What is your worst dive?

[CamG]

Greetings smellzlikefish this is not what I would call worse dive but more of a challenge. I was on a diving week end starting diving wet with my double 95's. After about 3 dives I was getting my doubles filled up and starting to get cold I chose to dive the night dive in my dry suit. This would come to be a very good choice! I assembled my gear in preparation for the dive before donning my DS. I put it on listened to the briefing and entered the water with my dive group. From the start of the dive I thought I heard a bubbling / rush of air from behind me. I asked a member of the group to look for bubbles he gave me the ok, so off we went. I noticed right away I seamed to be very negative and when I put air in my wing it seemed to leak out slowly. I chose to continue the dive remaining at a shallower depth. It was fine till I reached 33 feet, at that depth I lost all buoyancy from my wing and thumbed the dive. I did not become overly concerned but instead focused on my options. Ditching my gear was last, walking out which was an option next, or use my DS to get to the exit steps. I closed my DS exhaust, inflated my DS while in the horizontal position. It took a few moments to find the right neck position that prevented over inflated gas venting. I then swam to the exit and climbed out.
It was a loose dump valve that allowed the air to escape. A very easy check surface check would have detected it. This was a simple mistake on my part that could have been a major issue had the dive been different. I will not put wing on my doubles without checking all the valves. My pre-dive tests each one as well. My bubble check is more in depth. A lift bag is bungeed to my BP!
The dive taught me that you can not be to anal about gear inspection and never become complacent. It was a little strenuous making the exit but when I removed the gear and detected the issue. I made the proper adjustments, checked everything twice and finished the dive. It turned out to be a lesson for all those involved.
To make this point even more I just purchased a new wing and dove it twice it functioned ok but I thought it should do better. When I reached my home it is my practice to inflate wings and inspect them as I dump any water from the bladder.
I then inflate them to allow them to dry. The next day my wife asked why my new wing was flat! I was very concerned and after taking it completely apart, I discovered it had a un-bonded seam in the inside corner. The reason it barely seeped on the two dives was because of the BP sandwiching it. Lesson learned I do not dive a wing that I have not inspected internally as well. Long post valuable lesson I have learned!
Dive safe everyone and always inspect your gear! Pre-dive buddy check!
CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!

 

[JDMerk]

How do you inspect the inside of a bladder?

 

[Dig]

Mine was this past Saturday...It was supposed to be a moderate dive in very, very shallow conditions, no wreck penetration, just sight seeing to take in a little local history. We knew of currents from time to time existing on this wreck and the viz would probably be OK to not so good. To make a long story short since I'm sure you've all had similar experiences....we arrived on station and the sea state was 3-4 feet, the boat alternated between rocking to pitching wildly, and several divers started getting ill to the point that I thought they were becoming incapacitated. Everyone started splashing in and this not being a dive boat per se with benches and racks for gear donning, we took turns donning and splashing on the fantail. I loaded first so I splashed second to last. There was no line running from the stern to the anchor line on the bow and the swim was challenging...tough currents already, and the chop picked up a bit. Finally got to the anchor line and lost my buddy in the first five feet due to poor viz. Proceeded hand over hand down the anchor line and made the final possibly fatal desicion of changing from hand over hand to sliding my left hand down as I went...one slip, the rope passed the back of my hand and in half a second was passing out of sight. I descended quickly, got oriented on the bottom to the pattern in the sand and tried to make it the last bit to where the anchor should have been....no buddy, no anchor, no wreck, no dice. I ascended and had been blown off the line and site by quite a bit. I gave myself 5 seconds to take stock, inventory my options, and pursue a plan. So I did the swim of my life in 3-4 foot seas and ripping current back to the anchor line. I alternated breathing with the reg in and out because it felt like I could not get air from the reg...like I may have been overbreathing it. I almost ditched my gear but breathing in that sea state was difficult, and I thought I may still need to find my buddy who I did not see on the surface. I aimed for the anchor line because had I aimed for the trailing line and missed, well I like the Coasties and all but I didn't want to meet them that day. I was so tired and over heated in my 5 mil wet suit (which is perfect in 70 degree water, not so perfect in 85 degree SC sun) that I hung with my arm folded over the anchor line....then did the swim to the stern minding not to miss the trailing line. As I finally get back on the heaving fantail and I recovered on my hands and knees worried sick over my swim buddy....he resurfaces with the rest on the group appearing within a few minutes of each other. Was I scared, you betcha'. Did I feel foolish for making so many errors in judgment in a row, you betcha'. Am I wiser today than I was last week? I'd like to think so.









