Thought I'd share one of my close calls

[Tortuga68]

Entanglement can get you killed in open water. OOA can get your killed in open water. Knowing how to ditch/don your gear underwater is a SKILL that can possible save your life in one of the above scenarios, not end it

I agree

Once you're on the surface though - with or without your gear - I'm not sure what the advantage of swimming back down to get your gear is?

I've done the same drill, but does anyone have an answer (ie a pratical application) to the above question, other than it being practice?

Thanks

 

[battles2a5]

I think swimming back down is just more of a watermanship skill and overall comfort in the water.

 

[Web Monkey]

I agree

Once you're on the surface though - with or without your gear - I'm not sure what the advantage of swimming back down to get your gear is?

I've done the same drill, but does anyone have an answer (ie a pratical application) to the above question, other than it being practice?

The only advantage of swimming back down and getting your gear is that your instructor doesn't have to go bring it back up to the surface.

There's an old joke that goes like this:

A woman gets married and her husband loves brisket. Every week, she would go to the store, buy a brisket, cut off the ends, put it in a pan and cook it. One day her husband said "why do you always cut the ends off?" She said "Because that's the way my mother always made it."

Later she called her mother and said "Why do you always cut the ends off the brisket?" Her mother said "Because my pan is too small and it won't fit if I don't cut it."

I think there are a number of SCUBA "exercises" that no longer have practical applications.

Terry

 

[Miller64]

Ok,read it all,now,being new at this ,I must ask,would I be smart/dumb,right/wrong to say if I had an entaglement problem and left my equipement ,,to get to the surface,let my buddy come up,take a break and go get it for me? Instead of trying to go back? My buddy is there,he has his equipment or I can go get some more and go get it later? wouldnt that be a bit safer?.Personaly ,other than the fact that you can do it,good swimmer,ect.I see no need to put ME in peril again,Im already safe at the surface.Just curious

 

[battles2a5]

Speaking in practical terms, yes, that would be the better idea. In reality, if you have gotten to the point where you have to ditch your gear and swim to the surface a LOT of things have gone wrong. However, knowing that you CAN ditch and swim to the surface give you one more tool, one more measure of confidence, and that may be the difference between keeping a level head and working your way out of the problem (one way or another) or getting yourself in serious trouble (or dead).

 

[trogg]

exactly, its not a real big thing to be down 20 feet, ive held my breath and swam down farther than that..its just something that startled the crap out of me and i took a breath of fresh water...
im not sure if there ever will be a practical application for what ive done. But if im in the water and for whatever reason cant get out of something like a wreck...(example. diving in a wreck you have a collapse[i dont want to hear about evaluating stability. this is an example] and the exit is reduced to a size where only you can fit out of with no gear, you ditch your gear and head for the surface 20 feet above, while your buddy cant get your rig out of the ever collapsing hole.. he surfaces and says to swim down and grab it because he couldnt fit. his air is there if you need it. you go in on a breath hold, detach your regs and throw those into the sand, followed by your air tank, then your bc and so on. meanwhile taking a breath off your buddys air. once everything is accounted for you half assemble your gear and bring it to the surface to dry.)
IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY!
lol its not so much needed as a D&R as it could be a useful tool in other ways to be determined.

like people have been saying, diving is a serious sport. and perhaps if you knew me there would be a different opinion. you may pick up a news paper or dive mag, i read, and re-read my equipment manuals, dive log and various pneumatics books, the more you fill your head, the less scary something becomes. you tame the monster in you. but still hold a very high sobriety, and respect for what it is capable of.

never underestimate who you are as a diver, overestimate in practice on dry land and learn for the water. i dont think theres a moment where i was truly afraid for my life, or afraid of something terrible happening, i know the area, i know the current as i set the current, and helped dig the lake. the worst possible scenario for this would be death(same as walking down the street), but my buddy would not allow that. so play smart, if you start gulping, do something about it before it constricts your airway. learn to control reflexes too.