When to call a dive

[East West]

This may not be a pleasant topic . After not diving for some years , I lost my sea legs , not to get sea sick . I was sick before going into the water my last dive . I chummed the water and rested till feeling better. I was testing a prototype DPV so it was important to make trials . The trials went perfect and I had a ton of bottom time with 39 % O2 at 80 feet . After 25 minutes into the dive I started to feel sick again . My thought at first was to keep diving this will pass . Five minutes later some clarity struck me , you feel like sh*t and may heave any second . I have been in some dangerous situations and this sure could become one. I motored to the anchor line rapido and made a joyful assent only to heave like hell from my dive ladder . I believe multiple fatalities have occurred with sea sickness as a factor so this topic may help somebody . thanks Charles

 

[Brandon]

Any diver, any time, for any reason. Don't try to be macho or feel bad about it =)

-B

 

[AfterDark]

When it's not worth doing.

If chumming the waters while submerged hold your purge button while you do it and continue to hold it for a second after you stop because when you stop you'll be taking a big breath! You'll want the reg clear and a lot of air flowing thru!

 

[danvolker]

This may not be a pleasant topic . After not diving for some years , I lost my sea legs , not to get sea sick . I was sick before going into the water my last dive . I chummed the water and rested till feeling better. I was testing a prototype DPV so it was important to make trials . The trials went perfect and I had a ton of bottom time with 39 % O2 at 80 feet . After 25 minutes into the dive I started to feel sick again . My thought at first was to keep diving this will pass . Five minutes later some clarity struck me , you feel like sh*t and may heave any second . I have been in some dangerous situations and this sure could become one. I motored to the anchor line rapido and made a joyful assent only to heave like hell from my dive ladder . I believe multiple fatalities have occurred with sea sickness as a factor so this topic may help somebody . thanks Charles

I'm sure PADI or some other forward thinking training agency, would be happy to create a course on the proper way to Vomit underwater ( which is really quite easy--and maybe even more comfortable than the "less than pleasant" experience of doing this on the surface).

Another great bonus for the traditionalists in the dive industry, is they could tell people that since this diver has been "trained" to vomit through his primary, his buddies would be naturally more inclined to potentially buddy breate through his Octo....thus achieving a major sidestepping of our whole DIR sharing of the primary long hose

Regards,
DanV

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Had a friend call a dive last night from 70 feet. We ascended ... no questions asked.

He later tried to apologize for cutting the dive short. No need ... good call ... if you ain't feelin' right, get the heck outta Dodge. There will always be another opportunity to go back ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Starcruiser]

Agree with Brandon... we called a beach dive last night because the water didn't look right. Any diver, any time, any reason... plenty of time to make it up.

 

[NC Wreck Diver]

I agree with all posts. If you don't feel right about the dive for any reason, time to get out. Everything will be there in the future. The water, the gear, etc. Everyone I dive with can call a dive with no questions asked. I just bailed in our local quarry last Saturday with a friend, because of a bad leg cramp (I rarely get them). But this time, I thumbed it and split.

You made the right call, even with the prototype DPV. A few buckets of seawater to wash down the swim ladder is an easy fix. Divers who are sick can get themselves in a lot of trouble, since the sickness is paramount in their minds.

I see that you are a solo diver, and I will also dive solo quite often, with a lot of redundancy. I hope you feel better and get back to the trials of the prototype.

Safe diving to you.

 

[Rich Keller]

You get sea sick on the boat not in the water, if you are sick in the water there is something else causing it. If in your case you were at the bottom for 25 minutes at 80' on 39% O2 you may have been in the early stages of oxygen poisoning. If you are going to do this type of diving you should take an O2 tolerance test before going out again. Better yet just stick to standard air when diving.

 

[Rich Keller]

PS: To actually answer your question, you call a dive any time for any reason regardless of what anyone else may think or say. Even if you are not sure why but it just dose not feel right, stay out. Better YOU figure out later why it did not feel right then a coroner.

 

[ScubaFeenD]

Had a friend call a dive last night from 70 feet. We ascended ... no questions asked.

He later tried to apologize for cutting the dive short. No need ... good call ... if you ain't feelin' right, get the heck outta Dodge. There will always be another opportunity to go back ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Yeah people always apologize, but it never really needs an apology. If it is outside of the dive plan I am usually curious as to the reason, but never want an apology. Its all part of the golden rule, and I like to make sure the same courtesy and respect are shown to me if I have a problem and need to thumb a dive, too. Sometimes thumbs happen. No biggie.