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[CamG]

Greetings Jd, I hope I did not confuse you. I was referring to a complete tear down, valve removal, inflator etc. I then unzip the cover and inspect the bladder itself checking for seam issues.
I have taken on a new interest in knowing exactly how to tear down and repair my gear. I have not taken regulator repair class yet but I am interested in doing so.
I want to be confident and ready for can and will come up in the future. I dive primarily cold water environment so I like to take extra time to prepare.
In the future I would like to pursue overhead environments where gear function can be critical. It makes us better divers to know the hows and whys of the gear we use.
I know not everyone feels this way and that is fine this is just my opinion and practice.
Dive safe everyone and enjoy the water it is awesome this time of year!
CamG Keep diving.....keep training....keep learning!

 

[msg]

Was doing my very first night dive in a quarry. As we began to descend into the depths, my light died. I could not see anything. The instructor that was leading the dive had hold of my hand and I was holding onto my dive partner. He just kept going and going. I could not wait to get out of the water. Yet I returned

 

[W8less]

Worst Dive/Trip

Going to Fiji, realized in Hawaii that we had forgotten our passports, no way to get them without going back Changed plans to American Samoa/Apia (don't need passports there) Dove Pago Pago harbor/inlet. Raw sewage discharged right into the inlet along with tuna boats just chucking fish guts into the water. The green, fuzzy dead coral was TP'd with just about anything that it could catch and the turds were just whizzing by. The tide was heading out so we were dropped to be picked up down inlet so no chance of just getting the hell out. I ended up up with a serious ear infection and sick.

 

[hobodiver]

I dived with a fish collector who was diving to 250 feet on air. When he woke up at 200 feet, he saw his gear still at 250 and decided it was time to ascend.

So he swam down to 250 feet, left his gear there, and swam up? I'm not sure I follow.

 

[MMM]

Was doing my very first night dive in a quarry. As we began to descend into the depths, my light died. I could not see anything. The instructor that was leading the dive had hold of my hand and I was holding onto my dive partner. He just kept going and going. I could not wait to get out of the water. Yet I returned

You didn't have a back-up light? That's SOP for nigt dives.

 

[MMM]

