA divers panic and hit the elevator button, aka BCD inflater thus risking DCI or worse embolism.
!

there is no elevator up if you are OOA. ditch your weights. I always lay it for students, no sugar coating, just the truth, and the choices you can make and the consequences and the variations of outcomes.

 

[Selchie in LB]

I think that's a rather terrible lesson.

If my dive buddies aren't willing to accept *some* risk in offering assistance in a rescue, I need to find new buddies...

Yes Rainer, you are correct that *some risk* is acceptable. A scenario similar to what was mentioned, 1 diver OOG and the other low - sorry Rainer I'll see you at the surface! OK no that is not good rescue. I would probably do the same share air or buddy breath until we can both get closer to the surface.

I guess I should have said fatal risk. But that leaves it wide open as to what is fatal risk. This where we get into infinite hypothetic situations. So then it cones down to how much do you trust me and how much do I trust you.