Worst. Dive. Ever.

[Sludge]

Okay, it wasn't the worst dive, but certainly my worst exit ever. So with apologies to Comic Book Guy...

The reason for my problem was a flooded scooter. It started leaking last fall, and did so for about a dozen consecutive dives. But I found that by cleaning the o-ring glands with a cloth, wetting the o-rings to remove all grit, and spraying the shroud with water/baby shampoo, I could prevent leaking. I had about twenty consecutive flood-free dives.

But with Jackson Blue open for swimmers, all of the pavilions were full of picnickers, and I wasn't able to properly prepare the scooter for the second dive. I was almost anticipating a leak. When we got in the water, after checks, instead of being a few ounces positive it was a few ounces negative. I told Josh to prepare to make a swim dive. Once in the cavern it was about a pound negative, and at p300' it was several pounds negative. I left it in the middle of the tunnel and we made a swim dive.

When we returned, I tried to pick it up by the drive handles and it wouldn't budge. I picked it up by the front handle and it was about thirty pounds negative. (I have a mesh bag with thirty pounds of lead and that's how heavy it felt. Tell me again why we don't carry lift bags into caves.) So I held the handle close to me and inflated my wing, and proceded to make my exit.

When I got to the rock at the bottom of the chimney the scooter suddenly felt neutral. I thought Josh was helping me carry it, but I looked down and he was ten feet behind me. The scooter was running! I reached down and both triggers were still pinned, so I wedged it against the ceiling to check all the linkages. They were all free. I looked down and the propwash was quickly turning vis to nothing. So I decided I would have to do something I have been looking forward to NEVER having to do: reach into a shroud with a bare, ungloved hand, and grab a spinning prop.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm a MAN!

But my problems weren't over. I was still 300' feet in a cave with a 30-pound-negative scooter that I had to hold the prop with one hand and bear-hug with the other, and negotiate a vertical restriction in ZERO visibility. Needless to say, it was my first dive in years that I didn't make a three-minute Pyle stop.

Fun day.

[Jay]

That stinks Russell!

Did you think about trying to drive it out, or was it too heavy? It was already flooded with pretty pure water so there wouldn't have been any more damage.

[Randy Thornton]

Any video? This sounds like it might have been kind of interesting to watch!

[tflaris]

Hate to hear about your misfortune. Glad you made it out ok.

[Line Squirrel]

Russell is now known as "Stubs"

Wondering if you could have palmed the prop pitch adjustment knob while the scooter was running to turn the pitch down to a 1 or less?

[Squirrel Girl]

Bummer. Maybe there's something going around. That guy on TDS posted about being Lost at Sea. My last dive in FL after the workshop was my worst dive ever.

Then, yesterday a schnauzer walked up to me me right as I was passing by on my bike. I wiped out but good (always wear a helmet), and now I can't walk. Fortunately I was lent some crutches from a friend, even if the crutches are too short. Without them I'd be truly sunk.

[Bill Rotella]

Now that is a story of a real manly cave diver!

[Sludge]

Did you think about trying to drive it out, or was it too heavy?

One or two pounds negative would be difficult. As heavy as this was, impossible.

But even had the scooter been neutral with a stuck-on motor, the chimney goes from 95' to 50' deep, almost straight up, with a minor restriction at the top.

And I had zero visibility.

[amphipod06]

Russell,

Why don't you just get the scooter fixed now? I am sorry you had to stick your hand in the prop...almost sounds like a rite of passage...

Maybe now you'll fix it so you don't have to worry about it...

Glad everything's ok....

Any pictures?

Dive safe,

Celia

[Sludge]

I got the motor rebuilt by the best guy on the planet last summer, and it starting flooding on the very next dive!

I'm not too far from a new N-19. If I can just sell another reg or BC it's mine.