Pride is destroyed but walked away with no injuries...

[trippingpara]

Yes, that dive location was definitely a learning experience (and very unnerving!). Apparently, I unknowingly scoffed at some of the warnings during OW training about going into areas that one is not properly trained for. The cavern "looked" harmless since I was only planning on staying within the lit zone of the cavern but I still ventured too close to the siphon. What "looks" harmless and what is actually harmless are often completely different things. It was exceptionally unnerving to be cruising around ignorantly bliss when it felt like some sea monster just grabbed my legs and was dragging me into a black abyss.

Let me tell you, I will now heed all of those warnings. My interest in areas that I have not been properly exposed to and trained for are completely gone! I'll be quite content to hang out in shallow OW until I complete my Advanced course and several other speciality courses. I also believe that we will spend a lot more time hanging out with more experienced divers and learning from them instead of just going out on our own. Again, thanks to all of you for your understanding and tips about how to avoid these scenarios in the future.

 

[MSDT476614]

good sharing. Thanks!

 

[Hatul]

With empty lungs if I read correctly. Scary.

Yes. I think the "empty" lungs saved him from air embolism.

---------- Post added December 15th, 2012 at 11:24 AM ----------

I had a similar experience years ago in Hawaii. At 30 ft my reg mouthpiece came off and I breathed in water. I could not think to figure out what the problem was; all I knew is I need air fast, so I grabbed my buddy's octo, breathed off that, regained my composure, and figured out the problem, and pulled out my own octo. It's hard to think when you can't breathe and have a mouthful of water.

 

[LoonDiver]

Wow, scary experience! Thanks for sharing it so others can learn from it. Your willingness to share and interact with the commenters shows that you have already learned a lot from this experience. You will be a better diver going forward because of this experience as you have now "grown up" quite a bit as a diver. Last summer my husband/buddy had an "out of air" experience when he got in the water in a local quarry without his air turned on. It was a very sobering experience for both of us, as I am sure this was for you and your wife. We did some things right, other things wrong, as did you. Now we do "out of air" and other drills much more often when we dive and are (I hope) better divers because of it.

 

[CT-Rich]

Nothing teaches like experience... Glad you are okay. There is a difference pride and arrogance. You shed your arrogance. What is left is the pride of what you accomplish. More experience will replace the void created by arrogance.

 

[billgraham]

I am laughing at all the cave divers bugging out over the possibility of some scary siphon in Rhode Island. Too funny.

 

[Lee Viathan]

Thank you so much for posting this! As a newly minted OW diver, I am a sponge for other people's experiences. Furthermore I'm going with my LDS on the Rainbow River/ Manatee Springs trip in mid February, so a warning about an area I'm headed to is very timely indeed! My uncertified wife is going to snorkel and my dive buddy and I are going to drift, and then hopefully everyone will snorkel with manatees in the afternoon. Fear not, my first dive out of training didn't go as planned. Nothing really life threatening, but certainly embarassing! As my Divemaster, who certified me on the prevous dive, said to me about the less than perfect dive, " WELCOME to diving!!" I may post about that dive in another thread, but I won't hijack yours.

 

[trippingpara]

Rainbow River was an awesome drift dive. Very shallow with a lazy current to slowly push you along. The water is gin clear. I don't even think my bath water is that clear! Its a great drift dive for new divers. I can imagine that experienced divers might not be as excited about it as we were. Good luck at Manatee Springs and watch out for that siphon in Catfish Hotel. The other spring at Manatee Springs is nice. Not as deep but is larger with a bit more to explore. We also had a blast snorkeling with the manatees. We kayaked later on with them too. It was neat just sitting there in your kayak watching the world go by and then suddenly a giant set of whiskers jut out of the water next to you. Have fun and enjoy your dives. I look forward to reading about them!