Who here has done a real life CESA and what was your experience?

[Web Monkey]

I read the post as saying that a large ship was passing over the diver's head, not that the diver was in an overhead situation.

Having been on the bottom when that happened, I can tell you that a large ship passing overhead is as "overhead" as anything will ever get. Surfacing would turn you into chum.

Terry

 

[MagicChicken]

To clarify the story, we did intend to do overhead diving, but yeah I was in "open water" when it happened. Except when I go to the quarry, boat traffic is expected at most dive sites. Web Monkey made a good point : if you can't make a direct ascent, it is not open water anymore.
I guess my post is a bit confusing in this thread.

When we first practiced CESA during OW training (40 ffw), our instructor made sure we understood that CESA was a last resort procedure. "Most problems can be resolved underwater."

So... point taken. I should have had a redundant air source on me. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Thalassamania]

1. Why did it happen? I've done a bunch in training/qualification. I'm sure that I've had to do a few over the years, but none of them made enough of an impression that I really remember the incident.
2. What depth? - 30 ft., 60 ft., 100 ft., 130 ft., 150 ft. When it came time for my 190 the requirement had been dropped.
3. What was your reaction? - No real reaction, start finning up, once my BC had filled sufficiently I'd hold the oral inflator down with the valve open creating an "air siphon." I'd move it up in the water column to speed up and down in the water column to slow down.
4. What was your ascent rate? - I tried to keep it as close to 60 FPM as possible, 5 feet on my gauge, 5 seconds on my watch.
5. Did you have to go to the chamber? - No
6. General experience/thoughts/advice/anything else relevant - When you are a competent free diver (e.g., can hold your breath for at least two minutes), have been taught how to do and ESE in real life, and have practiced ESEs regularly in real life, they are no big deal.

 

[InTheDrink]

No real reaction, start finning up, once my BC had filled sufficiently I'd hold the oral inflator down with the valve open creating an "air siphon." I'd move it up in the water column to speed up and down in the water column to slow down.

Nice tip. These aren't things you read much in books.

I presume you've Trade Marked the 'Air Siphon' thing?

 

[Thalassamania]

Nice tip. These aren't things you read much in books.

I presume you've Trade Marked the 'Air Siphon' thing?

Naw ... that's free ... the first one's always free. Besides, I must have stole it from someone else, I just can't remember who ... it's too good and too involved for me to have come up with it on my own.

 

[Tortuga68]

First time I've heard it too; thanks

 

[Thalassamania]

I was looking back through old field notes, I believe I have to credit that technique to Walt Hendricks Sr., then then Diving Safety Officer at the University of Puerto Rico.

I've mentioned it a few times in the past: Links: 1, 2, 3, these are just to give you context, if you want more (my post is pretty much the same but the surrounding posts are interesting) search for the word "siphon" with my user name.

 

[Ardy]

When I started diving in 1972 the standard approach was to dive until it got difficult to breath and then slowly move to the surface taking a breath as the tank got more air from expansion.

I have had to do one CESA in 1976 (havent a clue what these letters mean) when my J valve failed and my buddy didnt want to buddy breath. He told me afterwards 'what was all that stuff about down there and why did you pull out of the dive'.

A poor buddy will kill you before any gear failure will.

 

[Thalassamania]

CESA = Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent

I guess someone thought that the ESEs we were doing were out of control<G>.

 

[shoredivr]

Having been on the bottom when that happened, I can tell you that a large ship passing overhead is as "overhead" as anything will ever get. Surfacing would turn you into chum.

Terry

Hah, you are so right!!! We both dive the St. Lawrence River......big props = short haircuts....

I blame the rum.

I'd like to amend my post to:

I read the post as saying that a large ship was passing over the diver's head, not that the diver was inside anything.

Though in the interests of nit-picking, islandwheels did say

If you had an OOA and needed to CESA during the overhead passage of a large ship