When to call for help

[TSandM]

Some of you will remember me posting about my experience with a flooded mask that wouldn't clear, and the near-panic that resulted. The same thing happened to one of my dive buddies yesterday, and he did the same thing I did: He didn't signal us to let us know he had a problem. He kept trying to solve it by himself until he wasn't rational any more.

Given that we are all going to encounter issues from time to time, whether it's a twisted light cord, a flooding mask, a harness that's come loose, or whatever, it doesn't make sense to signal one's buddies every single time something isn't quite right. (Crying wolf comes to mind, not to mention that eventually, nobody would want to dive with me if I did that!) We can solve many problems by ourselves with little disturbance of the dive. But sometimes your buddy can solve it more EASILY than you can (my issue with the light cord being wrapped around something was an example of that), and sometimes the problem is going to escalate, and your buddy can keep that from happening (like the panic of being unable to see and disoriented). However, when you're rattled, one of the first things that happens is self-absorption and perceptual narrowing, and it seems as though it's easy to forget that help is at hand.

So the question is: How do you decide which problems should be signalled to your buddies? How do you recognize that you're getting too anxious to handle something by yourself?

 

[ppo2_diver]

If I can't fix something on the first attempt, I'm signalling my buddies to either watch me or to help.

 

[WesTexDiver]

Any problem that could potentially end a dive if not solved?

 

[SparticleBrane]

I'll attempt once or twice, but after that I'm going to signal to get my buddy's attention. The reason for "once or twice" being that sometimes if I don't get it on the first attempt, it usually means that I figured out what the issue is so I might be able to fix it on the second. But I know myself well enough to know that if I don't fix it shortly I'll just get frustrated, I'll do the 'perceptual narrowing' thing, blah blah blah...it just wouldn't be a good situation.

edit: I'll also throw this out there. It depends on the problem. If the problem is big enough to call the dive, I'll call it. If not, then I'll just get a buddy to help. "One dive today isn't worth all the dives tomorrow."

 

[cool_hardware52]

Some of you will remember me posting about my experience with a flooded mask that wouldn't clear, and the near-panic that resulted. The same thing happened to one of my dive buddies yesterday, and he did the same thing I did: He didn't signal us to let us know he had a problem. He kept trying to solve it by himself until he wasn't rational any more.

Given that we are all going to encounter issues from time to time, whether it's a twisted light cord, a flooding mask, a harness that's come loose, or whatever, it doesn't make sense to signal one's buddies every single time something isn't quite right. (Crying wolf comes to mind, not to mention that eventually, nobody would want to dive with me if I did that!) We can solve many problems by ourselves with little disturbance of the dive. But sometimes your buddy can solve it more EASILY than you can (my issue with the light cord being wrapped around something was an example of that), and sometimes the problem is going to escalate, and your buddy can keep that from happening (like the panic of being unable to see and disoriented). However, when you're rattled, one of the first things that happens is self-absorption and perceptual narrowing, and it seems as though it's easy to forget that help is at hand.

So the question is: How do you decide which problems should be signalled to your buddies? How do you recognize that you're getting too anxious to handle something by yourself?

I have the advantage of diving with a regular teammate. I can't recall having to signal him that I'm having a problem, large or small. Same for him. Sometimes we need to communicate the exact nature of the problem, but not that there is one.

Tobin

 

[theskull]

Unless you have the luxury of a regular dedicated dive buddy, you should be prepared--and regularly practice--fixing your problems yourself.

Anything that can reasonably be expected to go wrong during a dive--flooded mask, unattached drysuit hose, fin tangled in fishing line, fouled reel, etc.--should be simulated and corrected occasionally during regular dives. This gives you the confidence you will need when the same occurs at a less than opportune time, such as in low/no visibility, on a deep dive, or when paired with a useless buddy, or dare I say while solo diving (if so trained and equipped).

When a real problem occurs, your first thought may be "Oh no, this is trouble, I could be in serious doodoo", but your immediate second thought should be "Oh well, I know what's wrong, I have plenty of gas to breathe, and I WILL get it worked out here in a minute or so".

The best dive buddies will quickly notice your problem and help you without being signalled. But if you only dive when the best buddies are available you will miss a great deal of excellent dive opportunities!

theskull

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I have to agree that after the first or second attempt depending on the problem. However as someone who also regularly dives solo I spend alot of time setting things up to minmize the chances of this happening. And also thinking through and practicing possible problem solutions when I do have a buddy without jeoparding either of us. For instance a flooded mask is easy enough to practice as is a regulator recovery. I will not however intentionally get tangled up in monofilament or a net just to practice getting out of it. In these types of situations what works is buoyancy control, practicing patience in all areas, deploying my cutting tools with as little motion as possible(this has resulted in me finding more accessible locations for them as well as the types I carry), and being more situationally aware.

 

[Jorbar1551]

call for help whenever you need it. if you think the situation could get worse, call for help. often, even if you dont think it could get worse, murphy will ******* something up.

 

[WesTexDiver]

Another factor could be visability...in the TX lakes that I dive, I get lucky when there is 15 feet of visability. So a quick decision is necessary, otherwise your buddy is out of view in a few fin strokes. How often do you look to see if your buddy is still on your heels if you are the lead? Working in a dive shop with a 17 foot indoor pool in the next room i get wet at least once a week to do nothing but practice emergencies, switching to back up air supply, mask clearing, weight ditching, and anything else i can work up that could possibly happen. If you work in an office then try visualizing problems and working them out in your mind, nothing beats solving problems underwater, but visualizing can also prepare you for certain situations.

 

[creamofwheat]

I don't think there's a set formula for this. Signal your buddy if you feel you need help, or if you want it. Heck, on one dive I did in Cozumel, I got down to about 10ft before mny mask started flooding on me. I cleared it. It filled again. I cleared it again. It filled again. I signalled to my buddy "mask is flooding!" and he saw the problem right away: a bit of my hair was in the seal of my mask. He got my hair out, I cleared the mask once again and we were off for a nice and comfortable dive. If I hadn't signalled him, well, I would have had a stressful dive, if a dive at all. I probably would have called it. But the problem was fixed and we had a great dive.

So I don't know. I signal to my buddy if I have a problem and I can't figure out how to fix it. Sometimes an extra pair of eyes, or an extra pair of hands is really helpful.