What should I have done?

[Cacia]

The *one* thing you knew for sure at that moment is that the other two divers were ok. You were not sure about the other one. So what has the priority?

DIR has a lot of great stuff. My opinion is the downside is that common sense sometimes gets lost due to a preoccupation with team think....."what's the *correct* answer?"

Every rule has an exception. I have seen divers so in love with the plan they do amazing things. The reason people joke about the "dark side" is there is a bit of truth.

A diver having a problem almost always trumps a diver who is not.

 

[dsteding]

You know, this thread makes me think it could be helpful to adjust our mindset regarding "training" dives. I've recently gone through this flurry of wanting to do skills dives because fundies is coming up. I got over it (mainly because 5 skills dives in a row made me want to go see the fishies) and I'm starting to think that skills integrated in a controlled manner on "regular" dives are more helpful then a complete dive that involves one drill after another.

Here is why: We are trying to get to the point of being better divers. In doing skills dives--as this thread points out--we create an artificial environment. I'm not sure how well that translates over to "real" dives if you have drawn the distinction between the two. While I will agree it is good to practice, I'm finding that such practice can be integrated into regular diving. The net result may be a slower progression, but I'm okay with that.

This past Saturday was a good example. Two scenic dives on Saturday, one of which involved Richard tossing an OOA at me followed by a bag shoot and an air-sharing ascent. I find I get more from those types of experiences then I do from repetitive drills. It just feels more "real" to me and as a result is more readily applicable to my everyday diving. It also generates lessons that seem to stick with me more. Maybe that approach starts to erase the artificial line between "practice" dives and normal dives.

I don't know whether this concept will translate well to practicing more involved skills (right now I am just getting ready for fundies) but it does speak to the importance of building experience along with practicing skills . . .

 

[Blitz]

Here is why: We are trying to get to the point of being better divers. In doing skills dives--as this thread points out--we create an artificial environment. I'm not sure how well that translates over to "real" dives if you have drawn the distinction between the two. While I will agree it is good to practice, I'm finding that such practice can be integrated into regular diving. The net result may be a slower progression, but I'm okay with that.

He's seen the light!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jason B]

If I had panicked when I lost buoyancy control and held my breath, I had plenty of time to embolize and I could have been in distress on the surface. Losing a buddy needs to be taken seriously, no matter when it occurs.

Suppose everyone had a deco obligation when you blew through the 20ft stop. Would the team mate be expected to ditch deco to find buddy - or prevent the double accident and finish his deco?

 

[rjack321]

Suppose everyone had a deco obligation when you blew through the 20ft stop. Would the team mate be expected to ditch deco to find buddy - or prevent the double accident and finish his deco?

Go get them. There's 2 possible outcomes one the surface.

1) They are in a world of hurt. In which case you take the DCS hit which will likely be only type I and try and get them to survive.

2) Something is wrong (e.g. inflator) but they are fine. Redescend and complete the deco plus a bit.

If you are doing dives where blowing a stop is life threatening, you need in water and surface support.

 

[Blitz]

Go get them. There's 2 possible outcomes one the surface.

1) They are in a world of hurt. In which case you take the DCS hit which will likely be only type I and try and get them to survive.

2) Something is wrong (e.g. inflator) but they are fine. Redescend and complete the deco plus a bit.

If you are doing dives where blowing a stop is life threatening, you need in water and surface support.

No such thing as a 'likely' any DCS hit.

 

[do it easy]

Go get them. There's 2 possible outcomes one the surface.

1) They are in a world of hurt. In which case you take the DCS hit which will likely be only type I and try and get them to survive.

2) Something is wrong (e.g. inflator) but they are fine. Redescend and complete the deco plus a bit.

If you are doing dives where blowing a stop is life threatening, you need in water and surface support.

This seems odd to me- First, if they had a huge deco obligation, then so would the other divers. DCS isn't usually a switch- you could pop up, check on the diver, hand them off to the surface support and then drop back down. Taking a hit with them so they have some company in the chamber isn't going to help them.

If you are in a remote area or there is no surface support, then someone might be out of luck. Hopefully, these are some of the risks that were considered before the dive began.

 

[rjack321]

No such thing as a 'likely' any DCS hit.

By 20ft much of your deco is done and type II is less likely (than say if they corked from much deeper - like 80ft).

Leaving them at the surface would be a bad thing. You never know what happened. And as do it easy points out DCS isn't a switch - maybe you can help them return to depth and comeplete some extra deco. Still might take a chamber ride, but with less gas to eliminate.

 

[rjack321]

This seems odd to me- First, if they had a huge deco obligation, then so would the other divers. DCS isn't usually a switch- you could pop up, check on the diver, hand them off to the surface support and then drop back down. Taking a hit with them so they have some company in the chamber isn't going to help them.

If you are in a remote area or there is no surface support, then someone might be out of luck. Hopefully, these are some of the risks that were considered before the dive began.

We do T1 dives without surface support all the time. Its nice to have, but not 100% required for less than lifethreatening deco exposures (~20 mins).

 

[Blitz]

I didn't say what I would do, and in fact I have taken a chamber ride or two because someone corked and I had to follow them up. And what if you are planning to use o2 to shorten your deco?