Terror on my 12th dive

[spectrum]

Nikolai

I had a lengthly response that got blown away with a stray mouse click so here is the short version....

You got a priceless lesson with your brush with the panic cycle. Learn from it.

Remember that you are a certified diver. Self preservation is utmost. If you buddy decides to plummet to a depth beyond plan and your comfort will you follow? Reversing heading and swimming back solo is always an option.

Work your regional forum here on ScubaBoard. I see some promising leads have already stepped forward. You had some bad beginners buddy luck. Take charge and offer to lead your dives so you can set the pace. Be sure to make your desired pace absolutely clear in your dive planning.

Don't give up. The vast majority of divers will be good if not stellar buddies. Eventually you will develop a pool of cherished friends.

There may be some stuff of use here.

Pete

 

[DutchDown]

To the OP: I share your pain. My fourth post-certification dive was with an "instabuddy". Because visibility is often 3-5 meters where I dive, as well as being pitch black deeper than 10 meters, he wanted to use a buddy line, essentially handcuffing us to each other. Before the dive, he listed his certifications, number of dives and how good he was in general. Had I been thinking clearly I would've asked why he didn't have a buddy if, in fact, he was Superdiver, as claimed. Anyway, we tied each other together at the wrists, descended, then he decided to go above and behind me to look at something, twisting my arm around and nearly throttling me in the process. He did manage to entangle me in a buoy line. Being a placid, easy going guy, I ripped off the buddy line and tried to give him an experience that would be the highlight of proctology discussions worldwide. Then I called the dive.
That's the only bad experience I've had with an instabuddy. Most have been just dandy. Hopefully your future experiences will be better as mine were. Don't be discouraged...keep diving. Just stay safe and if it means thumbing the dive, do it.

 

[riguerin]

Edit: Crap looking at my logbook I see it was dive 13!
That explains everything.

Perhaps not. I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss your instincts. From your account, it sounds like you got paired up with someone who's diving style/goals were not compatible with yours. It sounds like they may not have been perceptive enough (for what ever reason) to recognize this and didn't modify the dive to accommodate your comfort level. I'm sorry to hear that you had a stressful experience. Unfortunately, some dives go that way.

Personally, my overall style is more like yours. I think diving is supposed to be fun and enjoyable. My idea of an great dive is barely moving or kicking ... just floating along, taking in every little detail of glorious environment we're privileged to visit. For me it's almost a zen-like experience. Of course, the situation doesn't always allow this. We learn to adapt ... or how to use the thumb.

I see you're in Riverside. I dive Laguna Beach a few times per week. I'm pretty busy with work these days, but if you ever want to hook up for a fun dive, feel free to shoot me a PM.

 

[redrover]

I feel your pain, been there and done that – at least the chasing. The worst thing for me was not being noticed I was left behind.
It taught me some additional communication pre-enter and pre descend reminding.

• Get clear what this dive is. One such was a boring trip out to the good stuff. Another was time frame – if you keep up with me we’ll have air to show you 8 octopuses. Had I known that, I would have been prepared and enjoyed it more.
• Read clues. Young athletic pups with out a camera and turtles might have different gears than I. The surface swim was a clue to pedal to the metal and deserved some discussion before descending– what speed were you moving? If that was slow, I’d get across it was too fast for me.
• Getting left in the dust on the surface needs another discussion about separation and your level of expectation or comfort.

 

[DivingsInMyBlood]

Always speak with a buddy or new buddy before diving and let them know you dont dive that way and you want them to stick close otherwise thats almost more solo diving on their part and on yours. Just speak to them tell them the drill and if they dont agree call the dive. The last thing you want is to have a problem with your buddy nowhere in sight to help you. You had a bad experience with your last so called buddy, dont let it put you off.

 

[Stu S.]

You mentioned that each of you intended to dive with a particular club. Many clubs have a "safety officer" or some sort of instructor. Let the club know what happened.

There is a legal responsibility to being a dive buddy. It is considered a contract between two people. It is possible to be in big trouble if something goes wrong, and you are not following safe practices.

 

[scubafool]

drongo, noun:- a fool.

Hey now, no need to get personal!

Nikolai, I too have been to the very ragged edge of panic underwater, and I can say that it is not a good feeling at all. One thing that has helped me get through it is focusing on the most important part of scuba diving, which is, of course, breathing. As one of my instructors once said to me, "You can breathe, can't you? As long as you can breathe, any other problem that you are having is fixable." I have used that advice to get me through a couple of scary moments since then. You don't NEED a buddy. You DO need to breathe. Stop, breathe, think. And, don't buddy with this person again.

I would try looking in your local area subforum here on ScubaBoard. Introduce yourself, mention this particular incident, and ask if there is anyone who would buddy up with you and take things slow.

Many thanks for sharing your experience with us, hopefully someone will read this and be a safer diver because of it.

 

[spectrum]

Nikolai,

One more thing I forgot. If you buddy is a hunter gatherer and shows up with a catch bag be prepared for a ride.

Pete

 

[tonka97]

I can really see now how people can panic and just throw their reg outta their mouth and run to the surface. I was almost there.

-Nick

As long as you can breathe you are OK. Emphasize exhalation if you notice a rising respiration rate. You will eliminate CO2 and this will decrease your rate (and panic).

In low visibility suggest you somehow find humor in the situation.

Humor and air are your friends.

If you have truly lost your buddy, follow your pre-dive plan for attempting to find him, and if no joy, do a safety stop, then surface; your dive is over, and time to do a 'lessons learned' when your buddy surfaces. The lesson may be to fire your buddy.

Consider each dive to actually be a solo dive; have redundant air supply with necklace attached regulator. If you have a good buddy, consider yourself extra lucky! They are rare.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

Nikolai,You have already recieved a lot of good advice, if I repeat some it's because I skipped a few posts. (Hope I don't appear to be a drongo)

You where doing as you where taught (being a good buddy). I have found with experience that sometimes other people will not act as expected It is hard to figure out if you should let them go or try to keep up. It's up to you conditions permitting I have been letting them go then when they realize they are alone the panic and come and find me (I follow the best I can and not hide).