Training FUBAR

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Gary D.

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Post Falls, Idaho
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I'm a Fish!
Today’s training was a nice and laid back one because next month is kick their butts in the pool time.

We had a team meeting and went over two applicant letters to replace a member who quit, returned, quit, returned and I think quit again. Then we decided to change our planed dive to a deeper laid back one and decided on a lunch spot.

We get somewhat changed out at the marine building and then head for the marina that’s downtown. Take our time getting ready and packing gear down to the docks. Everyone paired up and I was the odd man out. SO I decide to go with two of the guys I have no worries about.

We start down and hit the bottom at around 35’. I’m taking a few pics as we do a nice gradual decent to between 65 and 70’. Man I haven’t been this relaxed on a dive on months. You just don’t realize how uptight you can get working with the FNG’s.

So there we are just shy of 70’ with relatively good vis. I kneel down on the bottom and pop off a pic when all of a sudden I get the worst case of vertigo I have ever even heard about.

The bottom is over my head, to my right, back over my head. Over to my left and spinning rapidly in every which direction. I’m not moving but my mind is. Just like that carnival ride like a Ferris wheel with those spinning little cars on it. WOW, I normally have to pay for or drink my way into that kind of stupor.

I sit there until it subsides and notice the camera is checked out. So I signal the other two I’m headed up. At about 30’ round two hits. That one was a lot milder than the first but still quite a trip. I just grabbed my computer and stared at it as I maintained my depth. Once it subsided I went to the surface where it hit again. Have you ever seen a camera spin circles around a diver? I even had cruise boats flying overhead.

This is close but milder: Used Carnival Rides for Sale : Spectaculars : : Zipper : 1023

I did about a 100 yard surface swim on my back, back to the shore. It took about 10 minutes for the sensation to quit affecting me but until it did I stayed in the water to eliminate any chance of falling down.

The instant it first hit me on the bottom I knew what the problem was but I have no idea why it happened. I blew out my right eardrum. I had no issues clearing descending, it was the most laid back relaxing dive I have done in a while and my head seemed pressure free down there. The only thing I can think of is my hood fits snugly but does let water in. I very well may have had a reverse squeeze as my hood pressure seemed to lessen briefly when the ear let go.

Anyway we pack up and go for a NON MEXICAN lunch. It’s a good thing because Lane B already had a serious problem. :D

After lunch we go back to marine then I go to ER to have a guy with a fancy degree tell me what I know already. He grabs a scope, looks into my ear and says; “Yep, you have a hole and a tear in it, Hurts like hell huh”. It doesn’t hurt but its sure irritating as can be. So now I’m frickin grounded for at least 3 weeks and have to put the drops in 4X a day.

I could see this happening on one of my <30 second 100’ drops but not on this slow easy laid back dive. Oh well, I’m just keeping my fingers crossed we don’t have our usual holiday season emergency dives. But if we do I have all the confidence in the world the guys will do very well on the operation. Besides I’ll be there on top to kick their butts if they do something stupid. :wink:

Gary D.
 
Ouch.

Take it easy and get better Gary!
 
3 weeks! I guess you'll just have to stand on the shore and bark at the new guys.

In other words, everything as usual. :wink:
 
I'm betting 3 weeks is a mighty long time for you. :14: As you said though, you have some great guys that can take care of things. At least that is what I gather from your posting's.

Im curious though as to why you didn't take someone up and back with you in case you did fall or had gotten sick on your stop?
 
Jeeze Gary.. that sucks!! Good luck... let us know if you need anything!
 
As you said though, you have some great guys that can take care of things.

Im curious though as to why you didn't take someone up and back with you in case you did fall or had gotten sick on your stop?

Had I not known exactly what the problem was and what to expect I would have taken someone with me. Vertigo, when you have vis and a reference point I found is quite easy to deal with.

On the bottom I just enjoyed the trip as I wondered what in the heck caused the rupture. I knew where I was and I wasn’t going any deeper if I stayed planted.

The second hit at 30’ was a bit of a challenge but not hard to deal with. When that one hit I grabbed my computer and even with the numbers spinning around I didn’t have a bit of a problem maintaining the 30’ as I concentrated on the spinning numbers. 30, 0E, 0M, 0W, I told you it was weird.

At the surface the third one hit but now it’s just bob around and enjoy the trip.

Once I got to the beach I just took off my fins and walked back and forth in waist to chest deep water until all the symptoms were gone.

This was not going to cause me to black out and other than the +buoyant camera taking off to the surface I was able to maintain control and deal with it. Had I any doubts I would have taken both of them with me.

One other thing that helps is I wear a FF so losing the reg isn’t an issue even if I do take an unsuspecting nap.

The more I think about it the more I’m convinced that this could easily cause an unsuspecting diver to bolt to the surface and/or drown.

I can’t really tell you what my first thoughts were but it was on the line of breading feces and I knew I was getting grounded for a while.:11:

By the way, the other two did come up with me but I didn’t know it until I started the swim in. They said they didn’t know what I was doing or what I tried to tell them so they just followed close behind. I told you I have good guys.:wink:

Gary D.
 
I guess the food is pretty bad at the hospital since you have to go to lunch before you go to the ER :)

Get well soon!

The food at the hospital is good and that’s where we eat at night. It was a team thing and getting some ear drops could wait for a while.

Our policy is that ALL on duty injuries go to ER no matter how big or how small. Besides I had to blow into the intox and pee in a bottle.

I don’t think the three beers, 2 vodka’s, a line or two with a joint with lunch should show up. :D

Gary D.
 
The food at the hospital is good and that’s where we eat at night.
Gary D.


Funny the food at our hospital is good as well. I remember a day when you didn't touch hospital food. :no
 
Funny the food at our hospital is good as well. I remember a day when you didn't touch hospital food. :no
When I visit friends in the hospital, I make sure to go around dinner time. :)
 
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