Stressful experience

[scubarchtraveler]

My son and I are relative newbies to diving. We are OW certified with 30 and 20 dives each, primarily in fresh water. We just returned from a diving trip to the Florida Keys. For our first day we were by ourselves on a boat with the captain. We planned to do 3 dives and the captain planned to take us to a wreck for dive 1. He said he would guide us on this first dive and that it was about 70 feet deep. He said the current was variable. Well, we we shocked. First, the current was very strong on the surface, so strong that we had to hang on to the surface rope or get swept away. We used half of our air on the surface just doing a bouancy check and getting organized. I was so stressed that I had to concentrate to stop hyperventilating. I got my breathing under control and we had to pull ourselves down the mooring line to get to the wreck. The current was weaker at the bottom but we went down to 87 feet. We saw a large Goliath Grouper and some stingrays, but by the time we made it down it was time to go back up. Half way up I had to use the guide's octopus as I was down to 250 lbs or so as we started the safety stop.
The guide also left his boat unattended. I can't imagine what would have happened if the boat had drifted away as no one was at this site when we were there! This could have been a fatal situation for many reasons. We went to the Keys as they are primarily shallow reef dives and a good introduction for us. My instincts were alerted when he told us how deep we were going. I should have called the dive then. I should at least have called the dive when I discovered the strong current. My mistake for relying on the captain/guide. I will learn from this experience and take control of future dives.

 

[SteveAD]

"captain" left the boat unattended? I'm pretty sure that's a gross violation of Coast Guard charter regs. All the boats I know of around here, if the captain wants to dive, the boat goes out with 2 liscenced captains on board and they take turns, one up one down.

Off the back of a boat is probably not the best place for a bouyancy check either, be better off to that off shore prior to getting on the boat.

 

[jimran13]

The boat should of had someone there and as far as stress believe me I have no problem with it on all my dives, but I was with a new diver and he just would not stay with me and things just added up till I was gone I could not get me together worrying about him so much ,,just remember this if you and your buddy are have problems or just him -start over end the dive but do get a plane together before this happens:no ,I almost drowned in Mexico on a reef dive at 130 thanks to the dive con he caused me to almost drown and then I was pulled down buy a girl diver that lied on her paper on how many dives she had ,just rember the water cares less if you have a problem and the worst can happen ,,,,,becareful,,,,,,,enjoy the beauty and be safe

 

[DandyDon]

Welcome to SB, scubarchtraveler - what operator did you dive with?

I do wish you'd planned the trip with us here, as the first time in the ocean is a totally different show. Stick around.

 

[deepblueme]

Any dive you make that you learn from is a good dive!!!

Glad you made it out ok now you know more abvout when to call a dive.

Experience and currents --- what is a weak current to someone that is a local diver could be a mask ripperoffer to a nonlocal/less experienced diver.

 

[Web Monkey]

The guide also left his boat unattended. I can't imagine what would have happened if the boat had drifted away as no one was at this site when we were there! This could have been a fatal situation for many reasons.

I don't know about open ocean, but if you do that on the St. Lawrence, you'll find an angry guy with a red flashing light on his boat waiting for you on the surface.

Terry

 

[DandyDon]

Non-pros are known to do it in the Keys, other Florida waters. Couple of years ago, a couple went down lobster hunting, came back - boat gone. The boat was discovered, and after a significant search, so were the couple. They had not bothered to drop weights, so they weren't floating high, or lobsters. For a pro-captain to do it in the Keys is hard to imagine.

 

[webjr]

My instincts were alerted when he told us how deep we were going. I should have called the dive then. I should at least have called the dive when I discovered the strong current. My mistake for relying on the captain/guide. I will learn from this experience and take control of future dives.

That sounds like your only mistake.
Never *EVER* be afraid to thumb a dive.
That said, try to find what went right.
You handled an air share without panicing.
That alone deserves a good pat on the back.

Somebody here from your area may be able to recommend some more appropriate sites to dive. I'm not familiar with florida salt water but I can say I'm not fond of strong currents myself. When I'm told site "A" has a strong current I say "we're going somewhere else". Diving should be fun and fighting a current is NO fun.
Unless it's a drift dive!
Love Lazy Diving!

 

[Blackfish]

The "captain" cannot leave the boat unattended. As mentioned below this is a violation of Coast Guard regulations & should be reported.

"captain" left the boat unattended? I'm pretty sure that's a gross violation of Coast Guard charter regs. All the boats I know of around here, if the captain wants to dive, the boat goes out with 2 liscenced captains on board and they take turns, one up one down.

 

[spectrum]

My son and I are relative newbies to diving. We are OW certified with 30 and 20 dives each, primarily in fresh water.

Primarily fresh water..... So this captain takes you out onto moderate seas and throws you and your son (age?) in the water to do a weight check? Holy cow lets just do this the hard way! Meanwhile you are on your regulator doing a weight check and managed to suck down 1/2 a tank of air while at barely more that 1 ATM, that's a lot of heaving and grunting.

After seeing you endure this and with 1/2 a tank of air he takes you down to 87 feet! All while needing to pull yourself down the mooring line which means the weight check was a failure and/or your breathing was really not yet stabilized.

I'm not a mariner so I'll leave the unattended boat to others.

My definition of a good dive is:
Nobody got hurt, All of the gear came back & Something was learned
It would seem that you surely scored on the latter and thankfully on the other two counts as well.

We all have this visual of the dive boat on placid seas. of smiling faces and the setting sun. Well, as you learned the seas are not always placid and you can quickly wonder, "what the heck did I get myself into here!"

There is a recent thread about listening to "the voice". I'm sure you will be listening for that voice next time. Insist on a shore dive or sheltered place to get the weight check and orientation done. Especially if you are not an active diver at home.

Big trouble starts when a series of things go wrong. As you noted the seas, the depth, doing the weight check in the seas, depleting your air and in the end coming up on the guides air.

My instincts were alerted when he told us how deep we were going. I should have called the dive then. I should at least have called the dive when I discovered the strong current. My mistake for relying on the captain/guide. I will learn from this experience and take control of future dives.

Your closing statements say it all, Have a great next trip.