Are you prepared for emergencies?
- Thread starter Tech Diver
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SantaMonica
Well-known member
Paul is prepared for all environments 
Saltliquid
New member
Two things I would like to add.
Firstly, a few years back I thought I would take a pic of an unusual sea urchin I had found in just over a hundred feet of water. While trying to get a pic, it slipped off my gloved hand and not knowing any better I gently pushed it back with the non glove hand, from there a strange pain and heat spreading through out firstly, then a dull ache every where started, next was dizziness and every thing started to look weird and I felt like I was going to loose consciousness as I took my pics. I then grabbed my gear and went up to shallower waters and just laid there for a while going in and out of semi consciousness or more so another sort of feeling that I can’t describe, but I couldn’t easily move for a few minutes. It went away quite fast and that night I sent off an email and got this thing identified by the Q museum, they told me I was very lucky!
The pics that follow are of it.
The next is a young Asian woman that died at our south port seaway wave beak Island popular dive site. She died in ten feet of water because they would not make it well known in her course that you drop your weight belt as a major line of defence against either death or so they can find the body!
I argued about this poor girl dieing because of money and stupidity by the teachers of her on the auz dive forum and two dive instructors got angry and said, if they made this that clear to new divers, they would not do their course thinking something that bad may happen. My wife knew well to drop her weight belt as I taught her, she survived that day when things went wrong for her while I wasn’t watching.
Oh and maybe always swim into the current so you can drift back to the boat.
The main things here are the current, we have to live with the east auzy current at 3 to 6 knots at times and always a rope from the front anchor to the back or we wont get to the front at all,lol. and once down you hide behind structures to get out of the current. Then long spin sea urchins, those are our main issues of safety. I don't use an ocy, very few of us do, we get in and its a case of "see you back in the boat later", that's the way it has been for over 40 years of my scuba diving and sometimes for my free diving as well.
Twice I have dropped my weight belt in all this time and they were very close calls. There is more to just dropping your weight belt, like letting air out as you go up and more, but you get my drift.
Firstly, a few years back I thought I would take a pic of an unusual sea urchin I had found in just over a hundred feet of water. While trying to get a pic, it slipped off my gloved hand and not knowing any better I gently pushed it back with the non glove hand, from there a strange pain and heat spreading through out firstly, then a dull ache every where started, next was dizziness and every thing started to look weird and I felt like I was going to loose consciousness as I took my pics. I then grabbed my gear and went up to shallower waters and just laid there for a while going in and out of semi consciousness or more so another sort of feeling that I can’t describe, but I couldn’t easily move for a few minutes. It went away quite fast and that night I sent off an email and got this thing identified by the Q museum, they told me I was very lucky!
The pics that follow are of it.
The next is a young Asian woman that died at our south port seaway wave beak Island popular dive site. She died in ten feet of water because they would not make it well known in her course that you drop your weight belt as a major line of defence against either death or so they can find the body!
I argued about this poor girl dieing because of money and stupidity by the teachers of her on the auz dive forum and two dive instructors got angry and said, if they made this that clear to new divers, they would not do their course thinking something that bad may happen. My wife knew well to drop her weight belt as I taught her, she survived that day when things went wrong for her while I wasn’t watching.
Oh and maybe always swim into the current so you can drift back to the boat.
The main things here are the current, we have to live with the east auzy current at 3 to 6 knots at times and always a rope from the front anchor to the back or we wont get to the front at all,lol. and once down you hide behind structures to get out of the current. Then long spin sea urchins, those are our main issues of safety. I don't use an ocy, very few of us do, we get in and its a case of "see you back in the boat later", that's the way it has been for over 40 years of my scuba diving and sometimes for my free diving as well.
Twice I have dropped my weight belt in all this time and they were very close calls. There is more to just dropping your weight belt, like letting air out as you go up and more, but you get my drift.
Last edited:
nogascans
Member
Great reading and my thanks to all for their experiences. After going thru most of my long adulthood always wanting to dive (been snorkeling since 1974), and after a few "resort courses" on family vacations over past two years, I took the "plunge" and got myself PADI Open Water certified! I did the online course but took my time and read/re-read and watched videos before actually meeting with my PADI instructor and doing my in-class paperwork and discussions, and pool work.
Ended up doing the Open Water section over two days with a total of 6 dives. My instructor was very thorough with all the sections, and made for a very enjoyable experience. Beside in-class discussions on out-of-air emergencies, he stressed the importance of remaining calm and always be thinking of a solution. He did discuss before one dive that we would he would present me with a buddy out of air emergency, but I never knew until it happened when that would be. Definitely got my full attention and understanding of remaining calm even when you buddy was the exact opposite. Best part of dive!
After having previous experiences with blue-water diving (Discovery) in Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Honduras with their exquisite visibilities, the lake experience with visibility from 3ft-15ft was an eye-opener. Made me very aware of keeping in close proximity with dive partner as you could easily loose sight with silt filled water.
I will continue to follow this thread and hope to learn much!
Sincerely,
David
Ended up doing the Open Water section over two days with a total of 6 dives. My instructor was very thorough with all the sections, and made for a very enjoyable experience. Beside in-class discussions on out-of-air emergencies, he stressed the importance of remaining calm and always be thinking of a solution. He did discuss before one dive that we would he would present me with a buddy out of air emergency, but I never knew until it happened when that would be. Definitely got my full attention and understanding of remaining calm even when you buddy was the exact opposite. Best part of dive!
After having previous experiences with blue-water diving (Discovery) in Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Honduras with their exquisite visibilities, the lake experience with visibility from 3ft-15ft was an eye-opener. Made me very aware of keeping in close proximity with dive partner as you could easily loose sight with silt filled water.
I will continue to follow this thread and hope to learn much!
Sincerely,
David
Learn It
New member
I have been trying to to do more and more diving lately. Most have been guided boat dives throughout the carribean, but also some diving here in good ol' New England. Frigid water, rough conditions and very limited visibility...and don't forget about all the Great White Sharks now too =0
jrdonnellyjr1
New member
Even though this is 2 yers old still lots of good info
Reading the info on this thread is good even for us old guys. Here on Maui we lost three people in shallow water in the last two weeks. Right know we have a King Tide and I still see tourists in the water getting slammed. I talk to visiting divers all the time and most say the same thing. "I'm trying to get as many dives in before it's time to go home". Many people make the same mistake. They go on a shore dive in summer and enjoy clear calm water. They go back to that spot in the winter and it's a different ocean. Don't go on a dive just because it's your last few days of your vacation. If the water looks dangerous, it is dangerous. A fact they don't talk about here on the islands is more people drown on the Hawaiian Islands that all the other states combined. Check the weather and tides before you decide. Maui Don
coralcruze2020
Member
I know this is an old thread but thanks for posting. I once saved a guys life at 96 feet in an out of air situation. nothing prepares you for the real thing. Thank goodness I am here to tell about it.
