So who’s ever brought up their second stage in a lobster bag?

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uncfnp

Solo Diver
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Of course I debated posting this but it happened and I own it so...

It was the first day of a week diving the West Palm Beach area of Florida. Our focus this trip is to catch lobsters. I had switch my hoses over to a DIN first stage since we use our own tanks here. I also changed out a swivel connection to a new one as a precaution.

First dive of the trip was a very popular recreational site and shallow so obviously few bugs. So I am about 52 minutes into the dive when a large number of bubbles abruptly starting to come out the new swivel. Well darn! Dive’s over. I switch over to my bungee backup and fold the primary hose. This slowed the stream to a trickle.

Next I unclip my DSMB and get it ready to shoot. But I need two hands so I release the hose and the bubbles fly! I start heading up winding my reel when I hear a pop and look down. Yep, my second stage is spiraling down and the bubbles are intense. (Mistake 1, I assumed the leak was a failed swivel. If I had realized it was the connection I might have been able to tighten the connection and stop the leak. Mistake 2, when I switched the hoses and swivel I started with it all hand tight. Obviously I didn’t go back and firm up that connection).

Mistake number 3, I made a couple of attempts to grab the loose hose but no luck. I should have put more effort into attempting to get the hose so I could fold the hose and maybe slow the loss.

Now, mistake number 4 and its a good one. I see my second spiraling down and I am still getting some gas from the tank. You guessed it, I head after my regulator. So stupid. Best I can tell from the profile I added about 20 seconds to my dive and yes, took my last good breath from the tank about the time I retrieved the second and placed it in my lobster bag.

Now it’s time for a true cesa. I had been posting on pony bottle threads that I had quit carrying it on shallow dives because I felt confident I was capable of it. Fortunately I was not overconfident although I admit it wasn’t fun. The hardest part was blowing up my wing when I hit the surface already a bit short of breath.

So please. Don’t be stupid like me.
 
Of course I debated posting this but it happened and I own it so...


So please. Don’t be stupid like me.

A superior diver uses is superior judgement in order to avoid using his superior skills. In order to build superior judgement we need mistakes (own or others’).
Thank you for posting yours. I believe this time you had to use your superior skills ...

well done!
 
Chasing dropped or lost pieces of gear because of pride, anger, frustration or embarrassment. 2 weeks ago I watched a buddy try to chase a dropped weightbelt from the surface on its way to 140 feet (while freediving). Thankfully he gave up around 40 feet.

Spearfishermen are also particularly prone to this weakness. I try to tell myself that I am willing to loose any piece of equipment that I take underwater, but I have found myself doing very similar things. It is a failure to prioritize properly - so I sometimes try to remind myself of the expend-ability of my stuff. Expensive camera systems are down right dangerous in this regard.

Thanks for the report. How deep was the CESA?
 
Were you solo? Couldn’t send someone else down to grab the reg?
 
Hey, you didn't shuffle off that mortal coil; advantage: you . . .
 
I had a 2nd stage blow off the hose once on a boat, I'm sure it was because it was not correctly connected, I was lucky that the 2nd stage stayed on the boat. You really can't be too careful that all of your connections are secure.
 

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