IRAP Administrator
08-03-2007, 09:40 PM
We were doing the second push in an unexplored sump inside a large "dry" cave. The sump is over two miles from, and 200 feet below the entrance. It takes several support personal to bring gear for two divers that far. The route to the sump is through the same stream that feeds it. The support crew tried to avoid stirring up the stream, but is can't be avoided. As a result, the dive started out zero visibility.
I lead in, with an old style enclosed, aluminum reel. I had only gotten in about 50 feet when the reel jammed. It probably had gotten bent during the rough trip to the dive site.
While I was futzing with the reel, trying to unjam it, I let the line go slack. I finally gave up on the reel, and turned to go out. When I got to my buddy, I realized the line was tangled around his tank valve. I tried to get it loose, but the water temp was in the 50's. I couldn't feel the line very well, through neoprene gloves.
I knew we weren't far in, so I tried to signal my buddy to exit. I got no response. I put my hand on his back to feel for breathing.....I felt none. I couldn't hear any bubbles, either. I didn't really want to think of what had happened, but I couldn't see any reason for us both to die there.
I went around him, and followed the line out.
When I got to the entrance, I was faced with all the support crew, who wanted to know what happened, and wondered if I was just going to leave him there.
I knew he was pretty well "tied" to the line (which was 1/8") so I started gently pulling on the line. I was able to move him pretty easily, so I kept pulling. Soon it got much easier to pull, and I was afraid the line had come off his valve. I went ahead and kept pulling.
After a few more seconds, he came crawling up into the head pool.
I asked why he didn't move. He said "I couldn't reach the tangle, and I knew you would get me out." I never did tell him that I had abandoned him for dead. I also suspect that he was frozen with fear. I think that is why his breathing was so shallow that I couldn't detect it.
What I learned from this one was: If you know you won't be able to see your buddy, then they won't be much help to you, and vice-versa. Until a sump has been pushed to another air space, it really isn't a good place for a "buddy" dive.
I lead in, with an old style enclosed, aluminum reel. I had only gotten in about 50 feet when the reel jammed. It probably had gotten bent during the rough trip to the dive site.
While I was futzing with the reel, trying to unjam it, I let the line go slack. I finally gave up on the reel, and turned to go out. When I got to my buddy, I realized the line was tangled around his tank valve. I tried to get it loose, but the water temp was in the 50's. I couldn't feel the line very well, through neoprene gloves.
I knew we weren't far in, so I tried to signal my buddy to exit. I got no response. I put my hand on his back to feel for breathing.....I felt none. I couldn't hear any bubbles, either. I didn't really want to think of what had happened, but I couldn't see any reason for us both to die there.
I went around him, and followed the line out.
When I got to the entrance, I was faced with all the support crew, who wanted to know what happened, and wondered if I was just going to leave him there.
I knew he was pretty well "tied" to the line (which was 1/8") so I started gently pulling on the line. I was able to move him pretty easily, so I kept pulling. Soon it got much easier to pull, and I was afraid the line had come off his valve. I went ahead and kept pulling.
After a few more seconds, he came crawling up into the head pool.
I asked why he didn't move. He said "I couldn't reach the tangle, and I knew you would get me out." I never did tell him that I had abandoned him for dead. I also suspect that he was frozen with fear. I think that is why his breathing was so shallow that I couldn't detect it.
What I learned from this one was: If you know you won't be able to see your buddy, then they won't be much help to you, and vice-versa. Until a sump has been pushed to another air space, it really isn't a good place for a "buddy" dive.