Tall Tale, Big Talker or Just Plain Lucky ...

[kidspot]

After climbing back on the boat today one of the passengers approaches me (glass bottom boat tour I work on) - "I used to dive" he said, and then began a tale of a dive in the great lakes on a wreck where the mast of the ship was at 165ft and the deck at 240ft, and how after being there for 30 minutes a buddy came up behind him and slapped him on the back to get his attention - his regulator flew out of his mouth and he swallowed some water, so he followed his training and immediately dropped his weights and began to swim up as fast as he could screaming the whole way so that his lungs wouldn't explode. He surfaced and all his buddies soon followed very worried about him. Since he was a good diver (his words) they didn't let this stop them and they did a second dive.

Once he was done with his story I just nodded my head and said I hoped he had a good day with us ... I just couldn't bring myself to say anything else ...

At least it made for a good story ... then again maybe that's how they used to teach diving in the "good old days" ... how would a new diver like me know?

Aloha, Tim

 

[Jeff Toorish]

It would seem unlikely someone could hit you on the back, underwater, with a scuba tank on and all that, hard enough to dislodge your regulator.

Just a thought.

Jeff

 

[nivla80]

Well, we could all use some entertainment!

 

[CrawfishDiver]

swallowed some water, so he followed his training and immediately dropped his weights and began to swim up as fast as he could screaming the whole way so that his lungs wouldn't explode.

I dont remeber that trainning in any of my classes. Sound like a fish tail to me. an esa from 165 never tried it but it would be better to cough through the reg.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

Well, we could all use some entertainment!

I had a really entertaining conversation with the boyfriend of a woman I know. He claimed he taught underwater knife fighting to US Army divers. It was better than Cats.



JT

 

[Jimmer]

Not to mention 30 minutes between 165 and 240, no way would an emergency ascent saved his life, it would have made things much worse. Total BS.

 

[mislav]

...and the deck at 240ft, and how after being there for 30 minutes...

He would suffered from severe narcosis, possibly OxTox and suck his air out at that depth for 30 minutes. I somehow doubt he was wearing doubles.

...a buddy came up behind him and slapped him on the back to get his attention...

Hm, how was he able to with the tank(s) on his back?

...his regulator flew out of his mouth and he swallowed some water, so he followed his training and immediately dropped his weights and began to swim up as fast as he could screaming the whole way so that his lungs wouldn't explode.

That's not what you do if you drop a regulator!

He surfaced and all his buddies soon followed very worried about him. Since he was a good diver (his words) they didn't let this stop them and they did a second dive.

I say his story is ROFLMAO!

 

[ItsBruce]

I used to think that the only thing that wasn't possible was going through a revolving door wearing skis. However, a few years ago I saw a revolving door at a German airport that would accomodate someone wearing skis. So, I guess anything is possible, even your guest's dive.

If he's at the top of the mast in 165 feet of water, he is at 6 atmospheres. Assuming he has excellent gas consumption and has an SAC rate of 0.25 cubic feet per minute, he is using 3 cubic feet per minute. 30 minutes there means 90 cubic feet of gas. There are plenty of tanks that will provide sufficient gas. Your guest was well into what the tables tell us was deco territory if he was using air, but not everyone who goes into deco territory and fails to do "mandatory" stops gets DCS. I recently saw some amazing statistics on this. Of course, nitrox or trimix could have reduced the risk of DCS. And, even the partial pressure of oxygen would have exceeded that which is considered safe, there are penty of examples of doing that without negative consequences. The bottom line: The dive, unlikely though it was, is not impossible.

 

[RayJayJr]

He would suffered from severe narcosis, possibly OxTox and suck his air out at that depth for 30 minutes. I somehow doubt he was wearing doubles.

I love how every post you make includes these fantastically informative tidbits of information, which are, CLEARLY, based on your many years of diving experience.

 

[kidspot]

As I was listening to him my first thought was ... "how can you be doing 165+ft dives and NOT be completely comfortable recovering your regulator?"

Made for a very entertaining story however

btw - I got the impression this was back in the early 80's or possibly late 70's ...