Pt. Lobos, 3-24-09

[mikemill]

Who's that nut job in the first pic?

 

[ae3753]

Thanks for the dives and the pictures. It was a pretty day out. While viz in the cove wasn't great, it did open up a little outside.

 

[ae3753]

I have a few questions about this (and i do mean questions, i'm not trying to assert something in a questioning way).

Glad to answer my part. Mike G's take is interesting since he looked quite calm in the water. I've seen a good number of paniced divers, and he didn't exhibited the tell tale signs. We knew there was an issue since Mike G was no longer horizontal in the water and holding kelp. His breathing was elevated, but we was not overbreathing his reg.

>> I suck in air and sea water with every other breath, I want to bolt to the surface which is 30 feet, I resist but I cannot any longer. <<

If it's only 30 feet up, and you didn't feel like you had air to fool around, why not just pull the mask off completely, open your eyes and just ascend slowly? Would the vision be too poor to see your computer? (I've never pulled my mask off and opened my eyes in open water as I wear contacts. In an emergency, I would.)

Mike G actually did pull off his mask in an attempt to reseat it and clear. If we wanted to ascend, he could have done it with his mask on, it made no difference off or on at that point since it was flooded.

>>> I am about to accept his proposal but at that moment Don turns to me and says, No, you cannot go to the surface. <<<
Why not? If you were only 30 feet down, why couldn't he escort you up?
[you didn't say if this was before/after a SS, and i don't know depth/duration.]

We could have made a safe ascent at 30'. Mike M asked if Mike G wanted to ascended, and I was the one who interrupted.

There were two things. First, Mike G had some air in his drysuit that he was trying to purge, and I wanted to make sure that was squared away. Second, I wanted to look at the issue. If a problem can be solved underwater, it's best to take care of it immediately.

>>>At that moment I now have two hands to work with my mask. I attempt to clear and still no luck, I can now hear my computer screaming at me with alarms, and can only assume I am running dangerously low on air. <<<

Did you think that if you were low on air, someone would give you their alternate? (I've never been in a panic situation; it's easy to assume that while reading, but i'm sure it's different when its you.)

When I arrived, I immediately checked Mike G's gauge. Mike M was to his right, and I was to his left. If Mike G needed gas, we would have been able to provide it.

I just like to learn from other situations *before* they might happen to me -- anyway, just want to know why ascending without a mask wouldn't be possible and/or why your buddies felt it was more important to do that first. Thanks for any feedback.

Ascending without a mask was possible, though with a mask it's much easier. If a problem is fixable, then it should be fixed. Things tend to snowball in diving, especially in our local waters. Nothing deeper than that

 

[dannobee]

Mike G, glad everything worked out.

For those interested, no, you can't read your computer with your mask off. The digits are too small and everything is a complete blur.

If it happens, your buddy should be able to grab your hand and give you signals. Grab their thumb. Pointing it up means we're going to ascend. Pointing it down means we're going down. Waving their hand side to side with their palm down means we're staying at this depth.

Sometimes masks leak because your hood gets caught between your mask and face, allowing water to leak in. Once I was on a solo dive and couldn't see why my mask was flooding (but I could clear it). I wasn't going to thumb the dive, but it was annoying. I turned around my camera, took a pic of my face, then viewed the pic in the viewfinder to see the problem.


.

 

[Anti-Hero]

Mike G, glad everything worked out.

For those interested, no, you can't read your computer with your mask off. The digits are too small and everything is a complete blur.

If it happens, your buddy should be able to grab your hand and give you signals. Grab their thumb. Pointing it up means we're going to ascend. Pointing it down means we're going down. Waving their hand side to side with their palm down means we're staying at this depth.


.

Is that what these guys are doing?

 

[dannobee]

Is that what these guys are doing?

A fine pair, eh?

Too bad the vis wasn't better that day!

 

[mikerault]

MikeMill,

Great shots! What camera?

How long will 700 PSI last with your sac rate?

Mike

 

[mikeguerrero]

Mike G, glad everything worked out.

For those interested, no, you can't read your computer with your mask off. The digits are too small and everything is a complete blur.

If it happens, your buddy should be able to grab your hand and give you signals. Grab their thumb. Pointing it up means we're going to ascend. Pointing it down means we're going down. Waving their hand side to side with their palm down means we're staying at this depth.

Sometimes masks leak because your hood gets caught between your mask and face, allowing water to leak in. Once I was on a solo dive and couldn't see why my mask was flooding (but I could clear it). I wasn't going to thumb the dive, but it was annoying. I turned around my camera, took a pic of my face, then viewed the pic in the viewfinder to see the problem.


.

Dan,

Seriously this is the first time I felt panic escalate in my blood. I've never had to deal with a full flood on a mask naturally, they were always through drills.

But this day was different, I needed help and was glad the buddy system was there to assist me.

I wish I could've been filmed and placed as a learning experience for others.

I do remember one thing as I was giving in to panic I remembered what I've read on this board, stop, think and act.

As the mask was flooded and I gave into panic I was just breathing deep breaths and swallowing some gulps of seawater.

I stopped and said to myself, calm down, you need to exhale out of your nose to attempt again to clear mask, I then executed it until the other divers showed up.

MG

 

[mikemill]

MikeMill,

Great shots! What camera?

How long will 700 PSI last with your sac rate?

Mike

Sea&Sea DX-1G

About 7 minutes (still leaving 200 psi so that the reg will work)

 

[fisheater]

I'm curious.

What's your thinking on why you were inhaling sea water as your mask flooded?

Assuming that your reg was working fine before, during and after the mask flooding, you are likely in the habit of inhaling a bit through your nose while diving. If that's the case, you should practice breathing with the reg and no mask. It's a learned skill and practice is key. Nose breathing could also lead to mask issues.