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.
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.