Hi All.! New to the forum so apologies if this is in the wrong place.
Have been reading a lot of stuff on the net and this seems the place to ask as theres a lot of knowledgeable people here.
I wanted to ask about an incident that happened to me last month whilst out diving in the Caribbean.
Im a holiday diver, no huge experience, just 2 or so dives a year maybe less, got my certification in 2000 but did my first dive at the age of 10 in the early 70s. So basically not experienced but comfortable underwater.
I was on the first of a 2 tank boat dive with my newly (half) certified daughter (12). I hadnt done a dive in about 6 months and it was all the dive shops equipment so I wasnt familiar with it. (apart from my own computer, fins, mask)
We had completed the dive, got down to 1000psi on both our gauges (my daughter slightly less, maybe 900) and were coming up. Was starting a safety stop at about 3.5/3m (13 feet) I went for a breath and nothing. Felt like breathing through a tube with someone holding their thumb on the end, just the tinyest squeak of air. A blockage I thought and as I do a lot of snorkelling it felt natural to blow out to try and clear (a mistake I should think). No change. Right I thought Im out of air, something wrong with the regulator let go to the back-up regulator. So changed air supply and exactly the same thing happened.
My buddy/daughter was about 3 or 4 feet below me and I was really out of breath so I panicked slightly and thought 4 feet down or 12 feet emergency ascent. I opted for the latter (remembering to breath out). Once on the surface I was a bit shaken, but Im sure there was air in the tank to inflate my BCD with no problem and the gauge still read 1000psi. We hadnt been down long enough for me to use the full 3000psi I started with; only 35mins.
OK no great shakes coming up from 12 feet but the problem is what would have happened further down. In hindsight and with the experience I would have got closer to my buddy as soon as I had a problem but things happen fast.
Anyone have any idea what might have gone wrong, Ive no problem if someone says I was at fault. I just want to learn how to prevent/recognise this in future?
Have been reading a lot of stuff on the net and this seems the place to ask as theres a lot of knowledgeable people here.
I wanted to ask about an incident that happened to me last month whilst out diving in the Caribbean.
Im a holiday diver, no huge experience, just 2 or so dives a year maybe less, got my certification in 2000 but did my first dive at the age of 10 in the early 70s. So basically not experienced but comfortable underwater.
I was on the first of a 2 tank boat dive with my newly (half) certified daughter (12). I hadnt done a dive in about 6 months and it was all the dive shops equipment so I wasnt familiar with it. (apart from my own computer, fins, mask)
We had completed the dive, got down to 1000psi on both our gauges (my daughter slightly less, maybe 900) and were coming up. Was starting a safety stop at about 3.5/3m (13 feet) I went for a breath and nothing. Felt like breathing through a tube with someone holding their thumb on the end, just the tinyest squeak of air. A blockage I thought and as I do a lot of snorkelling it felt natural to blow out to try and clear (a mistake I should think). No change. Right I thought Im out of air, something wrong with the regulator let go to the back-up regulator. So changed air supply and exactly the same thing happened.
My buddy/daughter was about 3 or 4 feet below me and I was really out of breath so I panicked slightly and thought 4 feet down or 12 feet emergency ascent. I opted for the latter (remembering to breath out). Once on the surface I was a bit shaken, but Im sure there was air in the tank to inflate my BCD with no problem and the gauge still read 1000psi. We hadnt been down long enough for me to use the full 3000psi I started with; only 35mins.
OK no great shakes coming up from 12 feet but the problem is what would have happened further down. In hindsight and with the experience I would have got closer to my buddy as soon as I had a problem but things happen fast.
Anyone have any idea what might have gone wrong, Ive no problem if someone says I was at fault. I just want to learn how to prevent/recognise this in future?