Reg Braithwaite
Contributor
Something a little like this actually happened to me last season:
You are diving the Henry C. Daryaw, an upside-down freighter in 87' of moderately warm water. This is the second of two afternoon recreational dives, and as things happen this dive is deeper than the first.
You are diving a fresh steel 95 and your buddy is diving a set of double AL80s. Before the dive he warns that he's a little low on air form the first dive, so he may need to thumb things early. You agree.
We'll skip the debate about whether he should have dived at all. He said he was ok to dive and, well, you did the dive.
The holds of the Daryaw are easily accessible and many recreational divers violate their training and take a look inside. After discussion you agree not to do this on this dive. That being said, the wreck is upside-down and many people treat it as a swim-through and swim under it without going inside even though that is technically an overhead environment.
You descend the anchor line and pause together at the impressive rudder and screws. After giving each other the ok sign, you then descend to the deck down a narrow chasm in single file. When you reach the deck you look back at your buddy but he is gone.
Omitting all bits of light signals and touch contact and what-not, the question here is this: What protocol do you follow? You are wearing a computer and planned to follow its profile for a "no-deco" dive. Again omitting all debate about computers, that was your plan.
So here you are with a lost buddy at the start of the dive, you have (relatively) plenty of gas for a good look-around. But your buddy is known to be lowish on gas. do you...
You are diving the Henry C. Daryaw, an upside-down freighter in 87' of moderately warm water. This is the second of two afternoon recreational dives, and as things happen this dive is deeper than the first.
You are diving a fresh steel 95 and your buddy is diving a set of double AL80s. Before the dive he warns that he's a little low on air form the first dive, so he may need to thumb things early. You agree.
We'll skip the debate about whether he should have dived at all. He said he was ok to dive and, well, you did the dive.
The holds of the Daryaw are easily accessible and many recreational divers violate their training and take a look inside. After discussion you agree not to do this on this dive. That being said, the wreck is upside-down and many people treat it as a swim-through and swim under it without going inside even though that is technically an overhead environment.
You descend the anchor line and pause together at the impressive rudder and screws. After giving each other the ok sign, you then descend to the deck down a narrow chasm in single file. When you reach the deck you look back at your buddy but he is gone.
Omitting all bits of light signals and touch contact and what-not, the question here is this: What protocol do you follow? You are wearing a computer and planned to follow its profile for a "no-deco" dive. Again omitting all debate about computers, that was your plan.
So here you are with a lost buddy at the start of the dive, you have (relatively) plenty of gas for a good look-around. But your buddy is known to be lowish on gas. do you...
- Search for one minute around the outside of the wreck, look under the wreck without going under it, and then ascend?
- Search around the outside of the wreck, actually go under the wreck to look for him without penetrating the holds?
- Search around the outside of the wreck, go under the wreck to look for him without penetrating the holds, and poke your head in any openings to see if he is inside and visible?
- Look everywhere, including penetrating the holds?
Last edited: