WORST diving experience

[diversteve]

This thread was originally started by someone who is no longer with us. (explained in post 28)

But since there's interest in the topic, please continue.

 

[Guba]

strange...I didn't start this thread. I was just the first to reply and the OP disappeared and my name showed up on thread title. Something's amiss.

 

[ReeferBen]

I have only had two bad experiences,

#1 Was with a dive boat going out of VA Beach, where we spent something like 6 hours driving (3 out to one spot, 2 to another, 1 back to the final spot) and when I finally got in I was killing myself in the current...

Lesson was to stay in shape for the type of diving you want to do, or don't do it (and be happy being a Caribbean and quarry diver :depressed Otherwise know your limits and dive within them.

#2 Was my sisters 100th dive about 5 years ago, we were doing a easy familiar dive, about 15 minutes in I took a breath off my reg and got nothing...I got my sisters attention after she finally looked back and she came over. We buddy breathed and I asked her to check my tank to make sure it was all the way on. She went back fiddled with my tank and told me she fixed it. I took one breath from my reg gave her the ok sign, she started swimming away and boom my next breath nothing...again got her attention. Buddy breathed with her, asked her to check again and she write me a note on my slate whoops I turned your air off last time. She turned it back on and we aborted, I was stressed and that point.

Lesson on that was, for one be able to reach and adjust your own tanks valve if for some reason (roll off, stupidity of not having it on, w/e) it needs to be checked under water. And #2 that I should have taken a bunch of breaths while watching my SPG at that point to make sure I was really OK before assuming one good breath was good enough, and kept my buddy with me. #3 was you have to be able to save yourself period...we dive a lot together and know each other but in the OOA emergency it still took a while to get her to realize I needed help. If it had been an insta-buddy I would probably have been doomed...and probably better just doing an emergency accent. Unless they happened to be one of rare good insta-buddys.

 

[Rhone Man]

I always say that divers' experience levels are not measured in certifications, or numbers of dives, but the number of "oh sh*t!" moments you have had in your diving career.

 

[cmaha76]

Rhone Man, you're not the first I've heard that from. My OW instructor basically told me after signing my temp card that the only thing that made him a better diver than me was that he had already made all the mistakes I was going to make so he knows how he will respond to them, I just needed to get the experience and find out how I would respond to the "OH SH!T" moments.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

My worst diving experience had to be last year during my initial cave training when I accidentally inhaled some water and my windpipe spasmed shut. We'd been working pretty hard in the flow at Ginnie Springs, and I really needed to breathe ... and I couldn't. It's the only time I've ever experience an "I might die here" moment underwater. Fortunately, I didn't ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[TSandM]

As I sat and thought about it, all of my "bad" dives have had to do with disorientation or vertigo, usually in midwater and in the dark. It has gotten less frequent, but never any more fun.

 

[The Chairman]

My "bad" dives are the ones that didn't happen for whatever reason. A bad ankle, a hurricane, a sick friend... whatever the cause that caused me to call/miss that dive. Oh, I've had some less than brilliant moments in the water, but at least I was IN the water.

Last year at Bonne Terre Mines, my neoprene neck seal unfolded and I had a total flood in 54F water as I descended. Sure, I sucked down air a bit faster on that dive, but it was way cool. On the deck, while everyone was laughing at how Popeye I looked, my guide looked me into the eyes and said: "You should have told me. I would have cut the dive earlier." I replied: "And that's precisely why I didn't tell you."

Earlier this year (January) as I was getting ready to do three days of cave diving with a friend's class, I pulled the cuff completely out of my dry suit. With no Wetsuit with me, all I could do was to dive in my swim suit (3 dives a day X 3 days in 68F) or watch. What's a little cold? At least I was wet.

I have had some challenging dives, and some where the conditions really kicked my butt or tested me in some other way. I learn and keep diving.

 

[Brian Sharpe]

The only really bad dives I've had were:

1) my 1st post certification dive in the harbour in Charlottetown PEI. Zero vis, felt very uncomfortable & thumbed the dive. My buddy did a pretty good job of making me feel ok about thumbing the dive (one of the reasons I firmly believe any diver can call any dive for any reason) and I got some "pity dives" locally which resulted in meeting some of my now regular dive buddies.

2) last fall - first time back in my drysuit after a summer of diving wet at the same time taking my first dive with my BP/W. I had a leaky mask, was slightly under-weighted and over task loaded and, to add to my embarrassment, ended up with floaty legs. Fortunately I was diving with a couple of excellent buddies who recognized the stress and helped bring the dive to a happy conclusion.

Even the "bad" dives have been excellent learning experiences.

 

[Pitchblack]

Diving under a 90m long cargo ship in search for dents in the hull.

It was like diving in a cup of coffee, first 4 inches was brown then it was pitch black and all visual orientation that could be made was the red hull above your head and the bubbles from your exhales going to either side of the hull. And suddenly when swimming we were inside a ballast intake hole...Just out of nowhere. We made it and i'm here today.

Thats the closest i've been on puking while diving.