Worst exper. when cert.

[ssra30]

Good job. I think many accidents happen because people panic. As long as you have air, you do have time to think and react rather than panic. When I took my OW, my instructor had a habit of sneaking behind our back during the pool session and yanked our masks or regulators off once in awhile just to make sure that we would not panic in open water. About 17-18 years ago when I did AOW with her, on my first wreck dive, at 90ft, my reg free flowed. She just calmly handed me her octopus and signaled me not to surface. Since she let me use her air, she decided that the least I could do was to let her ride on my back for the next 10 minutes before we ended the dive. Probably not the safest thing to do but it certainly gave me a boost of confidence and to know not to panic and made the mistake of bolting at sign of first trouble.

 

[deep1]

That said......I apologize, but I must admit I chuckled when I pictured you ascending while being attacked by your second stages. It is only funny to me because everything came out ok and I have a weird sense of humor.QUOTE]

After reading this, I have to admit, I had to laugh also! To picture it like that, LMAO! It is good to be able to look back on it like that and laugh! No apology necessary.

 

[Jai Bar]

I can't judge the DM's behavior, since I wasn't there. However, is it possible that he actually was trying to calm you, by showing that he is near you with 2nd stage at hand and that no rush is needed? After all, most free flows are not because of 1st stage failure such as the one you experienced (beginner's luck ), but because of dirt/sand etc. in 2nd stages which he was trying to solve...

In my opinion it was actually one of the best lessons you could be taught in scubadiving, and under a semi-controlled environment (shallow depth, DM and instructor nearby etc).

 

[dlegros]

Since she let me use her air, she decided that the least I could do was to let her ride on my back for the next 10 minutes before we ended the dive.

An ulterior motive there perhaps

Dom

 

[Chivas]

This is one of the reasons I started using a 13cu ft pony on all dives deeper than 20'

 

[ssra30]

This is one of the reasons I started using a 13cu ft pony on all dives deeper than 20'

Yes, I do carry one as well since all my uw photographer/divebuddies all have the habit of doing our dives with starburst pattern, I do want to have a little backup system of my own, just in case. It is a pain though as most of my dives now required a flight. I left one on a liveaboard that I use at least a few weeks a year.

 

[Xanthro]

Never fully trust your equip. no matter how new it is that way you're always prepared for something when it happens.

That is not the lesson to learn from that experience, as it can lend itself to poor decision making. You can't view the surface as an air source or backup, when something goes wrong underwater, you need to fix it underwater. While that fix might mean surfacing, you still need to have some trust in your gear.

In your case, you feared you'd run out of air, when in fact you still had plenty to make a safe ascent.

It was excellent that you remained calm and your advice on always being prepared is correct, but don't fall into the trap of lacking faith in your gear, as that can be very dangerous.

 

[deep1]

That is not the lesson to learn from that experience, as it can lend itself to poor decision making. You can't view the surface as an air source or backup, when something goes wrong underwater, you need to fix it underwater. While that fix might mean surfacing, you still need to have some trust in your gear.

In your case, you feared you'd run out of air, when in fact you still had plenty to make a safe ascent.

It was excellent that you remained calm and your advice on always being prepared is correct, but don't fall into the trap of lacking faith in your gear, as that can be very dangerous.

Guess I could have put that differently. My meaning behind it was, always be ready for chit to happen and that way it doesn't take you by total surprise. The reg's and 1st stage were brand new besides the pool dives I did on them and the other OW.

 

[Sasquatch]

"That said......I apologize, but I must admit I chuckled when I pictured you ascending while being attacked by your second stages. It is only funny to me because everything came out ok and I have a weird sense of humor. Very impressed with the way you handled yourself, I doubt I would have been that calm in my open water check out dives."

I agree with the above. It must have been a sight...

Nice job, cool head.

 

[Hoya97]

Hi,
Simply a few observations. In over 30 years of diving, I've had two regulators fail on me. Neither were mine. So I guess I could say that in my experience, regulators almost NEVER fail.

That being said, you must develop a healthy respect for your equipment. Know how it works, keep it repaired (tuned up) and trust it. Otherwise, you'll end up buying backup systems to your backup systems and end up looking like a walking dive store.

I think the observation about the DM being close, urging you to remain calm, may be more accurate than not. I do the same thing, but in the process, I would be offering you my regulator. The other thing I think I would have done were I the DM would be to grab your second stages and hold them. That would have prevented them from whipping around and hurting either you or me.

Don't understand the mechanism for failure though so maybe someone could enlighten me. If a pilot valve were to fail in the first stage, I would think that as the second stage is demand flow as well, the higher pressure would slam into the seat, but not cause a freeflow. It wouldn't be fun breathing from it, but I can't see how both stages would free flow on our hapless student. Anyone care to educate me?

Congratulations on you coming through your practical test in emergency procedures - you obviously passed with flying colors!

Regards,

Lee