Mine covers 2 pages in my log, including writing up the sides of the page, mainly because I thought I might be called to testift some day in court. Was diving in La Paz Mexico. Had a couple of days of bad weather and no diving. A group finally went out after a break in the weather - myself and another I was buddied with, a father/son (who, based on my earlier experiences liked to push the envelope beyond their abilities), and 2 DMs - one in front and one behind. The dive briefing noted we'd do a 90' shallow-ish dog-leg swimthrough which had breaks throughout to the surface. We were all given lights. The lead DM went through first and I followed. It was like a washing machine when I entered; I was picked up by the surge and banged around the sides. I just decided to try and tuck my head and wait it out sinceit was so strong. I could hear and feel my tank banged against the sides of the rock and I truly thought I could die. I lost all orientation and was finally "spit out" somewhere within the swimthrough. I was at the surface with headroom between the ocean and the rock and I could see daylight. I checked that everything was working, no injuries, and since I didn't know where the hell I was and had loads of air, I decided to stay at the surface but with my light on and dangling into the water. Sure enough, in a few minutes the lead DM showed up and pointed me in the direction I needed to go while he set out to find other missing divers. I came out to find my buddy and the other DM. We waited for the father/son and lead DM. They finally emerged with the father missing his mask and one fin, his inflator hose had been ripped away from BC and he had a gash over one eye. He appeared dazed and in shock. The son's wetsuit was torn at the shoulder and arm and his skin was gashed. The DM gave his mask to the father and we ascended. Back on land my buddy said the father/son entered the swimthrough behind me and upon seeing what had happened to them and me, he declined to enter. So he and the other DM went to the end of the swimthrough to await our exit. The son told me that getting caught in the "washing machine" they had decided to brace their arms against the sides of the swimthrough and had gotten thourghly beaten up. He was especially concerned about an infection in his father who had just had a double knee replacement. You might well wonder why the father was diving before he was fit to dive. Also they were both a bit overweight and seeing them around the resort, I knew they liked to drink the free booze. Now I had watched these guys over a few days and found them loud, grandiose, and willing to take risks I was not willing to take. (Had gone out with them 2 days earlier in rough weather; captain wanted to turn around and they did not. I was with the captain but it took us a while to reach agreement). Bottomline, we got back to shore with an ambulance awaiting. Father was taken to hospital for assessment and they decided to return to US immediately. Son asked if I would testify to DM's recklessness in taking us to unsafe area. I said I'd be willing to testify what I saw and experienced but would not agree on"recklessness". Never heard any more and they were gone next day.

But I've never been so scared as I was when I was being banged about on sides of swimthrough, worried that I'd hit mt head and be knocked unconscious. After that, it takes a lot to get me rattled.

 

[kathydee]

I've written about this one before & received very helpful feedback.

Lets see. I was in Bunakan--dive 52, armed with recently completing AOW and about the experience of 3 dives to 100ft.

The situation was a bit unusual, dive plans changed at the last minute. It was cold and raining with lightening crashing. When we dropped in, there was a pretty swift current & good vis about 75 ft. The blue was quite vast and dynamic filled with red toothed trigger fish and 5 or 6 sharks my size. We dropped down much faster than normal to reach the 100ft bottom and escape some of the current.

I do remember feeling a little overwhelmed at the pace. Our dive group included 4 people, a couple, me and the DM. The couple was holding hands to stay together but struggling with the current and drifting farther away from us and deeper.

The dive master was staying about 25 ft away from me beween all of us and I was alone struggling a bit with the current and a little anxious (but I have had similar levels of anxiety on past dives although not at this depth or in this circumstance).

The overwhelming feeling came on suddenly -It truly felt like I was rebreathing old air and getting no oxygen which resulted in a sense of panic and a seriously nagging desire to bolt for the surface.

Because air was coming into my lungs and bubbling out, the gauge read ok, I was able to logically tell myself that the tank was full. But still it felt like I was not receiving oxygen,

I did stop , rest on the bottom and examine the deep full breaths & exhalations impatently waiting for a shred of sanity to return. But I couldn't dissolve the paranoia that my air was toxic and did not contain oxygen, and continued to have an increasingly overwhelming desire to bolt for the surface. I started feeling faint - vison and hearing were going.


So I motioned to the DM who came over providing the comfort of a second source of air and I somehow I had the presence to ask for an assisted ascent. He held my hand, made eye contact and we slowly ascended to 75 ft. The feelings subsided once I was out of my narc zone, rested a bit and continued my dive around 80-82 ft very close to my DM partner and quite shaken, but without difficulty.

A few days later I anxiously inched from 75 ft back down to 105 ft and felt the normal pleasant dose of mild narcosis.

Since then I have learned to only drop that deep with skilled attentive partners who have good gear. I also bought a fantastic ballanced reg. I have learned about dark narcs and CO2 build up. Now, I before I drop down to my narc zone or below, I do so incrementally in subsequent dives and slow the descent below 80 feet to proceede with viglent caution .

So far, never had another problem .