Perfect example as to why skills must be mastered first

[JodiBB]

Hey all!! I experienced the perfect reason as to why skills must be mastered in the pool before ever going into the ocean....

Last weekend, I was in an OW class and the instructor buddied me up with another student for the alternate air exercise (where you signal "out of air" and then grab your buddy's octo). Well, I was the one to be "out of air" and went to grab my buddy's octo. We linked up and proceeded to swim around the bottom of the pool as instructed.

When we came to a stop, the instructor went to adjust something on my BCD and my buddy unlinked from me. I tried to grab onto my buddy but they drifted away and the octo was ripped out of my mouth (of course while I was exhaling, so I had no air in my lungs at that moment)...

Rather than panicking, I reached over and grabbed my regulator and purged it, allowing me to breathe. My buddy didn't even realize what had happened, but the instructor got on them, demonstrating the repercussion of breaking that link in the ocean. I felt good that at least I didn't panic and was able to retrieve my own reg. But could you imagine if I really was "out of air?" Yikes!

 

[ShakaZulu]

You are going to be a good diver........good job.

 

[Sasquatch]

Where did your buddy drift away to? That's a great anecdote that shows how important presence of mind is when you are learning a sport that is potentialy dangerous.

Good luck on the balance of your training.

Sea ya!

 

[JodiBB]

Where did your buddy drift away to? That's a great anecdote that shows how important presence of mind is when you are learning a sport that is potentialy dangerous.

Good luck on the balance of your training.

Sea ya!

I think my buddy was having difficulty balancing on their knees and was trying to regain composure while my instructor was making my BCD adjustment. As a result they began to use their hands to regain that composure, hence breaking their link with me and having the octo ripped out of my mouth. I realized I had no air left in my lungs and I had 2 choices:

1) Swim after the lost octo (which I would've done had I really been out of air), which could've hurt myself and my instructor, since she was attached to me.

2) Retrieve my own reg, which would allow the buddy to do whatever they wanted, while taking care of my own needs and not interfering with my instructor's focus.

I settled for the latter!

 

[Sasquatch]

Excellent choice.

 

[vox]

That's a great anecdote that shows how important presence of mind is when you are learning a sport that is potentialy dangerous.

Totally agree.

Thanks for your post, Jodi.

I did the first part of my pool work this weekend and I am hyper aware of how my actions underwater have consequences for my buddy as well as myself.

 

[spectrum]

Great job! It's a sport and it's fun but we are playing for keeps down there.

I was surprised that "empty lung recovery" was not taught in our class. I asked and was instructed. My wife and I both practice it from time to time.

Pete

 

[vox]

"empty lung recovery" was not taught in our class.

Pete - can you tell me more about this skill?

 

[tjmills]

Excellent Job! Panic is the real killer here and in most situations. You don't need air in seconds to be ok and you realized that and fixed the situation correctly.

There was one more option that you had at hand based upon what you described What was it?

You chose the right one but I think there might have been one other option based upon what you told us. Knowing what is around you is important just in case for some reason you couldn't reach your own Reg.

 

[Mark Vlahos]

I think my buddy was having difficulty balancing on their knees and was trying to regain composure while my instructor was making my BCD adjustment. As a result they began to use their hands to regain that composure, hence breaking their link with me and having the octo ripped out of my mouth. I realized I had no air left in my lungs and I had 2 choices:

1) Swim after the lost octo (which I would've done had I really been out of air), which could've hurt myself and my instructor, since she was attached to me.

2) Retrieve my own reg, which would allow the buddy to do whatever they wanted, while taking care of my own needs and not interfering with my instructor's focus.

I settled for the latter!

You did have a third option, you could have gone for your instructors octo. I understand that in an instructional setting you make rules like the instructor is only there to observe and instruct, but in a real situation air is air take what is available. I have only been involved in a low on air situation once and I was the donator. The recipient was not my normal buddy, but I was closest and happily donated my regulator. In a real situation at depth the close air is usually the best air.

Good job and welcome to the underwater world.

Mark Vlahos