IRAP Administrator
08-03-2007, 10:58 PM
In preparation for a more advanced dive, we decided to cross the dark water tunnel and do a circuit for our first dive of the summer trip. A more experienced diver who was to lead the dive had said that this tunnel was similar to a cave of our intended, deeper dive later in the week. He would be in the first position, I would be in the second, my buddy would be third, and the leader's usual buddy would be #4.
The lead diver stated that we could do a visual jump to the darkwater tunnel from the main line, though we were free to refuse to make a visual jump. We agreed on the visual jump. When we made the jump and entered the darkwater tunnel, the lead diver set a very rapid pace. I was having trouble keeping up, and the tunnel was difficult because of the low overhangs and very bad silt on the floor and little clearance in places. I strained to keep up and my breathing was not relaxed. I periodically flashed my buddy behind me with the "OK" circle, and he returned it. I was not looking back as frequently as normal, and was very concerned that a combination of fast pace and rusty skills might be causing me to silt the area behind me. I continued to see my buddy's light, however. I made contact with the ceiling several times during the darkwater traverse. I checked my air frequently and noted around 2200 psi before the end of darkwater.
When we reached the end of darkwater, #1, me, and my buddy gathered, but #4 was not present. Slate writings revealed that my buddy had not seen #4 since we entered darkwater. We were thinking and communicating what to do while I checked my spg and noticed 1,000 psi. I showed this to my buddy. I saw the main line below us and an arrow which pointed of in a direction that did not seem the correct way out. It pointed to the right, and I was certain that left was the way back to the cavern. I was getting very concerned and becoming somewhat confused. We continued to sort of hang around without making a decision about what to do, and I was very concerned about my lack of gas. Finally, our leader indicated that he would head back through darkwater alone to look for diver #4, and I and #3 should leave in a left direction, which did indeed lead to the cavern zone. The right arrow pointed towards Olsen Sink via the crossover.
Meanwhile, my mind began to settle down, and I reached over my shoulder and opened the valve which had become rolled off during my contacts with the ceiling. I saw an indicated 2,000 psi on my guage again, which I showed my buddy. My buddy and I headed out and reached the cavern zone without incident.
Surfacing after our safety stop, we saw the missing diver #4, who had abandoned the dive when we first made the visual jump from Peacock to Darkwater. Diver #4 stated that we were silting up the cave and that she did not wish to make the visual jump and follow us into Darkwater with conditions deteriorating. My buddy admitted that he had not seen her at all after we entered darkwater. Later, Diver #1 surfaced, very worried about his buddy whom he had not located when he headed back through darkwater since she had already exited. She did leave a line marker on the main line before exiting, but this only confused her buddy.
The lead diver stated that we could do a visual jump to the darkwater tunnel from the main line, though we were free to refuse to make a visual jump. We agreed on the visual jump. When we made the jump and entered the darkwater tunnel, the lead diver set a very rapid pace. I was having trouble keeping up, and the tunnel was difficult because of the low overhangs and very bad silt on the floor and little clearance in places. I strained to keep up and my breathing was not relaxed. I periodically flashed my buddy behind me with the "OK" circle, and he returned it. I was not looking back as frequently as normal, and was very concerned that a combination of fast pace and rusty skills might be causing me to silt the area behind me. I continued to see my buddy's light, however. I made contact with the ceiling several times during the darkwater traverse. I checked my air frequently and noted around 2200 psi before the end of darkwater.
When we reached the end of darkwater, #1, me, and my buddy gathered, but #4 was not present. Slate writings revealed that my buddy had not seen #4 since we entered darkwater. We were thinking and communicating what to do while I checked my spg and noticed 1,000 psi. I showed this to my buddy. I saw the main line below us and an arrow which pointed of in a direction that did not seem the correct way out. It pointed to the right, and I was certain that left was the way back to the cavern. I was getting very concerned and becoming somewhat confused. We continued to sort of hang around without making a decision about what to do, and I was very concerned about my lack of gas. Finally, our leader indicated that he would head back through darkwater alone to look for diver #4, and I and #3 should leave in a left direction, which did indeed lead to the cavern zone. The right arrow pointed towards Olsen Sink via the crossover.
Meanwhile, my mind began to settle down, and I reached over my shoulder and opened the valve which had become rolled off during my contacts with the ceiling. I saw an indicated 2,000 psi on my guage again, which I showed my buddy. My buddy and I headed out and reached the cavern zone without incident.
Surfacing after our safety stop, we saw the missing diver #4, who had abandoned the dive when we first made the visual jump from Peacock to Darkwater. Diver #4 stated that we were silting up the cave and that she did not wish to make the visual jump and follow us into Darkwater with conditions deteriorating. My buddy admitted that he had not seen her at all after we entered darkwater. Later, Diver #1 surfaced, very worried about his buddy whom he had not located when he headed back through darkwater since she had already exited. She did leave a line marker on the main line before exiting, but this only confused her buddy.